What poisons kill a person. Potent and dangerous poisons

In nature, there are a huge number of substances that, on the one hand, are dangerous to health, and on the other hand, help to cure various diseases. It all depends on their quantity and concentration. When exposed to poisons in sufficiently small quantities, some of them help to recover from the most dangerous diseases, without any pathologies or consequences.

The most powerful poison

There are quite a variety of poisons: some instantly kill a person, while the effects of others are very slow, gradually leading to death for the body. Some even cause severe pain and terrible suffering. There are a huge variety of them; the article lists the most dangerous ones. So dangerous that it is difficult to even determine which poison is the strongest.

Cyanide

Hydrocyanic acid and its derivatives are a very dangerous substance for the human body. A very small amount of it can instantly kill a living organism. However, sugar can resist it; it is an antidote.

Anthrax poison

The bacteria that cause this life-threatening disease belong to the Bacillus anthracis family. They attack healthy cells, leading to their death. If a person has a skin form of the disease, then in 20% it leads to death. When affected by the intestinal form anthrax 50% of victims die. The pulmonary form leaves virtually no chance for the patient to survive; doctors manage to save only 5%.

Sarin

This substance was obtained as a result of attempts to synthesize pesticides. It is very dangerous; when it enters the body, a person experiences severe suffering, which ultimately leads to death. This poison for a long time used in the role chemical weapons, until its production stopped in the 90s. But at present it is still used by terrorists and the military.

Amatoxins

These substances are contained in fly agaric mushrooms. A person can only feel symptoms after poison enters the body only after 10 hours or even the next day. Amatoxins have a detrimental effect on all organs, so in most cases poisoning is fatal. If a person managed to survive, then for the rest of his life he will be tormented by pain that arises due to internal organs damaged by these substances.

Mercury

This poison penetrates everything internal organs person. tends to accumulate, so with a small amount of it it very slowly poisons the body. When a person is poisoned by this substance, the normal activity of the nervous system is disrupted and severe mental disorder occurs.

Strychnine

It was discovered by chemists back in the 19th century. This toxic substance is obtained from chilibuha nuts. A large amount of it leads to severe poisoning. Subsequently, a slow death occurs, while the person suffers greatly and begins to have convulsions. If used in small quantities, strychnine is an excellent remedy for treating paralysis. Another useful property is that this substance speeds up metabolism.

Tetrodotoxin

This poison is found in a Japanese fish called fugu. Its content has also been noted in the caviar and skin of animals that live in water in tropical zone, and its presence has also been recorded in the eggs of the Californian newt. Doctors are not always able to cure a person after ingesting this poison, and the mortality rate is high. However, most people still prefer to try this delicacy - fugu dishes. But even the most experienced chef is not immune to the fact that the fish he cooks will poison his visitors.

V-Ex

This poison is used by the military as a chemical weapon. It paralyzes the human body and also causes nervous breakdown. If a person inhales its vapors, or the substance gets on the skin, then painful death occurs in less than an hour.

Ricin

Obtained from plants. Its grains are very dangerous; if they enter the respiratory tract, they endanger human life. He dies if this substance enters the blood. Very powerful, stronger than even cyanide, and only due to technical problems it was not possible to use it as a chemical weapon mass destruction. But still, this poison is used by the military and terrorists.

Botulism toxin

Produced bacterial cells Clostridium botulinum, which are very dangerous to human health and life. When exposed to them, the body develops botulism. This poison is widely used in medicine: it is small quantities added to medications, and also received wide application during operations in which Botox is used. Perhaps botulinum toxin is the most powerful poison for humans.

The poisons described in the article have a detrimental effect on the body, causing death in most cases. And if the victim is able to be saved from intoxication with these substances, then for the rest of his life he will experience various consequences and health problems.

It is difficult to determine the most powerful poison. This definition includes any substance that provokes serious pathological changes in the body. Poisons act in different ways. Some slowly and imperceptibly bring a person to a critical point, others cause unbearable pain.

You can predict the effect and take measures to eliminate serious consequences by finding out the exact cause of the poisoning. There is an antidote for each toxic substance.

Poisonous chemical origin

The most dangerous poisons developed by people. Not all were created as chemical warfare agents; for example, sarin was created as a result of the synthesis of pesticides. Its production stopped in the 90s of the 20th century.

The existing reserves were not destroyed, so this poison is used by terrorists and the military. This deadly gas It is odorless and colorless, and its inhalation causes chest tightness, nausea, nasal discharge, respiratory failure, spasms, convulsions and coma. As a result, the person loses control of his own body and dies from suffocation.

Widely known negative influence hydrocyanic acid and substances that contain it. Even a small dose can cause death.

The effects of the white powder, which is highly toxic, are blocked by glucose. Contact with this gaseous substance is the cause of convulsive syndrome and respiratory failure.

Death occurs due to the binding of gas molecules to hemoglobin. Oxygen does not reach the internal organs, and the person simply suffocates.

Another type of poison is methyl alcohol. It is often confused with ethanol. Because of this, people who abuse counterfeit alcohol die due to intoxication. If rescue measures are taken on time, the likelihood of death will be significantly reduced. There is a high risk of complete loss of vision.

V-Ex is considered one of the most dangerous poisons. This gas is used as a chemical weapon of mass destruction. To penetrate the body, inhalation for a few minutes or short contact with the skin is sufficient.

The fast-acting remedy leads to death in just a quarter of an hour.

Don't forget about mercury and arsenic. The first slowly poisons the body, causing partial dysfunction of the central nervous system and subsequent mental disorder. All vital organs suffer from exposure to this metal. Vapors and soluble mercury compounds are formed already at room temperature, so you need to be careful when using a thermometer.

List of "Most strong poisons“It is impossible to imagine without arsenic. 33 element Periodic table Mendeleev has been used as a poison for centuries.

Symptoms of intoxication are similar to the clinical manifestations of cholera. It is possible to provoke chemical poisoning through potassium chloride. This substance is intended to fertilize the earth, but its penetration into the body is fraught with sudden cardiac arrest.

Plant substances

Some biological components are also dangerous; such poisons are presented in no less variety than synthetic ones. You can cause death using chilibuja nuts. Of these they receive one of the most known poisons– strychnine.

Severe intoxication is accompanied by convulsions that lead to death. This substance is used in small quantities in the treatment of paralysis and to accelerate metabolic metabolism.

A dangerous poison called ricin is produced from castor beans. It is several times stronger than potassium cyanide, but due to technical difficulties it cannot be used as a weapon of mass destruction.

The outcome of poisoning directly depends on the method of penetration of the toxic substance into the body.

If inhaled, death is unlikely, but if even a few grains enter the bloodstream, there is practically no chance of a favorable outcome.

Among plant poisons, curare is considered the most famous. It was prepared based on herbs growing in the area South America. Death caused by this substance is very painful. A man gradually dies from paralysis respiratory system, remaining fully conscious but unable to move.

Poisons produced by representatives of the animal world

The world around us full of dangers from which man is not immune. Often culinary preferences become the cause of his disability or even death. Fugu dishes are quite popular in Japan due to their “extreme” nature.

Due to the slightest mistake in the cooking process, the visitor can be poisoned. A similar reaction is explained by tetrodotoxin. It is found in organs puffer fish, skin and caviar of aquatic inhabitants living in the tropics.

Neurotoxins, particularly batrachotoxin, are present in the skin of amphibians from Colombia. Their body does not produce poison. It is formed as a result of dart frogs eating their normal food. The toxic substance “kills” the nervous system and causes respiratory failure.

To tropical fish and frogs you can add snakes and spiders. 250 species have been recorded in nature poisonous snakes. Unfortunately, there is no universal anti-snake serum. To administer the necessary antidote, you need to know what type of animal attacked.

Intoxication occurs when poison enters the bloodstream. A similar effect is caused by the penetration of chiriquitotoxin (chiriqui toad), alpha-latrotoxin (karakurt spider) into the body.

Pathogenic microflora

Poisoning can be caused by poisons produced by pathogenic microorganisms, including:

Bacteria Clostridium botulinum. They cause botulism, a toxic infectious disease that damages the central and peripheral parts of the nervous system.
Anthrax bacilli. There are two forms of development: intestinal and cutaneous. The first type of pathology leads to death in 95% of cases. With the second, 80% of patients survive.
Rods of the genus Clostridium. These are the causative agents of tetanus. Infection occurs when damp soil gets into an open wound. Characteristic symptoms include convulsive syndrome, respiratory and heart failure, and impaired swallowing reflex. In the absence of timely treatment, the likelihood of death is high.

The risk of intoxication of the body increases when consuming spoiled food. For example, if the storage conditions for potatoes are not met, solanine accumulates in them. Even bread can be poisonous if cereals infected with ergot were ground during the production of flour.

Poisonous mushrooms

The most common poisons are amatoxins.

They are part of fly agarics and pale toadstools. The first signs of poisoning may appear after 10-12 hours. Such slowness is fraught with serious complications.

First aid is provided too late, so it is impossible to prevent the negative impact on internal organs. This will subsequently have a negative impact on general condition health.

10 fastest-acting toxic substances

There are several classifications of poisons. The defining characteristic is the minimum dose that can cause death.

The top ten included only natural substances:

Diamphotoxin has the greatest toxic power. It is produced in the body of the larva of the leaf beetle of the genus Diamphidia. Its distribution area is in South Africa. The most dangerous poison can disrupt the electrolyte balance and greatly reduce the level of hemoglobin in the blood. The dose may not exceed 0.000025 mg/kg.
The action of a cytotoxic poison called palytoxin becomes fatal at a dosage of 0.00015 mg/kg. It is formed as a result of vital activity coral polyps Palythoa toxica, P. Сaribacorum.
Batrachotoxin is found in the skin of dart frogs of the genus Phyllobates. The lethal rate is 0.002 mg/kg.
Typotoxin is produced by the Australian taipan. At least 0.002 mg/kg should enter the blood snake venom.
Tetrodotoxin poisoning can occur from eating improperly prepared puffer fish. The critical dose is 0.008 mg/kg.
Titutoxin is the venom of the yellow scorpion. A rapid lethal outcome is possible even when 0.009 mg/kg penetrates the body.
Chiriquitotoxin is found in the skin of toads belonging to Atelopus chiriquiensis. The lethal dose is 0.01 mg/kg.
Alpha-conotoxin is found in a substance secreted by the mollusk Conus geographus. The minimum sufficient amount is 0.012 mg/kg.
Alpha-latrotoxin is produced by the Latrodectus spider (black widow). Death occurs from 0.045 mg/kg.
Neurotoxin II is produced by the Central Asian cobra. The lethal dose is 0.085 mg/kg.

The list of dangerous substances does not end after listing these poisons.

Be careful, do not take unfamiliar drugs and do not touch animals if you are not sure of the safety of your plan. If poison gets inside, be sure to call ambulance. Delay costs lives.

Any type of poison is dangerous for humans: chemical, food or natural. There are hundreds of poisons that lead to death, and they are used for the purpose of murder, during war or terrorist acts, as a means of genocide against other peoples. Regardless of whether the poison is natural or obtained in a laboratory by chemical synthesis, it is capable of killing a person, and most often it is painful.

The most dangerous poisons

Since ancient times, poisons have served as killing weapons, antidotes, and, in small doses, medicine. We are surrounded by toxic substances: they are in the blood, household items, drinking water. Even medicine taken not according to instructions or without a doctor's prescription can become poisonous. It causes irreversible changes in the body, which leads to poisoning and death.

Here are the most dangerous and deadly poisons:

Cyanide. Acts on the nervous and cardiac systems. It blocks the flow of oxygen to cells, paralyzing blood flow. Death occurs very quickly, in one minute. The most deadly cyanide poison is considered to be hydrogen cyanide (hydrocyanic acid with the smell of bitter almonds). It was used as a chemical weapon during wars and was subsequently phased out. Today they are used as the most quick way murder or suicide.
Sarin. They are classified as weapons of mass destruction and are used during wars or terrorist acts. It is a nerve gas that causes asphyxiation. Sarin can kill a person quickly; it will take an excruciating 60 seconds.
Mercury. It's toxic liquid metal, which is contained in a home thermometer. Even if it gets on the skin, mercury causes irritation. The most dangerous is inhaling its vapors. The person experiences blurred vision, memory loss, possible changes in the brain and kidney failure. The result is damage to the central nervous system and death occurs when a significant amount of vapor is inhaled.
Vi-Ex (VX). Nerve gas is considered a weapon of mass destruction around the world. Previously it was used as a pesticide. Contact of just a drop on the skin can cause death. More often it affects the respiratory system (inhalation). Signs of poisoning are similar to the flu, possible respiratory failure and paralysis.
Arsenic. For a long time, the words: arsenic and poison were inseparable. It is associated with murder for political purposes, as the symptoms of poisoning are similar to those of cholera. The properties of this metal are similar to mercury and lead. The disease manifests itself in the form of abdominal pain, seizures, coma and fatal outcome. In small concentrations it causes diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

Long-acting poisons do not lead to death immediately, but after a long period of time. They are convenient to use, since it is difficult to suspect the death of a person who used this poison to kill for his own purposes.

An interesting fact from history. At one of the feasts, the Pontic king Mithridates was poisoned. The son, who sat on the throne, from his youth began to take small doses of poisons so that the body would gradually get used to them. When in fact he wanted to take his own life with poison, it did not work. He asked the guard to kill him with a sword.

Poisons of natural origin

Since ancient times, people have used it for hunting, war or food. natural poisons. Swords and arrows were stuffed with venom from snakes, insects or poisons plant origin. African tribes used substances that acted on the heart, in America they more often used paralyzing substances, and in Asia they used compounds that caused suffocation.

One of the most poisonous inhabitants the seas are gastropods family of cones. They shoot their prey with their harpoon-like teeth. Some release a mixture of toxins into the water, rendering the victim immobile. Toxins are similar in composition to the hormone insulin, which regulates blood sugar levels. When the fish receives hypoglycemic shock, it stops moving.

It is impossible to list all toxic substances; there are a huge number of them in nature. Let's name just a few poisons that are deadly to humans:

Tetrodotoxin. I natural origin, isolated from fugu fish. This is poison for humans, because specially trained chefs can cook fish correctly. Its meat is a Japanese delicacy. If prepared incorrectly, the oral cavity is paralyzed, the swallowing process is disrupted, and problems with speech and coordination of movement arise. Death occurs 6 hours after prolonged convulsions.
Botulism toxin. Refers to the most deadly poisons on the ground. A test tube with botulinum toxin can destroy many people, affecting the central nervous system. The mortality rate is 50%; the rest experience complications that require long-term recovery. It is volatile and easily accessible, and therefore dangerous. Although it is used as an injection for cosmetic purposes, as well as in the treatment of migraines.
Strychnine. It is a poison of natural origin and is found in a number of Asian trees. It can also be produced artificially. Usually used to poison small animals. Its action causes muscle contraction, nausea, convulsions, and suffocation. Death occurs within half an hour.
Anthrax. This is a disease caused by anthrax bacteria. The poison spreads through spores released into the air. Inhaling them is enough to become infected. There was a sensational story when anthrax spores were spread in letters. Panic arose, for which there were serious reasons. Once infected, a person experiences a cold, then breathing becomes impaired and stops. The deadly bacteria kills in 90% of cases within a week.
Amatoxin. The poison is isolated from poisonous mushrooms. Once in the bloodstream, it affects the liver and kidneys. The person falls into a coma and dies from kidney or liver failure as the cells in these organs die within a few days. Amatoxin can also affect cardiac activity. The antidote is penicillin, which must be taken in fairly large doses.
Ricin. It is obtained from the castor beans of the castor bean plant. It has a lethal effect because it blocks the formation of protein in the body. Capable of killing when inhaled, therefore it is very convenient for sending in a letter, such cases have occurred. One pinch is enough to kill an entire organism. I use it in wars as a chemical weapon.

In the USA, there are grasshopper hamsters that love to hunt poisonous scorpions. Rodents have special cells, and after a bite they do not feel pain at all. Most likely, this ability arose due to a mutation that made scorpions a food source for hamsters.

How to determine a lethal dose of poison

To predict poisoning, you need to know the lethal dose of each poison. There is a table of lethal doses for each substance, but it is very arbitrary, since every organism is individual. For some, this dose will be truly fatal, while others will survive with serious complications. Therefore, the dose numbers are approximate.

You should not try unknown berries in the forest or chew the leaves of a plant that is unfamiliar to you. This can be dangerous, as nature is rich in toxic compounds.

The effect of the poison can be affected by:

presence of individual characteristics;
pathology of organs or their functions, which reduces the body’s resistance to the action of a toxic substance;
vomiting, which can reduce the amount of poison ingested;
endurance of the body as a result of physical activity.

If you feel signs of poisoning, call an ambulance immediately. And in the case where the poisonous substance is known, it is possible to use antidotes that will reduce the effects of the poison and save from death. Be vigilant and take care of yourself!

Any toxic substances, be they chemical or plant, pose a serious danger to the body. Science knows dozens and hundreds the strongest poisons, many of which are used by the person himself, and far from being for good deeds - this includes terrorism, genocide, and much more. But there were also times when poisons were considered medicines. One way or another, toxic substances are still undergoing active research in laboratories. What is the most powerful poison in the world?

Cyanide

Cyanides are a class of harmful, potent substances that are dangerous to humans. Their toxicity is explained by their immediate effect on the respiratory functions of cells, which, in turn, stops the work of the entire organism. Cells stop functioning, organs fail. All this leads to a very serious condition, fraught with death. Cyanide itself is a derivative of hydrocyanic acid.

Externally, cyanide is white powder, having a crystalline structure. It is quite unstable and dissolves well in water. It's about about the most known form– potassium cyanide, and there is also sodium cyanide, which is also quite toxic. The poison is obtained not only in the laboratory, but also extracted from plants. It is important to know that some foods may contain this substance in small quantities. Almonds and fruit seeds are dangerous. But the poisoning is cumulative.

Cyanide is often used in industrial production– in particular, in the production of paper, some fabrics, plastic, as well as in reagents for photo development. In metallurgy, cyanide is used to purify metals from impurities; and in grain storage facilities rodents are destroyed using means based on this poison. The lethal dose of the most dangerous poison in the world is 0.1 mg/l, and death occurs within an hour. If the quantity is greater, then in ten minutes. First, the person loses consciousness, then stops breathing, and then the heart stops.

This substance was first isolated German chemist Bunsen, and in 1845 manufacturing methods were developed in industrial scale

Anthrax spores

These substances are causative agents of extremely dangerous infectious disease, most often ending in death. People who come into contact with livestock are at risk of contracting Bacillus Anthracis. Spores can be stored in the soil of a cattle burial ground for a very long time.

The disease has been killing people for centuries, especially during the Middle Ages. And only in the 19th century Louis Pasteur managed to create a vaccine against it. He studied the resistance of animals to poisons by injecting them with a weakened strain of ulcer, which resulted in the development of immunity. In 2010, US scientists created an even more effective vaccine against the disease.

Anthrax spores are found in all secretions of a sick animal, ending up with them in water and soil. Thus, they can spread hundreds of kilometers from the source of infection. In African countries, insects can also become infected with poison, blood drinkers. Incubation ranges from several hours to seven days. The poison causes irreparable damage to blood vessels, causing swelling, loss of sensitivity, and inflammation. Carbuncles begin to appear on the skin; It is especially dangerous if they occur on the face. Subsequently, many other unpleasant symptoms, from diarrhea to bloody vomiting. Often the patient will die at the end.

The disease caused by anthrax spores develops extremely quickly and causes terrible external and internal damage.

Many residents of Russia remember this name from school lessons OBZh. One of the most toxic substances on Earth since 1991 has been classified as a weapon of mass destruction. And it was discovered in 1938 by a chemical company in Germany and from the very beginning was intended for military purposes.

Under normal conditions, sarin is an odorless liquid that evaporates quickly. Since it cannot be smelled, poisoning can only be known when symptoms appear.

Moreover, poisoning occurs through inhalation of steam, and through contact with skin or entry into the oral cavity.

Sarin binds certain enzymes, in particular protein, as a result of which it can no longer support nerve fibers.

Light degree poisoning is expressed in shortness of breath and weakness. In moderate cases, constriction of the pupils, lacrimation, severe headache, nausea, and trembling of the limbs occurs. If timely assistance is not provided, death occurs in 100% of cases, but even if assistance is provided, every second poisoned person dies. Severe degree is characterized by the same symptoms as moderate, but they are more pronounced and progress faster. Vomiting occurs, spontaneous excretion of feces and urine occurs, and an incredible headache appears. A minute later the person faints, and five minutes later he dies from damage to the respiratory center.

Sarin was not used in World War II due to Hitler's prejudice against poisonous gases.

Amatoxin

This is the most powerful poison that is independently produced in nature, it more powerful than poison any snake. It is mainly found in white toadstools and when ingested, it affects the kidneys and liver, and then gradually kills all cells over the course of several days.

The poison is very insidious: the first symptoms appear only after 12 hours, and sometimes up to a day. Of course, it’s already too late to do gastric lavage; you need to call an ambulance. Within two days, traces of amatoxin can be detected in a urine test. Activated charcoal and the drug cephalosporin can also help the patient, and in particularly difficult cases it is necessary to resort to a liver transplant. But even after recovery, the patient may suffer from heart, kidney and liver failure for a long time.

A large dose of penicillin is used as an antidote; if it is not introduced, then a person dies on average within a week

This is a poison of plant origin, most often used in baiting small rodents. It has been produced in the laboratory since 1818, extracting it from the seeds of the African chilibuha plant. Strychnine is mentioned in many detective novels, where characters die from exposure to this substance. One of the properties of strychnine is also played out: at the very beginning, it causes a sharp and powerful surge of strength by blocking some neurotransmitters.

The substance is used in the production of medicines, but drugs containing strychnine nitrate are prescribed only in the most extreme cases. Indirect indications for use may be neurological diseases in which nerve impulses are inhibited; poor appetite; impotence; severe forms of alcoholism that cannot be cured by other methods.

Symptoms of poisoning with this poison are similar to the primary symptoms of tetanus. These include difficulty breathing, chewing and swallowing, fear of light and convulsions.

A dose of 1 milligram per 1 kilogram of body weight is fatal.

The first information about mercury has reached us from the depths of time; it is mentioned in documents dating back to 350 BC, and archaeological excavations have also found more ancient traces. The metal was widely used and continues to be used in medicine, art, and industry. Its vapors are extremely toxic, and poisoning can be either immediate or cumulative. First of all, harm is done nervous system, and then to the rest of the body systems.

The initial symptoms of mercury poisoning are trembling of the fingers and eyelids, and later - of all parts of the body. Then there are problems with the gastrointestinal tract, insomnia, headache, vomiting, memory impairment. In case of poisoning by vapors, rather than mercury compounds, damage to the respiratory tract is initially noticed. If exposure to the substance is not stopped promptly, it can be fatal.

The effects of mercury poisoning can be inherited

Most often, a person encounters mercury from a thermometer, especially if it breaks. But not everyone knows exactly how to act in this situation. First you need to quickly collect all the parts of the thermometer and the mercury balls. This needs to be done as carefully as possible, because the remaining particles can cause irreparable harm residents, especially children and animals. This is done with rubber gloves. In hard-to-reach places, you can collect mercury using a syringe or a patch. Place everything collected in a tightly closed container.

Next step– thorough cleaning of the room, also performed with gloves (already new) and a medical mask. A highly concentrated solution of potassium permanganate is suitable for processing. Wipe absolutely all surfaces in the house with this solution using a rag. Fill any gaps, cracks and other depressions with mortar. It is advisable to leave everything in this form for at least a day. For the next few days, ventilate the room daily.

You can call specialists who will make sure that there is no mercury or its vapor in the house if the thermometer breaks

Tetrodotoxin

The most effective defense mechanisms that nature has endowed living beings with are neurotoxins. These are substances that specifically damage the nervous system. Tetrodotoxin is perhaps the most dangerous and unusual of them. It is found in a variety of both terrestrial and aquatic animals. The substance tightly blocks the channels nerve cells, which causes muscle paralysis.

The most common source of poisoning in Japan was eating fugu fish. It is surprising that today this fish is still used in cooking and is considered a delicacy - however, you need to know which parts to eat and in what season to catch the fish. Poisoning occurs extremely quickly, in some cases within six hours. It begins with a slight tingling of the lips and tongue, followed by vomiting and weakness, after which the patient falls into a coma. Effective emergency measures help has not yet been developed. Only artificial respiration can prolong life, because before death, breathing first stops, and only after a while does the heart stop beating.

Tetrodotoxin has been studied for many years, but not all details about it have yet been discovered.

The poisons described above have an extremely harmful effect on animal organisms, so extreme care must be taken when handling them. It is better if professionals do this.

People often think of poisons as a myth from Shakespeare's dramas, or ripped from the pages of Agatha Christie's novels. But in fact, poison can be found everywhere: in cute little bottles under the kitchen sink, in our drinking water, and even in our blood. Below are ten of the world's most under-the-radar poisons, some exotic, others frighteningly common.

10. Hydrogen Cyanide

Although cyanide carries a terrible stigma, its history is rich and fruitful. Some scientists even believe that cyanide may have been one of the chemicals that helped form life on earth. Today he is better known as lethal substance, the active ingredient in Zyklon-B, which the Nazis used to exterminate Jews in showers. Cyanide is chemical, used as capital punishment in the gas chambers of the United States. Those who have been in contact with the substance describe its odor as similar to that of sweet almonds. Cyanide kills by binding to the iron in our blood cells and destroying them, making them unable to carry oxygen throughout the body. Most states in the United States have stopped using the gas chamber, as this type of death penalty is considered unnecessarily cruel. Death can take several minutes and is often horrific to watch as the condemned convicts writhe in agony and salivate profusely as the body attempts to prevent death.

9. Hydrofluoric acid or hydrofluoric acid(Hydrofluoric Acid)

Hydrofluoric acid is used in a number of industries, such as metallurgy and even in the manufacture of Teflon. There are much more powerful acids in the world than hydrofluoric acid, but few of them are as dangerous to humans. In gaseous form it can easily burn out the eyes and lungs, but in liquid form it is especially insidious. Initially, when it comes into contact with human skin, it is completely imperceptible. Due to the fact that it does not cause pain upon contact, people can become seriously poisoned without noticing it. It penetrates the skin into the bloodstream, where it reacts with calcium in the body. In the worst cases, it seeps through the tissue and destroys the bone underneath.

8. Batrachotoxin

Fortunately for most of us, our chance of encountering batrachotoxin is incredibly small. Batrachotoxin is one of the most potent neurotoxins in the world and is found in the skin of tiny dart frogs. Frogs do not produce the poison themselves, it is produced in their bodies by the food they eat, most likely from eating tiny bugs. There are several different versions poison depending on the type of frog, the most dangerous is the type of batrachotoxin produced by the Colombian frog called the terrible leaf climber. This frog is so tiny that it can fit on the tip of your finger, but the poison on the skin of one frog is enough to kill about two dozen people, or a couple of elephants. The toxin attacks nerves, opening their sodium channels and causing paralysis, essentially shutting down the entire body's ability to communicate with itself. There is no antidote in the world, and death occurs very quickly.

7. VX Nerve Gas

Banned from use by the Chemical Weapons Convention (global supplies of this gas are gradually decreasing), VX nerve gas is considered the most powerful nerve gas in the world. The danger of this gas, discovered completely by accident in 1952 during chemical testing of organophosphates, was quickly discovered. Marketed as a pesticide under the name "Amiton", it was soon withdrawn due to its being too dangerous to society. It soon attracted the attention of world governments as it was a time of political unrest cold war, and gas began to be stockpiled for potential use in war. Luckily, no one started a war and the VX was never used in combat. A cultist from the Japanese group Aum Shinriyko stole some of this gas and used it to kill a man - this was the only famous death human caused by VX gas. The gas stops the production of enzymes in the nerves, causing the nerves to be in a constant state of activity, creating a “storm” in the nervous system that quickly overloads and destroys the body.

6. Agent Orange

Almost everyone has heard of the defoliant Agent Orange, created by Dow Chemical and Monsanto (which are considered the most evil corporations in the world). Agent Orange was used during the Vietnam War to eradicate trees that provided cover for enemy soldiers and to destroy crops in rural areas. Unfortunately, in addition to being a plant-killing agent, the herbicides contained a chemical dioxin called TCDD (tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin), a known carcinogen that causes a significant increase in the risk of cancer, especially lymphoma, in those exposed to it. In addition, tens of thousands of Vietnamese children were born stillborn or with birth defects such as cleft palate, extra fingers and toes, and mental retardation. Vietnam remains very polluted to this day.

5. Ricin

Derived from the castor bean plant, ricin is one of the most deadly poisons. A small dose, comparable to a few grains of salt, is enough to kill an adult. The venom stops the production of proteins that the body needs to survive, causing victims to go into shock. Because of simple process produced by him, ricin has been weaponized by many governments around the world, and was used at least once in an assassination, when the Bulgarian dissident writer Georgi Markov was shot with ricin pellets on a London street in 1978. It is believed that the Bulgarian secret police and/or the KGB were responsible for the murder.

4. Arsenic

The metalloid arsenic has been used for centuries for a variety of purposes, from weapons production to cosmetics during the Victorian era (when sickly pallor was considered a fashion statement among women). During the Dark Ages, arsenic became a popular poison for assassins due to its effect - arsenic poisoning has symptoms similar to cholera, which was widespread during those times. Arsenic attacks adenosine triphosphatases in human cells, cutting off the flow of energy. Arsenic is a very unpleasant substance that, in strong concentrations, can cause various types gastrointestinal disorders with bleeding, convulsions, coma and death. In small amounts taken on a regular basis (for example, through arsenic-contaminated water), arsenic has been linked to a number of diseases, such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

3. Lead

Lead is one of the very first metals used by man. Its first smelting was made 8,000 years ago. However, its dangerous effects on the body became known only a few decades ago - lead affects every organ in the human body, so lead poisoning manifests itself through a range of symptoms, from diarrhea to mental retardation. Children are especially at risk of poisoning; fetal exposure to lead causes pathological neurological disorders. The strangest thing is that many criminologists believe that the widespread decline in the number violent crimes is at least partly the result of increased restrictions on the use of lead. Children born after 1980 were much less likely to be exposed to lead and, as a result, were less likely to become violent.

2. Brodifacoum

Immediately after the end of World War II, the poison warfarin began to be used as a rodenticide (and interestingly enough, it was also used as an anticoagulant for people with bleeding disorders). But rats are known for their ability to survive at all costs, and over time, many of them have become resistant to warfarin. Therefore, it was replaced by brodifacoum. An extremely lethal anticoagulant, brodifacoum reduces the amount of vitamin K in the blood. Due to the fact that vitamin K is necessary for the blood clotting process, the body over time is subject to severe internal bleeding as blood spreads throughout the body from the rupture of tiny capillaries. Brodifacoum, sold under brands such as Havoc, Talon, and Jaguar, must be handled with great care because it penetrates easily into the skin and remains in the body for many months.

1. Strychnine

Derived primarily from a tree called chilibuha, which is native to India and southeast Asia, strychnine is an alkaloid substance and is used as a pesticide, especially in rodent control. Death caused by strychnine poisoning is terribly painful. As a neurotoxin, strychnine attacks the spinal nerves, causing seizures and violent muscle contractions. Oskar Dirlewanger, a Nazi SS commander during World War II, injected his prisoners with strychnine and amused himself by watching them writhe. Strychnine is one of the few substances on this list that is both cheap and available on the market. It's possible that strychnine is sold at your local hardware store under a name like "Rodent Killer" or something similar.