Poison that kills. The five most dangerous poisons for humans

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 it is a natural poison or obtained in a laboratory through chemical synthesis, it can kill 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 toxic substances: they are found in blood, household items, drinking water. Even medicine taken not according to instructions or without a doctor's prescription can become poisonous. It calls 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 (hydrocyanic acid with the smell of bitter almonds). It was used as chemical weapons during the wars, its use was subsequently discontinued. 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. This is a toxic liquid metal found in home thermometers. 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, began to take small doses of poisons from his youth 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, man has used natural poisons for hunting, war or food. 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.

Some of the most poisonous inhabitants of the sea are gastropods of the cone family. 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; they are found in nature great amount. 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, it becomes paralyzed oral cavity, the swallowing process is disrupted, problems with speech and coordination of movement arise. Death occurs 6 hours after prolonged convulsions.
Botulism toxin. It is one of the deadliest poisons on earth. A test tube with botulinum toxin can destroy many people, affecting the central nervous system. The mortality rate is 50%, the rest have complications that require long-term recovery. It is volatile and easily accessible, and therefore dangerous. Although it is used as an injection into for cosmetic purposes, as well as in the treatment of migraine.
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 comes in 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, since the cells of 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!

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 it is better known as the 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, depriving them of their ability to carry oxygen throughout the body. Most states in the United States have stopped using the gas chamber because this type of death penalty 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 the eyes and lungs, but in liquid form she 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 of the poison depending on the type of frog, the most dangerous is the type of batrachotoxin produced by the Colombian frog called the terrible leaf creeper. 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 came to the attention of world governments as it was a time of political turmoil in the Cold War, and the gas was 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 deadliest 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. Due to its simple production process, ricin has been weaponized by many governments around the world, and has been used for... at least, once for murder when 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 of gastrointestinal disorders with bleeding, convulsions, coma and death. In no large quantities When ingested on a chronic 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 - exposure to lead in the fetus causes pathological neurological disorders. Strangest of all, many criminologists believe that the widespread decline in violent crime 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. Because vitamin K is essential for the blood clotting process, the body is subject to severe stress over time. internal bleeding, since blood spreads throughout the body from the rupture of the smallest capillaries. Brodifacoum, which is sold under brands such as Havoc, Talon, and Jaguar, must be handled with great care because it penetrates the skin easily 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 spinal nerves, causing cramps 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 is possible that strychnine is available at your local store. household goods under a name like "Rodent Killer" or something like that.

There are many poisons in the world of different nature. Some of them act almost instantly, others can torment the victim of poisoning for years, slowly destroying him from the inside. True, the concept of poison has no clear boundaries. It all depends on concentration. And often the same substance can act both as a deadly poison and as one of the most necessary components for maintaining life. A striking example of such duality are vitamins - even a slight excess of their concentration can completely destroy health or kill on the spot.

Here we propose to take a look at 10 substances that are classified as pure poisons, and are among the most dangerous and fast-acting.

Cyanide

Cyanides are a fairly large group of hydrocyanic acid salts. They are all, like the acid itself, extremely poisonous. In the last century, both hydrocyanic acid and cyanogen chloride were used as chemical warfare agents and were responsible for tens of thousands of deaths.
Potassium cyanide is also famous for its extreme toxicity. Just 200-300 mg of this white powder, which resembles granulated sugar in appearance, is enough to kill an adult in just a few seconds. Thanks to such a small dosage and incredibly quick death, this poison was chosen to kill Adolf Hitler, Joseph Goebbels, Hermann Goering and other Nazis.
They tried to poison Grigory Rasputin with this poison. True, the senders mixed cyanide into sweet wine and cakes, not knowing that sugar is one of the most powerful antidotes for this poison. So in the end they had to use the gun.

Bacillus anthrax

Anthrax is a very serious, rapidly developing disease which is caused by the bacteria Bacillus anthracis. There are several forms of anthrax. The most “harmless” one is the skin one. Even without treatment, the mortality rate from this form does not exceed 20%. Intestinal form kills about half of the sick, but pulmonary form- This is almost certain death. Even with the help the latest techniques treatment modern doctors no more than 5% of patients can be saved.

Sarin

Sarin was created by German scientists trying to synthesize a powerful pesticide. But this deadly poison, which causes quick but very painful death, acquired its dark fame not in agricultural fields, but as a chemical weapon. Sarin was produced by the ton for military purposes for decades, and it was only in 1993 that its production was banned. But despite calls for the complete destruction of all stocks of this substance, both terrorists and the military still use it in our time.

Amatoxins

Amatoxins are a whole group of protein poisons contained in poisonous mushrooms of the amanita family, including the deadly toadstool. The particular danger of these poisons lies in their “slowness”. Once they enter the human body, they immediately begin their destructive activity, but the victim begins to feel the first discomfort no earlier than 10 hours later, and sometimes several days later, when it is already very difficult for doctors to do anything. Even if such a patient can be saved, he will still suffer for the rest of his life from painful dysfunctions of the liver, kidneys and lungs.

Strychnine

Strychnine is found in large quantities in the nuts of the tropical chilibuha tree. It was from them that it was obtained in 1818 by the French chemists Pelletier and Cavantou. In small doses, strychnine can be used as a medicine that increases metabolic processes, which improves heart function and treats paralysis. It was even actively used as an antidote for barbiturate poisoning.
However, this is one of the most strong poisons. His lethal dose even less than the famous potassium cyanide, but it acts much more slowly. Death from strychnine poisoning occurs after about half an hour of terrible agony and severe convulsions.

Mercury

Mercury is extremely dangerous in all its manifestations, but especially severe harm caused by its vapors and soluble compounds. Even small amounts of mercury entering the body cause severe damage to the nervous system, liver, kidneys and the entire gastrointestinal tract.

When small amounts of mercury enter the body, the process of poisoning occurs gradually, but inevitably, since this poison is not eliminated, but rather accumulates. In ancient times, mercury was widely used for the production of mirrors, as well as felt for hats. Chronic poisoning mercury vapor, which was expressed in behavioral disorder up to complete madness, was at that time called “the old hatter’s disease.”

Tetrodotoxin

This extremely strong poison is found in the liver, milk and caviar of the famous puffer fish, as well as in the skin and caviar of some species of tropical frogs, octopuses, crabs and in the caviar of the Californian newt. Europeans first became acquainted with the effects of this poison in 1774, when the crew on James Cook's ship ate an unknown tropical fish, and the slops from the dinner were given to the ship's pigs. By morning, all the people were seriously ill, and the pigs died.
Tetrodotoxin poisoning is very serious, and even today doctors manage to save less than half of all those poisoned.

It is interesting to note that the famous Japanese delicacy fugu fish is prepared from fish in which the content of the most dangerous toxin exceeds lethal doses for humans. Lovers of this treat literally entrust their lives to the art of the cook. But no matter how hard the chefs try, accidents cannot be avoided, and every year several gourmets die after feasting on a delicious dish.

Ricin

Ricin is an extremely powerful poison of plant origin. The greatest danger is inhaling its smallest grains. Ricin is about 6 times more powerful poison than potassium cyanide, but it was not used as a weapon of mass destruction due to purely technical difficulties. But various intelligence services and terrorists are very fond of this substance. Politicians and public figures receive letters filled with ricin with enviable regularity. True, the case quite rarely ends in death, since the penetration of ricin through the lungs is quite low in efficiency. For a 100% result, ricin must be injected directly into the blood.

Vi-Ex (VX)

VX, or, as it is also called, VI gas, belongs to the category of chemical warfare gases that have a nerve-paralytic effect. It was also born as a new pesticide, but soon the military began to use it for their own purposes. Symptoms of poisoning with this gas appear within 1 minute after inhalation or contact with the skin, and death occurs within 10-15 minutes.

Botulism toxin

Botulinum toxin is produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, which is the causative agent the most dangerous disease– botulism. This is the most powerful poison of organic nature and one of the strongest poisons in the world. In the last century, botulinum toxin was part of the arsenals of chemical weapons, but at the same time, active research was conducted regarding its use in medicine. And today, a huge number of people who want to at least temporarily restore the smoothness of their skin are experiencing the influence of this terrible poison, which is part of the popular drug Botox, which once again confirms the truth famous saying the great Paracelsus: “Everything is poison, everything is medicine; both are determined by the dose.”

Each drug has its own contraindications and side effects. Therefore, before using any product, you must carefully study the instructions supplied with it. Potent poisons, sold in pharmacies, can only be purchased with a doctor's prescription. All these funds are under strict control. But even those medicines that are available to everyone can be fraught with danger. Therefore, it is necessary to remember their features.

Dangerous painkillers

Many people are accustomed to the first appearance painful sensations in the body resort to painkillers. In this case, only the symptoms are stopped, but the cause of the problem remains and can progress. Such drugs cause significant harm even in overdose. The list of dangerous painkillers includes:

Paracetamol. An overdose of this drug can cause severe liver damage. Long-term use of it leads to gastric bleeding.
Analgin. With prolonged use it can provoke leukopenia. It has a negative impact on work bone marrow, resulting in a reduction in the number of white blood cells produced.
Aspirin or acetylsalicylic acid. It should be taken with extreme caution by people suffering from diseases digestive system. It can cause gastritis, ulcers, and bleeding in the stomach.
Ibuprofen. It is considered the least dangerous pain medication. However, it is not recommended for use by people suffering from heart disease. Long-term use increases the risk of a heart attack.
Tramadol. This strong drug for relief of high intensity pain. This drug belongs to the category of narcotics, as it quickly becomes addictive. This poison can be purchased at a pharmacy only with a special prescription. An overdose of tramadol leads to the death of the patient.
Amidopyrine. Currently, this medicine is prohibited for sale in Russia. It was found that its use causes serious changes in blood biochemistry, which cannot be reversed.

Today you can buy painkillers at any pharmacy. The main thing to remember is that its excessive use can aggravate the disease.

Drugs for the treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular system

Medicines for the treatment of heart disease are freely sold in pharmacies. Some of them are used by many older people. However, they do not always follow the instructions, which leads to negative consequences for good health. The following can be distinguished dangerous drugs:

Corvalol. This remedy is extremely popular among Russian pensioners. It is believed that it relieves attacks of heart pain. In fact, it only masks the symptoms. The drug contains phenobarbital. This substance has no effect therapeutic effect, but on the contrary, it negatively affects the state of the central nervous system. The sale of drugs containing phenobarbital is strictly prohibited in many countries.
Nitroglycerine. This medicine is widely used to stop heart attacks. It has a dilating effect on the blood vessels of the heart. In this case it may happen sharp drop blood pressure. As a result, a person experiences severe headaches.
Adelfan is a drug for lowering blood pressure. In the world medical practice it was abandoned due to the large number side effects. Nevertheless, it is popular in our country. It contains a poisonous plant alkaloid. With prolonged use of this drug, renal failure may develop and severe swelling may appear.

Uncontrolled use similar means may cause irreparable harm to health. Modern medicine offers safer drugs.

Insidious antibiotics

Without the use of antibacterial drugs, it is impossible to get rid of infectious diseases. But if they are used incorrectly, a large number of side effects develop. Essential drugs are turning into real poisons, sold in pharmacies.

The most common antibiotic in our country, chloramphenicol, is especially dangerous. His long-term use or a violation of the dosage can provoke leukemia or serious disorders of the bone marrow. The purpose of this drug is quite narrow, so it is best to replace it with modern analogues.

Any antibacterial agents negatively affect the health of the digestive system. Together with pathogenic microflora they kill and beneficial microorganisms. Therefore, after treatment with such drugs, you will have to undergo a course of microflora restoration.

Using antibiotics without a doctor's prescription can lead to severe consequences. The specific dosage of the drug must be calculated individually for each patient.

What other dangerous drugs can be found in the pharmacy?

In modern pharmacies you can find many medications that have a detrimental effect on human health. These include:

Xenical. This drug is intended for effective reduction body weight. According to statistics, its use often leads to liver damage. Side effects are also observed: attacks of nausea and vomiting, increased fatigue, jaundice and others.
Esomeprazole magnesium is a drug that relieves heartburn. Its long-term use increases the risk of fractures. This happens because active substance The drug interferes with the normal absorption of calcium in the body.
Viagra is one of the most popular drugs intended for therapy erectile dysfunction. Abuse of such pills often leads to heart attacks, arrhythmia, and sudden death syndrome.
Coaxil is a drug whose action is aimed at treating depressive states. This drug can be highly addictive. Its long-term use can cause severe mental disorders.
Tropicamide is an eye drop that is sold only with a doctor's prescription. They are designed to dilate the pupil. Doctors use them when performing diagnostic study eyes. This drug is often used by people suffering from drug addiction. They inject it into a vein, which leads to a surge of extraordinary vigor. Moreover, after the second use, a strong dependence develops. Refusal from tropicamide drives a person into severe depression, and suicidal thoughts appear. The drug promotes the active removal of calcium from the body. Therefore, drug addicts who use it quickly lose teeth, nails, and the musculoskeletal system is destroyed. Such a slow death brings great suffering.

It is not difficult to find poisons in pharmacies. Therefore, you should not take any medications without consulting a doctor. Self-medication will not lead to anything good. It is necessary to begin using any medications with a thorough study of their properties and instructions for use.

The Swiss physician and alchemist Paracelsus famously said: “All substances are poisons; there is not a single one that is not. The right dose makes the difference between the poison,” and he’s right. Even the water is too large quantities will kill you. However, some substances require very small amounts to cause death - sometimes just enough for a drop to fall on a gloved hand - which is why they initially fell into the class of poisons. From flowers to heavy metals, from man-made gases to real poison, here are the 25 most dangerous poisons, known to mankind.

25. Cyanide can be in the form of a colorless gas or crystals, but in either case it is quite dangerous. It smells like bitter almonds, and when it enters the body, in just a few minutes it leads to the appearance of symptoms such as headache, nausea, rapid breathing and increased heart rate, as well as weakness. If left untreated, cyanide kills because cells are deprived of oxygen. And yes, cyanide can be obtained from apple seeds, but don't worry if you eat a few. You will need to eat about ten kernels before you have enough cyanide in your body to have any effect. Negative influence. Please don't do this.

24. Hydrofluoric acid (Fluoric acid) is a poison used, among other things, in the production of Teflon. In its liquid state, this substance can easily seep through the skin into the bloodstream. In the body, it reacts with calcium and can even destroy the underlying bone. The scary part is that the contact doesn't cause any pain at first, leaving more time and opportunity for serious damage to occur.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

23. Arsenic is a naturally occurring crystalline semimetal and perhaps one of the best known and most common poisons used as a murder weapon in the late 19th century. However, its use for such purposes began in the mid-1700s. Arsenic poisoning can cause death within hours or days. Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting and diarrhea, which made it difficult to distinguish arsenic poisoning from dysentery or cholera 120 years ago.

Photo: maxpixel

22. Belladonna or Deadly Nightshade is a very poisonous herb (flower) with a very romantic story. What makes it poisonous is an alkaloid called atropine, and the entire plant is poisonous, with the root containing the most poison and the berries the least. However, even two eaten are enough to kill a child. Some people use belladonna for relaxation as a hallucinogen, and in Victorian times women would often drop belladonna tincture into their eyes to dilate their pupils and make their eyes sparkle. Before you die under the influence of belladonna, you may experience a seizure, increased heart rate, and confusion. Don't play with belladonna, kids.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

21. Carbon monoxide (carbon monoxide) is an odorless, tasteless, colorless substance and slightly less dense than air. It will poison and then kill you. Part of what makes carbon monoxide so dangerous is that it is difficult to detect; sometimes called the "silent killer". This substance prevents the body from delivering oxygen to where it is needed, such as to cells, to keep them alive and functioning. Early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are similar to the flu without fever: headache, weakness, drowsiness, lethargy, insomnia, nausea and confusion. Luckily, you can purchase a detector carbon monoxide in almost every specialty store.

Photo: wikimedia commons

20. The deadliest tree in all North America grows in Florida. Otherwise, where else would he grow? The Manchineel tree or Beach apple tree has small green fruits that look like apples and look like they would taste sweet. Don't eat them. And don't touch this tree. Don't sit next to it or under it, and pray you never end up in the wind under it. If the sap gets on your skin, it will blister, and if it gets in your eyes, you may go blind. The juice is contained in both the leaves and the bark, so do not touch them. Probably, the juice of this plant killed the conquistador Ponce de Leon, who discovered Florida.

Photo: nps.gov

19. Fluorine is a pale yellow gas that is highly poisonous, corrosive and will react with almost anything. For fluorine to be lethal, a concentration of 0.000025% is sufficient. It causes blindness and asphyxiates the victim like mustard gas, but its effects are much worse.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

18. The pesticide used is Compound 1080, also known as sodium fluoroacetate. IN natural form it is found in several plant species in Africa, Brazil and Australia. The terrible truth about it deadly poison odorless and tasteless is that there is no antidote for it. Oddly enough, the bodies of those who die from ingesting this poison remain poisonous for a whole year.

Photo: lizenzhinweisgenerator.de

17. The most dangerous man-made poison is called dioxin, and it only takes 50 micrograms to kill an adult. It is the third most toxic poison known to science, 60 times more toxic than cyanide.

Photo: wikimedia commons

16. Dimethylmercury (a neurotoxin) is a terrible poison because it can penetrate most standard protective equipment, such as thick latex gloves. This is exactly what happened to a female chemist named Karen Wetterhahn in 1996. A single drop of colorless liquid fell on my gloved hand, and that was it. Symptoms began to appear FOUR MONTHS later, and six months later she was dead.

Photo: wikipedia.org

15. Wolfsbane (Fighter) also known as "Monk's Hood", "Wolfsbane", "Leopard's Venom", "Women's Curse", "Devil's Helm", "Queen of Poisons" and "Blue Rocket". In fact, it is an entire genus of over 250 herbs, and most of them are extremely poisonous. The flowers can be either blue or yellow, and while some of the plants are used for traditional medicine, it has also been used as a murder weapon over the past decade.

Photo: maxpixel

14. The toxin found in poisonous mushrooms is called amatoxin. It attacks liver and kidney cells and kills them within a few days. Sometimes it also affects the heart and central nervous system. Treatment is available, but results are not guaranteed. The poison is temperature stable and cannot be removed by drying. So unless you are 100% sure they are safe, don't eat mushrooms.

Photo: maxpixel

13. Actually anthrax is caused by a bacterium called Bacillus anthracis. What makes you sick is not so much the bacteria, but the toxin they produce when they enter the body. Bacillus Anthracis can enter your system through the skin, mouth, or Airways. Mortality from anthrax transmitted by airborne droplets, reaches 75% even with treatment.

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12. Hemlock plant - classic poisonous plant, which was regularly used for executions in Ancient Greece, including for the philosopher Socrates. There are several varieties, and in North America, water hemlock is the most common plant. You could die from eating it, but people still do it, thinking hemlock is a perfectly acceptable salad ingredient. Water hemlock causes painful and severe convulsions, cramps and tremors. Those who survive may subsequently suffer amnesia or other long-term problems. Water hemlock is considered the deadliest plant in North America. Serious note: Supervise your children, even older ones, when they are outside. Don't eat anything unless you are 100% sure it is safe.

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11. Strychnine is commonly used to kill small mammals and birds, and is often the main ingredient rat poison. In large doses, strychnine can also be fatal to humans. It can be swallowed, inhaled, or enter the body through the skin. The first symptoms: painful muscle cramps, nausea and vomiting. Muscle contractions ultimately lead to suffocation. Death can occur within half an hour. This is very unpleasant way die, for both man and rat.

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10. Most of those who understand such things consider maytotoxin to be the most powerful marine toxin. It's found in a dinoflagellate algae called Gambierdiscus toxicus, and if those words confuse you, just think of deadly plankton to get the idea. For mice, meiototoxin is the most toxic among non-protein toxins.

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9. Mercury, the silvery liquid in old school thermometers, is heavy metal, which is quite toxic to humans if inhaled or touched. If you touch it, it can cause your skin to peel off, and if you inhale the mercury vapor, it will eventually shut down your central nervous system and you will die. Before then you will probably experience renal failure, memory loss, brain damage and blindness.

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8. Polonium is radioactive chemical element and has been implicated in the deaths of everyone from Yasser Arafat to Russian dissidents. Its most common form is 250,000 times more toxic than hydrocyanic acid. It is radioactive and emits alpha particles (they are not compatible with organic tissues). Alpha particles cannot penetrate the skin, so polonium must be ingested or injected into the victim. However, if this happens, the result will not be long in coming. One theory is that a gram of polonium 210 could kill up to ten million people if injected or ingested, causing first radiation poisoning and then cancer.

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7. Suicide tree or Cerbera odollam acts by disturbing the natural rhythm of the heart and often causing death. A member of the same family as Oleander, the plant was often used to perform the "innocence test" in Madagascar. An estimated 3,000 people a year died from drinking Cerberus poison before the practice was outlawed in 1861. (If you survived, you were found innocent. If you died, it didn't matter because you were dead).

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6. Botulinum toxin is produced by the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum, and it is an incredibly powerful neurotoxin. It causes paralysis, which can lead to death. You may know botulinum toxin by its commercial name, Botox. Yes, that's what the doctor injects into your mom's forehead to make it less wrinkled (or into her neck to help with migraines) to cause muscle paralysis.

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5. Pufferfish is considered a delicacy in some countries, where it is called Fugu; it's a dish that some would literally die for. Why? Because the insides of the fish contain tetrodotoxin, and in Japan, approximately 5 people a year die from eating puffer fish as a result of improper preparation technology. But gourmets continue to persist.

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4. Sarin gas will give you the opportunity to survive the worst moments of your life. Your chest tightens, tighter, tighter, and then... it relaxes because you are dead. Although Sarin was outlawed in 1995, it has not stopped being used in terrorist attacks.

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3. Golden Poison Arrow Frog - Tiny, adorable and quite dangerous. Only one frog is the size of the end of your thumb contains enough neurotoxin to kill ten people! A dose equal to about two grains of salt is enough to kill an adult. This is why some Amazon tribes used poison to coat the tips of their hunting arrows. One touch of such an arrow will kill you within minutes! Here's a great rule: if you see a frog and it's yellow, blue, green or red, don't touch it.

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2. Ricin is more lethal than anthrax. This substance is obtained from castor beans, the same plant from which we get Castor oil. This poison is especially toxic if inhaled, and a pinch of it will kill you very quickly.

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1. Codenamed “Purple Possum”, a VX gas, is the most powerful nerve gas on Earth. It is entirely man-made and we can thank the United Kingdom for that. It was technically banned in 1993, and the US allegedly destroyed its stockpile. Other countries are “working on it.” Which we should trust completely because governments are known to be 100% honest about these things.

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