Poison
In the context of biology, poisons are substances that cause injury, illness, or death to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale. Some poisons are also toxins, and a distinction between the two terms is not always observed, even among scientists. The derivative forms "toxic" and "poisonous" are synonomous. Within chemistry and physics, a poison is a substance that obstructs or inhibits a reaction, for example by binding to a catalyst.
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Contact or absorption of poisons can cause rapid death or impairment. Agents that act on the nervous system can paralyze in seconds or less, and include both biologically derived neurotoxins and so-called nerve gases, which may be synthesized for warfare or industry. Inhaled or ingested cyanide almost instantly starves the body of energy by poisoning mitochondria and the synthesis of ATP. Intravenous injection of an unnaturally high concentration of potassium chloride, such as in the execution of prisoners in parts of the United States, quickly stops the heart by eliminating the cell potential necessary for muscle contraction. Such rapid reactions are often called acute poisoning.
A poison may also act slowly. This is known as chronic poisoning and is most common for poisons that bioaccumulate. Examples of these types of poisons are mercury, lead, and asbestos.
Many substances regarded as poisons are toxic only indirectly. An example is "wood alchohol" or methanol, which is not poisonous itself, but is chemically converted to toxic formaldehyde in the liver. Many drug molecules are made toxic in the liver, and the genetic variability of certain liver enzymes makes the toxicity of many compounds differ between one individual and the next.
Biological poisoning
The study of the symptoms, mechanisms, treatment and diagnosis of biological poisoning is known as toxicology.
Non-radioactive inorganic poisons
This is of course an inexhaustive list. You may wish to add other novels and/or specify the poisons used.
Novels:
Examples of biological poisons
Radioactive inorganic poisons
Naturally produced posions and toxinsFamous poisonings
Poisons in crime fiction
Films:
Poison is also the name of a US rock band active in the 1980s and 1990s. For more information, see Poison.
