Silent weapons: A history of plantpoisons and civilisation

1
Silent weaponsA history of plant-poisons and
civilisation
Lecture 9
2
Why do plants produce toxic substances?

• Protection!
• against
• Microorganisms fungi fungicides.
• Insects insecticides.
• Birds animals usually toxic for humans as
  well.
• Other plants -allelopathy

pyrethrum
3
Egyptians
King Menes and the penalty of the peach
1st dinasty, ca. 3000 BC
4
Amygdaline ?Cyanide
5
Greeks
First Western books about poisons 125 plant
species
Nicander of Colophon 197-130 BC
6
Water Hemlock - instrument of justice
399 B.C. Socrates was accused of "impiety,
"neglect of the Gods, and the practise of
religious novelties" and of the "corruption of
the young".Sentenced to death through suicide
with the state poison.
7
The Romans
Poisoning had become a status symbol, an
accepted way for mothers to get rid of husbands
and stepchildren, and for children to get rid of
rich fathers who lived too long.
Juvenal 60-140 AD
8
Locusta and the profession of Personal Poisoner
Emperor Nero (37-68 AD) was notorious for
"disposing" of unwanted family, and with the aid
of his personal poisoner, Locusta, murdered his
brother Britanicus with cyanide.
9
Mithridates the Great (132 BC- 63 BC)

• To clear his path to the throne of the kingdom of
  Pontus, he killed off many of his brothers, but
  not his sister, Laodice, whom he married later.

• In 88 BC conquered the western Anatolia (part of
  the Roman Empire) and ordered the massacre of all
  Romans living there (over 100,000 Roman men,
  women and children).

10
The Toxicologist King Antidotum
Mithridaticum- the universal antidote

• Tens of ingredients, all the known poisons of
  that time!
• Tested mostly on prisoners.

• 3rd Mithridatic War of 75 BC to 65 BC. Defeated
  by Pompei.

11
Antidotum Mithridaticum, or Theriac, was used for
about 1900 years after Mithridates' death
12
Ancient poisonous plants yew, water hemlock,
opiumgt 100 spp!Countless recipes
Aconite Aconitum spp. Symptoms Rapid onset of
numbness and tingling of the mouth and throat
which spreads over the rest of the body pain and
twitching of the muscles, progressing to general
weakness, cold and clammy extremities, irregular
heart rhythm and abnormally low blood pressure,
respiratory paralysis, drowsiness (occasionally
convulsions), stupor and death.
13
Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger).
Symptoms Rapid onset of dry mouth, abnormally
rapid heart beat and a progression of
neurological symptoms varying from sedation to
delirium, hallucination, mania, paralysis, coma
and death.
14
Hellebore - Helleborus spp.
Symptoms Rapid onset of tingling of the mouth,
salivation, vomiting, colic and diarrhoea.
Dilatation of pupils is common cardiovascular
collapse and respiratory paralysis.
15
Colchicum, autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale).
Symptoms Tingling of the whole mouth and throat
after 2-6 hours, is followed by an impaired
ability to swallow, nausea, vomiting and
diarrhoea (often bloody). Circulation collapse
may follow, with general paralysis.
16
White hellebore -Veratrum album
Symptoms Rapid onset of tingling over the whole
body, sneezing, vomiting and diarrhoea, followed
by abnormally low blood pressure, cardiovascular
collapse and respiratory paralysis.
17
Jimsonweed, Thorn apple (Datura stramonium).
Symptoms Rapid onset (within minutes of
ingestion) with clinical picture as for henbane.
Seeds produce mainly maniacal symptoms, leaves
tend towards stupor and coma. Survivors have
amnesia of the event.
18
Belladona (Atropa belladonna).
Three berries said to be fatal for a child.
Symptoms as for henbane. Pliny (NH 21.177-182)
refers to this plant as strychnos or trychnos,
and mentions that spears were dipped in it. It
was also taken by priests and others who wished
to go into temporary trances.
19
Mandrake, mandragora. Mandragora officinarum.
Symptoms dry mouth and rapid heart beat, but
neurologically it caused sedation, motor
depression and twilight sleep, rather than
excitation and delirium
20
Mushrooms. Amanita muscaria, A. pantherina and A.
phalloides
Symptoms Within minutes to 2 hours, salivation,
excessive production of tears, breathing problems
and severe abdominal pain with diarrhoea, set in.
Cardiovascular decompensation, vertigo and
progressive mental symptoms like confusion,
delirium, excitement (occasionally convulsions)
leading to coma and death within hours.
21
References
Aggrawal A. 1997. The Poison Sleuths Poisons,
Antidotes and Anecdotes. Science Reporter,
January 1997. Bayer M.J. and McKay, C. 1996.
Advances in poison management. Clinical Chemistry
42 (8B) 1361-1366. Bloch, H 1987. Poisons and
poisoning. J.National Med. Assoc.
79761-763. Cilliers, L. and F. P. Retief. 2000.
Poisons, poisoning and the drug trade in ancient
Rome. Akroterion 45 88-100. Frohne, D Pfander,
H J 1983. A colour atlas of poisonous plants.
London Wolfe Science Books. Horstmanshoff, H J F
1999. Ancient medicine between hope and fear
Medicament, magic and poison in the Roman Empire.
European Review 737-5 Kaufman, D B 1932. Poisons
and poisoning among the Romans. Classical
Philology 27156-167 Nutton, V 1985. The drug
trade in antiquity. J.Royal Soc. of Med.
78138-145.