strychnine - Strychnine poisoning in humans, Strychnine poisoning in animals, Strychnine in drugs

A poisonous alkaloid present in members of the genus Strychnos, thorny trees or climbing shrubs with hook-like tendrils, native to the tropics. Strychnos nux vomica was introduced into Germany in the 16th-c as a rat poison (and is still used for this purpose). Although strychnine became widely used in medicine in the 18th-c, it has no justifiable clinical use. Accidental poisonings occasionally occur; death results from asphyxia. Strychnine has been used by drug dealers to bulk out supplies of heroin, since both drugs are white powders that share a similar bitter taste. (Genus: Strychnos, 200 species. Family: Loganiaceae.)

Strychnine
Formula	C21H22N2O2
LD50	1 mg/kg
Molecular mass	334.41 g/mol
CAS number	57-24-9
SMILES	[H][C@]([C@@](C(C=CC=C7) =C7N34)5[C@H]6N(CC5)C2)3 [C@@]1([H])[C@@H](C6)[C@] 2=CCO[C@H]1CC4=O

Strychnine (pronounced /strɪkniːn/ (British) or /strɪknaɪn/ (U.S.)) is a very toxic (LD50 = 1 mg/kg), colorless crystalline alkaloid used as a pesticide, particularly for killing small vertebrates such as rodents. Strychnine causes muscular convulsions and eventually asphyxia or sheer exhaustion.

Strychnine acts as a blocker or antagonist at the inhibitory or strychnine-sensitive glycine receptor (GlyR), a ligand-gated chloride channel in the spinal cord and the brain.

Strychnine poisoning in humans

Strychnine poisoning can be fatal to humans, and can be introduced to the body by inhalation, swallowing or absorption through eyes or mouth. For this reason, strychnine poisoning is often used in literature and film.

Treatment involves giving depressants, such as intravenous diazepam, to control the convulsions, and giving an activated charcoal infusion to drink, which serves to absorb any poison remaining within the digestive system.

Small doses of strychnine were sometimes used in over-the-counter medications as a laxative and as a treatment for other stomach ailments;

Strychnine poisoning in animals

Strychnine poisoning in animals occurs usually from ingestion of baits designed for use against rodents (especially gophers and moles) and coyotes. However, since 1990 in the United States most baits containing strychnine have been replaced with zinc phosphide baits. For a 0.3% strychnine bait, five grams could be enough to kill a twenty kilogram dog.

Strychnine in drugs

There is a common but false urban legend that strychnine is added to drugs like LSD or that strychnine is present in the peyote cactus. The dose of LSD is so small that it could not be mixed with a toxic amount of strychnine, even if strychnine made up an entire blotter square. After muttering a few threats, he says, "I could put strychnine in the guacamole..." It was also used by Norman Bates (PSYCHO) to kill his mother and her lover (as exposed in PSYCHO IV: The Beginning)

A tonic laced with arsenic and strychnine and religiously given to legendary racehorse Phar Lap may have caused his death