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Toxicology At A Glance

Indra Publishing Housewww.indrapublishing.com

TOXICOLOGY At A Glance

DR. VIMAL KUMAR SHARMA

MSc, PhD, FICS, FIAFM, AIAFScIncharge Toxicology division

Medico Legal InstituteHome (Police) Department

Gandhi Medical College BuildingBhopal, M.P

INDIA

(A Compendium On Poisons, Lethal Dose & Antidotes)

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Toxicology At A Glance

Published by:

Indra Publishing HouseE-5/21, Arera Colony,Habibganj Police Station Road,Bhopal 462016Phone : +91 755 4059620, 6462025Telefax : +91 755 4030921Email : manish@indrapublishing.com pramod@indrapublishing.com Web. : www.indrapublishing.com

Copyright © 2012 Dr. Vimal Kumar SharmaTitle : Toxicology : At A Glance

First Print : 2012

ISBN: 978-93-80834-55-9

` : 295/-

Printed & Published by Mr. Manish Gupta for Indra Publishing House, E-5/21, Arera Colony, Habibganj Police Station Road, Bhopal 462016 INDIA

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any from or by any means without the prior written permission of the author. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

Information contained in this work is obtained by the publishers from sources believed to be reliable. The publisher and its authors make no representation or warranties with respect to accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and shall not be liable for any errors, omission or damages arising out of use of this information. Dispute if any related to this publication is subject to Bhopal Jurisdiction.

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Toxicology At A Glance

To My wife Dr. Renu Sharma

Daughters Aakriti and Aavriti&

Ekant Park

(Source of Thoughts, Energy, Health and Happiness)(Serene, Scenic and Symbiotic City Forest with Broad Spectrum Friends)

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Toxicology At A Glance

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Toxicology At A Glance

Advancement of science and of society in similar proportion has given rise to many challenges to the Medical doctors and Forensic toxicologists. Every year numerous chemicals are formulated and manufactured for the benefit of the society, either in terms of saving crops to meet out the challenge of feeding increasing population of the world or for the leisure and treasure of the society. No field is untouched from the chemicals. But the new research and developments, which were planned initially for the good of the society, are proved equally bad for the society due to its misuse by the end users.

The knowledge about the poisons, their deleterious effects on the human body system, their modus operendi, detoxification, metabolism, elimination and excretion, their minimum lethal dose, Antidotes and treatment is scattered or not available the way it is really required for the medical doctor to treat a patient of unknown poisoning or even known poisoning due to dearth of first hand concise and precise information of the antidotes and treatment.

The toxicology laboratory of the Medico Legal Institute has been well equipped to deal with the cases of unknown poisoning in terms of analysis of the blood sample or gastric lavage or urine of the patient for the determination of the particular poison, its lethal dose and antidote.

It will act as Poison Information and Analysis Center.

Rapid chemical detection of poisoning with accurate interpretation of results is of paramount importance for crucial saving of life or establishing the cause of death.

FOREWORD

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Toxicology At A Glance

The present Handbook “Toxicology-At a glance” compiled by Dr. Vimal Kumar Sharma will serve the purpose and will help and guide the doctors for the proper treatment of the patients.

Dr. D. S. BadkurPresident IAFM & Director

Medico Legal InstituteHome (Police) Department

BHOPAL, MP

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Toxicology At A Glance

It is indeed a great privilege for me to introduce Dr. Vimal Kumar Sharma’s Handbook “Toxicology- At a Glance” (A compendium on poisons, lethal dose & antidotes”), which is one of its own kinds with vivid account of toxins, venoms and chemicals.

As all are aware, toxicology has evolved as a multidisciplinary field of study. It is more than the science of poison. It is the subject that demands continuous updation to keep the pace with new developments and advances of criminal practices.

The activities and contribution of toxicologist are many and varied. Whether they are academically and industrially placed or governmentally employed, toxicologists are called upon to make predictions. They are charged with garnering sufficient data on the toxicity of the material, as they possess adequate knowledge of the mechanism of the toxicity of poisons/ chemicals.

The earliest man was well aware of the toxic effects of animal venoms and poisonous plants. The Ebers papyrus, perhaps our earliest medical record (1500 B.C.), contains information extending back many centuries. Of the more than 800 recipes given, many contain recognized poisons, such as Hemlock, which later became the state poison of the Greeks; Aconite an arrow poison of the ancient Chinese; Opium, used as both poison and antidote; and such metals as Lead, Copper and Antimony. Some plants containing substances akin to Digitalis and Belladonna alkaloids were known. Hippocrates, while introducing rational medicine about 400 B.C., added a number of poisons. The Romans too made considerable use of poisons, often for political goals.

FOREWORD

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Toxicology At A Glance

The search for antidotal measures or chemicals remained a preoccupation for centuries. An early forerunner of the modern pharmacopoeia was the “Antidotarium of Nicholius”.

In writing the present monograph Dr. Vimal Kumar Sharma used a new attractive technique by showing facts in the form of small points without any filling material.

Lastly, I compliment the author for presenting such an extra-ordinary piece of work on the basics about various poisons, of plants, animals and chemicals, and convey my best wishes for the success of this compendium.

Dr. B. Maria Kumar

Additional Director General of PolicePolice Head Quarters

Bhopal

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Toxicology At A Glance

The history of poisons dates back into antiquity, and was originally the province of ancient magicians and priests. It was once believed that poisons were mystical substances, which would prove lethal to a guilty person, but harmless to someone innocent.

Perhaps the first documented recognition of the existence of poisons comes from Egypt. The Hearst medical papyrus and Ebers papyrus refer to both poisonous and therapeutic agents, and were considered written about 1500 BC.

The recognition of poisonous fishes in Biblical times is clearly depicted when Moses in the Bible admonishes the Israelites: “ These you shall eat of all that are in the waters which have fins and scales; and what so ever hath not fins and scales you may not eat, for it is unclean.”

(Deuteronomy 14:9-10).Mithridate, King of Pontus, in the first century before Christ,

was the first to develop antidotes, in the quest of universal antidote.

The earliest recognized poisons were plant and animal poisons, and were used for murder or official executions. Plato reported the death of Socrates by Hemlock (Conium maculatum).

The famous 15th century Swiss physician and alchemist, Philippus Aureolus Theopharastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, commonly known as Parcelsus, provided a definition of poison that has defied improvement: “ All substances are poisons, there is none which is not a poison; it is the right dose that differentiates a poison.”

Death by drug overdose became almost common in early 1960s, typified by the tragic death of Marilyn Monroe on August 4, 1962, at the age of 36 from an overdose of barbiturates.

PREFACE

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Toxicology At A Glance

At the present time death due to poisoning are very common, firstly due to ample number of poisons are available as Household poisons, Industrial poisons, Agriculture poisons, and innumerable chemicals and drugs, secondly due to increasing pressure and tension of, failures in studies, getting job, work pressure, financial problems, family tension, ailments, failure in love relations and many other circumstantial reasons. These are the situations that lead to Suicidal poisoning, while revenge or hiding the crime or property matters are the reasons for homicidal poisoning. Children and illiterate adults are the real victims of Accidental poisoning. The cases are reported where the farmers sprinkling pesticide in their agriculture fields without covering their face hands and feet died of pesticide poisoning in few days.

In the case of Suicidal poisoning, the poison of choice is one which acts fast and death must be sure and quick, no matter what is the taste or odour. It should be easily available and easy to carry and consume. In the case of Homicidal poisoning, the most important is, that poison should be necessarily tasteless and odourless, which can be mixed with any edible. In the case of Accidental poisoning, it all depends on the situation, although taste and smell also matters. We have come across the cases of poisoning in children due to fertilizers, Celphos, Naphthalene, Phenyl, Paint and other household chemicals.

This Handbook “Toxicology- At a glance” is designed to provide as much information as possible on the different type of Plant poisons; Animal poisons and Chemical poisons, their minimum lethal dose and also antidotes for the management of common poisoning cases. It will serve as a ready guide for the doctors to deal with the cases of poisoning.

March 12, 2012 Rang Panchmi

Dr. Vimal Kumar Sharma

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Toxicology At A Glance

First and foremost credit for inculcating the seed of research, writing, publications and dedication towards the work more religiously than work is worship goes to my mentor and professor late Dr. Heeresh Chandra, founder Director of Medico Legal Institute.

I am highly grateful to Dr. D. S. Badkur, Director, Medico Legal Institute and President, Indian Academy of Forensic Medicine for his constant support and guidance. My colleagues Dr. Ashok Sharma, Dr. C. S. Jain and Dr. Pankaj Kulshrestha deserve special thanks for their inputs and discussions.

I would like to acknowledge my Ekant Park friends Sri. B. Maria Kumar, Dr. C. P. Dewani, Mr. Virender Singh, Mr. S. S. Lal, Dr. P. R. Mathur, Dr. Shailendra Srivastava, Mr. Shashikant Nemade, Mr. R. A. Chaubey, Wg. Cdr. Dixit, Raina, Singhai, Dilip, Somani, Sanjay, Manoj, Vinit and many more for their refreshing encouragement, including open to sky Gym weight lifters Mr. Bhatt, Montu, Pradeep, Yuvraj, Raghuvanshi, Bhauji for their heavy weight support, which keeps body and mind healthy.

I appreciate my wife Dr. Renu Sharma to endure great patience and days and months of spare time that have to be given up due to her understanding and experience as a writer.

Dr. Vimal Kumar Sharma

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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Toxicology At A Glance

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Toxicology At A Glance

1. Poison 152. Toxin 163. Venom 164. ChemicalPoisons 165. NoxiousGases 176. VolatileInorganicCompounds 187. VolatileOrganicCompounds 188. Non-VolatileInorganicAnions 199. Non-VolatileInorganicCations 1910.Non-VolatileOrganicNeutralCompounds 2011.Non-VolatileOrganicAcidicCompounds 2012.Non-VolatileOrganicAlkalineCompounds 2113.MechanicalandOtherPoisons 2114.CarbonMonoxide 2215.StupefyingAgents 2216.WaterToxicity 2317.PoisonForAnimals 2318.PlantPoisons 2419.AnimalPoisons 2520.ToxicityRating 2521.AbusedSubstances 2622.Poppy 2623. IndianHemp 2724.Cocaine 2725.AlcoholicBeverages 2826.RelativeConcentrationofalcohol 2927.Spuriousliquor 3028.AlcoholicFacts 3029.Snakes 3230.Venom 3231.Antivenin 33

CONTENTS

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Toxicology At A Glance

32.SnakeVenom,LethalDoseandYield 33InSingleBite

33.VenomofDifferentAnimals 3434.Typesofpoisoning 3435.ActionofPoisons 3536.RouteofAdministration 3537.RouteofElimination 3638.ModeofDeathandProbablePoisons 3639.CauseofDeathandProbablePoisons 3740.HistoryofTheVictim 3841.NatureofWorkAndProbablePoisons 3842.SymptomsandProbablePoisons 3943.ClinicalFindingsandProbablePoisons 4044.ColourofSkinandProbablePoisons 4145.OdourofBreathandProbablePoisons 4246.ColourofGastricLavageandProbable 42

Poisons47.ColourofUrineandProbablePoisons 4348.SampleAnalysis 4449.AnalysisReport 4450.MinimumLethalDose 4651.Poisons,AntidoteandTreatment 5152.PlantPoisonsandAntidotes 6653.ThePoisonAct,1919.ActNo.12of19191* 6854.PoisonInformationCenters 7455.ChemicalNames 7556.ReferenceBooks 7957.PoisonousPlantsPhotographs 8058.PoisonousSnakesPhotographs 8959.Non-PoisonousSnakesPhotographs 9060.PublicationofTheAuthor 9161.ContributingAuthorofBooks 9862.Articles 99

Toxicology At A Glance By Dr. VimalSharma

Publisher : Indra Publishing ISBN : 9789382518730 Author : Dr. Vimal Sharma

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