23,93 €
Mehr erfahren.
- Herausgeber: Bentham Science Publishers
- Kategorie: Wissenschaft und neue Technologien
- Sprache: Englisch
Poisons, due to their lethal nature, invoke a sense of fear in humans. Yet, they have also impacted other aspects of human life. Poisons have been used by nomadic hunters to kill their prey, by scientists to explore complex biochemical mechanisms of the b
Sie lesen das E-Book in den Legimi-Apps auf:
Seitenzahl: 523
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018
Ähnliche
The Art and Science of Poisons
Authored by
BENTHAM SCIENCE PUBLISHERS LTD.
End User License Agreement (for non-institutional, personal use)
This is an agreement between you and Bentham Science Publishers Ltd. Please read this License Agreement carefully before using the ebook/echapter/ejournal (“Work”). Your use of the Work constitutes your agreement to the terms and conditions set forth in this License Agreement. If you do not agree to these terms and conditions then you should not use the Work.
Bentham Science Publishers agrees to grant you a non-exclusive, non-transferable limited license to use the Work subject to and in accordance with the following terms and conditions. This License Agreement is for non-library, personal use only. For a library / institutional / multi user license in respect of the Work, please contact: [email protected].
Usage Rules:
All rights reserved: The Work is the subject of copyright and Bentham Science Publishers either owns the Work (and the copyright in it) or is licensed to distribute the Work. You shall not copy, reproduce, modify, remove, delete, augment, add to, publish, transmit, sell, resell, create derivative works from, or in any way exploit the Work or make the Work available for others to do any of the same, in any form or by any means, in whole or in part, in each case without the prior written permission of Bentham Science Publishers, unless stated otherwise in this License Agreement.You may download a copy of the Work on one occasion to one personal computer (including tablet, laptop, desktop, or other such devices). You may make one back-up copy of the Work to avoid losing it. The following DRM (Digital Rights Management) policy may also be applicable to the Work at Bentham Science Publishers’ election, acting in its sole discretion:25 ‘copy’ commands can be executed every 7 days in respect of the Work. The text selected for copying cannot extend to more than a single page. Each time a text ‘copy’ command is executed, irrespective of whether the text selection is made from within one page or from separate pages, it will be considered as a separate / individual ‘copy’ command.25 pages only from the Work can be printed every 7 days.3. The unauthorised use or distribution of copyrighted or other proprietary content is illegal and could subject you to liability for substantial money damages. You will be liable for any damage resulting from your misuse of the Work or any violation of this License Agreement, including any infringement by you of copyrights or proprietary rights.
Disclaimer:
Bentham Science Publishers does not guarantee that the information in the Work is error-free, or warrant that it will meet your requirements or that access to the Work will be uninterrupted or error-free. The Work is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied or statutory, including, without limitation, implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. The entire risk as to the results and performance of the Work is assumed by you. No responsibility is assumed by Bentham Science Publishers, its staff, editors and/or authors for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products instruction, advertisements or ideas contained in the Work.
Limitation of Liability:
In no event will Bentham Science Publishers, its staff, editors and/or authors, be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, special, incidental and/or consequential damages and/or damages for lost data and/or profits arising out of (whether directly or indirectly) the use or inability to use the Work. The entire liability of Bentham Science Publishers shall be limited to the amount actually paid by you for the Work.
General:
Any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with this License Agreement or the Work (including non-contractual disputes or claims) will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the U.A.E. as applied in the Emirate of Dubai. Each party agrees that the courts of the Emirate of Dubai shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with this License Agreement or the Work (including non-contractual disputes or claims).Your rights under this License Agreement will automatically terminate without notice and without the need for a court order if at any point you breach any terms of this License Agreement. In no event will any delay or failure by Bentham Science Publishers in enforcing your compliance with this License Agreement constitute a waiver of any of its rights.You acknowledge that you have read this License Agreement, and agree to be bound by its terms and conditions. To the extent that any other terms and conditions presented on any website of Bentham Science Publishers conflict with, or are inconsistent with, the terms and conditions set out in this License Agreement, you acknowledge that the terms and conditions set out in this License Agreement shall prevail.Bentham Science Publishers Ltd. Executive Suite Y - 2 PO Box 7917, Saif Zone Sharjah, U.A.E. Email: [email protected]
FOREWORD
The author has written a superb review on the toxicology of numerous poisons that in general are not readily obvious. These include for example, arsenic, hemlock, scorpion venoms, plants, poisons that are associated with sea habitants, spiders, and snakes. Each chapter reviews in detail the differences in poisoning by these species. Finally, for those with a scientific background the author provides an excellent review of a potpourri of agents which can be toxic depending on the dose ingested or administered, and as the author points out in chapter 1, in the words of Paracelsus, “the dose makes the poison”. In the chapter on a potpourri of poisons the author discusses these chemical agents in detail including their mechanism of action. These include several drugs used clinically, such as opioids for pain, statins for treating hypercholesterolemia, doxorubicin for the treatment of cancer, curare, a muscle relaxant but which has been replaced by newer agents, warfarin an anticoagulant, the various alcohols, and carbon monoxide which is responsible for many emergency room visits. Finally, oxygen toxicity which may surprise many readers is discussed in detail as this has been the author’s area of research interest for decades. This last chapter entitled “a potpourri of poisons” will most likely require a background in chemistry and biology. This should not deter non-scientists from reading this book. In case of anything, it may convince non-scientists to consider a career change. The greatest strength of this book is that the author has provided one source a detailed compendium of appropriate internet references which allows the reader to obtain further knowledge on that specific poison. The book targets an audience that is generally interested in toxicology but not necessarily requiring a detailed background in the basic sciences, although some exposure to chemistry and biology would be helpful. This is a good book to have in home, particularly regarding the discussion of poisonous plants, aquatic species, spiders, and snakes. This should also be a good reference source for those working in state and federal national parks. The book is well-written and easy to read by a non-scientist, except for the last chapter, a potpourri of poisons which does require knowledge in chemistry and biochemistry. The book has a wealth of useful information. The book should also serve as a useful text for undergraduate toxicology programs. The author’s inclusion in several chapters of his own personal exposure to some of these potential poisons during his adolescent years provides a feeling to the reader of being there. The figures presented compliment the text and make the reading interesting and the readers desire to read more. The real strength of this book, however, is the remarkable extensive referencing provided by the author. He has produced a text with all of these references in one place for easy access for further readings. Well done Dr. Olen Brown.
PREFACE
I hope to entice the scientist and other readers of this book in equal measure. Poisons have two stories to tell. The science of poisons deals with the chemistry of toxic agents and the way they work at the cellular and molecular level. The art of poisons encompasses everything else about these agents that congers up the image of the skull and crossbones.
The science of poisons takes us on a voyage into the sub-microscopic world of atoms, molecules, and cells. Only there can we see the true miracles and mysteries of life and death. The mere existence of poisonous substances and especially the uses made of them by plants and animals are wondrous. Poisons are also used to explore the biological mechanisms of the body, to lower cholesterol by blocking its synthesis, to kill cancer cells, to destroy pests of all kinds, and as weapons of war. Science is neither moral nor amoral, only its uses can be so characterized.
The art of poisons encompasses everything else about poisons. It is the legends and stories of intrigue and murder and other deeply deplorable uses of toxic agents often with a surreptitious and evil intent. Let us hope that the future extends the beneficial applications of poisons and quells their evil uses.
A traditional, central concept in toxicology can be stated simply: the lethal dose of a substance is the amount required to kill the average person (the LD50). Today for most poisons, the mechanism of how they kill is known at the molecular level. Therefore, I propose that a new measure of toxicity based on the number of molecules required to kill (the LD50*) is appropriate.
The simplest summary idea about poisons is one of the oldest ̶ the dose makes the poisons (paraphrased from Paracelcus). I believe the most extreme example is the toxicity of oxygen. Oxygen is essential; we cannot live more than a few minutes without oxygen; however, it is detectably toxic at approximately two times the concentration found in air, and at hyperbaric pressures it is lethal.
Consent for Publication
Not applicable.
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest, financial or otherwise.
DEDICATION
To Cecilia and Stella.
The Deadliest Poison
Olen R. BrownAbstract
Beauty is said to be in the eyes of the beholder. Likewise, the deadliness of a poison depends on subjective criteria. Is more weight to be given for quickness of action, stealth, whether an antidote is available, or how little is required? Most accounts declare botulinum A, the toxin produced by a species of anaerobic bacteria, to win the contest based on its LD50 (the amount that kills half of those exposed). Its toxicity, measured this way, is greater than any known substance. I propose a new way of ranking poisons, the LD50*, based on the number of molecules in a deadly dose. This is more equitable because poisons differ greatly in their molecular weights – some are very small and some are very large molecules, and poisons kill molecule-by-molecule. Several snake venoms are deadly and the most toxic is that of the inland taipan, although the coral snake and cobras have very toxic venoms, and rattlesnake, because of the volume injected and the multiplicity of toxic ingredients, deserve mention. Only two species of scorpions (the death stalker and man killer; neither found in the United States) have stings that are life threatening for humans. Spider venoms don’t quite make it to our most deadly list. Radiation exposure is a different kind of “poisoning” and Polonium-210 makes our list because of the small amount required and its intense radiation based on its very short half-life. The most deadly, quick-acting toxins affect the nervous system and cessation of respiration or heart function stops the supply of oxygen to tissues to cause death. It is thought-provoking to consider that all things are poisonous, and that only the dose makes the difference (to paraphrase toxicologists). In this context, life-giving pure water becomes deadly when several liters are consumed rapidly. Why poisons exist has a scientific answer, but perhaps not a satisfactory philosophical answer.
“All things are poison and nothing is without poison; only the dose makes a thing not a poison.”1
