Today people are accustomed to growing and using only beautiful and safe plants. For example, fragrant fagreya will not harm anyone, but, on the contrary, will delight the hostess. However, “dangerous” plants can be no less useful and beautiful. Despite the fact that poisonous flowers can kill or seriously “injure”, they still continue to be studied, and most importantly, they find in them something that can cure and help with serious illnesses. What is curare poison, where is it obtained from, what is the origin of the most dangerous product on earth, what substance is extracted - read about it below.
Curare is a group of poisons that can cause fatal harm to humans. These poisons first originated among the Indians, who mainly use them for hunting. The fastest-acting poison is made in South America.
Curare poison has the following varieties:
Curare itself is a long vine (more than 10 cm in diameter). Among the Indians, the name of this plant is translated as “poison”. The vine has green leaves and small flowers that look like tassels. Initially, poison from curare was extracted and prepared only by shamans, and different plants were taken for this in different areas (chilibukha, chondodendron and others).
Calabash curare is considered the most dangerous.
It was this that was first discovered (by a European) and even tried by the missionary R. Gwill. He brought the poison to scientists who studied it for a very long time, conducting many experiments, after which they were finally able to understand the principle of action of the substance. After this, the poison began to be used in medicine. Moreover, the Indians began to do this much earlier, so they used poison not only to hunt, but also as an anesthesia.
Arrow poison (since the Indians lubricate arrows with it for hunting) was actively used to kill animals. Even a small cut from a poisonous arrow could cause the death of birds or large predators. For a long time, scientists could not understand how this poison works.
The greatest contribution to the study of this issue was made by the scientist C. Bernard, who proved that arrow poison does not act on nerves or muscles.
After this, the so-called synapse was discovered, that is, a link connecting muscles and nerves. It turns out that when poison is in a person, it blocks the connection between nerves and muscles, and then the latter relax and become immobilized. In this case, people do not lose consciousness, but are unable to breathe and die.
The poison affects the organs in the following order:
Moreover, it is interesting that if the poison gets, for example, onto the mucous membrane of the mouth, and then into the stomach, then nothing bad will happen. The stomach has a strong acidic environment in which the poison is neutralized. That is, it can only kill if it gets directly into the blood. Another interesting fact is that eating an animal that has been killed with such poison will also not have any consequences. Today, even the meat of animals killed in this “poisonous” way is called a delicacy, because it becomes softer and more delicate in taste.
Among the Indians, preparing poison was a whole ritual that lasted 8 days. It took only one day to clean the plant and grind it into a paste. Then, for 7 days, the poison was boiled over a fire, and in the end a dark toxic substance was obtained, which helped the Indians survive, and not only when hunting.
In modern medicine there are no ritual actions, but poison is still used, including for survival.
Having discovered the main rules of the action of poison, scientists moved on. Because curare can relax muscles, it has been able to replace previously used narcotic drugs for anesthesia. Moreover, the poison was required in much smaller quantities. Curare poison is also used today for medicines, because with the correct calculation of the required amount, it can significantly help with various conditions.
Curare poison is used for diseases such as:
Medicines based on this poison help alleviate conditions in people with Parkinson's disease. Sometimes it is used as a compress on bruises and wounds. When reducing severe dislocations, the effect of this poison can also be used. Today, scientists are trying to create a curare-like substance (which has the same effect, but is harmless) for medical use. This poison is also used in homeopathy. In addition, they are used to immobilize experimental animals. All medicines based on curare poison can only be prescribed by a doctor; you should not experiment with your health on your own.
As already noted, curare poison is deadly. In addition, it is considered the most dangerous poison in the world, because a small drop can kill. However, its active substance (tubocurarine) is obtained synthetically.
It looks like white powder.
In pharmacies or hospitals it is stored in ampoules (1.5 mg with 1% tubocurarine). The main production is concentrated in Sweden and Germany. Finding such a medicine in the public domain is almost impossible. In surgery, curare poison is called a muscle relaxant.
Treatment with curare poison or medicine based on poison is contraindicated in the following cases:
In general, self-treatment with poisons is contraindicated, even if such a substance can be found on illegal markets. It is not difficult to get poisoned. Moreover, a few seconds are enough for this. In case of poisoning, severe muscle weakness occurs, then dizziness. The result is emphysematous shortness of breath and death. It is quite difficult to help a poisoned person in a few seconds, especially if the cause of the deterioration is unknown. However, there are antidotes to curare poison - these are various kinds of inhibitors (drugs that can block the action of substances that constrict blood vessels).
Stored in the fruits of small tableware pumpkins. This extract is the most poisonous and is used for arrows and spear tips when hunting large animals and during military operations. The most important component of the extract are alkaloids from the bark of the highly poisonous plant Strychnos toxifera Schomb.
The poison paralyzes the endings of the motor nerves of all striated muscles, and therefore the muscles that control breathing, and death occurs from suffocation with almost undisturbed consciousness. With very small doses, it is possible to return to life by maintaining artificial respiration (the poison is excreted by the kidneys). A scratch in the skin is enough for poisoning. It is used in physiological practice and for immobilizing experimental animals. ((The poison causes paralysis of the central nervous system, spasms of muscles and blood vessels))?, thereby leading to painful but quick death (5-10 minutes).
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Strong poison, get it. in South America from the plant Strychnos toxifera and S. guijanensis. Represented dark shiny resin. mass, aromatic smell and bitter taste. Savages used. for smearing arrows. Used in medicine. Dictionary of foreign words,... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language
Modern encyclopedia
A strong poison obtained by condensing extracts from chilibuha and other plants of the loganiaceae family. Contains curarines. When it enters the bloodstream, it has a neuroparalytic effect. Used by the natives of South. America for poisoning arrows. Introduction... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
Curare- CURARE, the general name of potent poisons obtained by condensing aqueous extracts from some tropical plants of chilibuha and other species of the genus Strychnos (loganiaceae family). The active principle is alkaloids of the curarine group. They provide muscular... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
CURARE, a poisonous resinous extract obtained from various plants of the tropical regions of South America, from the genus Chondodendron and Strychnos. The active elements of this substance are ALKALOIDS. They cause muscle paralysis. Indians of South America... ... Scientific and technical encyclopedic dictionary
CURARE, uncl., cf. (American vurari). A potent plant poison containing strychnine. Ushakov's explanatory dictionary. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary
Common name: muscular paralytic. poisons obtained by concentrating aqueous extracts of plants of the genera (Chondrodendron) family. Lunospermaceae (Menispermaceae), strychnos and some others. Used by the South Indians. America as a poison for... ... Biological encyclopedic dictionary
Noun, number of synonyms: 1 poison (134) ASIS Dictionary of Synonyms. V.N. Trishin. 2013… Synonym dictionary
A South American arrow poison prepared primarily from the bark of the Strychnos toxifera plant. Indians in Guiana and along the banks of the Amazon River smear the ends of their arrows with this poison in order to more accurately kill the intended victim. Poison from subcutaneous tissue... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron
curare- curare. Pronounced [kurare]... Dictionary of difficulties of pronunciation and stress in modern Russian language
Chondrodendron tomentosum
Taxon: Lunaspermaceae family ( Meniapormaceae)
Other names: swamp chondrodendron, curare, velvet leaf, pareira brava
English: сurare, ourari, woorari, grieswurzel, pareira brava, antinupa, velvet leaf
It is a large woody vine of the South American rainforest, very similar to a grapevine. The woody stem of the vine at the base can reach a thickness of 10 cm and a length of up to 30 meters.
The leaves are large alternating heart-shaped leaves 10-20 cm in diameter, leaf petioles are from 5 to 15 cm long. The leaf blade is smooth on top with pronounced veins, and on the bottom has a velvety surface of tiny whitish hairs, which gave another name to the plant - velvet leaf(velvet sheet).
Chondrodendron has both male and female flowers, which are small and greenish-white. Flowers are collected in clusters.
The fruits of Chondrodendron tomentosa formed on the female flowers are edible, bitter-sweet, fleshy, oval, narrowed towards the base, 1-2 mm long.
Chondrodendron tomentosa is native to the Amazon River basin in Central and South America.
Grows in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Guiana, Ecuador, Panama and Colombia.
Chondrodendron tomentosa is a rich source of alkaloids. Major chemical compounds found in this plant include: chondrocurarine, chondrocurine, chondodine, chondrofoline, curine, cycleanine, D-tubocurarine, L -tubocurarine, isochondrodendrine, L-bebeerine, N-benzyl-phthalimide, norcycleanine, pelonine, tomentocurine and tubocurarine.
The chronicler of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, Peter Martyr d'Anghera, wrote about arrows poisoned by curare for the first time in 1516 in his book “De Orbe Novo”. It was a mixture of facts, fantasy and mysticism.
In 1594, Sir Walter Raleigh visited Venezuela and in his book Discovery of the Large, Rich and Beautiful Empire of Guiana he mentions poisoned arrows. One of his assistants calls the poison "ourari".
Wars between the British, Spanish and Portuguese until the 18th century hampered further study of curare.
Doctor Edward Bancroft spent five years in South America and brought back samples of curare. Using these samples, Sir Benjamin Brodie conducted experiments on animals. After injecting him with curare poison, he inflated the lungs of small animals with bellows to keep them alive.
In 1814, Charles Waterton demonstrated the effects of curare on three donkeys. The first donkey died after being stabbed in the shoulder blade. The second donkey had a tourniquet tied around his front leg and curare was inserted into his leg below the tourniquet. While the tourniquet was in place, the donkey was alive and active, but shortly after the tourniquet was removed, the donkey died. The third donkey, after being injected with curare poison, was completely reanimated with the help of bellows.
In 1846, Claude Bernard published details of his experiments on frogs. He proved that curare acts at the neuromuscular junction (synapse).
At the turn of the century, Harold King isolated d-tubocurarine from a sample of curare.
In case of poisoning with a very small dose, it is possible to return to life by maintaining artificial respiration (the poison is excreted by the kidneys).
The antidote to curare can be any cholinesterase inhibitors, for example, neostigmine and physostigmine.
The active alkaloid responsible for the muscle relaxant effect of chondrodendron tomentosa is D-tubocurarine. It was first isolated in 1897, and obtained in dosage form in 1935. In 1938, the purified standard muscle relaxant intocostrin (a mixture of plant alkaloids) was obtained Chondrodendron tomentosum).
Because the poison curare, made from the root Chondrodendron tomentosum and packaged in bamboo tubes for lubricating arrows, had the most powerful pharmacological action, the main alkaloid of Chondrodendron tomentosa was named tubocurarine (aka tubarine).
Alkaloid tubocurarine is an agent that blocks nerve impulses that control muscles. This blockage leads to muscle paralysis: first of all, the fingers and toes and eyelids stop working, then the nerve endings responsible for vision and hearing are paralyzed, then paralysis affects the face, neck, arms and legs, and finally death occurs from respiratory paralysis . During agony, inflammation of the liver occurs, and the skin acquires a characteristic bluish tint.
In medicine, purified curare containing a mixture of alkaloids (drugs curarine, intocostrin) began to be used in 1942. At the Montreal Homeopathic Hospital on January 23, 1942, Griffith and Johnson (Griffith H.R., Johnson G.E.) first used tubocurarine when performing appendectomy. Then doctors began to use a solution of the alkaloid tubocurarine chloride (the drug is also known as “tubarin”). Tubocurarine hydrochloride is used in surgery to relax skeletal muscles during surgical operations. Tubocurarine is non-toxic, and its effect as a general anesthetic and muscle relaxant in various types of operations lasts about 90 minutes (during this time, breathing is controlled using medical equipment).
Tubocurarine chloride is used to treat tetanus and convulsions due to strychnine poisoning.
D-tubocurarine is used in physiological practice to immobilize experimental animals.
D-tubocurarine is being studied for its ability to block the hormone serotonin, reduce vomiting, alleviate withdrawal symptoms, and its calming effect.
D-tubocurarine also stimulates the release of histamine, which causes blood vessel walls to relax.
Intravenous administration of D-tubocurarine causes rapid muscle relaxation, first affecting the legs, ears and eyes, then the neck and limbs, and finally breathing.
Chondrodendron tomentosa has biological activities such as:
antibacterial
antiseptic
wound healing
anti-inflammatory
anticalculous (prevents the formation of kidney stones)
menstrual stimulant
Because the chemicals in Chondrodendron tomentosa, which have strong muscle relaxant activity, are not absorbed in the stomach, oral administration of the plant extract is considered safe.
Indian shamans have long learned to use the diuretic properties of curare and gave patients microdoses of curare for medicinal purposes, alleviating attacks of violent insanity, and also used it for dropsy, urolithiasis and, externally, for severe bruises, in the form of compresses.
In Brazil and Peru, a decoction of chondrodendron root is used to increase urination, reduce fever, and to stimulate menstruation. Chondrodendron is also used to treat edema, kidney stones and testicular inflammation.
In Brazil, the leaves are also crushed and used externally to treat venomous snake bites.
British author Maude Grieve wrote in her book A Modern Herbal (first published in 1931) that Chondrodendron tomentosa acts as an antiseptic and recommended it for the treatment of leucorrhoea (white or yellowish vaginal discharge), chronic urinary inflammation. tract, kidney stones, rheumatism, jaundice, edema, gonorrhea.
In , curare is used to treat inflammation of the urinary tract and enlarged prostate.
Homeopathic medicine Pareira brava(pareira) was introduced into homeopathy by the famous homeopathic physician Dr. Fox. Its powerful and antifebrile effect is due to the presence of the alkaloids pelosin, chondodendrin, chondodrin and buxin in the plant.
Indications for use
1. Renal colic, urinary retention.
2. Bladder stones.
3. Cystitis with dysuric symptoms (pus and mucus in the urine).
4. Prostate adenoma with periodic pain in the anal and sacral areas.
note that American manufacturers of herbal supplements in the production of dietary supplements can use completely different plants with the common name “cuare”.
Chondrodendron tomentosum)
Tsissampelos pareira ( Cissampelos pareira)
Strychnos poisonous ( Strychnos toxifera)
Aboute macrophylla ( Abuta grandifolia) and etc.
These plants have different chemical compositions and biological activities. For example, dietary supplements from curare, which are recommended for, consist of an extract Abuta grandifolia, other curaregenic plants do not have a hypoglycemic effect.
1. Sykes K. Harold Griffith Memorial Lecture. The Griffith legacy. Can J Anaesth 1993; 40: 351-74
2. Brodie B.C. Further experiments and observations on the action of poisons on the animal system. Phil Trans R Soc Lond 1812;102:205-27
3. Crul JA. Relaxant drugs: from native drugs to the selective agents of today. Acta Anaesthiol Scand 1982; 26:406-15
4. Taylor, L. Herbal Secrets of the Rainforest. 1998
5. Smith WDA. Waterton and Wouralia. Br J Anaesth 1983; 55: 221-5
6. King H. Curare alkaloids: 1, tubocurarine. J Chem Soc 1935:1381-89
7. Humble RM. The Gill-Merrill Expedition. Penultimate chapter in the cure story. Anesthesiology 1982;57:5159-26
8. Wintersteiner O, Dutcher JD. Curare alkaloids from Chondrodendron tomentosum. Science 1943;97: 467-70
9. Bennett AE. Curare: a preventive of traumatic complication in convulsive shock therapy. Am J Psychiatry1994;151(suppl):249-58
10. Betcher AM. The civilizing of cure. Anesth Analg (Curr Res) 1977;56:305-19
11. Gillies D, Wynands JE. Harold Randall Griffith, MD, CM, the pioneer of the use of muscle relaxants in anesthesia. Br J Anaesth 1986;58:943-5
12. Griffith HR, Johnson GE. The use of curare in general anesthesia. Anesthesiology 1942;3: 418-20
13. Gray TC, Halton J. A milestone in anesthesia? (d-tubocurarine chloride). Proc R Soc Med 1946;39:400-10
14. Ing HR. The curariform activity of onium salts. Physiol Rev 1936;16:527-44
15. Barlow RB, Ing HR. Curare-like action of polymethylene bisquaternary ammonium salts. Br J Pharmacol1948;3:289-304
Family Loganiaceae – Loganiaceae. The plant is deadly poisonous!
Pharmacy name: curare (extract from the bark of South American plants of the genus Strychnos) – Curare.
Botanical description. Chondrodendron tomentosum is a large vine, the woody stem of which reaches 10 cm in diameter. It has large alternating heart-shaped 10-20 centimeter leaves with long pedicels. The upper surface of the leaves is smooth with pronounced veins; the reverse side of the leaf is covered with whitish hairs. The greenish-white small flowers, collected in clusters, come in male and female varieties. Juicy 1-2 mm fruits formed on female flowers have an oval shape, narrowed towards the base.
From the history of the plant. Indian tribes varied the name of the plant that serves as the raw material for the production of curare poison; he was called wurari, wurara, kurari, kurare, kururu, urali, vurali, etc. In addition to the abundance of options for the name of this plant poison, there has long been disagreement about which plant serves as the raw material for its production. And the Indians themselves - after all, there were many tribes - indeed sometimes used different types of plants and their compositions. Only in 1938, the American scientist Richard Gill was able to clearly identify the plant Chondodendron tomentosum from the family Menispermaceae as the source of curare. However, further research made it possible to clarify that the Indians used two types of curare, dividing them according to the symptoms of death they caused, the raw materials, and the methods of storing the prepared extract: in a pot or in a hollow tube - the processed stem of one of the local plants. The pots were mainly used to store poison prepared from Strychnos toxifera (family Loganiaceae). This poison used the poisonous qualities inherent in all plants of the strychnine family. However, the fastest and most powerful poison, which had to be stored in special tubes, was made from the leaves and roots of Chondrodendron tomentosum, which grows in abundance throughout western Amazonia.
Curare is one of the strongest poisons on earth, which is a plant extract. This poison has been widely used since ancient times by the Indian tribes of South America. It was mainly used for hunting - they lubricated arrow tips with it. However, like many poisons, curare was used for more than just hunting animals. The Spanish conquistadors were the first white people to experience the effects of this deadly poison, which were used to smear the arrows of Indian tribes resisting their enslavement. And stories about the mysterious, terrible Indian poison caused almost sacred awe among white people. It is believed that curare was first brought to Europe by an Englishman, Sir Walter Raleigh, who was not only a knight at the court of Queen Elizabeth I of England, but also a famous poet, writer, traveler and discoverer of new lands. However, no written evidence of curar remained after him. The first records of this poisonous substance were made by the Spanish priest, Father d'Acuña and d'Artieda, during his visit to the Amazon basin in 1693, and in 1745 the French scientist Charles Marie de la Condamin, who led a scientific expedition to Peru, did not He not only brought samples of this terrible poison to the French Academy of Sciences, but also the technology for its production, which he gleaned (or rather, stolen) from the Indians.
Active ingredients. The active alkaloid responsible for the toxic properties of Chondrodendron tomentosum is D-tubocurarine.
Pharmacological properties. This alkaloid (D-tubocurarine) is an agent that blocks the nerve impulses that control muscles. This blockage leads to muscle paralysis: first of all, the fingers and toes and eyelids stop working, then the nerve endings responsible for vision and hearing are paralyzed, then paralysis affects the face, neck, arms and legs, and finally death occurs from respiratory paralysis . During agony, inflammation of the liver occurs, and the skin acquires a characteristic bluish tint. For a deadly poison to begin its harmful effects, it must enter the bloodstream. But if you lick with your tongue, you will stay alive.
Application in medicine. Indian shamans have long learned to use the diuretic properties of curare and gave microdoses of curare to patients for medicinal purposes, alleviating attacks of violent insanity, and also used it for dropsy, fever, urolithiasis and - externally - in the form of compresses for severe bruises. Curare contains very poisonous alkaloids that paralyze the activity of the heart, nerves and blood vessels. The classic method of preparing curare poison involves the extraction of crushed leaves, stems and roots of Chondrodendron tomentosum over low heat, sometimes with the addition of the blood of poisonous animals and reptiles (for example, poisonous frogs). The boiling mass was constantly stirred, bringing it to thickening.
The lighter poison, necessary for hunting small animals, was light, and the strongest was a dark brown or black mass of sticky or even almost solid consistency, with a distinct resinous odor. This substance was used to smear long spines or specially treated sticks, which were blown forcefully out of blow tubes to hit the target. The name curare comes from the Indian word for poison. The production of curare poison was the prerogative of the shaman of the tribe; violation of this rule was punishable by the immediate death of the offender.
Curare is a general name for potent poisons obtained by evaporating aqueous extracts from certain tropical plants. These poisons have long been used by natives living in South America to poison arrowheads in warfare and during hunting. They knew the dosages required for instant death or temporary immobilization if the enemy was needed alive.
Curare poison, once in the blood, has a nerve-paralytic effect on the body. First, nerve impulses are blocked and muscle paralysis occurs. Then the respiratory system fails, the skin turns blue, the liver becomes inflamed - and as a result, death occurs. When meat with a lethal potion enters the stomach, there are no consequences, that is, animals killed by a poisoned arrow can be eaten. Moreover, their meat, according to the aborigines, becomes more tasty and tender.
The composition of this deadly poison remained a mystery to Europeans for a long time. The mention of him caused a terrifying thrill. Different tribes obtain curare poison from different plants and even compositions. There are several types of lethal potion, which have different effects on the body and are stored under different conditions. For example, curare, a poison from Chondrodendron tomentosum, acts very quickly. It was stored in hollow tubes made from stems. The venom from Strychnos toxifera is slower acting, similar to strychnine. It was stored in clay pots.
Chondrodendron tomentosum is a liana belonging to the Loganiaceae family and widespread in South America. Its lignified stem can reach 10 cm in cross section. The leaves of the vine are large (up to 20 cm), heart-shaped, with clearly visible veins. The upper side of the leaves is smooth, and the lower side is covered with light hair. The flowers are dioecious, small, greenish-cream, collected in inflorescences. The fruits are small (up to 2 mm), oblong, tapering downward.
The first mention of the plant is found in the notes of the Spanish priest d'Acuña, which he made in 1693. Samples of the poison and manufacturing technology were brought to Europe by the French scientist Charles Marie de la Cordamin (from the expedition, of course, they did not give the curare themselves. The scientist had to steal it and see how the natives make it.
Leaves, roots and stems of Chondrodendron tomentosum were crushed, filled with water and
Cooked over low heat for some time until the mass thickened. At the same time, it was constantly stirred. Sometimes the blood of poisonous frogs or other animals was added to the brew. The less powerful poison was light in color and was used for hunting. More effective and deadly was the thick sticky poison with the smell of resin. It was used against enemies by processing thorns, which were then blown out of tubes. Only the shaman of the tribe had the right to make curare poison; disobedience was punishable by death.
The active ingredient of curare poison is D-tubocurarine, an active alkaloid. If used in microdoses, it can have a therapeutic effect. This substance is used in the treatment of dropsy, urolithiasis, insanity, fever, etc. It can also be used externally in case of severe bruises in the form of compresses. Indian shamans have known about this for a long time and skillfully used and continue to use curare poison.
