The most powerful poisons in the world. Potent and dangerous poisons Legal poison

Excerpts from the book "Claws of Invisibility" by Alexei Gorbylev

“Our destiny is to be invisible, we are knights of the order of invisible deeds, we are a caste of ghosts standing above mere mortals,” these are the words the famous Soviet writer Roman Nikolaevich Kim puts into the mouth of a ninjutsu teacher in his story about ninjas “Ghost School.” Reading these lines, I immediately remember poisons - the most insidious, invisible weapon. Here is a man reading a book, admiring the sunset, basking in the sun's rays, feasting with friends... And suddenly he begins to shake, faints and dies a few minutes later. Yes, poison is a serious thing!
Ninjas, the invisible killers of medieval Japan, were well versed in poisons and knew how and when to use them. Of course, science has come a long way since then. But, despite the fact that the “night demons” did not know the sophisticated synthetic poisons of our days, they
the arsenal was no less effective and terrifying.
Ninjas had many requirements for the quality of poison. They needed poisons that killed instantly, and poisons that killed the victim after many days, so that the shadow of suspicion would not fall on the spy, and he would have time to get out of enemy territory. They needed poisons for which there were no antidotes, poisons whose effects were not similar to those of poison. There is no doubt that over many centuries of searching, the “night demons” were able to find both. We will probably never be able to find out how many prominent political figures and generals were killed by invisible poisoners so that their death did not arouse suspicion in anyone.

DEADLY POISONS (ANSATSUYAKU)
The deadly poisons described in the ninjutsu manuals are divided into four categories:
1. slow-acting poisons mixed into food;
2. poisons that kill after a short period of time, mixed into food;
3. instant poisons mixed into food;
4. poisons that kill when they enter the blood.
1. Slow-acting poisons
A typical example is the poison that was extracted from premium green tea with the poetic name “Gyokuro” - “Jasper Dew”. Thanks to its unique properties, it was very popular among the “night demons.” Gyokuro tea was brewed very strongly, poured into a bamboo container, tightly closed in it and buried for thirty to forty days under the veranda of the house to rot. The resulting liquid black gruel had to be mixed into the victim’s food for several days, 2-3 drops per day. As a result, the average healthy person became seriously ill on the 30th day, and by the 70th day he was sent to the next world. A person weakened by illness gave his soul to God much earlier. So much so that later not a single doctor could determine that the patient’s death
caused by poisoning. Of course, over time, the secret of the gyo-kuro poison was unraveled by doctors, and even a special medical term “shukucha no doku” appeared - “poisoning with tea infused at night.”
American journalists Al Weiss and Tom Philbin tell a legend about how one ninja, who settled under the guise of an ordinary resident in an enemy city, slowly but surely poisoned the local “mayor” with gyokuro poison for several months. At the same time, he himself drank the same green tea, to which he added poison, as the mayor and thus averted suspicions that could creep into the soul of the enemy. But... after every tea party he took an antidote. As a result, the “mayor” died, as it seemed to everyone, a natural death, and no one suspected a spy. Al Weiss and Tom Philbin also suggest that ninjas used bamboo, which grows in abundance in Japan, as poison, although this is not specifically mentioned in the literature. As National Geographic magazine wrote, “The stems of many types of bamboo have a skin covered with fluffy, fine hairs. Be careful not to touch them. They penetrate the skin and cause severe irritation.” Indeed, these hairs are the perfect poison. “Bacteria on hairs can even cause blood poisoning. “I read,” the author continues, “that in ancient times hairs from the skin were mixed into food to send the enemy to the next world.”

2. Poisons that kill after a short period of time
Poisons of this effect were made from mineral, plant or animal raw materials. An example of poisons of the first kind is copper oxide (green; green coating formed on copper as a result of oxidation) and rat poison (arsenic).
Plant poisons were extracted from plants such as lycoris (higambana; Fig. 231), caustic buttercup (kimpoge, umanoashigata; Fig. 232), etc.

As for poisons extracted from animals, the ninjas preferred the poison obtained from the hammyo sand beetle (Fig. 233).
3. Instant poisons
The ninja poetically called such poisons “zagarashi-yaku” - “poisons that dry out right on the spot.” The most popular version of this poison was made from the seeds of green plums and green peach, which were taken in equal proportions. In order to obtain poison, the bones were boiled for a long time (always together). This poison was secretly mixed into the victim's food or sprayed into the air in the form of tiny dust so that it entered the respiratory tract. In the latter case, in a matter of seconds one could be sent to the next world with
a dozen enemies crammed into a small Japanese room.
In the Bansenshukai there is a paragraph called “Hoken-jutsu” - “Technique of meeting a dog”, which explains the technique of poisoning man’s four-legged friend: “When entering a house in which there is a dog, two to three days [before operations] need to be mixed with yakimeshi rice (toasted boiled rice)[poison] matin [in proportion] 1 pound (1 pound = 0.375 g) per 1 kolobok and place several koloboks in the place where the dog may appear.”

The poison matin mentioned in the Bansenshukai is nothing more than strychnine. Strychnine is an extremely dangerous deadly poison. To kill a person, only 0.98 milligrams of this substance is enough. When it enters the body with food, it causes
characteristic convulsions when the victim seems to lean back. The poisoned person experiences terrible pain and after a while dies from paralysis of the respiratory system.
Strychnine is an alkaloid. It was extracted from the dried seeds of tropical plants of the genus strychnos (chillibuha), containing up to 3% poisonous alkaloids (Fig. 234).
In Japan, strychnine was widely used during the Edo period as an ingredient in rat poison. It came to Europe only in the 16th century, but its production was strictly prohibited due to the increasing incidence of poisoning.
4. Poisons that kill when they enter the blood
It was with these poisons that ninjas smeared their “death stars”, shurikens, arrowheads, and fukibari arrows. When they entered the bloodstream, they caused almost instantaneous paralysis of the respiratory system and heart, leading to the death of a person. Such poison was obtained from the juice of the torikabuto plant (Japanese wrestler; Fig. 235). Torika-butoh poison is believed to have been invented by the ancient Ainu people of Japan.
(edzo), who treated the tips of their arrows with it and with their help felled bears.

In the absence of torikabuto poison, the victim could be sent to the next world using a shuriken smeared with horse manure. Horse manure contains many pathogenic bacteria that cause erysipelas (erysipelas), often leading to the death of the patient. It is interesting that American soldiers were able to become familiar with this poison, as they say, “first hand” during the Vietnam War: the Vietnamese, just like the ninjas, dipped their knives and bayonets in horse manure and blood.
In addition to deadly poisons, ninjas knew recipes for sleeping potions, drugs that caused paralysis, insanity, and inappropriate reactions.

SLEEPING DRUGS (NARCOTICS) (MASUYAKU)
The instructions for ninjutsu contain recipes for three poisons of this kind.
The first remedy has already been described in Chapter 2 in the section “Poisonous Agents”. It was made from the blood of the red-bellied newt-imori, the blood of the Japanese mole-moger, the blood of a snake and some secret drug, the composition of which has not yet been clarified by researchers. This mixture was soaked into paper, which was twisted into paper twine, set on fire and thrown to the enemy. It was also possible
quietly throw a piece of paper into the brazier in the guardhouse or into the fire at the enemy’s bivouac. Having inhaled the poisonous soporific smoke, the enemy soon fell into a deep sleep.
Another sleeping drug was made from bat, leaves of the aogiri tree (firmiana, sterculia), scolopendra, sandalwood and paper tree kernels, clove tree, evergreen aquilaria tree, mercury and bovine dung. All this had to be crushed into powder, mixed (often small balls were molded from the resulting substance) and set on fire. Having swallowed the smoke of this terrible mixture, people soon fell into a deep sleep.

The recipe for the third sleeping agent, described in the secret instructions of the ninja, was as follows. The hemp leaves had to be dried in the shade and ground into flour. Then the flour was boiled. The resulting broth was mixed with weak tea, which was eventually given to the chosen victim. From one sip a person fell asleep, from 2-3 - he fell into a sleep that was accompanied by fever. If a person was forced
drinking the drug for several days in a row, he simply went crazy.

POISONS CAUSING PARALYSIS (SIBIREYAKU)
The texts describe two poisons of this effect that should be mixed into food. The first ninja poison was obtained from a liquid that
extracted from growths above the eyes of the giant Japanese toad hikigaeru (bufo marinus), considered the largest toad in the world (Fig. 236): the length of its body, not counting the length of its legs, is 22.5 cm! This liquid is so toxic that even if you touch it with your finger, your finger immediately begins to go numb.

Hikigaeru venom causes high blood pressure, headaches and paralysis. Its effects resemble those of taking too much heart medication. To extract the poison, the toad is skewered and roasted. Blisters form on the toad's skin and poison leaks out of the glands. It is collected in a container and allowed to ferment. The second paralysis-causing poison was extracted from the liver of the poisonous puffer fish (Fig. 237). Puffer fish are often called "exploding" or "puffing" fish because they puff up when they get angry or when they are looking for food. Despite the fact that almost all Japanese know about the poisonousness of fugu, dozens of people die from its hell every year in the Land of the Rising Sun. The fact is that fugu is considered a delicious delicacy, served in the most expensive and sophisticated restaurants. The top-class chefs who work there are able not only to prepare fugu for food, but also to remove its hell, which is certified by the state
license. But it's not that simple. Fugu's venom, which chemists call "tetradoxin," retains its properties even when the fish is cooked, and only a tiny amount, 8 to 10 milligrams, is required to be fatal. In addition, hell can be found in any organ of the fish.

The result is multiple deaths caused by eating fugu. In one of the post-war years, 250 accidental poisonings of this kind were recorded. Moreover, more than half of the victims died. Poisoning most often occurs in winter, when fugu fish is the most delicious and at the same time the most poisonous.
To destroy the enemy, it was not at all necessary to extract hell from the fugu. It was enough, under the guise of a cook, to slip a “tasty” piece of undercooked fish onto the victim’s plate. That's all. The poison affected the respiratory center of the brain and paralyzed the respiratory muscles.

POISONS CAUSING TEMPORARY INTERFERENCE OF MIND (KYOKIYAKU)
In order to induce insanity in the victim, it was enough to crush the seeds of white dope (chosen asagao, mandarage; Fig. 238) into dust and mix them into the victim’s food.

A few hours after ingesting 5-10 seeds, a person either fell asleep or went crazy.

POISONS THAT ALLOW TO CAUSE A STATE OF ANXIETY, EXCITATION, INADQUATE REACTIONS IN THE VICTIM (SOJO-YAKU)
A poison that causes severe itching. This poison was extracted from the thorns of the kaikaigusa grass (a type of iracus - Tumberg's nettle; Fig. 239). Of them
they made the finest powder, which they sprinkled on the underwear or neck of the victim, who was then ready to tear her skin to shreds from the terrible itching.
Poison that causes causeless laughter
The poisonous hallucinogenic mushroom waraidake was used as such a remedy (Fig. 240). It was finely chopped and mixed into the food of the victim, who as a result began to roll on the floor, shaking with causeless laughter with a complete lack of self-control.
Al Weiss and Tom Philbin tell in their book about one strange incident that occurred when two princes were fighting for control of one of the provinces. One of them, in front of a large gathering of people, declared that he was a god and could strike with blindness anyone who stood in his way. The second prince responded to this statement with laughter. However, soon after lunch he began to go blind and announced to the whole world that his opponent was indeed a god. In fact, the creator of the “deity” was a ninja who poisoned the prince’s bath towel with a poison that caused temporary blindness.

People often think of poisons as a myth from Shakespeare's dramas, or ripped from the pages of Agatha Christie's novels. But in fact, poison can be found everywhere: in cute little bottles under the kitchen sink, in our drinking water, and even in our blood. Below are ten of the world's most under-the-radar poisons, some exotic, others frighteningly common.

10. Hydrogen Cyanide

Although cyanide carries a terrible stigma, its history is rich and fruitful. Some scientists even believe that cyanide may have been one of the chemicals that helped form life on earth. Today it is better known as the lethal substance, the active ingredient in Zyklon B, which the Nazis used to exterminate Jews in showers. Cyanide is a chemical used as capital punishment in the gas chambers of the United States. Those who have been in contact with the substance describe its odor as similar to that of sweet almonds. Cyanide kills by binding to the iron in our blood cells and destroying them, making them unable to carry oxygen throughout the body. Most states in the United States have stopped using the gas chamber, as this type of death penalty is considered unnecessarily cruel. Death can take several minutes and is often horrific to watch as the condemned convicts writhe in agony and salivate profusely as the body attempts to prevent death.

9. Hydrofluoric acid or hydrofluoric acid(Hydrofluoric Acid)


Hydrofluoric acid is used in a number of industries, such as metallurgy and even in the manufacture of Teflon. There are much more powerful acids in the world than hydrofluoric acid, but few of them are as dangerous to humans. In gaseous form it can easily burn out the eyes and lungs, but in liquid form it is especially insidious. Initially, when it comes into contact with human skin, it is completely imperceptible. Due to the fact that it does not cause pain upon contact, people can become seriously poisoned without noticing it. It penetrates the skin into the bloodstream, where it reacts with calcium in the body. In the worst cases, it seeps through the tissue and destroys the bone underneath.

8. Batrachotoxin


Fortunately for most of us, our chance of encountering batrachotoxin is incredibly small. Batrachotoxin is one of the most potent neurotoxins in the world and is found in the skin of tiny dart frogs. Frogs do not produce the poison themselves, it is produced in their bodies by the food they eat, most likely from eating tiny bugs. There are several different versions of the poison depending on the type of frog, the most dangerous is the type of batrachotoxin produced by the Colombian frog called the terrible leaf creeper. This frog is so tiny that it can fit on the tip of your finger, but the poison on the skin of one frog is enough to kill about two dozen people, or a couple of elephants. The toxin attacks nerves, opening their sodium channels and causing paralysis, essentially shutting down the entire body's ability to communicate with itself. There is no antidote in the world, and death occurs very quickly.

7. VX Nerve Gas


Banned from use by the Chemical Weapons Convention (global supplies of this gas are gradually decreasing), VX nerve gas is considered the most powerful nerve gas in the world. The danger of this gas, discovered completely by accident in 1952 during chemical testing of organophosphates, was quickly discovered. Marketed as a pesticide under the name "Amiton", it was soon withdrawn due to its being too dangerous to society. It soon came to the attention of world governments as it was a time of political turmoil in the Cold War, and the gas was stockpiled for potential use in war. Luckily, no one started a war and the VX was never used in combat. A cultist from the Japanese group Aum Shinriyko stole some of this gas and used it to kill a man - the only known human death caused by VX gas. The gas stops the production of enzymes in the nerves, causing the nerves to be in a constant state of activity, creating a “storm” in the nervous system that quickly overloads and destroys the body.

6. Agent Orange


Almost everyone has heard of the defoliant Agent Orange, created by Dow Chemical and Monsanto (which are considered the most evil corporations in the world). Agent Orange was used during the Vietnam War to eradicate trees that provided cover for enemy soldiers and to destroy crops in rural areas. Unfortunately, in addition to being a plant-killing agent, the herbicides contained a chemical dioxin called TCDD (tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin), a known carcinogen that causes a significant increase in the risk of cancer, especially lymphoma, in those exposed to it. In addition, tens of thousands of Vietnamese children were born stillborn or with birth defects such as cleft palate, extra fingers and toes, and mental retardation. Vietnam remains very polluted to this day.

5. Ricin


Derived from the castor bean plant, ricin is one of the deadliest poisons. A small dose, comparable to a few grains of salt, is enough to kill an adult. The venom stops the production of proteins that the body needs to survive, causing victims to go into shock. Because of its simple production process, ricin has been weaponized by many governments around the world, and was used at least once for murder, when Bulgarian dissident writer Georgi Markov was shot with ricin pellets on a London street in 1978. It is believed that the Bulgarian secret police and/or the KGB were responsible for the murder.

4. Arsenic


The metalloid arsenic has been used for centuries for a variety of purposes, from weapons production to cosmetics during the Victorian era (when sickly pallor was considered a fashion statement among women). During the Dark Ages, arsenic became a popular poison for assassins due to its effect - arsenic poisoning has symptoms similar to cholera, which was widespread during those times. Arsenic attacks adenosine triphosphatases in human cells, cutting off the flow of energy. Arsenic is a very unpleasant substance that, in strong concentrations, can cause various types of gastrointestinal disorders with bleeding, convulsions, coma and death. In small amounts taken on a regular basis (for example, through arsenic-contaminated water), arsenic has been linked to a number of diseases, such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

3. Lead


Lead is one of the very first metals used by man. Its first smelting was made 8,000 years ago. However, its dangerous effects on the body became known only a few decades ago - lead affects every organ in the human body, so lead poisoning manifests itself through a range of symptoms, from diarrhea to mental retardation. Children are especially at risk of poisoning; fetal exposure to lead causes pathological neurological disorders. Strangest of all, many criminologists believe that the widespread decline in violent crime is at least partly the result of increased restrictions on the use of lead. Children born after 1980 were much less likely to be exposed to lead and, as a result, were less likely to become violent.

2. Brodifacoum


Immediately after the end of World War II, the poison warfarin began to be used as a rodenticide (and interestingly enough, it was also used as an anticoagulant for people with bleeding disorders). But rats are known for their ability to survive at all costs, and over time, many of them have become resistant to warfarin. Therefore, it was replaced by brodifacoum. An extremely lethal anticoagulant, brodifacoum reduces the amount of vitamin K in the blood. Due to the fact that vitamin K is necessary for the blood clotting process, the body over time is subject to severe internal bleeding as blood spreads throughout the body from the rupture of tiny capillaries. Brodifacoum, which is sold under brands such as Havoc, Talon, and Jaguar, must be handled with great care because it penetrates the skin easily and remains in the body for many months.

1. Strychnine


Derived primarily from a tree called chilibuha, which is native to India and southeast Asia, strychnine is an alkaloid substance and is used as a pesticide, especially in rodent control. Death caused by strychnine poisoning is terribly painful. As a neurotoxin, strychnine attacks the spinal nerves, causing seizures and violent muscle contractions. Oskar Dirlewanger, a Nazi SS commander during World War II, injected his prisoners with strychnine and amused himself by watching them writhe. Strychnine is one of the few substances on this list that is both cheap and available on the market. It's possible that strychnine is sold at your local hardware store under a name like "Rodent Killer" or something similar.

Trying to figure out which poison is the most powerful in nature is doomed to failure - too many variables affect the results. However, if we take only one parameter - the average lethal dose, only one type of living beings - laboratory mice, only one route of administration - intramuscular, and evaluate not whole poisons, but their individual components, then some idea of ​​​​the “ideal killers” can be obtained .

1. Botulinum toxin

Many poisons can be lethal in small doses, so it is quite difficult to single out the most dangerous one. However, many experts agree that botulinum toxin, which is used in Botox injections to smooth out wrinkles, is the strongest.

Botulism is a serious paralyzing disease caused by botulinum toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum. This poison causes damage to the nervous system, respiratory arrest and death in terrible agony.

Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, double vision, facial weakness, speech impediments, difficulty swallowing, and others. The bacterium can enter the body through food (usually poorly canned foods) and through open wounds.

2. Poison ricin

Ricin is a natural poison that is obtained from the castor beans of the castor bean plant. A few grains are enough to kill an adult. Ricin kills cells in the human body, preventing it from producing the proteins it needs, resulting in organ failure. A person can become poisoned by ricin through inhalation or ingestion.

If inhaled, symptoms of poisoning usually appear within 8 hours of exposure and include difficulty breathing, fever, cough, nausea, sweating and chest tightness.

If ingested, symptoms appear in less than 6 hours and include nausea and diarrhea (possibly bloody), low blood pressure, hallucinations and seizures. Death can occur within 36-72 hours.

3. Sarin gas

Sarin is one of the most dangerous and deadly nerve gases, hundreds of times more toxic than cyanide. Sarin was originally produced as a pesticide, but the clear, odorless gas soon became a powerful chemical weapon.

A person can be poisoned by sarin gas by inhaling or exposing the gas to the eyes and skin. Initial symptoms may include a runny nose and chest tightness, difficulty breathing and nausea.

Then the person loses control over all functions of his body and falls into a coma, convulsions and spasms occur until suffocation occurs.

4. Tetrodotoxin

This deadly poison is contained in the organs of fish of the genus pufferfish, from which the famous Japanese delicacy “fugu” is prepared. Tetrodotoxin persists in the skin, liver, intestines and other organs, even after the fish has been cooked.

This toxin causes paralysis, seizures, mental breakdown and other symptoms. Death occurs within 6 hours after ingestion of the poison.

Every year, several people are known to die painful deaths from tetrodotoxin poisoning after eating fugu.

5. Potassium cyanide

Potassium cyanide is one of the fastest killing poisons known to mankind. It may be in the form of crystals and a colorless gas with a "bitter almond" odor. Cyanide can be found in some foods and plants. It is found in cigarettes and is used to make plastic, photographs, extract gold from ore, and kill unwanted insects.

Cyanide has been used since ancient times, and in the modern world it has been a method of capital punishment. Poisoning can occur through inhalation, ingestion and even touching, causing symptoms such as seizures, respiratory failure and, in severe cases, death, which can occur within minutes. It kills by binding to iron in blood cells, making them unable to carry oxygen.

6. Mercury and mercury poisoning

There are three forms of mercury that can be potentially hazardous: elemental, inorganic and organic. Elemental mercury, which is found in mercury thermometers, old fillings and fluorescent light bulbs, is non-toxic if exposed, but can be fatal if inhaled.

Inhaling mercury vapor (the metal quickly turns into a gas at room temperature) affects the lungs and brain, shutting down the central nervous system.

Inorganic mercury, which is used to make batteries, can be fatal if ingested and cause kidney damage and other symptoms. Organic mercury found in fish and seafood is usually hazardous over long-term exposure. Symptoms of poisoning may include memory loss, blindness, seizures and others.

7. Strychnine and strychnine poisoning

Strychnine is an odorless, white, bitter crystalline powder that can be acquired by ingestion, inhalation, solution, and intravenous injection.

It is obtained from the seeds of the chilibuha tree (Strychnos nux-vomica), native to India and southeast Asia. Although it is often used as a pesticide, it can also be found in drugs such as heroin and cocaine.

The degree of strychnine poisoning depends on the amount and route of entry into the body, but a small amount of this poison is enough to cause a serious condition. Symptoms of poisoning include muscle spasms, respiratory failure and even cause brain death within 30 minutes of exposure.

8. Arsenic and arsenic poisoning

Arsenic, which is the 33rd element in the periodic table, has been synonymous with poison since ancient times. It was often used as a poison of choice in political assassinations, as arsenic poisoning resembled the symptoms of cholera.

Arsenic is considered a heavy metal with properties similar to those of lead and mercury. In high concentrations, it can lead to symptoms of poisoning such as abdominal pain, seizures, coma and death. In small amounts, it can contribute to a number of diseases, including cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

9. Poison curare

Curare is a mixture of various South American plants that were used for poison arrows. Curare has been used for medicinal purposes in a highly diluted form. The main poison is an alkaloid, which causes paralysis and death, as well as strychnine and hemlock. However, after respiratory paralysis occurs, the heart may continue to beat.

Death from curare is slow and painful as the victim remains conscious but unable to move or speak. However, if artificial respiration is applied before the poison settles, the person can be saved. Amazon tribes used curare to hunt animals, but the poisoned animal meat was not dangerous to those who consumed it.

10. Batrachotoxin

Fortunately, the chances of encountering this poison are very small. Batrachotoxin, found in the skin of tiny dart frogs, is one of the most potent neutrotoxins in the world.

Frogs themselves do not produce poison; it is accumulated from the foods they consume, mainly small bugs. The most dangerous levels of poison were found in a species of dire frog that lives in Colombia.

One specimen contains enough batrachotoxin to kill two dozen people or several elephants. The poison attacks the nerves, especially around the heart, making breathing difficult and quickly leading to death.

Each drug has its own contraindications and side effects. Therefore, before using any product, you must carefully study the instructions supplied with it. Potent poisons sold in pharmacies can only be purchased with a doctor's prescription. All these funds are under strict control. But even those medicines that are available to everyone can be fraught with danger. Therefore, it is necessary to remember their features.

Dangerous painkillers

Many people are accustomed to resorting to painkillers when the first painful sensation appears in the body. In this case, only the symptoms are stopped, but the cause of the problem remains and can progress. Such drugs cause significant harm even in overdose. The list of dangerous painkillers includes:

1. Paracetamol. An overdose of this drug can cause severe liver damage. Long-term use of it leads to gastric bleeding.
2. Analgin. With prolonged use it can provoke leukopenia. It negatively affects the functioning of the bone marrow, resulting in a reduction in the number of white blood cells produced.
3. Aspirin or acetylsalicylic acid. It should be taken with extreme caution by people suffering from diseases of the digestive system. It can cause gastritis, ulcers, and bleeding in the stomach.
4. Ibuprofen. It is considered the least dangerous pain medication. However, it is not recommended for use by people suffering from heart disease. Long-term use increases the risk of a heart attack.
5. Tramadol. This is a strong drug for relieving high-intensity pain. This drug belongs to the category of narcotics, as it quickly becomes addictive. This poison can be purchased at a pharmacy only with a special prescription. An overdose of tramadol leads to the death of the patient.
6. Amidopyrine. Currently, this medicine is prohibited for sale in Russia. It was found that its use causes serious changes in blood biochemistry, which cannot be reversed.

Today you can buy painkillers at any pharmacy. The main thing to remember is that its excessive use can aggravate the disease.

Drugs for the treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular system

Medicines for the treatment of heart disease are freely sold in pharmacies. Some of them are used by many older people. However, they do not always follow the instructions, which leads to negative health consequences. The following dangerous drugs can be identified:

1. Corvalol. This remedy is extremely popular among Russian pensioners. It is believed that it relieves attacks of heart pain. In fact, it only masks the symptoms. The drug contains phenobarbital. This substance does not have any therapeutic effect, but rather negatively affects the state of the central nervous system. The sale of drugs containing phenobarbital is strictly prohibited in many countries.
2. Nitroglycerine. This medicine is widely used to stop heart attacks. It has a dilating effect on the blood vessels of the heart. This may cause a sharp drop in blood pressure. As a result, a person experiences severe headaches.
3. Adelfan is a drug for lowering blood pressure. In world medical practice, it was abandoned due to the large number of side effects. Nevertheless, it is popular in our country. It contains a poisonous plant alkaloid. With prolonged use of this drug, renal failure may develop and severe swelling may appear.

Uncontrolled use of such products can cause irreparable harm to health. Modern medicine offers safer drugs.

Insidious antibiotics

Without the use of antibacterial drugs, it is impossible to get rid of infectious diseases. But if they are used incorrectly, a large number of side effects develop. Essential drugs are turning into real poisons, sold in pharmacies.

The most common antibiotic in our country, chloramphenicol, is especially dangerous. Its long-term use or violation of the dosage can provoke leukemia or serious disorders in the functioning of the bone marrow. The purpose of this drug is quite narrow, so it is best to replace it with modern analogues.

Any antibacterial agents negatively affect the health of the digestive system. Together with pathogenic microflora, they also kill beneficial microorganisms. Therefore, after treatment with such drugs, you will have to undergo a course of microflora restoration.

Using antibiotics without a doctor's prescription can lead to serious consequences. The specific dosage of the drug must be calculated individually for each patient.

What other dangerous drugs can be found in the pharmacy?

In modern pharmacies you can find many medications that have a detrimental effect on human health. These include:

1. Xenical. This drug is intended for effective weight loss. According to statistics, its use often leads to liver damage. Side effects are also observed: attacks of nausea and vomiting, increased fatigue, jaundice and others.
2. Esomeprazole magnesium is a drug that relieves heartburn. Its long-term use increases the risk of fractures. This occurs due to the fact that the active substance of the drug interferes with the normal absorption of calcium in the body.
3. Viagra is one of the most popular drugs intended for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Abuse of such pills often leads to heart attacks, arrhythmia, and sudden death syndrome.
4. Coaxil is a drug whose action is aimed at treating depressive conditions. This drug can be highly addictive. Its long-term use can cause severe mental disorders.
5. Tropicamide is an eye drop that is sold only with a doctor's prescription. They are designed to dilate the pupil. Doctors use them when conducting diagnostic examinations of the eye. This drug is often used by people suffering from drug addiction. They inject it into a vein, which leads to a surge of extraordinary vigor. Moreover, after the second use, a strong dependence develops. Refusal from tropicamide drives a person into severe depression, and suicidal thoughts appear. The drug promotes the active removal of calcium from the body. Therefore, drug addicts who use it quickly lose teeth, nails, and the musculoskeletal system is destroyed. Such a slow death brings great suffering.

It is not difficult to find poisons in pharmacies. Therefore, you should not take any medications without consulting a doctor. Self-medication will not lead to anything good. It is necessary to begin using any medications with a thorough study of their properties and instructions for use.

The Swiss physician and alchemist Paracelsus famously said: “All substances are poisons; there is not a single one that is not. The right dose makes the difference between the poison,” and he’s right. Even too much water will kill you. However, some substances require very small amounts to cause death - sometimes just enough for a drop to fall on a gloved hand - which is why they initially fell into the class of poisons. From flowers to heavy metals, from man-made gases to actual poison, here are the 25 most dangerous poisons known to mankind.

25. Cyanide can be in the form of a colorless gas or crystals, but in either case it is quite dangerous. It smells like bitter almonds, and once ingested, it can cause symptoms such as headache, nausea, rapid breathing and increased heart rate, and weakness in just a few minutes. If left untreated, cyanide kills because cells are deprived of oxygen. And yes, cyanide can be obtained from apple seeds, but don't worry if you eat a few. You will need to eat about ten kernels before you have enough cyanide in your body for it to have a negative effect. Please don't do this.

24. Hydrofluoric acid (Fluoric acid) is a poison used, among other things, in the production of Teflon. In its liquid state, this substance can easily seep through the skin into the bloodstream. In the body, it reacts with calcium and can even destroy the underlying bone. The scary part is that the contact doesn't cause any pain at first, leaving more time and opportunity for serious damage to occur.

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23. Arsenic is a naturally occurring crystalline semimetal and perhaps one of the best known and most common poisons used as a murder weapon in the late 19th century. However, its use for such purposes began in the mid-1700s. Arsenic poisoning can cause death within hours or days. Symptoms of poisoning include vomiting and diarrhea, which made it difficult to distinguish arsenic poisoning from dysentery or cholera 120 years ago.

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22. Belladonna or Deadly Nightshade is a very poisonous herb (flower) with a very romantic story. What makes it poisonous is an alkaloid called atropine, and the entire plant is poisonous, with the root containing the most poison and the berries the least. However, even two eaten are enough to kill a child. Some people use belladonna for relaxation as a hallucinogen, and in Victorian times women would often drop belladonna tincture into their eyes to dilate their pupils and make their eyes sparkle. Before you die under the influence of belladonna, you may experience a seizure, increased heart rate, and confusion. Don't play with belladonna, kids.

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21. Carbon monoxide (carbon monoxide) is an odorless, tasteless, colorless substance and slightly less dense than air. It will poison and then kill you. Part of what makes carbon monoxide so dangerous is that it is difficult to detect; sometimes called the "silent killer". This substance prevents the body from delivering oxygen to where it is needed, such as to cells, to keep them alive and functioning. Early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are similar to the flu without fever: headache, weakness, drowsiness, lethargy, insomnia, nausea and confusion. Fortunately, you can purchase a carbon monoxide detector at almost any specialty store.

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20. The deadliest tree in all of North America grows in Florida. Otherwise, where else would he grow? The Manchineel tree or Beach apple tree has small green fruits that look like apples and look like they would taste sweet. Don't eat them. And don't touch this tree. Don't sit next to it or under it, and pray you never end up in the wind under it. If the sap gets on your skin, it will blister, and if it gets in your eyes, you may go blind. The juice is contained in both the leaves and the bark, so do not touch them. Probably, the juice of this plant killed the conquistador Ponce de Leon, who discovered Florida.

Photo: nps.gov

19. Fluorine is a pale yellow gas that is highly poisonous, corrosive and will react with almost anything. For fluorine to be lethal, a concentration of 0.000025% is sufficient. It causes blindness and asphyxiates the victim like mustard gas, but its effects are much worse.

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18. The pesticide used is Compound 1080, also known as sodium fluoroacetate. It is found naturally in several plant species in Africa, Brazil and Australia. The scary truth about this deadly, odorless and tasteless poison is that there is no antidote for it. Oddly enough, the bodies of those who die from ingesting this poison remain poisonous for a whole year.

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17. The most dangerous man-made poison is called dioxin, and it only takes 50 micrograms to kill an adult. It is the third most toxic poison known to science, 60 times more toxic than cyanide.

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16. Dimethylmercury (a neurotoxin) is a terrible poison because it can penetrate most standard protective equipment, such as thick latex gloves. This is exactly what happened to a female chemist named Karen Wetterhahn in 1996. A single drop of colorless liquid fell on my gloved hand, and that was it. Symptoms began to appear FOUR MONTHS later, and six months later she was dead.

Photo: wikipedia.org

15. Wolfsbane (Fighter) also known as "Monk's Hood", "Wolfsbane", "Leopard's Venom", "Women's Curse", "Devil's Helm", "Queen of Poisons" and "Blue Rocket". In fact, it is an entire genus of over 250 herbs, and most of them are extremely poisonous. The flowers can be either blue or yellow, and while some of the plants are used for traditional medicine, it has also been used as a murder weapon over the past decade.

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14. The toxin found in poisonous mushrooms is called amatoxin. It attacks liver and kidney cells and kills them within a few days. Sometimes it also affects the heart and central nervous system. Treatment is available, but results are not guaranteed. The poison is temperature stable and cannot be removed by drying. So unless you are 100% sure they are safe, don't eat mushrooms.

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13. Anthrax is actually caused by a bacterium called Bacillus anthracis. What makes you sick is not so much the bacteria, but the toxin they produce when they enter the body. Bacillus Anthracis can enter your system through the skin, mouth, or respiratory tract. The mortality rate from airborne anthrax reaches 75% even with treatment.

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12. The hemlock plant is a classic poisonous plant that was regularly used for executions in ancient Greece, including the philosopher Socrates. There are several varieties, and in North America, water hemlock is the most common plant. You could die from eating it, but people still do it, thinking hemlock is a perfectly acceptable salad ingredient. Water hemlock causes painful and severe convulsions, cramps and tremors. Those who survive may subsequently suffer amnesia or other long-term problems. Water hemlock is considered the deadliest plant in North America. Serious note: Supervise your children, even older ones, when they are outside. Don't eat anything unless you are 100% sure it is safe.

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11. Strychnine is commonly used to kill small mammals and birds, and is often the main ingredient in rat poison. In large doses, strychnine can also be fatal to humans. It can be swallowed, inhaled, or enter the body through the skin. The first symptoms: painful muscle cramps, nausea and vomiting. Muscle contractions ultimately lead to suffocation. Death can occur within half an hour. This is a very unpleasant way to die, for both humans and rats.

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10. Most of those who understand such things consider maytotoxin to be the most powerful marine toxin. It's found in a dinoflagellate algae called Gambierdiscus toxicus, and if those words confuse you, just think of deadly plankton to get the idea. For mice, meiototoxin is the most toxic among non-protein toxins.

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9. Mercury, the silvery liquid in old school thermometers, is a heavy metal that is quite toxic to humans if inhaled or touched. If you touch it, it can cause your skin to peel off, and if you inhale the mercury vapor, it will eventually shut down your central nervous system and you will die. Before then, you are likely to experience kidney failure, memory loss, brain damage and blindness.

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8. Polonium is a radioactive chemical element and has been implicated in the deaths of everyone from Yasser Arafat to Russian dissidents. Its most common form is 250,000 times more toxic than hydrocyanic acid. It is radioactive and emits alpha particles (they are not compatible with organic tissues). Alpha particles cannot penetrate the skin, so polonium must be ingested or injected into the victim. However, if this happens, the result will not be long in coming. One theory is that a gram of polonium 210 could kill up to ten million people if injected or ingested, causing first radiation poisoning and then cancer.

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7. Suicide tree or Cerbera odollam acts by disturbing the natural rhythm of the heart and often causing death. A member of the same family as Oleander, the plant was often used to perform the "innocence test" in Madagascar. An estimated 3,000 people a year died from drinking Cerberus poison before the practice was outlawed in 1861. (If you survived, you were found innocent. If you died, it didn't matter because you were dead).

Photo: wikipedia.org

6. Botulinum toxin is produced by the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum, and it is an incredibly powerful neurotoxin. It causes paralysis, which can lead to death. You may know botulinum toxin by its commercial name, Botox. Yes, that's what the doctor injects into your mom's forehead to make it less wrinkled (or into her neck to help with migraines) to cause muscle paralysis.

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5. Pufferfish is considered a delicacy in some countries, where it is called Fugu; it's a dish that some would literally die for. Why? Because the insides of the fish contain tetrodotoxin, and in Japan, approximately 5 people a year die from eating puffer fish as a result of improper preparation technology. But gourmets continue to persist.

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4. Sarin gas will give you the opportunity to survive the worst moments of your life. Your chest tightens, tighter, tighter, and then... it relaxes because you are dead. Although Sarin was outlawed in 1995, it has not stopped being used in terrorist attacks.

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3. Golden Poison Arrow Frog - Tiny, adorable and quite dangerous. Just one frog the size of the end of your thumb contains enough neurotoxin to kill ten people! A dose equal to about two grains of salt is enough to kill an adult. This is why some Amazon tribes used poison to coat the tips of their hunting arrows. One touch of such an arrow will kill you within minutes! Here's a great rule: if you see a frog and it's yellow, blue, green or red, don't touch it.

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2. Ricin is more lethal than anthrax. This substance is obtained from the castor bean, the same plant from which we obtain castor oil. This poison is especially toxic if inhaled, and a pinch of it will kill you very quickly.

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1. Codenamed “Purple Possum”, a VX gas, is the most powerful nerve gas on Earth. It is entirely man-made and we can thank the United Kingdom for that. It was technically banned in 1993, and the US allegedly destroyed its stockpile. Other countries are “working on it.” Which we should trust completely because governments are known to be 100% honest about these things.

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