What is chemical poisoning? These are any changes in the body that have occurred under the influence of chemical compounds. What connection does such an injury have with poisoning? The chemical effect on the body is poisoning.
What is poison? These are substances that can have a chemical effect on the human body, some can even cause severe poisoning in small doses. In this article we will consider hemolytic poison, its effect on humans. Note that this group refers to the "blood". Let's look at what this means next.
Hemolytic Poison
First, let's get acquainted with the definition itself. What is it? A hemolytic poison is a substance that causes hemolysis naturally when ingested.
This problem is quite relevant these days. Ask why? They are quite widespread. These are the poisons of mushrooms, snakes, and so on, we note that they are also found in conditions of hostilities, they are often used in the commission of crimes.
In this article, we will consider some representatives of this class, their danger, toxicity and some other issues.
Toxicology
As noted earlier, hemolytic poison causes hemolysis. But what does that mean? Hemolysis is a kind of damage to red blood cells, during this process hemoglobin is released, after which the blood becomes hemolyzed, that is, it is a homogeneous, bright red liquid that does not contain red blood cell sediment. In other words, hemolyzed blood is called varnish.
Types of hemolysis
There are only two types:
- chemical;
- biological.
We offer to deal with each of them. What is chemical hemolysis? It occurs when chemicals attack the membranes. Biological hemolysis occurs when exposed to snakes, microorganisms, and so on.
Chemical hemolysis
In this section, we will consider the mechanism of the process itself. It can be called:
- poison effect;
- interfering with enzymatic processes.
How does it happen? Arsenic hydrogen, naphthalenes and some other compounds can cause such a reaction. They block a group of proteins in membranes. What happens next? There is a change in the structure of the membranes, while the connection with lipids is destroyed. As a result, we have a damaged erythrocyte membrane.
What was meant by the second way? This is the inhibition of erythrocyte substances. What substances? These are all derivatives and phenyl hydratan itself.
Intravascular hemolysis
Substances that can cause it are divided into the following groups:
- Destroying red blood cells.
- Hemolyzing shaped elements in individuals with congenital G-6P-DG deficiency.
- Causing hemolytic anemia
We propose to consider the first group in more detail. Arsenic, copper, lecithin, benzene, and so on can cause chemical hemolysis. Now let's move on to biological. Hemolytic poisons in nature are known to all. They are produced by spiders, mushrooms, bees, snakes and so on. It is simply impossible to list everything, here are the most common examples. A specific hemolytic venom is scorpion venom.
The second group includes some drugs, one of the most common, which is given even to young children to maintain immunity - ascorbic acid.
Toxicants
First consider a substance such as arsenic. What is arsenic? It is a semi-metal that has a steel, slightly greenish tint color. Note that in its pure form it is insoluble, completely non-toxic. But when exposed to air, it oxidizes, forming toxic compounds.
Routes of entry into the body:
- oral;
- couples;
- injection directly into the blood.
What does the victim feel during the first hours of poisoning:
- metal taste in mouth;
- burning;
- vomit;
- headaches;
- dizziness;
- cramps (especially on the legs).
If the poisoning was strong enough, then the person begins to become delirious, and then completely falls into a coma, followed by respiratory arrest.
Poisoning with hemolytic poison acetic acid
This substance is quite common in everyday life. In the kitchen of every housewife, there is probably table vinegar. It is used in cooking, canning, dyeing, printing, and so on.
Death with this poisoning occurs fairly quickly, usually from shock. Symptoms:
- severe vomiting with blood and the smell of vinegar;
- cough;
- burning;
- blood in urine;
- jaundice;
- swelling of mucous membranes;
- shortness of breath.
As with arsenic poisoning, vinegar poisoning can occur by inhalation of fumes, orally. There are chemical burns of the lips, cheeks, oral cavity, chin, neck. They look like smudges. After such poisoning, when the corpse is opened, a very strong and pungent characteristic odor emanates from the body. There are signs of poisoning with hemolytic poisons.
Mushrooms
Everyone loves to eat this product, but picking up should be taken very responsibly. After all, the poison of mushrooms is one of the most dangerous. The following representatives possess this type of poison:
- fly agaric;
- pale toadstool.
Symptoms of poisoning can be observed after about six hours, these include:
- weakness;
- headache;
- enlarged liver;
- thirst;
- vomit;
- colic;
- diarrhea.
About three days later, there is liver failure, jaundice, soon the person falls into a coma. How to know that poisoning is due to mushrooms? To do this, a blood test should be carried out, if there are pieces of mushrooms in the vomit, then they must be sent for examination.
Summarize
Hemolytic poisons, the classification of which was presented above, can occur both from the ingress of chemical compounds, and from the bites of spiders, snakes, and the use of poisonous mushrooms.
These are the strongest poisons that are used in everyday life and at work. Symptoms are almost the same: vomiting, diarrhea, burning, dizziness. As a result, kidney failure, jaundice develops, a person falls into a coma.
Hemolytic poison leads to hemolysis of red blood cells. When a body is opened with such poisoning, it is not difficult to find out the cause of death, everything is clearly expressed, and sometimes the body also has a characteristic smell, for example, as in poisoning with acetic acid. Death can be either quick or slow.
Be careful, hide all harmful substances away from children, because prevention is easier than cure.
