Poisons of Biological Origins

Substances that cause disturbance in organisms, through activities on molecular scale or chemical reactions when a sufficient quality is injested or absorbed by an organism is known as poison.

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When the word "poison" is mentioned, the minds of some individuals would flash to a small bottle with whitish powdered substance in it or a pale brown looking liquid. Well, poisonous substances could be processed into such states but there are substances in some food substances we come across daily.

They consist of toxins produced in food by

a) Macro-organisms

• Fish and shell fish poison
• Mushroom poison

b) Micro-organisms

• Bacterial toxins
• Fungal toxins

Toxins Produced by Macro-organisms

They are known to be poisonous when eaten hence causing human illness. This is due to the toxins contained in the musculature termed Ichthyosarcotoxins.

Most common fish poisons such as: Ciguatra, Scombroid, buffer fish are attributed generally to Heat-Stable Toxins.

####### Symptoms

• Nausae
• Diarrhoea
• Abdominal cramps
• Vomiting

Shell Fish Poisons.

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Shell fish poisons are of two forms : Parasitic and Neurotoxic.
These are caused by the heat stable toxins present in dinoflagillates which form food for the fishes, thereby contaminating them. The chemical nature of the toxins of the shell fish Gymnodinium xithosim allows it to act by blocking the propagation of nerve and muscle action.

####### Symptoms

• Weakness
• Nausae
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Severe muscle weakness/ paralysis.

Mushroom Poison

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A few species are so toxic that eating them maybe fatal, others are mildly toxic while many are harmless. The most poisonous of the mushroom is the AMINATA; it produces several abdominal pain, prostration, jaundice and death in more than half the people who injest it. Aminata has two principal toxins:

a) Phalloidia
b) Amanitine.

Phalloidia is a complex protein containing heptapeptide amanitine containing cyclic octapeptide. Amanitide interfers with the synthesis of messenger RNA and directly toxic to the urinary tubule.

Toxins Produced by Micro Organisms

Bacterial Toxins

• Salmonella typhi
• Clostridium - Clostridium butilism, Clostridium welchi, Clostridium prefrenges.
• Staphyllococcus aureus
• Bacillus - Bacillus cereus
• Shigella

Usually found on sliced cooked meat, meat pie, eggs, fish, sausage, synthetic cream, Ice cream etc. Contamination causes SALMONELLOSIS.

####### Symptoms

Usually enteric including:

• Gastro entrities
• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting
• Fever
• Headache
• Typhoid fever caused by Salmonella thyphosa is systematic, affects the gall bladder and sometimes the bone marrow, kidney, lungs, liver.... It could also cause pneumonia and uncaitis in some cases.

Fungal Toxin

Most important toxins for micro organisms responsible for great human suffering and loss of life. Certain fungal metabolite present in some food such as cheese while other metabolite are important antibiotics such as pennicilium.

Fungi can produce substances that are carcinogenic to humans and animals. These substances are generally called mycrotoxins and their diseases are called microtoxicosis. Their have impact on domestic animals in terms of disease, growth rate, abdominal pain etc.

I hope this helps you be more conscious of what you consume.

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