Toxicology poisoning/overdose

Muscarine, an alkaloid from certain species of mushrooms, is a muscarinic receptor agonist. The compound has toxicologic importance muscarine poisoning will produce all of the effects that are associated with an overdose of ACh (e.g., bronchocon strict ion, bradycardia, hypotension, excessive salivary and respiratory secretion, and sweating). Poisoning by muscarine is treated with atropine. 

Reproduced, with permission, from Benowitz NL, Goldschlager N Cardiac disturbances in the toxicologic patient. In Haddad LM, Winchester JF [editors]. Clinical Management of Poisoning and Drug Overdose. WB Saunders, 1983.)... 

When tablets or capsules are found in the immediate vicinity of, or in the possession of, an unconscious patient, it is reasonable to assume that a drug overdose has been taken. If the patient responds to supportive treatment and no active measures are contemplated, toxicological analyses are of historical interest only. Conversely, when circumstantial evidence is lacking, a diagnosis of poisoning may be difficult to sustain simply on die basis of clinical examination, since coma induced by drugs is not readily differentiated from that caused by disease processes. The role of the laboratory is important in several types of poisoning cases. 

Lai CK, Chan AY. Tetrahydropalmatine poisoning diagnoses of nine adult overdoses based on toxicology screens by HPLC with diode-array detection and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Clin Chem 1999 45(2) 229-36. 

This text provides an excellent reference for clinicians in emergency and occupational health settings. Medical toxicology is defined here as poisoning by overdose of medication and exposure to chemicals and toxins not ordinarily used therapeutically. This is a good companion work to Dreisbach. Also available on CD-ROM and via online subscription. 

Snook CP. Overdose and poisoning Physiological responses. In Professional practice in toxicology A review. Washington, DC AACC Press, 1993. 

Pharmacology/toxicology. The science of drugs and poisonous materials (respectively) and their effects on the body. Studies in these areas include diet and nutrition, overdoses, and vitamin deficiencies. 

Toxicology LD50 (oral, rat) 525 mg/kg, (IP, rat) 156 mg/kg, (IV, rat) 241 mg/kg poison by IP, IV routes mod. toxic by ing., subcut. routes ing. unlikely, but overdoses can cause vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, CNS effects, kidney injury, death upper respiratory irritant at high doses eye and skin irritant not absorbed thru skin human and experimental carcinogen and teratogen human reproductive effects human mutagenic data TSCA listed... 

Drag overdose Fatal and non-fatal cases of clozapine overdose have been reported [SED-15, 833 SEDA-32, 98]. The minimal dose for severe poisoning and the factors that influence acute human clozapine intoxication have been studied in 73 cases of acute clozapine monointoxication reported to the Swiss Toxicological Information Center [94 ]. The most common symptoms were central nervous system depression (63%), tachycardia (40%), restlessness/agitation (16%), confusion/disorientation (15%), dysarthria (15%), arterial hypertension (11%), bradykinesia (9.6%), respiratory depression... 

McMullen MJ, Jones J. Industrial toxicology. In Haddad LM, Sharmon MJ, Winchester JF, editors. Clinical toxicology of poisoning and dmg overdose. 3rd ed. Philadelphia W.B. Satmders 1998. p. 

Forensic toxicology has a number of applications. It provides clinicians with information of a possible drug taken in overdose or authorities investigating a sudden death or poisoning with the possible substances(s) used. 

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