Download the chemistry behind the posion hemlock

The Chemistry Behind the Poison
Hemlock
By Chiara Ramos
What is Poison Hemlock?
Poison Hemlock (conium maculatum) is a
deadly poisonous herb of the Apiacea Family,
and a close relative to parsley.
It grows to heights of 6-10 ft. It has white
taproots, which are frequently mistaken for
wild parsnips or carrots. The mature plant
grows many tiny-white flowers in umbrellalike clusters above its hollow stalks. Its leaves
resemble those of parsley, and both stalks and
leaves are often marked with purple reddish
spots; these spots are often called “The Blood
of Socrates”.
Hemlock Molecule
All parts of plant are poisonous
Where did it come from?
Poison Hemlock originated in Europe and was
introduced to North America in the 1800’s as
an ornamental. It now is in nearly every state
in the United States and southern Canada.
The distribution of
poison hemlock by
county in the western
United States.
present (surveyed, found)
no survey or not known to exist
absent (surveyed, not found)
What makes Hemlock poison?
Hemlock (conium) contains the alkaloids
Coniine, N-methylconiine, conhydrine,
pseudoconhydrine and g-coniceine.
The most important and toxic of these is
coniine.
The face of death “Coniine”
Coniine is a neurotoxin, which disrupts the
workings of the central nervous system, and is
toxic to people and all classes of livestock.
Symptoms of coniine poisoning: Brief initial
stimulation, followed by severe depression of
the nervous system, paralysis, loss of speech
being followed by depression of the
respiratory function and then death.
Coniine from Hemlock
Coniine
Uses
Native Americans once used hemlock
toxins in the tips of their arrows.
In the 1930’s-194o’s it was popular to
use by woman as
an illegal abortion chemical.
Poison hemlock has been
used as a sedative and for
its antispasmodic properties.
Greek and Arab physicians used
poison Hemlock for a variety of
problems, such as arthritis.
(Medical use was unsafe due
to the very slight difference
between a therapeutic and toxic
amount.)
In ancient Greece it was used to
poison political prisoners, such as
the death of Socrates.
Coniine has a deep purple color in its
aqueous form, therefore this
chemical was used as the “red
wine poison.’
Socrates:
Hemlock’s most famous victim
After being condemned to death for impiety in 399BC, Socrates, the great
philosopher, was given a potent solution of the hemlock plant.
“He walked about and, when he said his legs were heavy, lay down on his back, for such was
the advice of the attendant. The man who had administered the poison laid his hands on him
and after a while examined his feet and legs, then pinched his foot hard and asked if he felt it.
He said “No”; then after that, his thighs; and passing upwards in this way he showed us that he
was growing cold and rigid. And again he touched him and said that when it reached his heart,
he would be gone. ... To this question he made no reply, but after a little while he moved; the
attendant uncovered him; his eyes were fixed.”
Impact
Coniine has proven in medical studies to cause birth defects in animals such
as coniine-induced arthrogryposis, cleft palate, crooked calf disease, fetal
malformations, delayed placentation, reduced placental and uterine vascular
development, hydrops amnii, hydrops allantois, abnormal cotyledonary
development, interruption of fetal fluid balance, abortion and alkaloid-induced
fetal immobilization. You can bet it’s dangerous to pregnant humans.
Toxins can pass into the milk of an animal, affecting the offspring, and in the
case of dairy cattle can affect the safety of the milk that humans consume.
Most deaths are caused by accidental ingestion.
Control
The European palearctic moth, or hemlock moth, may offer possibilities for
biological control of poison hemlock. Several herbicides can be used as a
chemical approach to controlling hemlock sprouts.
Works Cited
• Montana State University
• Museum.gov.nc.ca/poison/hemlock.htm
• Plato (Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo)
• www.3dchem.com