When a person started to feel signs and symptoms of poisoning, or he thinks he is poisoned, what he going to do is to find the right antidote and asks for medical assistance to assist him to undo the effect of poison or to lessen the detrimental action of the poison in his body. Poison can be called simply as toxin or toxic substance. Poison can be defined as any agent, which may bring serious body injury, disease or death when applied, introduced into, or developed within the body. From the definition itself poison can be acquired, introduced or developed in humans body that can cause stern effects that can lead to death. Poison may manifest right away or to manifest in the future. Such as acute, subacute, subchronic or chronic are used. Terms such as intoxication, poisoning, overdose, hazard and risk are very important to identify the type of poison and the substances or chemicals that involved in the toxicity. Commonly the causes of toxicity are the drug overdosage, exposure to hazardous chemical and substances, accidental ingestion of poisonous chemicals, oblivious exposure to poisons and etc.
When someone is poisoned there must be a cure. Cure can be called as an antidote. Usually the antidote reverses the action of the poison, decreases the action of poison, prevents the progress of the poison, or as supportive therapy to help slowing down the manifestation of the poison. But definitely antidote is a cure in general.
Below is given the commonly poisonous substances and their counterpart to reverse their effects (antidote). The poisons are classified according to their nature and industrial use.
Food Poisoning
Botulism : ABE Botulinus Antitoxin
Nitrites : Methylene blue
Sulfite : Epinephrine
Medicinal Poisons
Amphetamine : Chlorpromazine
Atropine + Diphenoxylate : Naloxone, Naltrexone, Nalorphine
Benzodiazepines : Flumazenil
Beta-Blockers : Glucagon
Bromides : Sodium Chloride
Calcium Channel Blockers : Glucagon or Calcium Chloride
Digitalis : Potassium Chloride
Digoxin : Digoxin-specific Fab antibodies
Heparin : Protamin Sulfate
Iron : Deferoxime / Deferoxamine
Isoniazid : Pyridoxine
Magnesium Sulfate : Calcium Gluconate
Neuromuscular Blocker : Edrophonium Chloride, Neostigmine, Pyridostigmine
Opiates : Naloxone, Naltrexone, Nalorphine
Paracetamol (Acetaminophen) : N-Acetylcysteine (NAC)
Phenobarbital : Sodium Bicarbonate
Salicylates : Sodium Bicarbonate
Tricyclic Antidepressants : Physostigmine
Warfarin : Vitamin K (Phytomenadione)
Agricultural Poisons
Aniline : Methylene Blue
Barium : Magnesium Sulfate, Benzodiazepines
Carbamate insecticides : Atropine
Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) : Barbiturates
Hydrocarbon insecticides : Physostigmine
Nitrobenzene : Methylene Blue
Nitrogen Compounds
Organophosphates : Atropine and Pralidoxime
Paraquat : Bentonite, Fuller's Earth, Sodium Sulfate
Parathion : Pralidoxime
Alcohols and Glycols
Ethanol : Disulfuram
Ethylene glycol : Ethanol, Fomepizole, Folic Acid
Methanol : Ethanol, Fomepizole, Morphine, Folic Acid
Aldehyde
Formaldehyde : Ammonia, Sodium Bicarbonate
Hydrocarbons
Kerosene : Mineral oil
Corrosives
Ammonia : Formaldehyde
Bromine : Sodium Chloride, Ammonium Chloride
Oxalic Acid : Calcium Gluconate
Sodium Phosphate Fluoride : Calcium Gluconate
Metallic Poisons
Antimony Poisoning : Dimercaprol [British Anti-Lewisites (BAL)]
Arsenic : Dimercaptosuccinic acid ( DMSA), Dimercaprol and Penicillamine
Beryllium : Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid (EDTA)
Bismuth : Dimercaprol [British Anti-Lewisites (BAL)]
Cadmium : Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid (EDTA)
Chromium : Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid (EDTA) and Dimercaprol [British Anti-Lewisites (BAL)]
Copper : Dimercaprol [British Anti-Lewisites (BAL)] and Penicillamine
Gold Poisoning : Dimercaprol [British Anti-Lewisites (BAL)]
Lead : EDTA, BAL, DMSA, Penicillamine, succimer
Manganese : Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid (EDTA)
Mercury : Sodium Formaldehyde sulfoxylate, BAL, DMSA, Penicillamine
Nickel : Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid (EDTA) and Dimercaprol [British Anti-Lewisites (BAL)]
Phosphorous : Cupric Sulfate
Selenium : Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid (EDTA)
Titanium : Prussian blue or Ferric Ferrocyanide
Tungsten : Dimercaprol [British Anti-Lewisites (BAL)]
Zinc : Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid (EDTA) and Dimercaprol [British Anti-Lewisites (BAL)]
Alkaloids
Atropine : Physostigmine
Caffeine : Esmolol
Ergot and derivatives : Tolazoline and Sodium Nitoprusside
Nicotine : Diazepam
Quinidine : Sodium Bicarbonate
Strychnine : Diazepam, Neuromuscular blockers, Barbiturates and Atropine
Theophylline : Esmolol
Bleaching Agents : Sodium Thiosulfate
Cationic Detergents : Ordinary Soap
Chlormine-T : Sodium nitrite and Sodium Thiosulfate
Iodine : Starch Solution and Sodium Thiosulfate
Phenol : Castor oil
Silver Salts : Sodium Chloride, Na Thiosulfate, K Ferricyanide
Black Widow Spider : Antivenom
Ibotenic Acid : Physostigmine
Monomethylhydrazine : Pyridoxine and Methylene Blue
Muscarine : Atropine
Muscimol : Physostigmine
Mushrooms : Penicillin
Rattle Snake bite : Antivenom, suction and tourniquet
Scorpion : Antiserum
Cyanides, Sulfides and Carbon Monoxide
Carbon Monoxide : 100% O2 or Hyperbaric O2
Cyanide : Amyl Nitrite, Na Nitrite, Na Thiosulfate, Hydroxocobalamie, 100% O2 or Hyperbaric O2
Sulfides : Amyl Nitrite and Sodium Nitrite
Bromates : Sodium thiosufate
