Antidote

	Email		Print
	Bookmark		Link

Antidote

An antidote is a substance which can counteract a form of poisoning

Poison

In the context of biology, poisons are Chemical substance that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism....
. The term ultimately derives from the Greek a?t?d?d??a? antididonai, "given against".

The antidotes for some particular toxins are manufactured by injecting the toxin into an animal in small doses and extracting the resulting antibodies

Antibody

Antibodies are gamma globulin proteins that are found in blood or other bodily fluids of vertebrates, and are used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects, such as bacterium and viruses....
from the host animals' blood. This results in an antivenom that can be used to counteract poison produced by certain species of snake

Snake

Snakes are elongate legless carnivore reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears....
s, spider

Spider

Discussion

Ask a question about 'Antidote'

Start a new discussion about 'Antidote'

Answer questions from other users

Full Discussion Forum

Encyclopedia

An antidote is a substance which can counteract a form of poisoning

Poison

Antibody

Snake

Snakes are elongate legless carnivore reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears....
s, spider

Spider

Spiders are air-breathing chelicerate arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae modified into fangs that inject venom. In their bodies the usual arthropod segments are fused into two Tagma , the cephalothorax and abdomen, joined by a small, cylindrical pedicel....
s, and other venomous animals. A number of venoms lack a viable antivenom, and a bite or sting from an animal producing such a toxin often results in death. Some animal venoms, especially those produced by arthropod

Arthropod

Arthropods are animals belonging to the Scientific classification Arthropoda , and include the insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and others....
s (e.g. certain spider

Spider

Scorpion

Scorpions are any arachnid of the order Scorpionida. They are members of the order Scorpiones within the class Arachnida. There are about 2,000 species of scorpions, found widely distributed south of about Latitude, except New Zealand and Antarctica....
s, bee

Bee

Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants. Bees are a monophyly lineage within the superfamily Apoidea, presently classified by the unranked taxon name Anthophila....
s, etc.) are only potentially lethal when they provoke allergic reactions and induce anaphylactic shock; as such, there is no "antidote" for these venoms because it is not a form of poisoning, though anaphylactic shock can be treated (e.g., by the use of epinephrine

Epinephrine

Epinephrine is a hormone and neurotransmitter.Epinephrine increases the "fight or flight" response of the Sympathetic nervous system of the autonomic nervous system....
).

Some other toxins have no known antidote. For example, the poison ricin

Ricin

Ricin is a protein toxin that is solvent extraction from the Castor oil plant .The US Centers for Disease Control gives a possible minimum figure of 500 micrograms for the lethal dose of ricin in humans if exposure is from injection or inhalation....
, which is produced from the waste byproduct of castor oil

Castor oil

Castor oil is a vegetable oil obtained from the castor bean . Castor oil is a colorless to very pale yellow liquid with mild or no odor or taste....
manufacture, has no antidote, and as a result is often fatal if it enters the human body in sufficient quantities.

Mechanical approaches

Ingested poisons are frequently treated by the oral administration of activated charcoal, which absorb

Absorption (chemistry)

File:Absorber.svgAbsorption, in chemistry, is a physical or chemical phenomenon or a Process in which atoms, molecules, or ions enter some bulk phase - gas, liquid or solid material....
s the poison and flushes it from the digestive tract, thereby removing a large part of the toxin.

Poisons which are injected into the body (such as those from bites or stings from venomous animals) are usually treated by the use of a constriction band which limits the flow of lymph and/or blood to the area, thus slowing circulation of the poison around the body. This should not be confused with use of a tourniquet

Tourniquet

An emergency tourniquet is a tightly tied band applied around a body part sometimes used in an attempt to stop severe traumatic bleeding. Tourniquets are also used during venipuncture and other medical procedures....
which cuts off blood flow completely - often leading to the loss to the limb.

List of antidotes

Atropine

Atropine is a tropane alkaloid extracted from deadly nightshade , jimsonweed , Mandrake and other plants of the family Solanaceae. It is a secondary metabolite of these plants and serves as a hard drug with a wide variety of effects....
| organophosphate

Organophosphate

An organophosphate is the general name for esters of phosphoric acid. Phosphates are probably the most pervasive organophosphorus compounds. Many of the most important biochemicals are organophosphates, including DNA and RNA as well as many cofactor s that are essential for life....
and carbamate

Carbamate

Carbamates, or urethanes, are a group of organic compounds sharing a common functional group with the general structure -NHO-. Carbamates are esters of carbamic acid, NH2COOH, an unstable compound....
insecticides, some mushrooms>Calcium chloride

Calcium chloride

Calcium chloride, CaCl2, is a common Salt . It behaves as a typical ionic halide, and is solid at room temperature. It has several common applications such as brine for refrigeration plants, ice and dust control on roads, and in concrete....
| calcium channel blocker

Calcium channel blocker

Calcium channel blockers are a class of medication and natural substances which disrupt the conduction of calcium channels.It has effects on many excitable cells of the body, such as cardiac muscle, i.e....
s, black widow spider

Black widow spider

Latrodectus mactans, the Black widow, is a species of spider in the genus Latrodectus. They are well known for the distinctive black and red coloring of the female of the species and for the fact that she will occasionally eat her mate after reproduction....
bites>Calcium gluconate

Calcium gluconate

Calcium gluconate is a mineral supplement. It is the form of calcium most widely used in the treatment of Hypocalcaemia. Calcium gluconate contains 9.3% calcium....
| hydrofluoric acid

Hydrofluoric acid

Hydrofluoric acid is a solution of hydrogen fluoride in water. While it is extremely corrosive and dangerous to handle, it is technically a weak acid....
>EDTA

EDTA

EDTA is a widely used acronym for the chemical compound ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid . EDTA is a polyamino carboxylic acid with the chemical formula [CH2N2]2....
, dimercaprol

Dimercaprol

Dimercaprol or British anti-Lewisite , is a compound developed by British biochemists at Oxford University during World War II. It was developed secretly as an antidote for Lewisite, the now-obsolete arsenic-based chemical warfare agent....
(BAL), penicillamine

Penicillamine

Penicillamine is a pharmaceutical of the Chelation_therapy class. It is sold under the trade names of Cuprimine and Depen. The pharmaceutical form is D-penicillamine, as L-penicillamine is toxic ....
, and 2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid

Dimercaptosuccinic acid

Dimercaptosuccinic acid, or DMSA, is the chemical compound with the Chemical formula HO2CCHCHCO2H. This colourless solid contains two carboxylic acid and two thiol groups, the latter being responsible for its mildly unpleasant odour....
(DMSA, succimer) | heavy metal

Heavy metals

A heavy metal is a member of an ill-defined subset of elements that exhibit metallic properties, which would mainly include the transition metals, some metalloids, lanthanides, and actinides....
poisoning>Cyanide

Cyanide

A cyanide is any chemical compound that contains the nitrile , which consists of a carbon atom chemical bond to a nitrogen atom. Inorganic cyanides are hydrogen cyanide salts in which cyanide is generally the anion CN-....
antidote(amyl nitrite

Amyl nitrite

Amyl nitrite is the chemical compound with the chemical formula C5H11ONO. A variety of isomers are known, but they all feature an amyl group attached to the nitrito functional group....
, sodium nitrite

Sodium nitrite

Sodium nitrite, with chemical formula SodiumNitrogenOxygen2, is used as a colour retention agent and preservative in meats and fish....
, or thiosulfate

Thiosulfate

Thiosulfate is an oxyanion of sulfur produced by the reaction of sulfite ions with elemental sulfur in boiling water. Thiosulfate occurs naturally in hot springs and geysers, and is produced by certain biochemical processes....
) | cyanide poisoning

Cyanide poisoning

Cyanide poisoning occurs when a living organism is exposed to cyanide. The cyanide ion, if used as poison, is generally delivered in the form of gaseous hydrogen cyanide or in the form of potassium cyanide or sodium cyanide....
>Cyproheptadine

Cyproheptadine

Cyproheptadine is an antihistamine/anticholinergic and antiserotonergic agent. It acts as a 5-HT receptor receptor antagonist and also blocks calcium channels....
| serotonin syndrome

Serotonin syndrome

Serotonin syndrome is a potentially life-threatening adverse drug reaction that may occur following therapeutic drug use, inadvertent interactions between drugs, overdose of particular drugs, or the recreational use of certain drugs....
>Deferoxamine

Deferoxamine

Deferoxamine is a chelating agent used to remove excess iron from the body.In Britain, the mesylate salt is generally used....
mesylate | Iron

Iron

Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. Iron is a Group 8 element and period 4 element. Iron is lustrous and silvery in color....
poisoning>Digoxin Immune Fab

Digoxin Immune Fab

Digoxin Immune Fab is the generic name for an antidote for overdose of digitalis. It is made from immunoglobin fragments from sheep who have already been immunized with a digoxin derivative, digoxindicarboxymethoxylamine ....
antibody (Digibind and Digifab) | digoxin

Digoxin

Digoxin , also known as Digitalis, is a purified cardiac glycoside extracted from the foxglove plant, Digitalis lanata. Its corresponding aglycone is digoxigenin....
poisoning>antipsychotic

Antipsychotic

Antipsychotics are a group of psychoactive drugs commonly but not exclusively used to treat psychosis, which is typified by schizophrenia. Over time a wide range of antipsychotics have been developed....
>Ethanol

Ethanol

Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatility , flammable, colorless liquid....
or fomepizole

Fomepizole

Fomepizole or 4-methylpyrazole is indicated for use as an antidote in confirmed or suspected methanol or ethylene glycol poisoning. It may be used alone or in combination with hemodialysis....
| ethylene glycol

Ethylene glycol

Ethylene glycol is an alcohol with two -OH groups , a chemical compound widely used as an automobile antifreeze. In its pure form, it is an odorless, colorless, syrupy, sweet tasting, toxic liquid....
poisoning and methanol

Methanol

Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, carbinol, wood alcohol, wood naphtha or wood spirits, is a chemical compound with chemical formula carbonhydrogen3oxygenhydrogen ....
poisoning>Flumazenil

Flumazenil

Flumazenil is a benzodiazepine receptor antagonist.It was introduced in 1987 by Hoffmann-La Roche under the trade name Anexate....
| benzodiazepine

Benzodiazepine

The benzodiazepines are a class of psychoactive drugs with varying hypnotic, sedative, anxiolytic , anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant and anterograde amnesia properties, which are mediated by slowing down the central nervous system....
poisoning>Glucagon

Glucagon

Glucagon is an important hormone involved in carbohydrate metabolism. Produced by the pancreas, it is released when the glucose level in the blood is low , causing the liver to convert stored glycogen into glucose and release it into the bloodstream....
| beta blocker

Beta blocker

Beta blockers are a class of medication used for various indications, but particularly for the management of cardiac arrhythmias, cardioprotection after myocardial infarction , and hypertension....
poisoning and calcium channel blocker

Calcium channel blocker

Oxygen

Oxygen no O2 produced; 2) O2 produced, but absorbed in oceans & seabed rock; 3) O2 starts to gas out of the oceans, but is absorbed by land surfaces and formation of ozone layer; 4-5) O2 sinks filled and the gas accumulates]]...
or hyperbaric oxygen therapy

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy

Hyperbaric medicine, also known as hyperbaric oxygen therapy , is the medical use of oxygen at a level higher than atmospheric pressure....
(HBOT) | carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide, with the chemical formula CO, is a colorless and odorless, tasteless, yet highly toxic gas. Its molecules consist of one carbon atom covalent bond to one oxygen atom....
poisoning and cyanide

Cyanide

Insulin

Insulin is a hormone with extensive effects on both metabolism and several other body systems . Insulin causes most of the body's cells to take up glucose from the blood , storing it as glycogen in the liver and muscle, and stops use of fat as an energy source....
| beta blocker

Beta blocker

Calcium channel blocker

Methotrexate

Methotrexate , abbreviated MTX and formerly known as amethopterin, is an antimetabolite and antifolate drug used in treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases....
and trimethoprim

Trimethoprim

Trimethoprim is a bacteriostatic antibiotic mainly used in the prophylaxis and treatment of urinary tract infections. It belongs to the class of chemotherapy agents known as dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors....
>Methylene blue

Methylene blue

Methylene blue is a Heterocyclic ring aromaticity chemical compound with molecular formula: carbon16hydrogen18chlorinenitrogen3sulfur....
| treatment of conditions that cause methemoglobinemia

Methemoglobinemia

Methemoglobinemia is a disorder characterized by the presence of a higher than normal level of methemoglobin in the blood. Methemoglobin is a form of hemoglobin that does not bind oxygen....
>opioid

Opioid

An opioid is a chemical substance that has a morphine-like action in the body. The main use is for analgesia. These agents work by binding to opioid receptors, which are found principally in the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract....
poisoning>Paracetamol

Paracetamol toxicity

Paracetamol toxicity is caused by excessive use or overdose of the analgesic drug paracetamol . Mainly causing liver injury, paracetamol toxicity is one of the most common causes of poisoning worldwide....
(acetaminophen) poisoning>Octreotide

Octreotide

Octreotide is an peptide that mimics natural somatostatin pharmacologically, though it is a more potent inhibitor of growth hormone, glucagon, and insulin than the natural hormone....
| oral hypoglycemic agents>Ondansetron

Ondansetron

Ondansetron or GlaxoSmithKline's Zofran is a serotonin 5-HT3 antagonist used mainly as an antiemetic to treat nausea and vomiting following chemotherapy....
| theophylline

Theophylline

Theophylline, also known as dimethylxanthine, is a methylxanthine drug used in therapy for respiratory diseases such as COPD or asthma under a variety of brand names....
>Protamine sulfate

Protamine sulfate

Protamine sulfate is a drug that reverses the anticoagulant effects of heparin by binding to it.Protamine was originally isolated from the sperm of salmon and other species of fish but is now produced primarily through recombinant biotechnology....
| Heparin

Heparin

Heparin, a highly-sulfated glycosaminoglycan, is widely used as an injectable anticoagulant and has the highest negative charge density of any known biomolecule....
poisoning>Prussian blue

Prussian blue

Prussian blue is a very dark blue, colorfast, non-toxic pigment ? one of the first synthetic pigments ? which was discovered accidentally in Berlin in 1704....
| Thallium poisoning

Thallium poisoning

Thallium and its compounds are very toxic, and should be handled with great care.. Contact with skin is dangerous, and adequate ventilation should be provided when melting this metal....
>Physostigmine

Physostigmine

Physostigmine is a parasympathomimetic, specifically, a reversible cholinesterase inhibitor alkaloid of the Calabar bean.The chemical was synthesized for the first time in 1935 by the chemists Percy Lavon Julian and Josef Pikl....
sulfate | anticholinergic

Anticholinergic

An anticholinergic agent is a substance that blocks the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system....
poisoning>Pyridoxine

Pyridoxine

Pyridoxine is one of the compounds that can be called vitamin B6, along with Pyridoxal and Pyridoxamine. It differs from pyridoxamine by the substituent at the '4' position....
| Isoniazid

Isoniazid

Isoniazid is an organic compound that is the first-line antituberculosis medication in prevention and treatment. Isoniazid is never used on its own to treat active tuberculosis because resistance quickly develops....
poisoning, ethylene glycol>fresh frozen plasma

Fresh frozen plasma

Fresh Frozen Plasma is defined as the fluid portion of one unit of human blood that has been centrifuged, separated, and frozen solid at within 6 hours of collection....
| warfarin

Warfarin

Warfarin is an anticoagulant. It was initially marketed as a pesticide against rats and mice, and is still popular for this purpose, although more potent poisons such as brodifacoum have since been developed....
poisoning and indanedione>Sodium bicarbonate

Sodium bicarbonate

Sodium bicarbonate or sodium hydrogen carbonate is the chemical compound with the formula NaHCO3. Sodium bicarbonate is a white solid that is crystalline but often appears as a fine powder....
| ASA

Asa

Asa may refer to:* A?a, Paris-born Nigerian singer-songwriter* Asa of Judah, son of Abijam, King of Judah.* Asa, Nigeria, in Kwara State* Asa , given name...
, TCA

TCA

TCA may refer to:In chemistry:* Trichloroethane, organochloride solvent* Trichloroacetic acid, chemical used to precipitate protein in serum...
s with a wide QRS >

Agent	Indication

Antidote

Mechanical approaches

List of antidotes

See also