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 umbrella- like 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.’

After being condemned to death for impiety in 399BC, Socrates, the great philosopher, was given a potent solution of the hemlock plant. Socrates: Hemlock’s most famous victim “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)