1. Cyanides HCN; KCN; NaCN Solid or vapors
Extremely toxic: arrest of intracellular breathing
KCN lethal dose 0,15 – 0,60 g (dose may depend on „freshness“)
Industry; Nature (some plants – manioc; yam; kernels of some fruits)
Ways of application: vapors (HCN); ingestion (KCN)
Symptoms of intoxication:
Big dose: death within few seconds
Small dose: burning and bitter taste in mouth; vomiting; difficult breathing; cramps, spasms; signs of cardiac failure; unconsciousness; death
Autopsy findings:
Brightly red lividities
Typical smell of bitter almonds
General signs of suffocation
Lesions of gastric mucosa: KCN+H2O=KOH+HCN
Medico legal implications: accident; suicide; homicide

2. Methanol CH3OH; liquid; typical aromatic smell of an alcohol
Extremely toxic
Lethal dose: g
Ways of application: vapors, ingestion
Symptoms of intoxication:
Sniffing up: difficult speaking (whisper); pain in the throat; tinnitus; difficult breathing; disorders of consciousness;
Medico-legal implications:
Accident
Suicide
Homicide

3. Nitrites Nitric gases: Solid compounds – anorganic or organic origin
Lethal dose about 0,4 g/l
Main symptoms: breathing disorders, pulmonary oedema,expectoration og haemorhagic sputum
Solid compounds – anorganic or organic origin
Amylnitrite; nitrobenzene; nitrogylcerine
Lethal dose: quite high, different, may be 4-15 g
Symptoms of intoxication:
general: difficulties in breathing, disorders of consciousness; perspiration; signs of suffocation
Autopsy findings:
Typical blue-gray lividities; methaemoglobinemia

4. Thalium Metallic chemical element
Different chemical compounds: fluorides, sulfites, chlorides,iodides
Mainly used in industry
Rat poison and ant killer
Lethal dose: about 2 g
Ways of application: ingestion
Symptoms of intoxication:
Vomiting; cramps; unrest; diarrhea then constipation; renal failure
Autopsy findings:
Not characteristic
Medico-legal implication:
Accidents; it was abused for induction of abortion

5. Arsenic As; metalloid chemical element Inorganic and organic compounds
Used in industry in wood preservation; obsolete medicament (neoslavarsan)
Lethal dose: reduced (As (III) and oxidized (As (V) forms
About 0,15-0,30 g
Affect intracellular breathing, man enzymatic pathways
Ways of application: ingestion
Symptoms of intoxication:
Gastrointestinal form (acute)
Scrape in mouth, vomiting – later haemorhagic, diarrhea – signs of dehydratation; renal failure
Nerve form (chronic)
Metallic taste in mouth, nausea, diarrhae×constipation
Inflammatory changes on mucosa: stomatitis, skin pigmentation
Neurological disorders
Autopsy findings:
Gastrointestinal, liver and kidneys damage

6. Nicotine Alkaloid present in plants form Solanacae family – tobacco
Most wide-spread abused drug
Content in tobacco is about 0,3-6 %
Lethal dose: 0,01-0,05 g (extract from one cigarette may lethal)
Symptoms of intoxication:
Activate sympathetic nervous system: salivation, nausea, vomiting
CNS: irritation
Ways of application:
Smoking
Chewing × ingestion
Autopsy findings:
Not characteristic, typical smell of tobacco from organs; signs of burning on mucosa
Medico-legal implication:
Accident
Suicide
Homicide

7. Barbiturates Organic substance Large family of medicaments
Barbiturates are classified as ultrashort-, short-, intermediate-, and long-acting,
Symptoms of intoxication
respiratory depression, lowered blood pressure, fatigue, fever, unusual excitement, irritability, dizziness, poor concentration, sedation, confusion, impaired coordination, impaired judgment, addiction, and respiratory arrest which may lead to death
Lethal dose: different, quite high
Autopsy findings:
Not characteristic, general signs of suffocation, hyperemia, brain edema
Medico-legal implication:
Accident;
Suicides
homicide

8. Warfare agents Blood agents Cyanogen chloride Hydrogen cyanide
Blister agents
Lewisite
Mustard gas
Nerve agents: organophosphates blocking acetylcholinesterase
Tabun
Sarin
Soman
Syclosarin
Novichok agents
Pulmonary agents:
Chlorine
Chloropicrine
Phosgene
Diphosgen
Incapacitating agents:
Agent 15
EA: is a glycolate anticholinergic compound related to atropine, scopolamine, hyoscyamine, and other deliriants.
Kolokol-1: opiate-derived
Riot control agents
Pepper spray
CSgas

9. Strychnine
Alkaloid present in seeds from Strychnos nux vomica (Strychnine tree)
Used as pesticide and rodenticide
before in medicine as stimulant
Extremely toxic: 0,03 – 0,05 g
Ways of application:
Ingestion
Symptoms of intoxication:
Unrest, dizziness, anxiety,
Feelings of suffocation
Convulsions, thirst but drinking is not possible
Death may occur immediately, but after a couple of days as well
Autopsy findings:
Not typical, except rigor mortis which is lasting longer then usually
Medico-legal implications:
Accident
Suicide
Homicide: before, but not suitable because of extreme bitter taste

10. Insecticides 1 Classes of agricultural insecticides
1.1 Organochlorine compounds
1.2 Organophosphates
1.3 Pyrethroids
1.4 Neonicotinoids
1.5 Biological insecticides

11. Mushrooms intoxication
Primary intoxication by mushrooms
Amanita - contains phalotoxins and amatoxins
Symptoms of intoxication:
CNS - hallucinations
Gastrointestinal
Hepatic failure
Lethal dose:
About one half of cap may be lethal
Secondary intoxication:
Bacterial contamination of non-toxic mushrooms prepared as food

12. Opium
Opium is mixture of alkaloids present in sap of immature seed pops of Papaver somniferum
Composition:
Morphine, narkoitn, papaverine, codeine, thebain
Most commonly abused drug
Derivatives: heroin
Ways of application:
Ingestion
Smoking
Symptoms of intoxication:
CNS
Autopsy findings:
Not characteristic, pinky red lividities, general signs of suffocations, aspiration of gastric content
Medico-legal implication:
Accident
Suicide
Homicide