Toxic Effects of Substances Chiefly Nonmedicinal As to Source Codexery

Cyanide poisoning

Cyanide poisoning blocks cellular oxygen use, causing rapid collapse and death.

Symptoms such as headache, dizziness, fast heart rate, and vomiting can appear within minutes, followed by seizures, cardiac arrest, or death.[1][2] Diagnosis is often difficult and relies on clinical signs like high lactic acid, as blood cyanide levels take time to measure.[3]

Quick Facts

Field
Toxicology, critical care medicine
Onset
Few minutes
Causes
Exposure to Cyanide compounds
Risks
  • House fire
  • metal polishing
  • certain insecticides
  • eating seeds such as from almonds
Diagnosis
Based on symptoms, high blood lactate
Treatment
  • Decontamination
  • supportive care (100% oxygen)
  • hydroxocobalamin

Facts from the source article.

Key facts and history

Exposure can occur through smoke inhalation from house fires, metal polishing workplaces, certain insecticides, or ingestion of seeds like those of apples and apricots.[4] On 27 January 2013, a fire at the Kiss nightclub in Brazil caused cyanide poisoning from burning polyurethane foam, with 245 fatalities confirmed by March 2013.[5] Historically, cyanide was used for mass suicide and genocide by the Nazis, with Zyklon B containing hydrogen cyanide used to murder roughly one million people at Auschwitz-Birkenau and other camps.[6][7] Hydrogen cyanide gas was also used for judicial execution in some U.S. states, generated by reacting potassium or sodium cyanide with sulfuric acid.[8]

By inhibiting cytochrome c oxidase, cyanide ions block cells from utilizing oxygen, thereby disrupting cellular respiration.[4][9] Skin contact with liquid cyanide compounds can lead to absorption into the body.[4]

What the research sources say

Police surgeon P.B. Gujral told the Hindustan Times that there is no written proof about the taste of cyanide besides Prasad's note.[10][11] The News Minute article from 2022 notes that at least 200 milligrams of cyanide must enter the body for death to occur.[11] The same article reports that Prasad accidentally chewed the end of a pen he used to mix cyanide with liquor, which is how he tasted the poison.[11] The Irish Health Service Executive has recommended against using solutions A and B as antidotes due to limited shelf life and risk of iron poisoning.[12]

The HSE has raised doubts about amyl nitrite's effectiveness, citing storage challenges, potential for abuse, and insufficient proof of substantial benefit.[12]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Cyanide poisoning" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary", Elsevier Health Sciences, 2011, p. 1481; "Cyanide poisoning by fire smoke inhalation", European Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2013, p. 2–9; "Cyanide poisoning by fire smoke inhalation", European Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2013, p. 2–9; "Cyanide poisoning by fire smoke inhalation", European Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2013, p. 2–9; Hamel, "A review of acute cyanide poisoning with a treatment update.", Critical Care Nurse, February 2011, p. 72–81; quiz 82; "Cyanide poisoning by fire sm en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Cyanide poisoning" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Schaffer, "Cyanide Toxicity", StatPearls, 2026; Kuniyil, "Detection of Cyanide in a Decomposed Exhumed Body: A Case Report", Cureus, June 2024; "Essentials of Medical Biochemistry", 2011, p. 355–368; "Cyanide [Technical document – Chemical/Physical Parameters]", Health Canada, 6 October 2008; "World Review of Nutrition and Dietetics", 1969, p. 170–198 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia, "Cyanide poisoning" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Cyanide poisoning by fire smoke inhalation", European Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2013, p. 2–9; "Cyanide poisoning by fire smoke inhalation", European Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2013, p. 2–9; "Cyanide poisoning by fire smoke inhalation", European Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2013, p. 2–9; "Cyanide poisoning by fire smoke inhalation", European Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2013, p. 2–9 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Cyanide poisoning" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Cyanide poisoning by fire smoke inhalation", European Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2013, p. 2–9; "Cyanide poisoning by fire smoke inhalation", European Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2013, p. 2–9; Hamel, "A review of acute cyanide poisoning with a treatment update.", Critical Care Nurse, February 2011, p. 72–81; quiz 82; Hevesi, "Imported Bitter Apricot Pits Recalled as Cyanide Hazard", The New York Times, 26 March 1993; "Sodium Nitroprusside", The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists; "Hydrogen Cyanide – Emergency Departm en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Cyanide poisoning" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Número de pessoas mortas em incêndio em boate em Santa Maria, no RS, é revisado para 232", 27 January 2013; Haynes and Prada, "U.S. rushing treatment for Brazil fire victims", Reuters, 2 February 2013 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  6. Wikipedia, "Cyanide poisoning" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Hamel, "A review of acute cyanide poisoning with a treatment update.", Critical Care Nurse, February 2011, p. 72–81; quiz 82; "Cyanide poisoning by fire smoke inhalation", European Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2013, p. 2–9; Hamel, "A review of acute cyanide poisoning with a treatment update.", Critical Care Nurse, February 2011, p. 72–81; quiz 82; "Cyanide poisoning by fire smoke inhalation", European Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2013, p. 2–9; "Hydroxocobalamin in cyanide poisoning", Clinical Toxicology, 2012, p. 875–885; "Cyanide en.wikipedia.org
  7. Wikipedia, "Cyanide poisoning" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Christianson, "The Last Gasp: The Rise and Fall of the American Gas Chamber", University of California Press, 2010, p. 24; Longerich 2010, p. 281–282; Hayes 2004, p. 2, 272; Piper 1994, p. 161; Hayes 2004, p. 2, 272 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  8. Wikipedia, "Cyanide poisoning" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Gas chamber | execution device"; "Execution by gas in Md. To end next week Killer Hunt's death will be last by method", 22 June 1997; "Gas Chamber Executions", About.com News & Issues (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  9. Wikipedia, "Cyanide poisoning" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Berg, "Biochemistry", W. H. Freeman, 2002 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  10. "The only taste: Cyanide is acrid", Hindustantimes.com, 8 July 2006. facts only, no text reused. hindustantimes.com
  11. "Kerala man who 'documented' taste of cyanide features in Booker shortlisted novel", The News Minute, 3 January 2022. facts only, no text reused. thenewsminute.com
  12. Wikipedia, "Cyanide poisoning" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Cyanide poisoning – New recommendations on first aid treatment", Health and Safety Executive (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Cyanide poisoning (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

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