Curare - a poison that can kill or temporarily immobilize

Curare is a generalized name for potent poisons obtained by evaporation of aqueous extracts from certain tropical plants. These poisons have long been used by natives residing in South America, for poisoning the arrowheads in military operations and during hunting. They knew the dosages needed for instant death or temporary immobilization if the enemy was needed alive.

Poison curare, hitting the blood, has on the body a nerve-paralytic effect. First, nerve impulses are blocked, muscle paralysis occurs. Then the respiratory system breaks down, the skin turns blue, the liver becomes inflamed - and as a result, death occurs. When meat comes into contact with a lethal potion in the stomach, there are no consequences, that is, animals killed by a poisoned arrow can be eaten. Moreover, their meat, according to the aborigines, becomes more delicious and tender.

The composition of this deadly poison for Europeans has long remained a mystery. The mention of him caused awe. Different tribes of poison curare are obtained from different plants and even compositions. There are several varieties of a deadly potion, having different effects on the body and stored in different conditions. For example, curare - the poison from Chondrodendron tomentosum - acts very quickly. It was stored in hollow tubes of stems. The poison from Strychnos toxifera acts more slowly, similarly to strychnine. It was stored in clay pots.

Chondrodendron tomentosum - liana, belonging to the Loganie family and widespread in South America. Its lignified stem can reach 10 cm in cross section. Leaves are large (up to 20 cm), serrate, with well-visible streaks. The upper side of the leaves is smooth, and the bottom is covered with light pile. Flowers are dioecious, small, greenish-cream, collected in inflorescences. Fruits are small (up to 2 mm), oblong, tapering downwards.

The first mention of the plant is found in the records of the Spanish priest d'Acunya, which they made in 1693. To Europe, samples of poison and manufacturing technology were brought by the French scientist Charles Marie de la Cordamen (from the expedition to Peru). Of course, the Indians did not give it to the curare. The scientist had to steal the poison and spy out how the natives do it.

The leaves, roots and stems of Chondrodendron tomentosum were crushed, filled with water and On a small fire cooked for a while, until the mass thickened. At the same time, she was constantly stirred. Sometimes the blood was added to the brew of poisonous frogs or other animals. Less powerful poison had a light color, it was used for hunting. More effective and deadly was a thick sticky poison with a smell of resin. It was used against enemies, processing spines, which were then blown out of the tubes. Only the shaman of the tribe had the right to make curare-poison, for disobedience death was supposed.

The active substance curare-poison is D-tubocurarine - an active alkaloid. If it is used in micro doses, then it is capable of providing therapeutic effect. This substance is used in the treatment of dropsy, urolithiasis, insanity, fever, etc. It can be used externally in case of severe bruises in the form of compresses. Indian shamans have known this for a long time and have skillfully used it and continue to use curare-poison.