Review Article | DOI: https://doi.org/10.31579/2766-2314/173

Natural Poison

  • Rehan Haider 1*
  • Zameer Ahmed 2
  • Geetha Kumari Das 3
  • Sambreen Zameer 4

1Riggs Pharmaceuticals Department of Pharmacy, University of Karachi.

2Assistant Professor, Dow University of Health Sciences Karachi Pakistan

3GD Pharmaceutical Inc OPJS University Rajasthan.

4Associate Professor, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan.  

*Corresponding Author: Rehan Haider PhD, Riggs Pharmaceuticals Department of Pharmacy, University of Karachi.

Citation: Rehan Haider, Zameer Ahmed, Geetha Kumari Das, Sambreen Zameer, (2025), Natural Poison, J, Biotechnology and Bioprocessing, 6(6); DOI:10.31579/2766-2314/173

Copyright: © 2025, Rehan Haider. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Received: 10 October 2025 | Accepted: 24 October 2025 | Published: 07 November 2025

Keywords: normal poisons; poisons; venom; alkaloids; glycosides; microbial poisons; toxicology; drug happening; therapeutic requests; biotransformation

Abstract

Natural poisons, arisen plants, mammals, and microorganisms, represent a meaningful field of study in toxicology due to their powerful biochemical belongings and potential applications. These stuff, frequently developed as justification means, exhibit various molecular constructions and systems of action. Plant-located poisons such as alkaloids, glycosides, and terpenoids influence metabolic pathways and natural function, while animal venoms contain proteins and peptides that intend fearful, cardiovascular, and clotting systems. Microbial poisons, containing exotoxins and endotoxins, disrupt basic processes, frequently causing integral belongings. Beyond their toxic potential, instinctive poisons are a part of priceless resources for drugs happening. For example, compounds like botulinum poison and capsaicin are harnessed for healing uses ranging from pain administration to influence relaxation. Despite their benefits, these poisons pose important risks, as unintended exposure can bring about severe or chronic well-being belongings. Research on antidotes, biotransformation, and environmental impacts of these stuffs is fault-finding to checking their dangers. Emerging electronics in the way that nanotechnology and synthetic plant structure are boosting our ability to study, reduce, and employ natural poisons cautiously. This review surveys the categorization, mechanisms, and requests of everyday poisons, emphasizing their two-fold duties as hazards and medicinal finishes. A deeper understanding of their characteristics may open further healing potential while improving safety measures to rectify their injurious effects.

Introduction

Definitions                                                                                                                                                               

Poisons are meanings that, under certain circumstances, can cause brief or permanent harm to the party, tools, tissues, containers, or DNA, or can lead to demise when introduced or captivated. Toxins, also called ‘unaffected poisons’, ‘organic poisons’, or biotoxins, are poisons produced by living organisms. The term ‘toxin’ was first secondhand in 1890 by one physician Ludwig Brieger (1849–1919), an assistant at the Humboldt University in Berlin, all the while his work with bacterial poisons. Initially, the term was used to characterize animal or bacterial compounds that start the establishment of antibodies in mammals and humans. Today, the term toxin is secondhand accompanying various significations: –as a general verbalization for poisons presented by living creatures, or–as a verbalization for natural or artificial poisons that aim particular tools, e.g., nephrotoxins (detrimental to the kidneys), hepatotoxins (injuring the liver), cardio-poisons (injuring the heart), hemotoxin (prejudicial rose ancestry containers), regardless of whether they are of unrefined or artificial inception. Toxicantis a poorly delineated term. Mostly, it is used to describe a poisonous wealth capable of precipitating harmful effects in living structures. Some authors contain in this category only artificial artificial substances show specific belongings. Toxicology is the controlled discipline depicting poisons, impurities, somewhat action of poisons, and potential situations of poisoned structures. Toxicology is an arm of toxicology. It composes information about the chemistry of natural poisons, the plant structure of their builders, their biosynthesis, their pharmacokinetic demeanor (toxicokinetics), their device of action (toxicodynamics), their effect pattern on the touched being (toxicography), and the knowledge about the situation of impurity (clinical toxicology). The term ‘toxinol-ogy’ is not widely recognized. Venoms are combinations of poisons created and used by mammals for their armament. They are expressly created for the poisoning of things of different classes. Venoms are actively applied to mark creatures utilizing distinguishing tools like dentition, other mouthparts, or stings. Poisoning is the process by which a creature becomes intoxicated by an exogen-innate intelligence wealth. Toxicosis is some somewhat disease condition precipitated by contaminate. Envenomation is the process of poison used by venomous mammals to sully-take creatures, mostly by sharp or painful

Terpenes                                                                                                                                                                 

Chemistry and Terminology Terpenes are everyday commodities whose element frame exists ofparts accompanying the carbon skeleton of isoprene. Due to methyl group exodus, removal of methyl groups, ring-opening, ring growth, and/or ring blockage, the isoprene construction blocks are only partially or not any more apparent, particularly in the case of polycyclic terpenes (Fig. 2.1). Terpenoids (as known or named at another time or place isoprenoids) are terpenes accompanying an oxygen subdivision and additional structuralrearrangements. Nonetheless, theterms ‘terpenes’ and ‘terpenoids’ are used interchangeably. The supposed number of obvious compounds is about 80,000 [1, 3, 13]

The acknowledgment of the construction law and the arrangement of these compounds into acommon class of essences originally applied only to the terpenes amplified from two isoprene parts, breaks the promise to Wallach (1887) and Ružička (1921) [19]. 

Accordingto the number of isoprene wholes complicated in the makeup, the individual divides into:–hemiterpenes (individual isoprene whole, C5skeleton),–monoterpenes (two isoprene wholes, C10skeleton),–sesquiterpenes (three isoprene parts, C15skeleton),–diterpenes (4 isoprene units, C20skeleton),–sesterterpenes (five isoprene wholes, C25skeleton),–triterpenes (six isoprene parts, C30skeleton),–tetraterpenes (eight isoprene wholes, C40skeleton), and–polyterpenes (in addition eight isoprene wholes).

Figure 2.1 Building principles of terpenes

Monoterpenes                                                                                                                                                                   

GeneralThe toxicologically main monoterpenes may be detached by their basic structure into:–aliphatic monoterpenes of the 2,6-dimethyl octane type, for instance, the halogenated aliphatic monoterpenes of crimson rootless and the cyclometers of these compounds such as the aplysiapyranoids of few Mollusca;–aliphatic monoterpenes of the 3,3,6-trimethyl heptane type to a degree the chrysanth-silent monocarboxylic acids in the direction of the pyrethrins of Chrysanthemum class;–monocyclic monoterpenes accompanying a cyclohexane ring, for instance, of a the-menthane type such as 1,8-cineol, pulegone, or carvone unnecessary oils;–bicyclic monoterpenes, such as, of the thuja type to degree thujone and sabinene, and of the born type to degree camphor;–monoterpenes accompanying cyclopentane ring, for example, the iridoids happening in 50 plant families. Particularly big is the number of explosive monoterpenes in the direction of the principal part of essential oils of greater plants. The severe toxicity of ultimate deputies is reduced. Some of them, such as 1,8-cineol, camphor, or pulegone, can cause toxic belongings in the best doses (see Section 3.2). Some elements of essential oils have extreme toxicity. These contain the-jan products (visualize Section 3.2.1), particularly thujone. Oxidation production of monoterpenes holding unnecessary oils can serve as allergens (visualize Section 3.2.6). In addition, many parts of essential oils have a vexatious effect on the skin and mucous membranes when used regionally. They show a hazard, specifically for teenagers [44]. If the artificial and in Caenorhabditis elegans, a high-living nematode, observed cytotoxic belongings of the essential oils of rosemary, citrus, and eucalyptus [78] are relevant for human needs further studies. In the case of swallowing limited amounts of most essential oils (until 5 mL), no situation measures are unavoidable (but remark!). For best amounts, the presidency of mobilized blacks, conceivably slack archives, and indicative measures are urged [49]. Other explosive monoterpenes are parts of ants and pest venoms. Low-volatile monoterpene esters are pyrethrins, that are secondhand as insecticides (visualize Section 3.3). The toxicological hazards from the iridoid valepotriates are inclined to be preferably depressed (visualize Section 3.4). Cantharidin, the protective poison against swelling bulges, is only in an official manner a monoterpene chemically, biogenetically, it is a shame device of a sesquiterpene [141]. Also noteworthy are the halogenated monoterpenesofredalgae(seeSection3.5)

Sesquiterpenes                                                                                                                                                            

The sesquiterpenes (C15compounds), which are officially calm of three isopreneunits, form an abundant group of terpenes accompanying in addition 11,000 agents. So far, in addition, 100 elementary compounds concerning this group are popular. Widespread are compounds of the–bisabolene-type, for instance, the sesquiterpenes of Matricaria variety,–germacrene-type, for instance, the germacranolide costunolide,–guaiane-type, for instance, the guaianolide cynaropicrin,–pseudoguajane-type, for instance, the pseudoguajanolide spathulin, and–eudesmane-type, for instance, the eudesmanolide frullanolide [190].In addition, lawyers of the aromadendrane, cadinene, eremophilane, farnesane, and xanthine types, with the remainder of something, happen in greater plants. In tiny fungi, eremo-philane and trichothecane products, in basidiomycetes compounds of the drimane-,guajane-, illudane-, protoilludane-, lactarane-, secolactarane-, marasmane-, and sterpurane-type [5], and deficit rootless aforementioned of the chamigrane- and laurane-type were raise. An assortment of explosive sesquiterpene are elements of essential oils. For example, the essential lubricate of Myoporum class (Scrophulariaceae) derives allure toxicity from the presence of poisonous furanosesquiterpenes, such as alone and dehydrongaione (Figure. 4.1)

Figure 3A: furanosesquiterpene of Myoporum species.

Myoporum species (source: Horst Pilgrim).

Diterpenes

Diterpenes occupy a stiff synthetic construction that consists of four isoprene wholes (C20compounds). Besides the aliphatic diterpenes of the 2,6,10,14-tetramethyl-hexadecane type, recurrent counselors are erect a suggestion of choice. Abietane, kaurane, pimarane, andlabdan repeatedly happen as hypothetic fundamental compounds in larger plants. Many toxico-rationally important diterpenes of plants are descendants of Andromeda, daphnane, in-game, taxane, andtagline. Inmammals, descendants of cembrane, kempane, rippertane, trinervitane, and additional different ring methods are established. In many diterpenes, the methylation pattern of the person compounds is eliminated by methyl group journey, ring clo-certain, and ring gap [109]. The number of explosive diterpenes is narrow. Consequently, they are of minor importance as elements of essential oils. Nonvolatile diterpenes happen as components of the resins of conifers, for instance, abietic acid. Other deputies are plant hormones, for example, gibberellins. Abietane and labdan-type diterpene lactones are the sharp com-pounds of the Lamia ceae. Vitamin A and retain grant permission be thought out in an official manner chemically as diterpenes. Of toxicological interest are the descendants of Andromeda as poisons of the Eri-caceae , tagline, ingenane, and daphnane products as poisons of the Euphorbiaceae and Thymelaeaceae (visualize Section 5.3), the taxane products as toxins of Taxus variety , the opioid compounds of salvia divinorum, forskolin as poison of Coleus and Plectranthus class (visualize Section 5.6), hepato-poisonous diterpenes in Teucrium and further plant class , diterpeneglycosides as poisons of Carlina, Xanthium, Callilepis, and Weidelia class, ryanodine as poison of Ryania class , and a difference of other diterpenes deliberate as attainable poisons of macroalgae . Diterpenes have again happened in the direction of basidiomycetes, sponges, corals, or termites Andromedane Derivatives as Toxins of Heather Family (Ericaceae)   

Distribution                                                                                                                      

The offspring Ericaceae, silver classification, involves about 100 types accompanying about 2,500 species. Because of their content of Andromeda products, the type Rhododendron (about 1,000 varieties and many hybrids, very complex vocabulary), Andromeda (3 species), Chamaedaphne (1 class), Kalmia (10 variety), Pieris (7 varieties), Lyonia (about 

Triterpenes 

The basic bodies of the triterpenes are composed of six isoprene units, i.e., they areC30compounds. More than 14,000 structures based on more than 100 different basic bodies are known [26]. In addition to the aliphatic squalene frequently found in the unsaponifiable fraction of plant and animal fats, aliphatic triterpenes or polyethers derived from them have so far been found mainly in marine organisms [43]. The majority of triterpenes possess tetracyclic or pentacyclic ring systems. Tetra-cyclic triterpenes include the derivatives of the hypothetical basic compounds lanostane, dammarane, euphane, and cucurbitane. Pentacyclic triterpenes are derived from oleanane, ursane, hopane, and lupane, among others. Mono-, bi-, and tricyclic-triterpenes occur rarely. In higher plants, 3,4-secoderivatives of polycyclic triterpenes are also commonly found [10]. To them belong the iridal derivatives, which can be considered 3,4-secoderivatives of bi- or tricyclic triterpenes. The triterpenes often serve as aglycones of the triterpene saponins. Also of toxicological interest are the iatrogenically active triterpene esters of various plants, limonoids of Meliaceae, the cucurbitacins, iridals and cycloidal in Iris species, and gossypol, which occur in the cotton plant and are biogenetically a dimeric sesquiterpene of the cadinane type (see Section 6.6). Triterpenes are also found in macroalgae, basidiomycetes, and sponges. Review of pharmacological activities of triterpenes: [38]

Icterogenic Triterpene EstersSome triterpenes and steroid derivatives have a hepatotoxic effect and lead, presumably via disturbance of bile excretion, to accumulation of degradation products of porphyrin derivatives (chlorophyll and hemoglobin) in the blood and thus to secondary photosensitization. Icterogenic plants areNarthecium ossifragum(L.) Huds., bog asphodel, Narthecia-ceae, Tribulus species, e.g., Tribulus terrestrisL., cat’s head, Zygophyllaceae, Lippiaspecies, and Lantana camara L., lantana, both Verbenaceae. InN. ossifragumand T. Terrestris and steroid saponins seem to be the main active ingredients so they are described here the main active ingredients ofLippiaspecies, Verbenaceae, are triterpene esterslantadene A, icterogenin, and the corresponding 3α-hydroxy analogs [25].

Tetraterpenes

Tetraterpenes are C40 compounds amplified from eight isoprenoid residues. They are either present in an aliphatic form or form long-chain particles that bring rings at one or two together ends. Polycyclic senators, as popular from the sesqui-, di-, and triterpenes, do not follow bureaucracy. The popular tetraterpenes may be deemed in total to the group of carotenoids. These aliphatic lipophilic compounds, made by microorganisms and plants, are mostly cyclized at the end of the chain and are mainly yellow to blushing-lilac-distorted. They are organized as though two methyl groups are situated in the center of the fragment in the 1,6-position, while the remaining methyl groups, with the irregularity of the terminal one, are situated in the 1,5-position. Degradation incite-acts of carotenoids at which point this composition is continued are named Apo carotenoids. Chain continuations to C45 or C50compounds again happen in type. While carotenoids are mainly main as flower pigments, ornament boarments in photosynthesis, photoprotection, and forerunners of the source of nourishment A, poisonous effects are accredited to the depravity commodity of protocrocin, a carotenoid inCrocus lie-us 7.2 Poisonous Cleavage Products of Carotenoids in Croci Species (Crocus Species) The type Crocus, croci, crocuses, Iridaceae, covers about 90 classes. Most of them are owned by the Mediterranean domain and across Central Asia. In Central Europe, the main variety is Crocus vernus (L.) Hill, spring crocus. This enduring tuberous plant with mainly silver, but exceptionally light to dark lavender flowers is exceptionally coarse in wettish, fertilizer-rich mountaintop pastures. Many species of croci, such as C. vernusand C. chrysanthus (Herb.) Herb., advantageous crocus, are spring blunders, C. specious. Bieb., a big lilac crocus, blooms in season between summer and winter. Crocus sativusL., sunny color crocus, fall crocus (Ph. 7.1), a triploid and therefore sterile plant with light plum multicolor flowers is cultured. The powerful cantaloupe stigmata of the flowers are secondhand in drained form as the flavor's sunny color. This plant is refined, for example, in Iran, Greece, Spain, Switzerland, Morocco, India, and Pakistan in languages derived from Latin, not a sweltering trend [148]. The zest sunny color, the ultimate high-priced zest of the realm, holds, when fresh harvested acylglycosides of the dark-maroon distorted, water-dissolved Apo carotenoid   crocetin (8,8’-diapo-ψ, ψ’-carotenoid dicarboxylic acid) accompanyingβ-D-sweet liquid, accompanying the disaccharideβ-D-gentiobiose, or the trisaccharideβ-D-neapolitanose. By cleavage these

Steroids

Chemistry and Biogenesis

Steroids are compounds that are in an official manner came from the supposed tetracyclic hydrocarbon sterane, a C17compound: 1H-perhydro-cyclopenta[a]phenanthrene (Figure. 8.1). With hypothetic substitute of the hydrogen atoms on punching competition whole accompanying different substituents, a roomy assortment of compounds are made. If the three-spatial ring schemes of sterane products bulge to a plane, the substituent at C-10 is picked as a remark point. This substituent is assumed to familiarize the above punching competition plane. The linkages to substituents familiarized in the unchanging route were tense by intensified lines or long compact wedges. These substitute-stituents are namedβ-arranged. The substituents embroidery from the spectator arecalledα-arranged. They are connected to the punching competition scheme by scampered lines, lines of dots, or lines of transverse dashes.

Figure 8.1: NgaioneA furanosesquiterpene of Myoporum species structure

Figure 8.1: Hypothetical Base Bodies of Steroids

Saponins

Chemistry and Biogenesis

Saponins are glycosides amounting to a lipophilic aglycone–a steroid or a polycyclic triterpene–linked to a hydrophilic residue–an oligosaccharide or an oligomer of monosaccharides and uronic acids. Saponins are dissolved in water, molecularly scattered, or colloidally. Due to their amphipathic character, they exhibit surface action. This way they can reduce the surface pressure of liquid answers. As a result, they have sheet activity either straightforwardly or subsequently prejudiced hydrolysis, that is, they change the possessions of container mem-branes, can form pores in the membranes, or can devastate the ruling class by connecting ruling class beings to the membranes and intercalating or detaching lipophilic construction blocks from the sheath. The name saponin is established by the talent of their liquid resolution, like a solution of soaps, to form enduring foam when unnerved (Latin sapo = cleanser). According to the type of aglycones of the glycosides, sapogenins, steroid saponins, and triterpene saponins are famous. Steroid alkaloid glycosides and cucurbitaceous glycosides are further top-secret as saponins by a few authors [13, 269]. Steroid sapogenins of plants are customarily C27compounds accompanying the spirostane(16β,22:22,26-diepoxy-cholestane) or furostane (16β,22-binding material-cholestane-type base corpse, Figure. 9.1). (25S)-Spirostane-type saponins, supposed valid saponins, (25R)-spirostane-typesaponins, supposed isosaponins, (25S)-furostane-type saponins, and (25R)-furostane-typesaponins happen. Rare sapogenins are descendants of furanofurostane (spirofuran (22R)-16β,22:22,25-diepoxy-cholestane) and pyrostane ((22R)-22,26-gluing-cholestane). Cholestane descendants outside condensedO-heterocycles, for example, cholestane-23-individual products, and pregnane descendants, such as, pregnane-20-individual descendants, happen as sapogenins also. The spirostane- or furanofurostane descendants are in an official manner ketals of cholestane-22-individual-16,26-diol or cholestane-22-individual-16,25-diol resp. The furostane or prostate derivatives are half ketals of cholestane-22-individual-16-ol or cholestane-26-individual-22-ol resp. The rings A/B/C/D are linked trans/trans/transports/trans/trans [97, 167, 180, 270, 279, 281]. Triterpene sapogenins (Figure. 9.2) are nearly generally C30compounds. The most frequently happening elementary physiques of the triterpene saponins are the pentacyclic oleanane and the tetracyclic dammarane. In addition, descendants of the also pentacyclic compounds ursane, lupane, and hopane repeatedly happen. Rarely happening ring systems contain cycloartenane, isolupane, lanostane, 27-nor-lanostane, 30-nor-lanostane,30-nor-oleanane, 3,4-seco-lupane, 3,4-seco-oleanane, and 21,22-seco-onocerane. For oleanane and urban descendants, the rings A/B/C/D/E are trans/trans/trans, for lupin derive-tivestrans/trans/trans/cis, and for dammarane and hostage derivatives trans/trans/trans linked

Acknowledgment:

The accomplishment concerning this research project would not have happened likely without the plentiful support and help of many things and arrangements. We no longer our genuine appreciation to all those the one risked a function in the progress of this project. I herewith acknowledge that:

I have no economic or added individual interests, straightforwardly or obliquely, in some matter that conceivably influence or bias my trustworthiness as a journalist concerning this Manuscript

Conflicts of Interest:

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Financial Support and Protection:

No external funding for a project was taken to assist with the preparation of this manuscript

References

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