2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43
Curare
Useful properties and application of curare
Description of curare
Curare is a rather large liana, we can say that its stem is similar in structure to a tree, and has a volume reaching 10 cm. On the stem are large heart-shaped leaves with pedicels, arranged alternately. From above, the leaves are smooth, their veins are clearly visible, and from below they are covered with hairs that have a white tint. In addition, on the liana there are small flowers that have a greenish color, collected in tassels. On female flowers, juicy, very small fruits of an oval shape, tapering towards the base, are formed.
The past of this plant is quite interesting and rich. Initially, the Indian tribes learned about the kurara, and they called it differently - the kurari, kururu and the like. Also, for a long period of time there was disagreement about which plant is the basis for the manufacture of poison, since numerous tribes used different types of plants and their combinations for these purposes. Curare is a poison used in weapons such as bows.
And 75 years ago, R. Gill, a scientist from America, nevertheless managed to identify which plant actually served as raw material for the curare poison. This plant turned out to be Chondodendrontomentosum, a member of the Menispermaceae family. In the course of further research, the scientist found that the Indians used two types of curare. Their division into types went on two grounds - the symptoms that are observed at death, as well as the raw materials used, and the way of storing the extract made from it.
This extract could be stored in a processed bamboo stem tube or in a special pot. It mainly contained many types of poisons obtained from Strychnostoxifera, which is part of the Loganiaceae family. This poison combined all the qualities of strychine plants. But the most dangerous and fast-acting poison, obtained precisely from Chondrodendrontomentosum, was stored in unusual bamboo pipes.
Curare is one of the most powerful herbal poisons. It was widely used by South American tribes for hunting purposes to lubricate arrows. But curare poison has also been used in other areas of life. The Spanish conquerors first tried the effect of this poison on themselves when they tried to enslave the Indian tribes. And white people were very much afraid of the mysterious and terrible poison of curare.
In Europe, this poison first appeared thanks to W. Reilly. He was a versatile person. He was also a knight under the queen, a talented poet and writer, as well as a famous traveler who discovered many new corners of the earth. Unfortunately, after he left no evidence of the curar. The earliest documented records were made by a clergyman from Spain after he visited the banks of the great Amazon River.
But a little later, the scientist Charles Marie de la Condamine brought to France both the poison itself, and knowledge about the process of its manufacture, and what is most interesting, he stole this information from the Indians. At this event, the history of curare did not end, but received a new impetus for the study of the most mysterious poison in the world.
At that time, there was very little information about the curar - only that it was extracted from plants belonging to the Strychnos genus, the habitat of which is the South American territories, and the Indians used them for the purpose of hunting animals and defending against various aggression of the conquerors. Historical documents of that time contain many stories about how the Indians hunted animals using the poison of curare. And one of these sources describes how quickly this poison acted, literally in a matter of minutes.
Further study of curare led to grandiose discoveries, which became the basis for the progressive development of scientific knowledge.
In the 19th century, many scientists believed that the transition of an exciting impulse from a nerve fiber to a muscle is a kind of phenomenon that has physical characteristics, a kind of electrical process. However, the ongoing research aimed at identifying the main effect of curare on the body has raised doubts about these conclusions.
In the middle of the 19th century, the French physician K. Bernard received from the Emperor of France Napoleon III as a gift to the curara for carrying out the necessary experiments and research. And the scientist proved that the poison has no effect either on muscles or on nervous activity. However, a logical question arose here: what and how led the animal to death? If the poison had no effect on the muscular and nervous system of the animal, why did immobility and paralysis occur? Even after a little less than a quarter of a century, it remained a mystery.
This poison aroused incredible interest, many scientists began to conduct experiments, various studies to find out the mechanism of its action. Some of them suggested that in the space that is located between the muscles and nerves, there is something that is susceptible to curara. And this place, where the contact of nerve fibers with muscles occurs, was given such a name as a synapse.
Thanks to the discovery of the synapse and the substance in it, discoveries were made regarding the mechanism of the poison's effect on the body. After being hit by poison, the synoptic substance cannot transmit an impulse, and it is not able to overcome the synoptic gap. It is because of this that the muscles are inactive. Despite the fact that the animal is, as it were, ready to escape, the muscles are completely relaxed, the respiratory system is paralyzed, and it dies.
It seems that everything, the principle of action of the curare became clear, but his story did not end there. New research began during the Second World War and continues to this day. At this time, experiments are being carried out to identify the mechanism of action of curare in the field of anesthesiology. During the operation, famous physicians Griffith and Johnson used one of the elements of this poison - intocostrin. And it turned out to be very effective - the dose of the drug was reduced at the expense of curare.
Now in anesthesiology, curare derivatives play a huge role. These are muscle relaxants, and their effect is very important. And the history of this area of medicine was divided into two parts. The first part is the period before the appearance of muscle relaxants, and the second part is the beginning of their use.
Also interesting is the classification of curare, which includes several subspecies.
The first subspecies is the pipe curare. It is also called tubo-kurare. The essence of curare is placed in bamboo tubes, their length should be 25 cm. This blank was used to lubricate the arrows of the bow. This subspecies of this poison had the most powerful medicinal effect, and its main alkaloid is called tubarin. Its hydrochloride component is used for surgical purposes as a muscle relaxant, and tubocurarine chloride is ideal for treating the effects of strychnine poisoning.
The second subspecies is potted curare. Concentrated plant raw materials are put into a clay pot, always unburned, and later used for hunting birds.
The third subspecies is the pumpkin curare. The extract is stored in small pumpkins. Such a poison is the most powerful, and it is used to hunt large animals, or to repel the attacks of enemies. The main part of the concentrated raw material is nitrogen-containing organic compounds of the Strychnos toxifera plant
The principle of the mechanism of action of curare is as follows. The poison paralyzes the movement nerves of all striated and respiratory muscles. The consequence is fatal suffocation, and, interestingly, consciousness is not disturbed. In addition, if the poison is not enough, it is possible to return to life with artificial respiration, since the poison is excreted by the kidneys. But to get poisoned with curare, it is enough to injure the skin.
The poison has found wide application in physiology, as well as for conducting experiments on animals. And the antidote for curare is substances that slow down or even prevent the course of a chemical reaction, such as cholinesterase inhibitors.
Useful properties of curare
Despite the fact that curare is a raw material for poison, it also has beneficial properties. The following active substances are present in the composition of curare: d-tubocurarine is an alkaloid that determines the toxic properties of Chondrodendrontomentosum. This alkaloid has the following medicinal properties - it is an unusual substance that disrupts the functions of nerve impulses that control the muscles.
This blockage leads to paralysis of the fingers of the upper and lower extremities, eyelids, vision, hearing, then the face, neck, arms, legs become paralyzed, and then death occurs after paralysis of the respiratory system. During the last stage of dying, called agony, the liver becomes inflamed and the skin becomes bluish. To activate the toxic effect of the poison, it is necessary for it to enter the bloodstream. And if you lick it, then no consequences will come.
Application of curare
Since ancient times, shamans of the Indian tribes have widely used curare for diuretic purposes. In addition, the action of curare helped violent patients during the next exacerbations. Also, curare was used to treat dropsy, kidney stones - patients were given the remedy internally. And externally used to apply compresses for bruises. In addition, modern Brazilians use Chondrodendron tomentosum root extensively, and take it orally in very small doses to cure dropsy, fever, insanity, and externally for bruises.
Several methods were used to prepare the poison. The most famous is the classic one. Following this method, the crushed leaves, stems and roots of Chondrodendrontomentosum were transferred to a liquid phase over low heat, sometimes, for example, the blood of poisonous frogs or snakes was added to them. At the same time, the boiling substance was stirred and brought to a thick consistency.
The poison used to hunt small animals was lighter in color, and the most powerful poison went down to black and was almost hard and had a tar smell. And with the help of this poison they hit targets, first they lubricated them with special thin sticks and blew them out of the tubes.
The word "curare" has Indian roots and means poison. And only shamans could prepare this poison, and the death penalty awaited those who violated this tradition.
For a large amount of time, curare was used only in scientific research in order to immobilize an animal, but with the condition of preserving the vital activity of the body. However, drugs containing curare have now found other uses. They are widely used in the field of surgery, it perfectly relaxes all muscles in a state of anesthesia. And also with the help of curare, respiratory movements can be suppressed in order to connect artificial respiration systems.
Thanks to curare and preparations with its content, it became possible to carry out the most complex operations on the heart, respiratory tract, as well as organ transplants, since for this it is necessary to completely relax the muscles and turn off spontaneous breathing.
In the treatment of nervous diseases, preparations with curare are used to relieve spasmodic reactions from muscles, as well as in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.
But today, synthetically created drugs are widely used and that have a muscle relaxant effect, since curare does not grow in Russia, and drugs with its content are supplied from abroad. And now anesthesiologists can choose from a large number of drugs to relax muscles, and curariform agents are widely used.
Contraindications to curare
Since curare has toxic properties, when using it, it is necessary to observe the exact dosages, and in no case should it be taken on its own, without a doctor's prescription.
The author of the article: Sokolova Nina Vladimirovna | Phytotherapist
Education: Diploma in "General Medicine" and "Therapy" received at the Pirogov University (2005 and 2006). Advanced training at the Department of Phytotherapy at the Peoples' Friendship University of Moscow (2008).
