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Crepuscular_Animal t1_jdfmlz9 wrote

Reply to comment by Roguewolfe in TIL that the Hemlock Water Dropwort is the most poisonous plant in the UK. Its poison constricts the muscles, causing death by asphyxia, which also causes a rictus like death grin. Use of this plant in Phoenician Sardinia for executions is the origin of the term "Sardonic Grin". by AspireAgain

Thank you! I always love it when there's a well-researched comment under a post to learn something new. I've looked up curare and found this neat:

Curare is deadly but it can be used as an antidote to another dangerous poison, strychnine, because their acetylcholine activity cancels each other.

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bestp0282 t1_jdg0glf wrote

It’s best known use though is as a medical grade paralytic. Rocuronium, vecuronium, and other derivatives (notice the root of the word “cur” as in curare) are used every day to keep people relaxed during surgery

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Crepuscular_Animal t1_jdg2bya wrote

Cool! I also dig the fact that botulotoxin, one of the deadliest substances to exist naturally, is successfully used in medicine. Botox treatment doesn't only remove wrinkles from skin, it can deal with spasms, tics, chronic pain, excessive sweating... basically everything that can be stopped by suppressing nerve signals. Who knew that swollen tins of biohazardously spoiled food contain the key to curing so many conditions.

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