Birds contain 250 times more poison than pennywort seeds

The scientific name of the Pitohui bird comes from its bi-colored plumage consisting of burnt orange body with black head, wings and tail. Similar to the dart frog, its fur color serves as a visible warning signal to predators.

Before its discovery with the Pitohui bird, batrachotoxin had only been recorded in a few species of dart frogs. In Pitohui birds, this toxin is concentrated in the highest doses in the skin and feathers, according to Discover Wildlife.

Just like frogs, the batrachotoxin compound in Pitohui birds’ bodies comes from their food. Dart frogs do not produce batrachotoxin themselves but borrow it from the insects they hunt, and the strength of the toxin varies within the population. In fact, the toxicity of dart frogs disappears completely when they are kept in captivity and fed the same food as fruit flies.

Similarly, Pitohui and other poisonous birds roam the forest, eating many of the same insects as dart frogs. The source of their batrachotoxin appears to be soft-winged flower beetles of the genus Choresine. The reason Pitohui birds develop toxicity remains controversial. Some researchers believe that the poison is used as a defense mechanism against predators. However, research by the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, revealed that lice, mites and many other parasitic animals are repelled by compounds in the skin and feathers of Pitohui birds. Therefore, the toxin can act as a built-in insecticide on the body.

However, local natives do not eat the Pitohui and reports of museum staff experiencing a tingling sensation when handling bird carcasses suggest the species’ development of chemical defense weapons. This bird may partly be used to protect against predators.

Strychnine is an alkaloid extracted from the pennywort plant (Strychnos nux- vomica) commonly found in Asia and Australia. Strychin is rapidly absorbed through the digestive tract or nasal mucosa, has a large distribution volume (13L/kg), is metabolized by Cytocrome P 450 in the liver, and is excreted in urine up to 30% unchanged, half-life. average discharge 10-16 hours. A toxic dose of 30-100 mg in adults can cause death (0.03% powder packet). There was even a clinical case of death with a dose of 16 mg. Death can occur within 30 minutes. Any intentional oral dose is likely to cause rapid death if not treated promptly.