This list covers 13 poisons, ranging from “Quinine” to “Queen’s Delight”. These substances come from plants, minerals, and synthetic chemicals, and several started out as medicines, pesticides, or folk remedies before their harmful side became clear. Some are still used today in carefully controlled doses, while others have been banned or replaced with safer alternatives.
Poisons are substances that harm the body when they enter it in high enough amounts, whether through ingestion, contact, or inhalation. Many double as useful tools in small doses, like quinine’s long history treating malaria and flavoring tonic water. What separates a remedy from a poison often comes down to dose and exposure.
Below you’ll find the table with poison, source, effects, antidote, and description.
Poison: the common name of each substance, so you can quickly find the one you’re looking for.
Source: where the poison comes from, whether it’s a plant, mineral, or a synthetic chemical process.
Effects: the symptoms you might notice after exposure, ranging from mild irritation to severe organ damage.
Antidote: the treatment or medical response used to counter the poison’s effects, when one is known to exist.
Description: a short summary that gives you context on how the poison is used or why it matters.
Poisons
| Poison | Source | Effects | Antidote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quinine | Cinchona tree bark | Tinnitus, blurred vision, headache, and in overdose, cardiac arrhythmia or seizures | No specific antidote; supportive care and sodium bicarbonate for heart effects |
| Quinidine | Isolated from cinchona bark, a chemical relative of quinine | Dangerous heart rhythm disturbances, low blood pressure, and QT prolongation | Sodium bicarbonate and supportive cardiac monitoring |
| Quinacrine | Synthetic acridine dye developed as an antimalarial drug | Nausea, yellow skin discoloration, and psychiatric symptoms at high doses | No specific antidote; supportive care |
| Qat (Khat) | Leaves of the Catha edulis shrub, chewed as a stimulant | Elevated heart rate, insomnia, hypertension, and psychosis with heavy use | No specific antidote; supportive care |
| Quaalude (Methaqualone) | Synthetic sedative-hypnotic drug | Severe drowsiness, coma, and respiratory failure in overdose | No specific antidote; supportive respiratory care |
| Quicksilver (Mercury) | Naturally occurring liquid heavy metal | Tremors, memory loss, kidney damage, and nerve damage | Chelation therapy with agents such as DMSA |
| Quicklime | Produced by heating limestone (calcium oxide) | Severe chemical burns to skin, eyes, and airways | No antidote; flush thoroughly with water and seek medical care |
| Quinalphos | Synthetic organophosphate insecticide | Excess salivation, muscle twitching, seizures, and respiratory failure | Atropine combined with pralidoxime |
| Quintozene | Synthetic organochlorine fungicide | Liver and kidney damage after repeated exposure | No specific antidote; supportive care |
| Quillaja Saponin | Bark of the soapbark tree, Quillaja saponaria | Irritated mucous membranes, vomiting, and diarrhea if ingested in quantity | No specific antidote; supportive care |
| Quassin | Wood of Quassia trees | Extreme bitterness, nausea, and vomiting at high doses | No specific antidote; supportive care |
| Quisqualic Acid | Seeds of the Quisqualis indica vine (rangoon creeper) | Overexcites nerve cells, potentially leading to seizures | No specific antidote; supportive care |
| Queen’s Delight | Root of the Stillingia sylvatica plant | Skin and mucous membrane irritation, vomiting, and purging in excess | No specific antidote; supportive care |