This list covers 51 poisons, running alphabetically from “Paraquat” to “Pit Viper Venom.” They range from common household plants and everyday medications to industrial chemicals, venomous creatures, and radioactive elements. Many started out useful, working as pesticides, disinfectants, painkillers, or fuels, before their darker side became clear through accidents, misuse, or overdose.
Poisons are substances that disrupt or destroy normal body functions when they enter the body in high enough amounts. Some act within minutes, while others cause damage slowly over months or years of exposure. One famous case involves potassium cyanide, a compound with a long history in mining and in real-life poisoning cases that captured public attention.
Below you’ll find the table with the poison, source, effects, antidote, and description for each entry.
Poison: the common or scientific name of the substance, so you can quickly identify what you’re looking up.
Source: where the poison comes from, whether it’s a plant, chemical product, animal, or industrial process.
Effects: the main symptoms or health damage the poison causes, giving you a quick sense of its danger.
Antidote: the specific treatment, if one exists, that can reverse or counter the poison’s effects.
Description: a short explanation that puts the poison in context, covering how it works and why it matters.
Poisons
| Poison | Source | Effects | Antidote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paraquat | Herbicide | Lung fibrosis, multi-organ failure | None specific |
| Parathion | Organophosphate pesticide | Cholinergic crisis, respiratory failure | Atropine, pralidoxime |
| Paraoxon | Pesticide breakdown product | Cholinergic crisis | Atropine, pralidoxime |
| Phosgene | Industrial/warfare gas | Pulmonary edema, suffocation | None (supportive oxygen) |
| Phosphine | Fumigant gas | Cardiac and respiratory failure | None specific |
| Phosphorus, White | Munitions, historic rat poison | Severe burns, liver failure | None specific |
| Phosphorus Trichloride | Industrial chemical | Severe respiratory and eye damage | None |
| Phosphoric Acid, Concentrated | Industrial chemical | Corrosive burns | None |
| Potassium Cyanide | Industrial chemical, mining | Cellular asphyxiation | Hydroxocobalamin, sodium thiosulfate |
| Prussic Acid (Hydrogen Cyanide) | Combustion byproduct, some plants | Cellular asphyxiation | Hydroxocobalamin |
| Potassium Chloride, Overdose | Chemical/medical | Cardiac arrest | Calcium gluconate, insulin-glucose |
| Potassium Permanganate, Concentrated | Industrial disinfectant | Corrosive burns, swelling | None specific |
| Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum) | Toxic plant | Paralysis, respiratory failure | None specific |
| Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) | Toxic plant | Severe allergic skin rash | None (steroids relieve symptoms) |
| Poison Oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum) | Toxic plant | Contact dermatitis | None |
| Poison Sumac (Toxicodendron vernix) | Toxic plant | Contact dermatitis, respiratory irritation if burned | None |
| Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) | Toxic plant | Vomiting, severe gastrointestinal distress | None specific |
| Purple Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) | Toxic garden plant | Cardiac arrhythmia | Digoxin immune fab |
| Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum) | Houseplant | Mouth and throat swelling | None |
| Philodendron | Houseplant | Mouth/throat irritation, swelling | None |
| Privet Berries (Ligustrum) | Hedge shrub | Vomiting, abdominal pain | None |
| Peach Kernels (Amygdalin) | Peach pits | Cyanide poisoning | Hydroxocobalamin |
| Pea, Grass (Lathyrus sativus) | Legume | Lathyrism, leg paralysis | None |
| Pea, Rosary (Abrus precatorius) | Toxic seed | Multi-organ failure | None specific |
| Ptaquiloside | Bracken fern | Carcinogenic, internal bleeding | None |
| Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids | Ragwort, comfrey plants | Liver damage | None |
| Panther Cap (Amanita pantherina) | Toxic mushroom | Confusion, hallucinations, vomiting | None specific |
| Picrotoxin | Anamirta cocculus plant | Seizures, convulsions | None specific |
| Physostigmine, Overdose | Calabar bean extract | Cholinergic crisis | Atropine |
| Plutonium | Radioactive element | Radiation poisoning, cancer | Chelation (DTPA) |
| Polonium | Radioactive element | Radiation poisoning, organ failure | None effective |
| Plumbum (Lead) | Heavy metal | Neurological damage, developmental delays | Chelation (EDTA, DMSA) |
| PCP (Phencyclidine) | Illicit dissociative drug | Psychosis, seizures, respiratory depression | None specific |
| Propofol, Overdose | Anesthetic drug | Cardiac and respiratory arrest | None specific |
| Pentobarbital, Overdose | Barbiturate sedative | Respiratory and cardiac arrest | None specific |
| Paraldehyde | Pharmaceutical sedative, historic | Respiratory depression, organ damage | None specific |
| Paracetamol (Acetaminophen), Overdose | Common pain reliever | Liver failure | N-acetylcysteine |
| Pyriminil (Vacor) | Rodenticide | Pancreatic damage, neuropathy | Niacinamide (partial) |
| Phorate | Organophosphate insecticide | Cholinergic crisis | Atropine, pralidoxime |
| Permethrin, Misuse | Insecticide | Tremors, seizures (especially in cats) | None specific |
| Pyrethrin, High Exposure | Chrysanthemum-derived insecticide | Tremors, allergic reaction | None specific |
| Paris Green | Copper acetoarsenite pigment | Arsenic poisoning | Dimercaprol |
| Picric Acid | Industrial explosive/chemical | Kidney damage, skin irritation | None specific |
| PCBs (Polychlorinated Biphenyls) | Industrial coolants/insulators | Liver damage, cancer risk | None |
| Perchloroethylene | Dry-cleaning solvent | Liver/kidney damage, dizziness | None |
| Phenol | Industrial disinfectant | Corrosive burns, organ damage | None specific |
| Pyrogallol | Photographic/industrial chemical | Methemoglobinemia, organ damage | Methylene blue |
| Petroleum Distillates | Fuel products | Chemical pneumonitis if aspirated | None |
| Pufferfish Toxin (Tetrodotoxin) | Pufferfish | Paralysis, respiratory failure | None specific |
| Portuguese Man o’ War Venom (Physalia physalis) | Marine cnidarian | Severe pain, welts, allergic reaction | None (hot water, supportive care) |
| Pit Viper Venom | Snakebite | Tissue damage, bleeding disorders | Antivenom |
Descriptions
Paraquat
A fast-acting herbicide that scars lung tissue and shuts down the kidneys and liver if swallowed; even small amounts are often fatal and there is no reliable antidote.
Parathion
A highly toxic insecticide that blocks a key nervous-system enzyme, causing sweating, seizures, and breathing failure; banned in many countries due to human poisonings.
Paraoxon
A highly toxic compound formed when the pesticide parathion breaks down in the body, overstimulating the nervous system and causing seizures and respiratory failure.
Phosgene
A colorless gas once used as a chemical weapon that fills the lungs with fluid hours after exposure, causing delayed but often fatal suffocation.
Phosphine
A toxic gas released from fumigant pellets used to protect stored grain; inhaling it damages the heart, lungs, and liver with no specific antidote.
Phosphorus, White
A waxy chemical that ignites on contact with air, causing deep burns on skin and severe liver damage if swallowed; once used in matches and rodenticides.
Phosphorus Trichloride
A highly reactive chemical that releases corrosive fumes on contact with moisture, severely damaging the lungs and eyes of anyone exposed.
Phosphoric Acid, Concentrated
A strong acid used in fertilizers and cleaners that causes severe chemical burns to skin, eyes, and the digestive tract when concentrated and mishandled.
Potassium Cyanide
A fast-acting salt that stops cells from using oxygen, causing rapid collapse and death within minutes; historically used in mining and infamous in poisoning cases.
Prussic Acid (Hydrogen Cyanide)
The liquid or gas form of cyanide, released by burning plastics or certain plants, that starves the body’s cells of oxygen and can kill within minutes.
Potassium Chloride, Overdose
A salt essential to the body in small amounts, but a rapid large dose stops the heart almost instantly, which is why it is used in lethal injections.
Potassium Permanganate, Concentrated
A purple disinfectant crystal that is safe when properly diluted but causes severe chemical burns to the mouth and throat if swallowed undiluted.
Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum)
A tall weed with fern-like leaves whose alkaloids paralyze the nervous system; famously used to execute Socrates, it can be fatal if any part is eaten.
Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans)
A common woodland plant whose oily resin, urushiol, triggers an intensely itchy, blistering skin reaction in most people who brush against its leaves.
Poison Oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum)
A shrubby relative of poison ivy found mainly in western North America, containing the same skin-irritating oil that causes red, itchy blisters.
Poison Sumac (Toxicodendron vernix)
A wetland shrub whose sap causes a painful rash on contact; burning the plant is especially dangerous since its oil can irritate the lungs.
Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)
A tall North American plant with purple berries whose roots, leaves, and unripe berries contain toxic saponins that cause intense vomiting and cramping if eaten raw.
Purple Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)
A tall garden flower whose leaves contain heart-stopping cardiac glycosides; eating even a small amount can cause dangerous arrhythmias and nausea.
Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)
A popular houseplant containing needle-like calcium oxalate crystals that cause painful burning and swelling of the mouth and throat if chewed.
Philodendron
A popular leafy houseplant containing calcium oxalate crystals that cause intense burning, swelling, and drooling if chewed, especially dangerous for pets and children.
Privet Berries (Ligustrum)
The dark berries of the common hedge shrub privet, which cause vomiting, abdominal cramping, and diarrhea if eaten, particularly by children and pets.
Peach Kernels (Amygdalin)
The hard pits inside peaches contain amygdalin, a compound that releases cyanide when broken down in the body, making eating crushed kernels dangerous.
Pea, Grass (Lathyrus sativus)
A drought-resistant legume that, when eaten as a dietary staple during famine, causes lathyrism, an irreversible paralysis of the legs from a neurotoxic amino acid.
Pea, Rosary (Abrus precatorius)
Also called the rosary pea, its scarlet-and-black seeds contain abrin, a toxin so potent a single well-chewed seed can be lethal, shutting down organs.
Ptaquiloside
A carcinogenic toxin found in bracken fern that can poison grazing livestock with internal bleeding and has been linked to cancer risk in contaminated food.
Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids
A family of plant toxins found in ragwort and comfrey that slowly destroy liver tissue when consumed, especially dangerous for grazing animals and herbal-tea drinkers.
Panther Cap (Amanita pantherina)
A toxic woodland mushroom containing ibotenic acid and muscimol, causing confusion, vomiting, and hallucinations rather than the liver failure of its deadlier relatives.
Picrotoxin
A potent convulsant extracted from the seeds of an Asian climbing plant, historically used to stun fish, that overstimulates the nervous system and can trigger seizures.
Physostigmine, Overdose
A natural alkaloid from the Calabar bean used medically in small doses but capable of causing drooling, seizures, and a dangerously slowed heartbeat if overdosed.
Plutonium
A man-made radioactive metal used in nuclear weapons and reactors; inhaling or ingesting even tiny amounts irradiates internal organs and raises cancer risk sharply.
Polonium
An intensely radioactive element emitting alpha particles; a milligram-sized amount can be lethal if ingested, as in the famous poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko.
Plumbum (Lead)
A soft heavy metal once common in paint and pipes; chronic exposure causes cumulative neurological damage, especially harmful to children’s developing brains.
PCP (Phencyclidine)
A dissociative street drug that can cause violent psychosis, seizures, and dangerously high body temperature in overdose, with sometimes fatal cardiac effects.
Propofol, Overdose
A fast-acting anesthetic safe under medical supervision but capable of stopping breathing and heart function within minutes if misused outside a clinical setting.
Pentobarbital, Overdose
A powerful barbiturate used medically for sedation and euthanasia; in overdose it shuts down breathing and heart function outside controlled medical use.
Paraldehyde
An old sedative drug that becomes dangerously toxic in overdose, depressing breathing and damaging the liver and kidneys; largely replaced by safer sedatives.
Paracetamol (Acetaminophen), Overdose
An everyday painkiller that is one of the most common causes of liver failure when taken in excess, since the liver cannot safely process large doses.
Pyriminil (Vacor)
A now-banned rat poison that destroys insulin-producing pancreas cells in humans, causing sudden diabetes and nerve damage; pulled from the market after poisonings.
Phorate
One of the most acutely toxic agricultural insecticides, absorbed readily through skin and capable of causing fatal nervous-system poisoning in tiny doses.
Permethrin, Misuse
A widely used insecticide safe for humans in normal use but highly toxic to cats, causing tremors and seizures, and also harmful to aquatic life.
Pyrethrin, High Exposure
A natural insecticide derived from chrysanthemum flowers, low-risk to humans in normal use but able to cause tremors, breathing trouble, or allergic reactions at high exposure.
Paris Green
A vivid green arsenic-based pigment once used as both a paint color and an insecticide, causing classic arsenic poisoning if ingested or inhaled as dust.
Picric Acid
A yellow crystalline compound used in explosives and dyes that is toxic on contact and can damage the kidneys and liver with repeated exposure.
PCBs (Polychlorinated Biphenyls)
Long-banned industrial chemicals once used in electrical equipment that persist in the environment and accumulate in fatty tissue, linked to liver damage and cancer.
Perchloroethylene
A common dry-cleaning solvent that causes dizziness and nausea with short exposure and liver or kidney damage with prolonged or heavy exposure.
Phenol
A corrosive industrial chemical used in disinfectants and plastics manufacturing that burns skin on contact and can cause seizures and organ failure if absorbed.
Pyrogallol
A chemical once used in photo developing and hair dyes that is absorbed through skin and can poison the blood and liver with repeated exposure.
Petroleum Distillates
Common fuels like gasoline and kerosene that are toxic if swallowed and especially dangerous if inhaled into the lungs, causing severe chemical pneumonia.
Pufferfish Toxin (Tetrodotoxin)
One of the deadliest natural toxins known, found in pufferfish organs; it paralyzes muscles including those needed to breathe, with no available antidote.
Portuguese Man o’ War Venom (Physalia physalis)
A jellyfish-like sea creature whose long tentacles deliver venomous stings causing intense pain and welts, and in rare cases a severe allergic reaction.
Pit Viper Venom
A hemotoxic venom injected by snakes like rattlesnakes and copperheads that destroys tissue and disrupts blood clotting, treatable with species-specific antivenom.