Toxicology Overview Practice Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering historical toxicology events, drug testing methodologies, toxicological syndromes (toxidromes), specific drug derivatives, and industrial poisonings based on the lecture transcript.

Paracelsus

Commonly known as the Father of Modern Toxicology, he established the core principle that the right dose differentiates a poison from a remedy.

Dr. Gerhard Schrader

A German scientist who synthesized organophosphates, including nerve agents like Sarin, Soman, and Tabun, originally for crop protection.

Synthetic Cathinones

Commonly known as "bath salts," these were popular around 2011–2012 and are associated with severe agitation and "zombie-like" behavior.

Levamisole

A veterinary deworming medication found as a contaminant in the cocaine supply around 2010, known to cause necrotic rash and agranulocytosis.

Agranulocytosis

A dangerous depletion of white blood cells, identified as a clinical finding in patients exposed to levamisole-contaminated cocaine.

Adulteration

The intentional addition of a substance to a drug supply, distinguished from unintentional contamination.

Minamata Disease

A historical mercury poisoning disaster in Japan caused by industrial organic mercury leaks into water, leading to severe neurological devastation in children.

Lake Nyos Disaster

A 1986 event in Cameroon where a volcanic lake released a massive, invisible cloud of $CO_2$ that caused mass suffocation.

Libby Zion Case

A landmark toxicology and medical case involving meperidine and serotonin syndrome that led to major discussions on resident workload and medication interactions.

Phossy Jaw

Also known as Phosphorus Necrosis of the Jaw, this occupational disease was seen in workers manufacturing "Fast strike" or Lucifer matches due to chronic white phosphorus exposure.

Analeptics

Stimulants like cocaine, caffeine, or methylphenidate historically used to wake overdose patients; this practice is now considered harmful as it causes seizures.

Argyria

A silver deposition disorder caused by chronic silver ingestion, resulting in permanent blue-gray skin discoloration.

Xylazine

A sedating alpha-2 agonist frequently mixed with fentanyl that produces distinctive black necrotic ulcerations and wounds at non-injection sites.

Immunoassay

A fast and cheap antibody-based screening test that detects metabolites or parent compounds but is prone to false positives from cross-reactivity.

GC-MS (Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry)

A definitive confirmatory drug test that is more specific and sensitive than an immunoassay but is expensive and time-consuming.

Benzoylecgonine

A unique metabolite whose detection is strongly associated with actual cocaine exposure; false positives are rare.

6-monoacetyl morphine

A specific metabolic marker for heroin use, as heroin itself is rarely found in its parent form in the body.

Dextromethorphan (DXM)

A common over-the-counter cough suppressant that can trigger a false positive PCP result on a urine drug screen.

Toxidrome

A recognizable clinical syndrome caused by toxic exposure to a specific class of substances.

Opioid Toxidrome

A clinical presentation characterized by CNS depression, respiratory depression, and miosis (pinpoint pupils).

Naloxone (Narcan)

An opioid antagonist used as an antidote to reverse opioid intoxication, CNS depression, and respiratory failure.

Serotonin Syndrome

A toxic condition characterized by excess serotonergic activity, presenting with hyperthermia, agitation, muscle rigidity, and altered mental status.

Anticholinergic Toxicity

A syndrome presenting with mydriasis (dilated pupils), dry skin, delirium ("mad as a hatter"), urinary retention, and decreased bowel sounds.

Sympathomimetic Toxicity

A clinical presentation resulting from sympathetic nervous system activation, featuring mydriasis, hypertension, tachycardia, tremor, and diaphoresis (sweating).

Phenethylamine

The core chemical backbone structure for amphetamines and related neurotransmitters like norepinephrine.

Methamphetamine

A phenethylamine derivative with two methyl groups, allowing for faster blood-brain barrier penetration and stronger addiction potential compared to amphetamine.

MDMA (Ecstasy)

An amphetamine derivative with a methylene-dioxide ring historically associated with rave and club settings.

Bromo-Dragonfly

An amphetamine-like compound with a dragonfly-wing structure that causes severe vasospasm, vaso-occlusion, and tissue necrosis.

Carbon Monoxide ($CO$)

A colorless, odorless toxic asphyxiant that prevents oxygen delivery and is treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Hydrofluoric Acid ($HF$)

A weak acid used in glass etching that penetrates deeply into tissues to chelate calcium and magnesium, leading to systemic electrolyte depletion.

Calcium Gluconate

The primary treatment for $HF$ exposure, used to replace calcium bound by fluoride ions to prevent tissue destruction and cardiac toxicity.

Bronchorrhea

Excessive bronchial or lung secretions; identified as the primary cause of death in acute organophosphate poisoning.

Killer B's

A mnemonic for the three most dangerous muscarinic effects of organophosphate poisoning: Bronchorrhea, Bronchospasm, and Bradycardia.

Brodifacoum

A super-potent, long-acting anticoagulant rodenticide (superwarfarin) that was identified as a contaminant in synthetic marijuana (K2/Spice) during a 2018 outbreak.