ABSTRACT
Strychnine is a white crystalline bitter-tasting alkaloid. Although initially isolated from the St. Ignatius bean, it is commercially produced from the seeds of the plant Strychnos nux-vomicus, a tree native to India (1,2). It is found in equal concentrations with the related alkaloid, brucine, a less potent compound. Brucine poisoning is not a major toxicologic problem, although this alkaloid may act as a local anesthetic. Strychnine was at one time a notorious agent in suicidal and homicidal poisonings and was included in various over-the-counter tonics, stimulants, veterinary preparations, cathartics, and laxa tives (3). It can still be found in a number of preparations (4). The original commercial use of strychnine as an ani mal poison is its only legitimate use today.
