ABSTRACT
Poisonous plants produce toxic compounds which are capable of eliciting undesirable aftermath effects even death when in contact with living organisms such as plants, animal, and microorganism. These compounds include anticholinergic, severe gastrointestinal (GI) irritants, cardiac glycosides, central nervous system stimulants/hallucinogens, and cyanogens. Some of 520these toxic phytochemicals have also been harnessed for some therapeutic uses. This chapter focuses on plants that produce toxic phytochemicals which can be harnessed for destruction and implementation of death to mankind and livestock. Some of these plants include Atropa belladonna, Brugmansia, Ricinus communis, Dieffenbachia Schott, Cicuta maculata, Hippomane mancinella, Aconitum, and Abrus precatorius. These plant poisons can be classified into four toxidromes that include cytotoxic, cardiotoxic, gastrointestinal-hepatotoxic, and neurotoxic. The potentials of these phytochemicals to be readily harnessed for bioterrorism in a civilized society call for concern.
