What is a curare plant?

Chondrdendron tomentosum is a plant commonly referred to as Curare. It resides in jungles of South America and is a species in the Menispermaceae family. This plant is a woody vine that climbs up towards the canopy. It has big leaves that stretch 6 to 8 inches long. These leaves are displayed in an alternate pattern.

Can curare kill a human?

This causes weakness of the skeletal muscles and, when administered in a sufficient dose, eventual death by asphyxiation due to paralysis of the diaphragm. Curare is prepared by boiling the bark of one of the dozens of plant alkaloid sources, leaving a dark, heavy paste that can be applied to arrow or dart heads.

What does curare do to the body?

Curare acts as a neuromuscular blocking agent by binding to the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) at the neuromuscular junction and preventing nerve impulses from activating skeletal muscles (Bowman, 2006).

What does curare do to animals?

A neurotoxin, curare blocks nerve impulses from reaching muscles when it enters the bloodstream, immobilizing the victim—a bird, monkey, or other small animal. But it’s harmless when ingested, so the meat of curare-stricken prey is safe to eat.

Is curare a poison?

Death from curare is caused by asphyxia, because the skeletal muscles become relaxed and then paralyzed. However, the poison only works in the blood; poisoned animals have no harmful effects on humans if ingested (orally). Its vapors are not poisonous, although natives believed they were.

Is curare still used today?

Curare is the historical prototype of nondepolarization neuromuscular blockers, but it is no longer used clinically. Curare (also called D-tubocurare) was the first paralytic used in anesthesia, but it has been replaced by newer agents.

How fast does curare kill?

As a potent muscle relaxant, curare can cause death quickly by inducing asphyxia due to rapid relaxation of diaphragmatic muscles. According to one source, death from respiratory arrest can take place within a few minutes in birds and small prey, and up to 20 min in larger mammals.

How does curare cause death?

Can curare turn into strychnine?

From the fact that both a crude extract and a purified product of curare such as d-tubocurarine have a strychnine-like action on the cortical neurons, there is scarcely any doubt that stimulant action is one of the intrinsic properties of curare.

What does curare look like?

Crude curare is a resinous dark brown to black mass with a sticky to hard consistency and an aromatic, tarry odour.

Is curare still used?

How big does a curare plant get to be?

Curare grows as a large liana, or vine, found in the canopy of the South American rainforest. The vine may get as thick as 4 inches in diameter at its base. It has large alternate, heart-shaped leaves which may be 4-8 inches long…

What kind of plant is a curare root?

Genus: Chondrodendron. Species: tomentosum. Parts Used: Leaf, Root. Curare grows as a large liana, or vine, found in the canopy of the South American rainforest. The vine may get as thick as 4 inches in diameter at its base.

Where does the curare vine grow in South America?

Curare is a South American vine native to the Amazon Basin. It is found growing in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Guiana, Ecuador, Panama and Colombia. This woody vine, sometimes 4 inches thick at its base, climbs a considerable height up into the canopy (up to 30 meters high).

What happens if you come in contact with the curare plant?

You’ve just been pierced with a poison covered arrow. You feel your muscles start to relax and your breathing slow. Complete paralysis overcomes your body and you slowly slip into darkness. This is what you would experience if you came into deadly contact with the Curare plant. Chondrdendron tomentosum is a plant commonly referred to as Curare.