Cyanogenic plants

Cyanide has been present on Earth since before the appearance of life. It is released from a variety of sources, including certain "cyanogenic" plants. These plants store precursor molecules known as cyanogenic glycosides.Over 3,000 plant species contain them. The main cyanogenic plants are Rosaceae (bitter almonds and cherry laurel), Euphorbiaceae (cassava) and Poaceae (sorghum). Their organs (leaves, seeds, roots) contain specific cyanogenic glycosides such as amygdalin or linamarin.Intoxication, whether acute or chronic, depends on the dose ingested. Cyanide's toxicity stems from its blocking of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, resulting in lethal cellular hypoxia. After ingestion, cyanide is rapidly absorbed and metabolized, mainly in the liver, before being eliminated by the kidneys. Acute intoxication manifests as headaches, hyperpnea followed by hypopnea, convulsions and may lead to cardiorespiratory arrest.A thorough understanding of the sources, mechanism of action and toxicokinetics of cyanide is crucial to the effective prevention and management of poisoning.