Cyanide...

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Mat

Mat

Mat

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After watching Downfall last night, my mate and I both asked the question, "How does cyanide work so quickly?!"
The liquid capsules taken by the folk in the movie caused them to die in less than 5 seconds after breaking the capsule but the info I can find says that death after inhalation of the gas (the faster method of poison) occurs within a few minutes.

So, is the movie using a bit of dramatic license or can it really kill in under 5 seconds, and if so...how?? What method of transport within the body acts that fast?!


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanide amongst others...
 
I would imagine it is lies, cyanide kills you by stopping oxygen getting into your blood by binding haemaglobin more strongly than oxygen. I would it is similar to going under water/holding your breath in terms of time to live.
 
Mat said:
After watching Downfall last night, my mate and I both asked the question, "How does cyanide work so quickly?!"
The liquid capsules taken by the folk in the movie caused them to die in less than 5 seconds after breaking the capsule but the info I can find says that death after inhalation of the gas (the faster method of poison) occurs within a few minutes.

So, is the movie using a bit of dramatic license or can it really kill in under 5 seconds, and if so...how?? What method of transport within the body acts that fast?!


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanide amongst others...
Click to expand...

If you put some garlic in the sole of your shoe, within 5-10 minutes IIRC your breath will smell of garlic :p
 
Nix said:
If you put some garlic in the sole of your shoe, within 5-10 minutes IIRC your breath will smell of garlic :p
Click to expand...

Imagine if Hitler got that mixed up with the Cyanide trick...
 
Cyanide aside, what did you think of Downfall? I thought it was excellent and quite harrowing in parts.

To be fair, it was probably the bullet in the brain rather than the cyanide that did for Hitler. :)
 
I fell asleep yesterday around 6pm and woke up 9.15pm and I was too tired to read the subtitles, but listened and watched all the same. I'll definately watch it another time as it looked really good. The thing that is annoying is that I was waiting all week for that film :(
 
Fishman said:
I would imagine it is lies, cyanide kills you by stopping oxygen getting into your blood by binding haemaglobin more strongly than oxygen. I would it is similar to going under water/holding your breath in terms of time to live.
Click to expand...

I thought cyanide poisoning stemmed from it binding to metalloenzymes in the body, primairly a cytochrome one involved in cellular respiration, preventing oxygen being used by the body even if its in ample supply, ie effecting the organs using oxygen the most.

though my memory of a lecture on cyanide is a bit sketchy

I imagine there is a bit of artistic license, but the lungs are the quickest way to get something into the body, however i remember my tutor telling me he knew someone who commited suicide with hydrogen cyanide gas, and it was a slow and painful way to go.

suppose it ultimately depends on the cyanide used.
 
Top movie tbh.

Went to see it at the cinema and whilst we were in there some guy attempted to drop down from the balcony bit above where you walk into cinemas and promptly busted a leg or something so they had to stop the movie and call the ambulance! I commented, rather cleverly, that he had had his own Downfall!

Anyway, I was thinking more of the children being given the cyanide as you could see how fast it acted...
 
BUSH said:
I thought cyanide poisoning stemmed from it binding to metalloenzymes in the body, primairly a cytochrome one involved in cellular respiration, preventing oxygen being used by the body even if its in ample supply, ie effecting the organs using oxygen the most.

though my memory of a lecture on cyanide is a bit sketchy
Click to expand...
According to My O level biology teacher, it converts ATP (adenosine triphosphate - a high energy molecule) into ADP (diphosphate - low energy) The body uses ATP to store energy and transport it around the body to power it. It's continually being converted ATP<->ADP as the body works and replenishes its supply. IIRC you have about 12 seonds supply of ATP at any time, so that's the speed at which it theoretically kills you.
 
I could tell you the answer to what you ask, but then I'd have to kill you.

but downfall is REALY good, went to see it at the cinima
 
BUSH said:
I thought cyanide poisoning stemmed from it binding to metalloenzymes in the body, primairly a cytochrome one involved in cellular respiration, preventing oxygen being used by the body even if its in ample supply, ie effecting the organs using oxygen the most.

though my memory of a lecture on cyanide is a bit sketchy

I imagine there is a bit of artistic license, but the lungs are the quickest way to get something into the body, however i remember my tutor telling me he knew someone who commited suicide with hydrogen cyanide gas, and it was a slow and painful way to go.

suppose it ultimately depends on the cyanide used.
Click to expand...

You could well be right, however, haemoglobin is what you could describe as a metalloenzyme. iron centred haem molecule surrounded by protein gubbins. cytochromes always confuse me, usually something to do with electron transfer. This is certainly the mechanism by which carbon monoxide acts, I jsut assumed that cyanide being very electonically similar would act in the same way
 
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