How quickly does poison work on mice? - briefly
Fast‑acting neurotoxins can cause death in 1–5 minutes after a lethal dose. Anticoagulant rodenticides usually require several hours before fatal hemorrhage develops.
How quickly does poison work on mice? - in detail
The latency between exposure and observable toxic effects in laboratory mice depends on several variables: chemical class, administered dose, route of delivery, physiological status of the animal, and experimental conditions.
Acute toxins such as organophosphates, cyanide, or rodenticides act within seconds to minutes when delivered intravenously or intraperitoneally. Intravenous injection of a lethal dose of a potent neurotoxin can produce respiratory arrest in 30–90 seconds, whereas intraperitoneal administration typically extends the interval to 2–5 minutes because absorption occurs through the peritoneal membrane.
Oral ingestion of solid or liquid poisons introduces a digestion phase that delays systemic availability. For anticoagulant rodenticides (e.g., brodifacoum), clinical signs may not appear for 12–24 hours, with mortality occurring after 48–72 hours due to progressive hemorrhage. Conversely, fast‑acting anticoagulants such as bromadiolone can produce lethality within 6–12 hours at high doses.
Dose magnitude influences the onset curve. Sublethal concentrations often produce measurable behavioral changes (e.g., reduced locomotion, tremors) within 5–15 minutes for neurotoxic agents, while higher concentrations accelerate these signs to under a minute.
Physiological factors modulate absorption and metabolism:
- Strain and age: Young, rapidly growing mice exhibit faster distribution volumes, shortening the time to peak plasma concentration.
- Sex: Hormonal differences can alter hepatic enzyme activity, affecting metabolic clearance and thereby the duration of toxic effect.
- Body condition: Obesity reduces per kilogram dose exposure, potentially delaying symptom emergence.
Environmental parameters also play a role. Ambient temperature influences enzymatic rates; higher temperatures accelerate metabolism, shortening latency for some compounds, whereas low temperatures may prolong the pre‑symptomatic period.
Experimental data illustrate typical timelines:
- Sodium cyanide (intraperitoneal, LD50 ≈ 3 mg/kg): loss of righting reflex in 30–45 seconds; death within 1–2 minutes.
- Warfarin (oral, LD50 ≈ 150 mg/kg): initial lethargy at 12 hours; fatal hemorrhage at 48 hours.
- Tetrodotoxin (intravenous, LD50 ≈ 0.2 µg/kg): paralysis onset at 20–40 seconds; respiratory failure within 2 minutes.
In summary, rapid-acting poisons administered parenterally produce observable effects within seconds to minutes, whereas orally ingested agents, especially anticoagulants, require several hours to days before lethal outcomes manifest. Accurate prediction of the time course requires integration of dose, route, chemical properties, and the biological characteristics of the mouse model.