how cyanide is so poisonous?

Answer 1

It reduces some protein on the mitochondria and the result is cell strangle. It means that your cell can't produces any energy.

Answer 2

"Cyanide" is a staple of crime fiction, often used synonymously with deadly poison. Many cyanide-containing compounds are indeed highly toxic, but many are not. Prussian blue, nominally Fe7(CN)18, a common pigment, is administered orally to counteract the effects of poisoning by thallium and 137Cs.

The most dangerous cyanides are hydrogen cyanide (HCN) and salts derived from it, such as potassium cyanide (KCN) and sodium cyanide (NaCN), among others. Also some compounds readily release HCN or the cyanide ion, such as trimethylsilyl cyanide (CH3)3SiCN upon contact with water and cyanoacrylates upon pyrolysis. [citation needed]

Many thousands of organic compounds contain the CN group. These compounds are called nitriles. Generally, nitriles do not display the toxicity of HCN, NaCN, and KCN. In fact, the nitrile functional group is an integral component of numerous pharmaceutical drugs including cimetidine (Tagamet), verapamil (Isoptin), and citalopram (celexa). The reason for their diminished toxicity is that nitriles do not release the CN− ion, which permanently binds to and inhibits cytochrome c oxidase, the specific basis of the lethality of cyanide.

Absorption

The most usual route of absorption is by inhalation of hydrogen cyanide gas, which can be formed from alkaline cyanides and certain complex cyanides by the action of acid. Hydrogen cyanide poisoning is also common as a result of smoke inhalation after house fires.

Ingestion is equally dangerous, although this route of absorption is usually deliberate (suicidal or criminal). Absorption through the skin is also possible, though rare.

Answer 3

It does something similar to what carbon monoxide does to blood. There is a transition metal complex in an electron transfer protein in your cells, which must have a vacant site on it, in order to work. The cyanide anion binds irreversibly to it, blocking it. This prevents electron transfer in your cells. Your body's activity is all dependent on being able to shuttle electrons around, so when this ability is halted, your body pretty much completely shuts down, at which point you die.

Answer 4

Lancenigo di Villorba (TV), Italy

HISTORICAL NOTES
In the second half of XVIII century, a swedish pharmacist (C. W. Scheele) decomposed "Prussian's blue" (e.g. a synthetic pigment) in an hot sulphuric bath : a gas-stream lift up and he wrote about "..a bitter almond smelling...a sour taste of its aqueous solutions...". He named the gas like "Prussic Acid".
In the latter years of the century, a french chemist (J. L. Gay-Lussac) repeated those experiments. He remarked the this gas is dissoluted in water and in alkaline media. The latter lead to the SALT of the acidic gas. He named the gas like "Hydrocyanic Acid" and its salts as CYANIDES.
J. Thènard, a Gay-Lussac's pupil, aided his master to highlight another compound in the gas-mixture leaving up by Sulphuric Decomposition, e.g. "Cyanogen".
Gay-Lussac and Thènard understood the relationship between "Hydrocyanic Acid" and "Cyanogen", overcoming to one among the former "Radical Ideas".

CYANIDE POISONING
When a man or woman ingest cyanides (e.g. powder, pieces or its aqueous solutions) they react fastly with acidic liquids in the stomach

CN-(aq) + HCl(aq) ---> HCN(aq) + Cl-(aq)

so this acidic gas lifts up smelling the breath as "bitter almonds", e.g. a CLEAR INDEX of this poisoning.
Since the acidity's level in the stomach is around pH = 2, cyanides undergo volatilization unless a remaining amount soaked by inner organism. When cyanides overcome in the blood, they INTERACT STRONGLY versus ERYTROCYTES blocking its "Gas-Exchange Functions". Oxygen cannot be carried out to the peripherals of the human body, e.g. brain included.

CLINICAL SYMPTOMS
The patient appears tired, cyanotic or "Blue-Skin". They claim headache, confusion and coma or respiratory arrest may overcome. Letal doses are constituted by 2-10 mg/L.

The medicians may operate by injection of cobalt edetates.

I hope this helps you.

Answer 5

when it's engested