What is Epibatidine, toxin that allegedly killed Alexei Navalny?
What's the story
Epibatidine, a highly potent and toxic substance derived from South American poison dart frogs, has been implicated in the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The UK and four other European nations have accused Russia of using this deadly toxin in a chemical attack against Navalny. Epibatidine, which is 100 times more potent than morphine, was first isolated from the Epipedobates genus of poison dart frogs found in northern South America.
Toxicity
It works by blocking nicotinic receptors
These frogs secrete the toxin onto their skin, with brightly colored species like Anthony's poison arrow frog and Phantasmal poison frog being among them. The substance works by blocking nicotinic receptors in the central and peripheral nervous systems, leading to muscle paralysis and respiratory failure.
Medical research
Presence of toxin in blood suggests deliberate administration
Despite its toxicity, epibatidine has been studied as a potential painkiller and treatment for painful inflammatory lung conditions like asthma and pulmonary fibrosis. However, it is not used clinically due to safety concerns. The presence of the toxin in a person's blood "suggests deliberate administration," according to Alastair Hay, an emeritus professor of environmental toxicology at the University of Leeds.
Weaponization concerns
Violation of 1972 Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention
Hay also noted that epibatidine's toxicity can be enhanced by combining it with certain other drugs, which have been studied. He emphasized that if epibatidine was indeed used to poison Navalny, it would violate the 1972 Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) and the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). To detect epibatidine in a sample, gas chromatography and mass spectrometry are employed.