Strychnine, << STRIHK nihn, STRIHK neen, or STRIHK nyn, >> is a bitter and poisonous drug obtained from the seeds of plants such as the nux vomica tree, found in India and Indonesia. Strychnine comes in colorless crystals. A large dose of strychnine causes a serious case of poisoning, resulting in life-threatening convulsions. Some people are accidentally poisoned when they take illegal drugs that contain strychnine. The usual symptoms are twitching, difficulty in swallowing, and opisthotonos (a sudden backward bending of the body). If a person has taken strychnine, call a doctor immediately. The victim should be kept as quiet as possible to avoid triggering convulsions.
