Mithridatism
Mithridatism is the practice of protecting oneself against a
Background
While in the wild, it is said that he began ingesting non-lethal amounts of poisons and mixing many into a universal remedy to make him immune to all known poisons.[3]
After Mithridates' death, many Roman physicians claimed to possess and improve the formula. In keeping with most medical practices of his era, Mithridates' anti-poison routines included a religious component, supervised by the Agari, a group of
It has been suggested that Russian mystic
Indian epics talk about this practice as well. It has been said that, during the rule of the king
The emperor
In practice
Mithridatism is not effective against all types of poison. Immunity is generally only possible with biologically complex types which the immune system can respond to. Depending on the toxin, the practice can lead to the lethal accumulation of a poison in the body. Results depend on how each poison is processed by the body, i.e. on how the toxic compound is metabolized or passed out of the body.[8]
However, in some cases, it is possible to build up a metabolic tolerance against specific non-biological poisons. This involves conditioning the liver to produce more of the particular enzymes that metabolize these poisons. For example, heavy drinkers develop a tolerance to the effects of alcohol.[9] However, metabolic tolerance can also lead to accumulation of the less toxic metabolized compound which can slowly damage the liver. With alcohol this generally leads to conditions such as alcoholic fatty liver disease.[10]
Metabolic tolerance is not effective on all types of non-biological poisons. Exposure to certain toxic substances, such as hydrofluoric acid and heavy metals, is either lethal or has little to no effect. A minor exception is cyanide, which can be metabolized by the liver. The enzyme rhodanese converts the cyanide into the much less toxic thiocyanate.[11] This process allows humans to ingest small amounts of cyanide in food like apple seeds and survive small amounts of cyanide gas from fires and cigarettes. However, one cannot effectively condition the liver against cyanide, unlike alcohol. Relatively larger amounts of cyanide are still highly lethal because, while the body can produce more rhodanese, the process also requires large amounts of sulfur-containing substrates.[12]
In literature
Mithridatism has been used as a plot device in fiction and on-screen; including the Indian fantasy series
In Michael Curtis Ford's historical novel The Last King, on the life and conquests of Mithridates VI, the technique is used by Mithridates.
A. E. Housman's "Terence, this is stupid stuff" (originally published in A Shropshire Lad) invokes mithridatism as a metaphor for the benefit that serious poetry brings to the reader. The final section is a poetic rendition of the Mithridates legend.
See also
- Allergen immunotherapy
- Arsenikesser ("arsenic eater"; German Wikipedia)
- Hormesis
- Hydra effect
- Mithridate
- Vaccination
References
- ISBN 9781845110024. Archived from the originalon 30 Dec 2005.
- ^ a b Mayor, Adrienne (2011). The Poison King: the life and legend of Mithradates, Rome's deadliest enemy. Princeton University Press.
- ^ McGing, B.C. (1986). The Foreign Policy of Mithridates VI Eupator, King of Pontus. Leiden: E.J. Brill. p. 43.
- ^ Mayor, Adrienne (2003). Greek Fire, Poison Arrows, and Scorpion Bombs: Biological and Chemical Warfare in the Ancient World. New York: Overlook Duckworth. p. 148.
- ^ Segen, J.C. (1992). The Dictionary of Modern Medicine.
- OCLC 559688590.
- ISBN 978-81-208-0284-1.
- PMID 30450285.)
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link - ^ "Alcohol and Tolerance". National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Apr 1995.
- ^ "Fatty Liver Disease". US National Library of Medicine.
- ^ "The Facts About Cyanides". New York State: Department of Health. Apr 2006.
- ^ "Cyanide in Drinking-water" (PDF). World Health Organization. 2009.