Baby Safety / Compounds / Strychnine

Is Strychnine safe for babies and kids?

Context-dependent for kids

(Babies-specific data is limited; this page draws from human pregnant context.) Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Strychnine, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

What is strychnine?

The IUPAC name is (4aR,5aS,8aR,13aS,15aS,15bR)-4a,5,5a,7,8,13a,15,15a,15b,16-decahydro-2H-4,6-methanoindolo[3,2,1-ij]oxepino[2,3,4-de]pyrrolo[2,3-h]quinolin-14-one.

Also known as: (4aR,5aS,8aR,13aS,15aS,15bR)-4a,5,5a,7,8,13a,15,15a,15b,16-decahydro-2H-4,6-methanoindolo[3,2,1-ij]oxepino[2,3,4-de]pyrrolo[2,3-h]quinolin-14-one, Strychnidin-10-one, (-)-Strychnine, Sanaseed.

IUPAC name
(4aR,5aS,8aR,13aS,15aS,15bR)-4a,5,5a,7,8,13a,15,15a,15b,16-decahydro-2H-4,6-methanoindolo[3,2,1-ij]oxepino[2,3,4-de]pyrrolo[2,3-h]quinolin-14-one
CAS number
57-24-9
Molecular formula
C21H22N2O2
Molecular weight
334.4 g/mol
SMILES
C1CN2CC3=CCOC4CC(=O)N5C6C4C3CC2C61C7=CC=CC=C75
PubChem CID
441071

Risk for babies

Context-dependent

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Strychnine, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

No specific reproductive toxicity data identified, but pregnancy-specific safety data is limited for most chemicals. Precautionary minimization of exposure is recommended.

What to do: Minimize exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Consult healthcare provider regarding specific risks. Consider alternative products with lower hazard profiles.

Risk for pregnant and nursing people

Context-dependent

Pregnancy alters the metabolism and distribution of Strychnine, potentially increasing fetal exposure. The developing embryo/fetus is vulnerable during organogenesis (weeks 3-8) and neurological development. Placental transfer should be assumed.

No specific reproductive toxicity data identified, but pregnancy-specific safety data is limited for most chemicals. Precautionary minimization of exposure is recommended.

What to do: Minimize exposure during pregnancy and lactation. Consult healthcare provider regarding specific risks. Consider alternative products with lower hazard profiles.

Regulatory consensus

1 regulatory bodyhas classified Strychnine.

AgencyYearClassificationNotes
Unknown

Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.

Where kids encounter strychnine

  • Industrial FacilitiesManufacturing plants, Chemical storage areas, Waste treatment sites
  • Occupational EnvironmentsFactories, Warehouses, Transportation vehicles

Safer alternatives

Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Strychnine:

  • Therapeutic alternatives (consult prescriber)
    Trade-offs: Drug-specific. Cannot substitute without medical guidance.
    Relative cost: 1.2-2×

Frequently asked questions

What products contain strychnine?

Strychnine appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Chemical storage areas (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments).

See Strychnine in the baby app

Look up products containing strychnine, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.

Open in baby View raw API data

Sources (3)

  1. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: Strychnine Toxicosis in Companion Animals — Emergency Management and Prognosis (2021) — report
  2. US EPA: Strychnine — Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED) and Risk Assessment (1996) — regulatory
  3. Talcott PA: Strychnine. In: Small Animal Toxicology (Peterson ME, Talcott PA, eds.) — Mechanism, Diagnosis, and Clinical Management (2004) — report

Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →