Ancient poison named after

Thousands of years before Joker used poison to make the victim smile when he died in comics, the Phoenician colonists on Sardinia also forced their victims to smile.

Scientists announced they knew how ancient sea traders made scary smiles on the victim's face some 2800 years ago - not by poisonous gas like Batman's enemies, but by poison from plants.

And someday this type of plant can be used to create the same impact as Botox, which can reduce rather than increase the features of a smiley face, researchers predict.

Ancient death smile

In the 8th century BC, Homer coined the term 'sardonic smile' - sardonic originated from 'Sardinia' - in articles about murder rituals with toxins that made a grim expression.

Elderly people who cannot take care of themselves and criminals 'are poisoned with sardonic herbs and then executed by throwing them down or beating to death'.

For centuries this herb was a mystery, but research leader Giovanni Appendino and colleagues said they had found the compound to create a 'sardonic smile' in a plant called hemlock water-dropwort ( they are poisonous).

This white flowering plant grows on celery-like stalks along the ponds and rivers of the island currently in Italy.

Ancient mystery

About a decade ago, a Sardinian shepherd committed suicide by eating hemlock water-dropwort, leaving the body with a smile.

The Phenicia mask of the 4th century BC is found in Tunisia with a smile that resembles a smile on the face of the victims of the ancient Phoenician 'sardonic' smile. on the island of Sardinia.In May 2009, scientists said they finally found the source of the effect of the lethal lethal poison: the water-dropwort hemlock (they are poisonous).(Photo: DEA / G)

This death spurred Mauro Ballero, a botanist at Cagliari University in Sardinia, to study all these plant-related deaths in recent decades.

In the new study, Ballero and colleagues published details of the molecular structure of toxins in plants and determined how it affects the human body.

Lead researcher Appendino, an organic chemist from Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale University in Italy, said: 'This is a poisonous compound and produces expressions similar to the described sardonic smile. in ancient times'.

'Hemlock water-dropwort is known as a neurotoxin and probably the sardonic herb'.

The golden capillary is also a candidate, but this plant does not grow in wet places, as mentioned in ancient documents, and its toxicity is also unsuitable.

'In addition, Sardinia is the only place in the Mediterranean that has Hemlock water-dropwort'.

A better Botox type?

As a member of the deadly poisonous plant family, this herb is very dangerous because its roots are fragrant and sweet. Appendino said: 'Usually poisonous plants are often bitter and in some ways uncomfortable with humans'.

He added: 'Hemlock water-dropwort is the second case that I know is appealing to our feelings. People can easily eat it - or can use it in cosmetics'.

Appendino predicts that it may have applications for cosmetics. He said: ' It relaxes muscles and removes wrinkles'.

The findings are published in the journal Natural Products.