It seems to me, logical that there will be a rate-limited far-extreme degree of supramaximal stimulation of most receptors, before their ligands are depleted, intracellular second messenger pathways placed under demands they cannot meet, or would be, were it not for their being unable to meet such demands,
Essentially, saturation bombing, there is only so much ion flux, or metabotropic gene transcription, second messenger recruitment etc, and on-off kinetics, that a human nervous system can take.
Just look at alpha-latrotoxin as a good example IMO, causing uncontrollable acetylcholine release, but without affecting it's degradation. Enough administered, and there will be no more target to bind, and a maximal degree of supra-maximal ACh release in response to that ligand realized.
Used to be into 'energetics' as a kid, definitely, but that was when first starting out. What kid DOESN'T want a rocket launcher to play with, or to find a derelict car in which to place a FAE charge...? Every kid loves a big buggering great bang, all the more if the kid is the one to have engineered the kablooey
It's just that MOST kids can't go beyond fireworks, or reverse-engineering them; and never get to go through a phase of 'can I nitrate it with mixed acid' or 'perchlorate time'.
As for toxins, I'm INTERESTED, certainly, doesn't mean I've a desire to go round poisoning people. The molecular mechanisms of action, in the field of toxicology as a whole, are quite fascinating. And things like the fact human beings not only managed to deduce the structure of, but pull off a stereochemically correct synthesis of palytoxin, the secondmost-lethal nonproteinaceous toxin known thus far to man, with the not dissimilar maitotoxin coming in at no.1, both marine in origin, dinoflagellates or zoanthid coral polyps.
Palytoxin is MASSIVE, structurally, hundreds of stereocenters, a big, sodding great long macrocyclic polyol polyether with some stereoactive bridged heterocycles in the linear chain that look like a bastard to synthesize full stop.
(2S,3R,5R,6E,8R,9S)-10-[(2R,3R,4R,5S,6R)-6-[(1S,2R,3S,4S,5R,11S)-11-{[(1R,3S,5S,7R)-5-[(8S)-9-[(2R,3R,4R,5R,6S)-6-[(2S,3S,4E,6S,9R,10R)-10-[(2S,4R,5S,6R)-6-[(2R,3R)-4-[(2R,3S,4R,5R,6S)-6-[(2S,3Z,5E,8R,9S,10R,12Z,17S,18R,19R,20R)-20-{[(2R,3R,4R,5S,6R)-6-[(1Z,3R,4R)-5-[(1S,3R,5R,7R)-7-{2-[(2R,3R,5S)-5-(aminomethyl)-3-hydroxyoxolan-2-yl]ethyl}-2,6-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-3-yl]-3,4-dihydroxypent-1-en-1-yl]-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]methyl}-2,8,9,10,17,18,19-heptahydroxy-14-methylidenehenicosa-3,5,12-trien-1-yl]-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]-2,3-dihydroxybutyl]-4,5-dihydroxyoxan-2-yl]-2,6,9,10-tetrahydroxy-3-methyldec-4-en-1-yl]-3,4,5,6-tetrahydroxyoxan-2-yl]-8-hydroxynonyl]-1,3-dimethyl-6,8-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-7-yl]methyl}-1,2,3,4,5-pentahydroxydodecyl]-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]-2,5,8,9-tetrahydroxy-N-[(1E)-2-[(3-hydroxypropyl)-C-hydroxycarbonimidoyl]eth-1-en-1-yl]-3,7-dimethyldec-6-enimidic acid
For short.
And we actually managed to pull it off, putting it together in segments. Took something 5-6 years IIRC. Although that might just have been for elucidation of the structure.
The mode of action is novel too, turns Na+/K+-ATPase into an ion channel locked into a conformation that allows passive diffusion of Na and K into and out of cells without restriction, result-frying the ion gradient extra-crispy critter, as well as being an ultrapotent vasoconstrictor. Treatment, if it's to save someone, needs to be immediate in case of any significant exposure, due to the vasoactive effects, and using a vasodilator injected directly into the heart.
Although that isn't aid against the generalized and powerful cytotoxic effects, system-wide. The second-deadliest toxin, proteins aside, by weight, that we know of, and also very, very fast acting. Cases exist, of people who've had the zoanthid, Palythoa toxica, in their aquaria, and decided to kill the polyps off by throwing boiling water over them. Resulting in an aerosolized palytoxin-laced cloud that at least, allowed the poor polyps to get their own back at the bastards who just tossed boiling hot water on them. Hospitalized at least one such nasty little git.
Just being interested in the mechanisms, doesn't mean one is out to poison anybody.