Question

It has been fairly recently acknowledged that dogs should not consume chocolate; at a minimum it makes them vomit and if enough is consumed it can be fatal. This is only one example of the different effects of the same chemical compounds on different types of organisms. What is a biochemical explanation for the varying effects of the same compound on, in this case, two different species of mammal?

Answer 1

• The effects of same compound on different animals / mammals is due to the reaction of neurotransmitters in the brain.
• Due to the effect of neurotransmitters , intake of chocolate affects the nervous system .
• Moreover some components cannot be digested by system. Here theobromine is the component present in chocolate which cannot be digested by dogs but can be done  by humans.
• Similarly cellulose cannot be digested by humans but cows can do. This is due to the presence of bacteria that breakdown the cellulose in cows.
• The above are the reasons that the same product can be consumed by specific species which may be fatal to other species.