Eric Heaps and Scott Berg
Nomenclature
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[1]
Kingdom Plantae
Subkingdom Tracheobionta
Superdivision Spermatophyta
Division Magnoliophyta
Class Magnoliopsida
Subclass Asteridae
Order Solanales
Family Solanaceae
Genus Datura L.
Species Datura stramonium L.
Common Names: Jimson weed, Jamestown weed, Thorn
Apple, Mad Apple, Zombie Cucumber, Angel’s Trumpet
History and
[2]
Background
 The name “Jimson” comes from the word
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“Jamestown.”
Early colonists were known to have found the weed
growing in abundance in Jamestown, VA.
Preserved traces of Jimson weed from
archaeological digs in Texas and Mexico.
Dating and analysis of remains show 4000 years of
use.
Was used as an aphrodisiac in the Middle Ages.
Very toxic and can cause hallucinations
Description and
[3,4]
Appearance
 Grows to about 1.5m tall.
 Annual shrub that grows mainly
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in the summer months (July –
October).
Requires sunlight to grow.
Prefers neutral or basic, dry soils.
Large, white, funnel shaped
flowers grow to about 5-10cm
long.
Its fruits are large, thorny pods
filled with seeds.
Fruits open into 4 compartments
when ripe.
http://www.ppws.vt.edu/sc
ott/weed_id/datst.htm
Traditional
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[2,5]
Uses
Aphrodisiac
Wound and burn healer
Treating colds and asthma
Recent uses include treatments of epilepsy, acute
mania, and additional forms of “active insanity”
 Over-the-counter powders and cigarettes were sold
for asthma treatment.
 Banned in 1968 as an over-the-counter drug
 Long history of use in Indian Thuggee cult for the
purpose of drugging sacrificial victims
[5]
Preparations
 Leaves are rolled into
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cigarettes for asthma
treatment
Seeds can be crushed and
used in drinks or teas
Seeds can be purchased
online
Flowers can be boiled
Leaf extracts or seeds can
be made into pill form
What’s In
[5]
It?
 Alkaloids
 Atropine
 Scopolamine (main cause of hallucinations)
 Hyoscyamine
 Hyocine
 Other tropanes
 Variation caused by species and area of cultivation
Alkaloids
Atropine
Scopolamine
http://library.thinkquest.org/C0115926/drugs/deliriants2.htm
Hyoscyamine
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Hyos
cyamin_-_Hyoscyamine.svg
[5]
Atropine
 Antimuscarinic agent – competitively binds
muscarinic receptors.
 Blocks reception of acetylcholine, preventing
responses that lead to muscle spasms.
 Causes bradycardia (resting heart rate of less than
60 beats per minute) at very low doses.
 Higher doses induce tachycardia (rapid heart rate).
[5]
Scopolamine
 Central nervous system depressant
 Antimuscarinic effects similar to atropine
 Commonly used to prevent motion sickness
 Blocks short-term memory
 Also used as a gastrointestinal and urinary
antispasmodic
 Has a half-life of about 8 hours
[5]
Hyoscyamine
 Has similar, but more potent, antimuscarinic effects
as atropine and scopolamine
 Used as an adjunct in treatments of peptic ulcer
disease and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome
 Antidote to cholerinesterase inhibitors
 Half-life of 3.5 hours
[8]
Pharmacodynamics
 There are no significant studies on the use of the plant
material on its own due to the toxicity of certain
compounds found in datura. However, some of the
active chemicals have use when isolated and used in
small doses.
 Guttman: Atropine treatment of moderate amblyopia
assessed
 Tested 186 children aged 3-7
 1% atropine sulfate used as prescription eye drops either
daily or weekly
 At the end of the 4 month trial, found that daily or weekend
drops produce the same rate of visual acuity improvement
 The FDA has not approved atropine for the treatment of
amblyopia
[9]
Pharmacodynamics
 Boskabady and Adel-Karden: Increased Muscarinic
Receptor Blockade by Atropine in Tracheal Chains of
Ovalbumin-Sensitized Guinea Pigs
 Examined the tracheal responsiveness of 10 ovalbumin-
sensitized and 10 control guinea pigs to atropine
 Ovalbumin – method of sensitizing asthma into the guinea
pigs
 Tracheal responses to atropine were higher in sensitized
guinea pigs
 Muscarinic receptor blockade by atropine was also higher
in sensitized guinea pigs
[10,11]
Contraindications
 Due to the dangerous effects of datura, its use is not
recommended, but is still used in many areas.
 Avoid taking any scopolamine while on glaucoma
medications.
 The use of datura for treating asthma during
pregnancy is advised against due to the elevated
levels of acetylcholine present in the neuron
synapses.
 The accumulation of acetylcholine leads to persistent
stimulation of nicotinic receptors, possibly altering
fetal development.
Recreational
[6]
Experiences
 “Next thing I know its already 6:46am and I am running
late. My mom tells me I only got a half hour to get ready
or [I’ll] get a Saturday detention. I scramble out of bed
and run into the bathroom to take a shower. I suddenly
realize how [much] school’s gonna suck cause I forgot to
do my homework and I have an oral presentation due
today. All these thoughts make me panic and I know
there’s no way out of it cause I already skipped school 3
times this year and got caught and I cant skip another
day or I have to go to court. I get out of the shower and
dry off as quickly as I can. Then I run into my room and
get dressed and go downstairs to the kitchen. Right then
I noticed something was wrong, the clock said 1:00am
and the calendar was on July.”
Adverse
[7]
Effects
 All parts of Datura are toxic
 Overdosing on Jimson weed will lead to:
 Visual hallucinations
 Disorientation
 Speech incomprehension
 Dilated pupils
 Can be fatal
 Many cases of severe acute anticholinergic toxidrome
 Delirium, agitation and seizures
 Scopolamine is known to be the main cause of
hallucinations
News Report on Datura Overdose
References
 1. Plants Profile, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
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Accessed: 30 April 2008.
<http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=DAST>
2.Clark, J.D. (2005) The History, Complications, and Treatments of
Jimson Weed Toxicity. Topics in Emergency Medicine. 29(4): 295-301
3. Jimsonweed: Datura stramonium, Virginia Tech Weed
Identification Guide. Accessed: 30 April 2008.
<http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/datst.htm>
4. Jimsonweed, UC PIM Online. Accessed: 30 April 2008.
<http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/WEEDS/jimsonweed.html>
5. Bliss, M. (2001) Clinical Toxicology Review: Datura Plant Poisoning.
Massachussetts/Rhode Island Poison Control System. 23(6).
6. Erowid User. (2004) Truly the Devil’s Weed. Erowid Experience
Vaults. <http://www.erowid.org/experiences/exp.php?ID=16996>
References
 7. Spina, S.P. and A. Taddei. (2007) Teenagers with Jimson Weed
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poisoning. Canadian Journal of Emergency Medical Care. 9(6):467-8.
8. Guttman, C. (2004). Atropine treatment of moderate amblyopia
assessed. Ophthalmology. 111:2076-2085.
9. Boskabady, M.H. and S. Adel-Kardan. (1999). Increased
Muscarinic Receptor Blockade by Atropine in Tracheal Chains of
Ovalbumin-Sensitized Guinea Pigs. Pharmacology. 58:300-308.
10. Pretorius, E. resia. (2006) Datura stramonium in asthma
treatment and possible effects on prenatal development.
Environmental Toxicology & Pharmacology May2006, Vol. 21 Issue 3,
p331-337
11. Silverston, D. (1995) Don’t mix your drugs. Opthalmology Times.
20(5):11