Pharmacognostical study of Datura

1. Pharmacognostical study of
DATURA
Presented by- Shiva Rajput
B.Pharm 4th
year
1482150024

2. Eric Heaps and Scott Berg

3. Nomenclature [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

4. SYNONYMS :-
DATURA HERB
BIOLOGICAL
SOURCE :-It consist of the dried leaves and flowering tops of
DATURA METEL.
FAMIL
Y:- SOLANACEAE
GEOGRAPHICAL SOURCES:-
INDIA, ENGLAND, OTHER TROPICAL REGION

5. Description and Appearance[3,4]
Grows to about 1.5m tall.
Colour - Green
Odour - Unplesent
Taste- Bitter
Requires sunlight to grow.
Prefers neutral or basic, dry soils.
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

6. Traditional Uses[2,5]
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

7. Microscopy -

8. Preparations[5]
Leaves are rolled into
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

9. What’s In It?[5]
Alkaloids
Atropine
Scopolamine (main cause of hallucinations)
Hyoscyamine
Hyocine
Other tropanes
Variation caused by species and area of cultivation

10. Alkaloids
Scopolamine
Atropine
http://library.thinkquest.org/C0115926/drugs/deliriants2.htm
Hyoscyamine
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Hyos
cyamin_-_Hyoscyamine.svg

11. Atropine[5]
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).

12. Scopolamine[5]
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

13. Hyoscyamine[5]
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

14. References
1. Plants Profile, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
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>