Datura stramonium

Scientific name: Datura stramonium L.

Botanical family: SOLANACEAE

Vernacular names

(In territories with significant traditional TRAMIL use)

Haiti:

datira

Other vernacular names

Haiti:

Datira/chamico

Geographical distribution

Widely distributed in the tropics and subtropics of the Old and New World.

Botanical description

Herbaceous annual, up to 1 m high, glabrous or pubescent in the young parts. Alternate leaves, oval, acuminate, somewhat dentate, up to 20 cm. Flowers erect, 6 to 10 cm; calyx tubular, almost cylindrical, narrow, 3 to 4 cm, with sharp teeth; white corolla, lobes 5 with filiform appendages. Capsule erect, dehiscent, covered with long, sharp spines; seeds reniform.

Voucher(s)

Jiménez,686,JBSD

asthma

smoke of dried flower and leaf, inhaled¹

disnea

smoke of dried flower and leaf, inhaled¹

The LD₅₀ of the hydroalcoholic extract (40%) from fresh leaves orally in Swiss albino mice (weight 18-22 g) was 821.93 mg/kg, according to the OECD-1987¹⁴ method.

The dried (1.7 g/kg) aerial parts orally in sows did not cause teratogenic effects, although they did cause general toxic manifestations¹⁵.

The methanolic extract (50%) of leaves with stems stimulated isolated hamster uterus (50 μg/ml)¹⁶.

Several cases of intoxication in humans caused by the aerial parts^17-19 and specifically from the dried flower^20-21 and the leaf^19,22-25have been reported orally or by smoking^26-27. The symptoms were varied and included tachycardia, pupil dilation, extreme thirst, confusion, blindness, convulsions and even death¹⁷.

Atropine intoxication is a frequent cause of clinical intoxication, especially in young children and the elderly, from the consumption of teas made from plants containing these alkaloids. Fatal cases are rare, but it has occurred that 10 mg or less can be lethal in children¹³.

The ingestion of high doses of plant causes hallucinogenic effects, and intoxication has been observed in adolescents and adults from smoking cigarettes with plant material containing these alkaloids. Side effects (even at therapeutic doses) of scopolamine (hyoscine) include central nervous system depression with drowsiness, amnesia, fatigue, speech and movement disorders. Occasionally it produces excitement, restlessness, hallucinations and delirium with toxic doses of scopolamine; these can be followed by a clinical picture of depression leading to circulatory collapse and respiratory failure, paralysis and coma. Atropine (hyoscyamine) in high doses causes visual disturbances, excitement, agitation and delirium^28-29, and even cardiorespiratory failure that can lead to death¹³.

In case of oral intoxication, gastric lavage is recommended, with pilocarpine or physostigmine administered to counteract the atropine symptoms and the application of cold water compresses³⁰.

Two cases of Datura poisoning have been treated efficiently with physostigmine³¹.

The leaves have been widely studied and contain, among other components, alkaloids: ±hyoscyamine (atropine), (-) hyoscine (scopolamine)^2-3; phenylpropanoids: caffeic, p-coumaric, ferulic
acid⁴ and chlorogenic; terpenoids: campesterol, daturalactone,
β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, stramonolide⁵; flavonoids: kaempferol, populnin, rutin, quercetin and their derivatives⁶ ; peptides: γ-L-glutamyl-L-aspartate⁷.

The whole plant contains alkaloids (0.06-0.50%): mainly atropine and scopolamine^2-3,8.

The smoke of the dried leaves, equivalent to a quarter and half a cigarette, mixed with the leaves of Atropa belladonna and Tussilago farfara showed antiasthmatic activity in guinea pigs⁹.

The aqueous and ethanolic (95%) leaf extracts showed antispasmodic activity on isolated guinea pig ileum (200 μg/ml)¹⁰.

The dried leaves taken orally have shown anticholinergic and hallucinogenic activity in adult humans^₁₁.

The γ-L-glutamyl-aspartate inhibits the central receptors for glutamate, at the level of the hippocampus and the striatum and decreases remote memory^7,12.

Atropine contained in the plant is described as a competitive antagonist to acetylcholine and produces blockage of cholinergic (muscarinic type) receptors in various organs. Its administration causes mydriasis and cycloplegia, bradycardia, cutaneous vasodilatation and dryness of the mucosa; it reduces bronchoconstriction, mucociliary clearance, gastric secretion, gastrointestinal and colonic motility (antispasmodic), in the urinary tract it promotes bladder retention. Its penetration into the nervous system is low, and therefore it has limited activity using clinical doses¹³.

Pharmacopoeia

Ed.3

References

1 WENIGER B, ROUZIER M, 1986
Enquête TRAMIL. Service Oecuménique d'Entraide SOE, Port au Prince, Haïti.

2 ALAMI RR, CHRISTENSEN BV, BEAL JL, 1955
A note on the alkaloidal ratios in certain species of Datura. J Am Pharm Assoc Sci Ed 44:710-711.

3 HEGNAUER R, 1973
Chemotaxonomy der Pflanzen. Basel, Schweiz: Birkhauser Verlag. 6:882.

4 SONANINI D, RZADKOWSKA-BODALSKA H, STEINEGGER E, 1970
Solanaceae flavones. 7. Flavonol glycosides from folium stramonii. Pharm Acta Helv 45(2):153-156.

5 TURSUNOVA R, MASLENNIKOVA V, ABUBAKIROV N, 1976
Withanolides of Datura stramonium. Khim Prir Soedin 12:670A.

6 PATE D, AVERETT J, 1986
Flavonoids of datura. Biochem Syst Eco 14(6):647-649.

7 SCHMITZ BOURGEOIS M, AMIRI I, REINBOLT J, BOULANGER Y, UNGERER A, 1988
Isolation and structure of a pseudopeptide gamma-L-glutamyl-L-aspartic acid from Datura stramonium that impairs learning retention in mice. Biochimie 70(9):1179-1184.

8 PINKAS M, BEZANGER-BEAUQUESNE L, 1986
Les plantes dans la thérapeutique moderne. Paris, France: 2 éd. Ed. Maloine.

9 VINCENT D, LESOBRE R, KAUFMAN E, 1965
An antiasthmatic smoke as an anticholinergic and antihistamic effect. Therapie 20(4):931-952.

10 ITOKAWA H, MIHASHI S, WATANABE K, NATSUMOTO H, HAMANAKA T, 1983
Studies on the constituents of crude drugs having inhibitory activity against contraction of the ileum caused by histamine or barium chloride (1) screening test for the activity of commercially available crude drugs and the related plant materials. Shoyakugaku Zasshi 37(3):223-228.

11 FORNO JR FJ, TERRY RA 1998
Accidental ingestion of jimsonweed by an adolescent. J Am Osteopath Assoc 98(9):502-565.

12 UNGERER A, SCHMITZ-BOURGEOIS M, MELAN C, BOULANGER Y, REINBOLT J, AMIRI I, BARRY J, 1988
Gamma-L-glutamyl-L-aspartate induces specific deficits in long term memory and inhibits [3H]glutamate binding. Brain Res 446(2):205-211.

13 Hardman JG, Limbird LE, Molinoff PB, Eds., 1996
Goodman & Gilman las bases farmacológicas de la terapéutica. 9^a ed. México: McGraw-Hill Interamericana: p158-163.

14 PARRA AL, YHEBRA RS, SARDINAS IG, BUELA LI, 2001
Comparative study of the assay of Artemia salina L. and the estimate of the medium lethal dose (LD₅₀ value) in mice, to determine oral
acute toxicity of plant extracts. Phytomedicine 8(5):395-400.

15 KEELER RF, 1981
Absence of arthrogryposis in newborn Hampshire pigs from sows ingesting toxic levels of jimsonweed during gestation. Vet Hum Toxicol 23(6):413-415.

16 GOTO M, NOGUCHI T, WATANABE T, ISHIKAWA I, KOMATSU M, ARAMAKI Y, 1957
Uterus-contracting ingredients in plants. Takeda Kenkyusho Nempo 16:21.

17 HARVEY RB, LARSO AH, LANDON RH, BOYD WL, ERICKSON LC, 1945
Weeds poisonous to livestock. Bull Minnesota Agr Exp Sta 388:1.

18 FERNANDO R, FERNANDO DN, 1990
Poisoning with plants and mushrooms in Sri Lanka: a retrospective hospital based study. Vet Hum Toxicol 32(6):579-581.

19 BALLANTYNE A, LIPPIETT P, PARK J, 1976
Herbal cigarettes for kicks. Brit Med J 2:1539.

20 PEREIRA CAL, NISHIOKA SDA, 1994
Poisoning by the use of Datura leaves in a homemade toothpaste. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 32(3):329-331.

21 GOWANLOCH JN, BROWN CA, 1943
Poisonous snakes, plants and black widow spider of Louisiana. New Orleans, USA: Dept. Conservation, Book.

22 HARRISON EA, MORGAN DH, 1976
Abuse of herbal cigarettes containing stramonium. Brit Med J 2:1195.

23 ODERDA GM, 1975
Jimson weed. J Am Med Assoc 232:597.

24 SCHMIDT A, 1943
Poisoning with stinging nettle tea. Pharm Zentralhalle Dtschl 84:238-239.

25 LAMENS D, DE HERT S, VERMEYEN K, 1994
Tea of thornapple leaves, a rare cause of atropine intoxication. Acta Anaesth Belg 45(2):55-57.

26 SIEGEL RK, 1976
Herbal intoxication. Psychoactive effects from herbal cigarettes, tea, and capsules. J Am Med Assoc 236(5):473-476.

27 GUHAROY SR, BARAJAS M, 1991
Atropine intoxication from the ingestion and smoking of jimson weed (Datura stramonium). Vet Hum Toxicol 33(6):588-589.

28 PARIS R, MOYSE H, 1981
Précis de matière médicale. Paris, France: Ed. Maloine.

29 CHONKEL A, 1985
A propos de quelques graines toxiques existant à la Guadeloupe (Thèse Pharmacie). Faculté de Pharmacie, Montpellier, France.

30 HARDIN J, ARENA J, 1974
Human poisoning from native and cultivated plants. 2^nd ed. Durham, USA: Duke University Press.

31 TAH S, MAHDI A, 1984
Datura intoxication in Riyadh. Soc Trop Med Hyg 78(1):134-135.

Warnings

According to the information available:

The use of the dried flowers and leaves for asthma and dyspnea attacks is classified as TOXIC (TOX).

Given the toxicity of the aerial parts of this plant, its use is discouraged, regardless of the therapeutic qualities it offers.

In the event of poisoning by ingestion or inhalation of the aerial parts, seek medical assistance.

Disclaimer

The information provided is for educational purposes only for the benefit of the general public and health professionals. It is not intended to take the place of either the written law or regulations. Since some parts of plants could be toxic, might induce side effects, or might have interactions with certain drugs, anyone intending to use them or their products must first consult with a physician or another qualified health care professional. TRAMIL has no responsibility whatsoever towards the user for any decision, action or omission made in relation to the information contained in this Pharmacopoeia.

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Datura stramonium

Vernacular names

Haiti:

Haiti:

Geographical distribution

Botanical description

Voucher(s)

Pharmacopoeia

References

Warnings

Disclaimer