Datura Poisoning

• Plants implicated
  • Datura
  • Atropa Belladona
  • Hyoscyamus Niger
• Cause Deliriant poisoning

• Common names
  • Thorn apple
  • Jimson weed
  • Devil's trumpet
• All parts are poisonous
  • Highest Concentration in seeds
  • Seeds resemble chilly seeds
• Poisoning occurs only if seeds are chewed
• Active principles
  • Hyoscine
  • Atropine
• Action
  • Blocks Parasympathetic actions
• Metabolism
  • Absorbed from all surfaces
  • Metabolised in liver by Atropinase

• Postmortem
  • Signs of asphyxia
• Seeds resist putrefaction
• Used as a 
  • stupefying poison
  • Railroad poison, Railway platform poison
• Accidental poisoning in children common
• Homicidal use - very rare

• Image of Datura myt be shown
• Railroad poison
• Poisoning with dryness, hot skin, dilated pupil
• Hemodialysis - Ineffective
• Physostigmine - used in Rx

FM & Toxicology - Gautam Biswas - 2nd edition Page No: 496

• Absorption is delayed by the poison itself
• 9 Ds
  • Dryness of mouth
  • Dysphagia
  • Dysarthria
  • Dilatation of skin vessels
  • Diplopia ( Temp Blindess too )
  • Dry hot skin
  • Drunken Gait
  • Delirium
    • Pill-rolling movements
    • aka Carphologia
  • Drowsiness
• Urinary retention
• Rapid pulse
• Antegrade Amnesia

• 100 seeds - Fatal
• 50 seeds - Stupefying
• Gastric Lavage
  • KMnO4
  • Activated Charcoal
• Physostigmine
• Pilocarpine
• Tepid sponging
• Hemodialysis - ineffective