The Deadly Nightshade Plant Is Called That For a Reason.

I thought I would put up a post about some of the poisonous plants I have written about. Deadly Nightshade is a great place to start. Enjoy.

All parts of this plant are toxic, especially the fruits and seeds. The alkaloids in these plants are atropine, l-hyoscyamine, and scopolamine. They all have anticholinergic activities, including dry mouth, constipation, urinary retention, bowel obstruction, dilated pupils, blurred vision, rapid heart rate, and decreased sweating.

This plant likes shady, moist locations with limestone-rich soils and has become naturalized in parts of North America.

Toxic Dose

The toxicity of these plants is variable. The concentration of these alkaloids varies depending on the species, growing conditions, and part of the plant ingested.

Chewed seeds may cause more toxicity than those swallowed intact.

Death is rare but may occur due to dangerous behaviour while in a delusional state or from environmental exposure.

Pharmacokinetics

The symptoms usually occur within 1 to 4 hours after ingesting seeds or plant parts. It may occur as soon as 15 to 30 minutes after smoking or ingestion of a tea.

There may be a delay in absorption due to the initial anticholinergic effects.

Symptoms usually resolve within 24 to 48 hours, but can take longer.

Effects

If the eye comes in contact with the plant, you may see dilated pupils, and these effects may last for several days.

Dry mouth, throat, and mucous membranes are standard. Skin is warm and dry, and you would see facial flushing. Difficulty swallowing may occur due to a dry mouth.

Rapid heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and rapid breathing are frequently observed.

Behaviour can be bizarre or dangerous. This plant typically causes anxiety, dizziness, hallucinations, confusion, incoherent or slurred speech, delirium, and agitation. The symptoms may prove helpful to a writer. Drowsiness can progress to coma with large ingestions.

Treatment

The patient needs to be monitored until they no longer have any symptoms.

Fevers that develop should be aggressively treated. Monitor for dehydration.

IV benzodiazepines are used to treat agitation.

Treatment is symptomatic and supportive.

An Interesting Fact

Macbeth of Scotland, when he was still one of the lieutenants of King Duncan I of Scotland, used it during a truce to poison the troops of the invading Harold Harefoot, King of England, to the point that the English forces could not stand their ground and had to retreat to their ships.

In Roman times, armies often attempted to poison enemies’ food and liquor with belladonna. Perhaps deadly nightshade (belladonna) was one of the first biological weapons.

Belladonna, meaning “beautiful woman” in Italian, was chosen because it was used during the Renaissance, when women used the berries’ juice as eyedrops to dilate pupils and make the eyes appear more seductive.

Belladonna causes narcosis and paralysis in many domestic animals, except cattle and rabbits, which do not seem to be affected by it.

There was a rumour that the Roman empress Livia Drusilla used the juice of Atropa Belladonna berries to murder her husband, the emperor Augustus.

An early regimen for treating alcoholism in the early 20th century was called Towns-Lambert or Bella Donna Cure.

Witches thought this plant was closely related to the devil. They infused the Belladonna plant and a few other plants into bear lard and called it Fly Ointment, as it allowed them to hallucinate and feel they could fly.