Atropa belladonna

"Belladona" redirects here. For other senses of this word, see belladonna (disambiguation).

Atropa belladonna
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Solanales
Family:	Solanaceae
Genus:	Atropa
Species:	A. belladonna
Binomial name
Atropa belladonna L.

Deadly nightshade or belladonna (Atropa belladonna) is a well-known, hardy perennial shrub, a member of the nightshade family.

It is native to Europe, North Africa, and West Asia, and has become naturalized in parts of North America. The plant is not as common in the wild as many field guides may suggest, as it is readily attacked by mint flea beetles and has a very low tolerance for sunlight. In areas where it has become naturalized it can often be found in shady, moist areas with a limestone rich soil.

Description

The plant has dull green leaves. The flowers are bell-shaped and are a dull, unremarkable shade of purple, which yield shiny black berries about 1 cm in diameter. It is an herbaceous shrub, and can grow to be about one metre tall. The leaves have an oily, "poison ivy"-like feel to them; they can indeed cause vesicular pustular eruptions if handled carelessly. Many animals, such as rabbits, birds and deer, seem to eat the plant with impunity, not suffering any deleterious effects, though dogs and cats are affected. Many reports suggest that some humans have been poisoned simply by eating animals that have eaten some of the leaves, although these reports have not been verified.

Germination is often difficult due to the presence of germination inhibitors in the seeds. Because of its name, it is not common as a garden plant, and is considered a weed in some places. It is not as hardy a perennial as the literature would lead one to believe, and will not tolerate transplantation. Germination requires several weeks in warm, moist, absolutely sterile soil, usually far from normal garden conditions.

Toxicity

Berries of the belladonna.

Belladonna is one of the most toxic plants to be found in the Western hemisphere. Children have been poisoned by as few as three of the berries, and a small leaf thoroughly chewed can be a fatal dose for an adult. The root is often the most toxic part, though this can vary from one specimen to another.

All parts of the plant, especially the root, contain tropane alkaloids. The berries often present the greatest danger to children as they have a somewhat sweet taste, though they are the least toxic part of the plant. Symptoms of belladonna poisoning are the same as those for atropine (the most well known of the tropane alkaloids), and include dilated pupils, tachycardia, hallucinations, blurred vision, loss of balance, a feeling of flight, staggering, a sense of suffocation, paleness followed by a red rash, flushing, husky voice, extremely dry throat, constipation, urinary retention, and confusion. The skin can completely dry out and slough off. Fatal cases have a rapid pulse that turns feeble. The antidote is physostigmine or pilocarpine, the same as for atropine.

The reason for most of these symptoms is because of atropine's effect on the parasympathetic nervous system. Atropine inhibits the production of acetylcholine (ACh) in the nerve synapse preventing the parasympathetic nervous system from sending out electrical nerve impulses. Since the parasympathetic nervous system regulates non-volitonal/subconcious activities (such as sweating, breathing, and heart rate) when it is prevented from sending out signals, the heartbeat and breathing become extremely irregular.

The plant is also toxic to many domestic animals and livestock; for instance, poisoning can lead to colic, depression, weakness, and lack of coordination in horses, with fatalities reported even for small amounts from 1 to 10 pounds (0.5 to 5 kg).

Uses

Cosmetics

The name belladonna originates from the historic use by ladies (Bella Donna is Italian for beautiful lady) to dilate their pupils; an extract of belladonna was used as eye drops as part of their makeup preparations. The Belladonna toxin's atropine content had the effect of dilating the pupil, thus making their eyes supposedly more attractive. Dilated pupils are considered more attractive (especially with females) because pupils normally dilate when a person is aroused, thus making eye contact much more intense than it already is. It had the adverse effect of making their vision a little blurry and making their heart rates increase.

Witchcraft

According to practitioners of witchcraft, nightshade is ruled by Hecate and can turn into an old hag on Walpurgis Night, or April 30. It is also used in flying ointments. Of the twelve recipes for flying ointments, six call for deadly nightshade. These "Flying Recipes" actually cause vivid hallucinations which may lead the user to believe he or she is flying

According to legend, this is the favorite plant of the devil, and can only be harmed when he is diverted from its care on the Walpurgis.

Modern medicine

The plant is the most important source of atropine, ironically an effective cure for the effects of poisoning by potent cholinesterase inhibitors such as Parathion, Malathion and, most infamously, Sarin, VX, and similar nerve agents. In Europe, it is specifically cultivated for that reason.

Optometrists and ophthalmologists use belladonna for pupil dilation in eye examinations, though the dose is extremely small.

It can be used in homeopathic remedies as a treatment for pinkeye.

Recreational drug

Occasionally, the plant is used for recreational purposes: it is consumed in the form of either a tea or simply raw, which can produce vivid hallucinations, described by many as a 'living dream'. The effects of even a slight poisoning are so unpleasant that the recreational user is unlikely to attempt its use again, if he or she survives at all.

See also

• Toxin
• Poison ivy

External links

• Belladonna in flying ointments
• Erowid on recreational uses.
• "Compounds in deadly nightshade". USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases. [Online Database] National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. July 28. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)