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Datura poisoning—The Angel’s Trumpet
Pathology
ISSN: 0031-3025 (Print) 1465-3931 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ipat20
Datura Poisoning—the Angel's Trumpet John Hayman To cite this article: John Hayman (1985) Datura Poisoning—the Angel's Trumpet, Pathology, 17:3, 465-466 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/00313028509105502
Published online: 06 Jul 2009.
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Citing articles: 4 View citing articles
Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=ipat20 Download by: [New York University]
Date: 12 April 2016, At: 08:53
Pathology (1989, 17. pp. 465-466
DATURA POISONING
- THE ANGEL’S TRUMPET
JOHNHAYMAN Cippsland Base Hospital, Sale, Victoria
Summary A group of seven ate flowers of Datura arborea (“The Angel’s Trumpet” or “Trumpet Lilies”) and suffered severe hallucinations. One member of the group drowned in shallow water while suffering from these effects. Although poisoning with related species is common, poisoning with this plant is rare. perhaps due to its terrifying rather than pleasurable hallucinogenic effect.
Downloaded by [New York University] at 08:53 12 April 2016
Key words: Plant poisoning. datura, alkaloids, drowning
Accepted September 26. 1984
“Even bees, the little almsmen of spring-bowers, Know there is richest juice in poison-flowers.” Keats J : Iwbella. CASE REPORT Seven young people, including one female. left a country to\+ii hotel in the late afternoon after drinking for several hours. They tiavrlled in one car to a deserted garden, gathered some SO flowers from it daiura shrub, then set o u t to a site in the near-by bush where the floners were divided and eaten. No further alcohol and no other drugs were consumed. Further information is uncertain, but it seems that inember\ of the group walhed away from the site during the evening. disippearing into the adjacent bush. One member of the group reached his home 24 h later i n ii d a d and agitated condition. His parents, concerned for the safety nf a second son who was still missing, called the police. The police described the boy who had returned as disorientated, perspiring profusely, M i l h dilated pupils and obviously terrified. When asked of the still missing biother he said, “They have shot W -, he’s over the bank.” Lalei. when recovered, he described his fear and how he imagined he wa\ being chased by trees and people, armed with guns and spears. These hallucinations had continued even after he had reached his horne. and were still present the next day. Another member of the party was found the same evening, some I50 metres from the site, standing in a dry creek bed, leaning agcrin5t a n d embracing a eucalyptus tree and apparently talking to i t . When challenged he gave an unresponsive stare, but when asked about the missing brother, said, “There’s W--, over there”, pointing 1 0hi\ own coat lying on the ground. Other members of the group, except the missing brother, returned to their homes that evening, 24 Ii after [ h e flowers had been taken. The body of the missing brother, a man of 20, was found by p o l i c e the next morning. He was lying in water 30 cm deep, face up\bard\, so that the face was only just covered by water. Po\t-niortcm examination of the body showed irregularly dilated pupils and change\ in the lungs consistent with drowning. Vegetable material derived iron1 the flowers and stems of Datura was recovered from thc stoniach. Analysis of liver, bile, stomach contents, blood and urine \ l i o w d 110 other drugs. Death was thought t o have occurred ai least 1 d prior to iecoverv of the bodv, that is, during the same night the flowers were eatcn.
The plant from which the flouer5 were taken was later identified as Datura (Brugmancia) arhorea
DISCUSSION Several species of the genus Datura are found in Australia, most of which are introduced. Datura arborea is a native of South America, where these plants have been used since antiquity as intoxicants and medicines.* It was the practice of the Chibcha Indians of Columbia to administer Datura t o wives and slaves of a departed husband o r master a n d then bury them alive with the deceased. The priests of the Temple of the Sun at Sogamoso used D. sanguinea t o prepare a local drink known as tonga, which, when ingested, was thought t o bring them into contact with the spirits of their forefathers. The flowers of the plant are large and conspicuous, some 15 cm long, consisting of a tubular calyx slit down on side and ending in a horn-like flared tip.’ (Fig. 1.) Alternate names for the species, or for closely related species, are Datura candida or Datura suaveolens. Some botanists maintain that these are a separate genus or subgenus Brugmansia. The flowers are similar and their shape has provided the common name for the plants of Angel’s Trumpet or Trumpet Lilies. The genus Datura belongs to the Solanum family, which includes a great number of plants with hypnotic properties, among them the mandrake (Mandragora officinarum), deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna), and henbane (Hyoscyamus
Fig. 1 Angel’s trumpets. From: The Gardener’s Chronicle 1892; 1 1 : 593.
Downloaded by [New York University] at 08:53 12 April 2016
466
Pathology (1985), 17, July
HAYMAN
niger). Tropane alkaloids have been isolated from these plants, including scopolamine, hyoscyamine, norhyoscyamine, meteloidine and atropine. There is great variation in the amounts and percentages of these alkaloids present, depending on the portion of plant analyzed and the stage of maturation. Humans appear most susceptible to poisoning by these plants, but cases have been recorded in cattle, horses, sheep, pigs, dogs, fowls, mules and ostriches.’ Animals may be poisoned by eating grain contaminated with the seeds of the plant, particularly crushed grain. Most human cases relate to ingestion or inhalation of extracts of Datura stramonium (Thorn-apple or jimson weed),’-* which may be prepared for the treatment of asthma (Potter’s Asthma Remedy). A recent increase in intoxication in Australia may have been the result of the circuIation of “The Teachings of Don Juan” by Carlos Castenada in which the use of extracts is detailed and extolled. The symptoms of Datura intoxication are dryness of the mouth, thirst, a feeling of heat, pupillary dilatation, visual disturbances, hallucinations which are often frightening, flushing, palpitation, tachycardia, ataxia, delirium leading to coma, cardiac and respiratory arrest.” It may have been these symptoms of thirst and heat which caused the deceased to enter the water, where he suffered a cardiac arrest. Alternatively he may have been seeking refuge from his imaginary pursuers, and deliberately submerged himself in the water. Gowdy” describes death by drowning in 3 persons suffering from stramonium poisoning, two of whom were found previously swimming in a pond “in search of red-eyed dolphins”. Tests for atropine, l o scopolamine and hyoscyamine” in urine are available, and although not used in the case reported should be used in the investigation of death under bizarre circumstances, especially where other drugs or toxins are excluded.
CONCLUSIONS Death from drowning occurred in a male of 20 while under the influence of tropane alkaloids derived from the flowers of Datura arborea. The plant is widely available, and this form of poisoning should be considered in cases of unusual death and urine tested for these alkaloids. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Staff of the Royal Botanic Gardens and National Herbarium identified the plant from which the flowers were taken, and provided the illustration. Mrs H. Drew typed the manuscript. Addressfor correspondence: J.A.H., Department of Pathology, Gippsland
Base Hospital, Sale, Victoria, Australia 3850 References 1. Everist SL. Poisonous plants of Australia. Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1974: 444-9. 2. Belton PA, Gibbons DO. Datura intoxication in West Cornwall. Br Med J 1979; 1: 585-6. 3. Ballantyne A, Lippiett P, Park J . Herbal cigarettes for kicks. Br Med J 1976; 2: 1539-40. 4. Barnett AH, Jones FW,Williams ER. Acute poisoning with Potter’s Asthma Remedy. Br Med J 1977; 2: 1635. 5. Harrison EA, Morgan DH. Abuse of herbal cigarettes containing stramonium (letter). Br Med J 1976; 2: 1195. 6. Bethel RGH. Abuse of asthma cigarettes (letter). Br Med J 1978; 2: 959.
7. Fama PG. Datura poisoning (letter). NZ Med J 1979; 90: 399.
8. Taha SA, Mahdi AH. Datura intoxication in Riyadh. Trans R SOC Trop Med Hyg 1984; 78: 134-5. 9. Henson RW, Miller LP, Herron JT. Abuse of thorn apple (letter). Med J Aust 1978; 1: 280. 10. Gowdy JM. Stramonium intoxication. Review of symptomatology in 212 cases. J A M A 1972; 221: 585-7.
11. Urich RW, Bowerman DL, Levisky JA, Pflug JL. Datura stramonium: a fatal poisoning. J Forensic Sci 1982; 27: 948-54.
ISSN: 0031-3025 (Print) 1465-3931 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/ipat20
Datura Poisoning—the Angel's Trumpet John Hayman To cite this article: John Hayman (1985) Datura Poisoning—the Angel's Trumpet, Pathology, 17:3, 465-466 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/00313028509105502
Published online: 06 Jul 2009.
Submit your article to this journal
Article views: 22
View related articles
Citing articles: 4 View citing articles
Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=ipat20 Download by: [New York University]
Date: 12 April 2016, At: 08:53
Pathology (1989, 17. pp. 465-466
DATURA POISONING
- THE ANGEL’S TRUMPET
JOHNHAYMAN Cippsland Base Hospital, Sale, Victoria
Summary A group of seven ate flowers of Datura arborea (“The Angel’s Trumpet” or “Trumpet Lilies”) and suffered severe hallucinations. One member of the group drowned in shallow water while suffering from these effects. Although poisoning with related species is common, poisoning with this plant is rare. perhaps due to its terrifying rather than pleasurable hallucinogenic effect.
Downloaded by [New York University] at 08:53 12 April 2016
Key words: Plant poisoning. datura, alkaloids, drowning
Accepted September 26. 1984
“Even bees, the little almsmen of spring-bowers, Know there is richest juice in poison-flowers.” Keats J : Iwbella. CASE REPORT Seven young people, including one female. left a country to\+ii hotel in the late afternoon after drinking for several hours. They tiavrlled in one car to a deserted garden, gathered some SO flowers from it daiura shrub, then set o u t to a site in the near-by bush where the floners were divided and eaten. No further alcohol and no other drugs were consumed. Further information is uncertain, but it seems that inember\ of the group walhed away from the site during the evening. disippearing into the adjacent bush. One member of the group reached his home 24 h later i n ii d a d and agitated condition. His parents, concerned for the safety nf a second son who was still missing, called the police. The police described the boy who had returned as disorientated, perspiring profusely, M i l h dilated pupils and obviously terrified. When asked of the still missing biother he said, “They have shot W -, he’s over the bank.” Lalei. when recovered, he described his fear and how he imagined he wa\ being chased by trees and people, armed with guns and spears. These hallucinations had continued even after he had reached his horne. and were still present the next day. Another member of the party was found the same evening, some I50 metres from the site, standing in a dry creek bed, leaning agcrin5t a n d embracing a eucalyptus tree and apparently talking to i t . When challenged he gave an unresponsive stare, but when asked about the missing brother, said, “There’s W--, over there”, pointing 1 0hi\ own coat lying on the ground. Other members of the group, except the missing brother, returned to their homes that evening, 24 Ii after [ h e flowers had been taken. The body of the missing brother, a man of 20, was found by p o l i c e the next morning. He was lying in water 30 cm deep, face up\bard\, so that the face was only just covered by water. Po\t-niortcm examination of the body showed irregularly dilated pupils and change\ in the lungs consistent with drowning. Vegetable material derived iron1 the flowers and stems of Datura was recovered from thc stoniach. Analysis of liver, bile, stomach contents, blood and urine \ l i o w d 110 other drugs. Death was thought t o have occurred ai least 1 d prior to iecoverv of the bodv, that is, during the same night the flowers were eatcn.
The plant from which the flouer5 were taken was later identified as Datura (Brugmancia) arhorea
DISCUSSION Several species of the genus Datura are found in Australia, most of which are introduced. Datura arborea is a native of South America, where these plants have been used since antiquity as intoxicants and medicines.* It was the practice of the Chibcha Indians of Columbia to administer Datura t o wives and slaves of a departed husband o r master a n d then bury them alive with the deceased. The priests of the Temple of the Sun at Sogamoso used D. sanguinea t o prepare a local drink known as tonga, which, when ingested, was thought t o bring them into contact with the spirits of their forefathers. The flowers of the plant are large and conspicuous, some 15 cm long, consisting of a tubular calyx slit down on side and ending in a horn-like flared tip.’ (Fig. 1.) Alternate names for the species, or for closely related species, are Datura candida or Datura suaveolens. Some botanists maintain that these are a separate genus or subgenus Brugmansia. The flowers are similar and their shape has provided the common name for the plants of Angel’s Trumpet or Trumpet Lilies. The genus Datura belongs to the Solanum family, which includes a great number of plants with hypnotic properties, among them the mandrake (Mandragora officinarum), deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna), and henbane (Hyoscyamus
Fig. 1 Angel’s trumpets. From: The Gardener’s Chronicle 1892; 1 1 : 593.
Downloaded by [New York University] at 08:53 12 April 2016
466
Pathology (1985), 17, July
HAYMAN
niger). Tropane alkaloids have been isolated from these plants, including scopolamine, hyoscyamine, norhyoscyamine, meteloidine and atropine. There is great variation in the amounts and percentages of these alkaloids present, depending on the portion of plant analyzed and the stage of maturation. Humans appear most susceptible to poisoning by these plants, but cases have been recorded in cattle, horses, sheep, pigs, dogs, fowls, mules and ostriches.’ Animals may be poisoned by eating grain contaminated with the seeds of the plant, particularly crushed grain. Most human cases relate to ingestion or inhalation of extracts of Datura stramonium (Thorn-apple or jimson weed),’-* which may be prepared for the treatment of asthma (Potter’s Asthma Remedy). A recent increase in intoxication in Australia may have been the result of the circuIation of “The Teachings of Don Juan” by Carlos Castenada in which the use of extracts is detailed and extolled. The symptoms of Datura intoxication are dryness of the mouth, thirst, a feeling of heat, pupillary dilatation, visual disturbances, hallucinations which are often frightening, flushing, palpitation, tachycardia, ataxia, delirium leading to coma, cardiac and respiratory arrest.” It may have been these symptoms of thirst and heat which caused the deceased to enter the water, where he suffered a cardiac arrest. Alternatively he may have been seeking refuge from his imaginary pursuers, and deliberately submerged himself in the water. Gowdy” describes death by drowning in 3 persons suffering from stramonium poisoning, two of whom were found previously swimming in a pond “in search of red-eyed dolphins”. Tests for atropine, l o scopolamine and hyoscyamine” in urine are available, and although not used in the case reported should be used in the investigation of death under bizarre circumstances, especially where other drugs or toxins are excluded.
CONCLUSIONS Death from drowning occurred in a male of 20 while under the influence of tropane alkaloids derived from the flowers of Datura arborea. The plant is widely available, and this form of poisoning should be considered in cases of unusual death and urine tested for these alkaloids. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Staff of the Royal Botanic Gardens and National Herbarium identified the plant from which the flowers were taken, and provided the illustration. Mrs H. Drew typed the manuscript. Addressfor correspondence: J.A.H., Department of Pathology, Gippsland
Base Hospital, Sale, Victoria, Australia 3850 References 1. Everist SL. Poisonous plants of Australia. Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1974: 444-9. 2. Belton PA, Gibbons DO. Datura intoxication in West Cornwall. Br Med J 1979; 1: 585-6. 3. Ballantyne A, Lippiett P, Park J . Herbal cigarettes for kicks. Br Med J 1976; 2: 1539-40. 4. Barnett AH, Jones FW,Williams ER. Acute poisoning with Potter’s Asthma Remedy. Br Med J 1977; 2: 1635. 5. Harrison EA, Morgan DH. Abuse of herbal cigarettes containing stramonium (letter). Br Med J 1976; 2: 1195. 6. Bethel RGH. Abuse of asthma cigarettes (letter). Br Med J 1978; 2: 959.
7. Fama PG. Datura poisoning (letter). NZ Med J 1979; 90: 399.
8. Taha SA, Mahdi AH. Datura intoxication in Riyadh. Trans R SOC Trop Med Hyg 1984; 78: 134-5. 9. Henson RW, Miller LP, Herron JT. Abuse of thorn apple (letter). Med J Aust 1978; 1: 280. 10. Gowdy JM. Stramonium intoxication. Review of symptomatology in 212 cases. J A M A 1972; 221: 585-7.
11. Urich RW, Bowerman DL, Levisky JA, Pflug JL. Datura stramonium: a fatal poisoning. J Forensic Sci 1982; 27: 948-54.