DHATURA POISONING: AN ANTICHOLINERGIC TOXIDROME ASSOCIATED WITH WILD PLANT
Abstract
Dhatura is one of the poisonous flowering plants belonging to the family Solanaceae of Kingdom Plantae. Dhatura Stramonium – the commonest specie is a toxic plant distributed widely especially in the marshland. Jimson weed, Thorn apple and Angel’s trumpet are its commonly used names. Tropane alkaloids including atropine, scopolamine, and hyoscyamine are its major lethal components.1 It was traditionally be used in Chinese herbal medication to ameliorate symptoms of asthma and bronchitis. In United States it had been used in recreational drugs for its hallucinogenic property; whereas in Indo-Pak region it is commonly used as stupefying agent for theft, robbery, rape or kidnapping. Accidental ingestion is common particularly if mistaken as chili seeds; however, its use in criminal abortion and as suicidal or homicidal agent has also been reported in the literature.2 This report illustrates an unusual case of ingestion of Dhatura plant’s seeds by 2 years old kid given to him accidentally by his grandfather from the garden near to their house; followed by severe anticholinergic manifestations in both of them
