Atropa Belladonna, Deadly nightshade

Other plants of the nightshade family, including Atropa belladonna (deadly nightshade), Hyoscyamus niger (black henbane), and Datura stramonium (Jimson weed), contain atropine-like toxins that are anticholinergic, blocking the muscarinic receptors. An incidence in southern Utah of cattle poisoned on black henbane, with many death losses, was recently reported (Pfister, 2003). Atropine and atropine-like alkaloids are discussed Section 2.2.1.7. 

Atropine Alkaloid Pupil dilator Atropa belladonna (deadly nightshade)... 

The tropane alkaloids (—)-hyoscyamine and (—)-hyoscine are among the most important of the natural alkaloids used in medicine. They are found in a variety of solanaceous plants, including Atropa belladonna (deadly nightshade), Datura stramonium (thornapple) and other Datura species, Hyoscyamus niger (henbane), and Duboisia species. These alkaloids... 

Note The best-known antimuscarinic or anticholinergic drugs are the belladonna alkaloids. The major drugs in this class are atropine, hyoscyamine, and scopolamine. A number of plants belonging to the potato family (Solanaceae) contain similar alkaloids. Atropa belladonna (deadly nightshade), Hyoscyamus niger (henbane), Datura stramonium (jimsonweed or thorn apple), and several species of Scopolia also contain belladonna alkaloids. 

Tropine derivatives are typically found in certain highly poisonous Solanaceae species, most notably Atropa belladonna (deadly nightshade), Datura stramonium (thornapple), other Datura species, Duboisia myoporoides (corkwood elm), Hyoscyamus niger (henbane) and other Hyoscyamus species. Other sources include Convolvulus species (Convolvulaceae), Erythroxylum coca (coca), other Erythroxylum species (Erythroxylaceae) and Bruguiera species (Rhizophoraceae). 

A 52-year-old woman was confused and had dysarthria and difficulty in walking and swallowing (13). That same day she had eaten berries that she thought were bilberries, but were instead Atropa belladonna (deadly nightshade). 

Lee, M.R. 2007. Solanaceae IV Atropa belladonna, deadly nightshade. /. R. Coll. Physicians Edinb. 37(l) 77-84. 

C17H21NO2, Mr 271.36, mp. 60-62 °C. A tropane alkaloid [LD50 (mouse p.o.) 160mg/kg]. A. is formed readily under acidic conditions by dehydrating hyos-cyamine and atropine. A. has been detected in various Solanaceae genera [e.g., Atropa belladonna (deadly nightshade). Datura (thorn apple), Duboisia, Hyoscyamus (henbane), and Mandragora (mandrake)]. 

S. occurs as the (-)-form (hyoscine) in several Solan-aceae genera [e. g. Atropa belladonna (deadly nightshade), Datura species (thorn apple), Duboisia species, Hyoscyamus species (henbane), Mandragora officinalis (mandrake), and Scopolia species (banewort)]. Racemic S. (atroscine) is a natural product of the Solanaceae Datura innoxia, Hyoscyamus niger, and Scopolia camiolica. S. is easily hydrolyzed in acidic and alkaline solution to tropic acid and scopine. 

Organic chemicals have also been used in an unethical manner. The plant Atropa belladonna (deadly nightshade) has been used for centuries as a poison. The plant extract is a deadly, but the poison isolated, found to be atropine (8) is not produced by the plant, but produced from a natural alkaloid by the acid-base extraction procedure used for isolation. 

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