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(Datura metel )
INTRODUCTION :
From etnopharmacological point of view, Datura metel probably is one of the most important hallucinogens of the Old World; it has a very long history and is refered to in many early writings: the plant is mentioned in early Sanskrit and Chinese texts for its narcotic properties. The Arabian doctor Avicenna (=Ali al-Husayn abd Allah Ibn Sina) in the seventeenth century (980-1037) called the drug ‘jouz-mathel and in 1578 Acosta reported its libido-enhancing properties. 6
In ancient China D. metel was often considered sacred and it was thought that when Buddha meditated, heaven sprinkled the plants with drops of dew or rain. 6 In India the knowedge of its intoxicating effects appears to go back to prehistoric times. In Mexico and South-Western regions of meso-America, D. metel (Toloache in local terms) has been valued as a hallucinogenic for centuries. The Indian priests refere to it as ‘the sister of ololiuqui (Turbina corymbosa)’ and employ it for divination and as a medicine. 4 In these regions D. metel has also been associated with adolescent rites. From the many Datura species that have been employed ritually in South America this species is of greatest cultural importance.
EFFECTS :
Parasympathetic: euphoria, relaxation, restlessness, visual hallucinations and confusion. Episodes of restlessness are often alternated by periods of relaxation. The effects consist of stimulation in lower doses and depression in higher doses. When the plant material is taken orally, the effects last longer than when smoked, and will also be more narcotic and hallucinogenic.
Autonomic changes: pupilary dilation (mydriasis), dry mouth, psychomotoric disturbances.
DURATION :
The effects appear within an hour after ingestion and last for four to twelve hours. The hallucinogenic (side) effects may last up to two days.
Dosage and preparation :
The seeds, leaves and roots of D. metel may be eaten, smoked, prepared as a water infusion and drawn in wine to prepare a strong narcotic drink. Because of the non-polar character of the active constituents absorption via the skin is also possible.
The ingestion of the plant material or infusions lead to very strong narcotic states, but the effects are easier to handle when the dried plant material is smoked. To prepare a wine as mentioned above, equal parts of D. metel foliage and Cannabis fruits have to be drawn in the wine for a few days.6 In several regions of Asia the Datura foliage has also been taken simultaneously with wine or sake.
The psychoactive doses of D. metel seeds and foliage is similar to that of D. stramonium: 3-30 seeds are sufficient to produce psychoactive effects and foliage may be taken in doses of 0.3-1,5 grams. It is recommendable to begin with 3- 10 seeds. 4-5 grams of dried foliage may be lethal.
Always use Datura species with great caution!!!
BOTANICAL ASPECTS :
The Datura genus is divided into four subgenuses: A. Stramonium genus (comprised of 3 species), B. Dutra genus (6 species), C. Ceratocaulis (one species) and D. Brugmansia genus (7 species).
D. metel has fragrant white, violet flowers and reaches a meter in height. It's brown kidney-shaped seeds germinate over a period of 1-6 months.
Figure: Seeds
PHYTOCHEMISTRY :
The entire plant contains tropane alkaloids and withanolides. Whitanolide compounds aren’t alkaloids like the tropanes, but C28 steriod lactones which appear to be mainly present in members of the nightshade family.
The tropane group consists mainly of scopolamine, but also of hyoscyamine, atropine, meteloidine, norscopolamine, norhyoscyamine, 6-OH-hyoscyamine, datumetine. The foliage contains 0.2-0.5 % alkaloids, the fruits 0.12 %, the roots 0.1-0.2 %, the seeds 0.2-0.5 %.
Hyoscyamine is the ester of tropine with (-)-tropic acid, atropine with the racemic (±)-tropic acid and scopolamine is the ester of (-)tropic acid with scopine. Meteloidine (the ester of 6,7-ß-dihydroxy-tropine with tiglic acid) was the first alkaloid that was isolated from D. metel.
From the withanolide group daturiline, withameteline, daturilinol, seco-withameteline and various derivatives of daturameteline have been isolated.
PHARMACOLOGY :
Atropine and its derivatives don’t prevent the liberation of acethylcholine from the storage vesicles, but they act as muscarine receptor-antagonists; the tropane alkaloids are competitive inhibitors with acetylcholine and muscarine receptor-agonists at postganglionic junctions.
Atropine and scopolamine are physiologically active at doses of respectively 1 milligram and 0.5-1 milligram. Henbane is also physiologically active in cattle, fish and birds, but inactive in pigs.
The withanolides appear to possess anti-inflamatory-, immunesysystem simulating and antimutagenic activity.6 It is still unknown whether the withanolides are psychoactive or not.
MODIFIERS :
l Tropane alkaloids reduce effectivity of muscarine receptor-agonists (for example, arecoline, the active constituent of betel nuts).
l The effects of cannabis and opium poppies are potentiated.
l The effects of harmala-alkaloids (Peganum harmala, Banisteriopsis species) are altered and intensified.
l The tropane alkaloids of Datura species are positive synergic with mescaline (Peyote- and San Pedro cacti).
REFERENCES :
1. [Forth/ Henschler/ Rummel/ Fostermann/ Starke, 2001]
2. [Gottlieb]
3. [Hoffer/ Osmond, 1967]
4. [Hoffmann/ Schultes, 1973]
5. [Karrer, 1950]
6. [Ratsch, 1998]
(Text by Wout.) |
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