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Thornapple or
Datura stramomium is also known as Jimson weed
(a corruption of Jamestown weed), stinkweed and
mad apple. It
has a foul smell and usually found wild in wasteland.
It belongs to
the nightshade (solanaceae) family and like all its members
is
extremely poisonous and can cause death. The troops of
Marc
Antony ate this plant when retreating from Parthia in
38AD leading
to delirium, stupor and death. The name Jamestown weed
came
from the fact that it was in Jamestown County of Virginia
that the
plant was first found in North America. Daturine an alkaloid
extracted from this plant is a combination of hyoscyamine
and
atropine. The extract cause mydriasis and cycloplegia.
Smoking
of the leaves can relieve asthma because of its anticholinergic
effect. |
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