DATURA STRAMONIUM: Toxicology of an emergent drug

Jimson weed (Datura stramonium L), has been widely used for centuries in a mystical-religious context, as occurs with most natural hallucinogenic drugs. However, in the summer of 2011 its use was detected in Spain as a result of the death of two teenagers at a rave party in Getafe (Madrid) and also because of the acute intoxication of a teenager in Badajoz. These events generated great social alarm. These cases highlight the constant changes in the variability of hallucinatory drugs for party goers. The ready availability of this plant and the lack of understanding of the harmful effects of consuming it render it a serious public health issue. Jimson weed has hallucinatory as well as anticholinergic properties, due to its content in tropane alkaloids, of which we will focus on three: atropine (LD50= 10 mg for humans and 400 mg/kg in mice), hyoscyamine and scopolamine (LD50= 2-4 mg for humans 619 mg/kg in mice). The most common psychotic and organic effects induced include an altered mental state with hallucinations and tachycardia. Treatment is symptomatological, and an antidote, physostigmine, is available.