Datura or deliriant poisoning by Mr.Sunil Ahirwar (Forensic Expert)

toxic effect and treatment of DATURA poisoning

1. DATURA Mr. Sunil Ahirwar Tutor Dept. of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology Sakshi Medical College & Research Centre, Guna, India

2. Deliriant Poison- Which poison shown deliriant effect are categorized in this group. For e.g. : 1. Datura, 2. Cannabis Indica , 3. Cocaine, 4. Atropa Belladonna, 5. Hyoscyamus Niger etc.. Deliriant - 1.  A temporary state of mental confusion and fluctuating consciousness resulting from high fever,  intoxication , shock, or other causes.  2.  A state of uncontrolled excitement or emotion: sports fans in delirium after their team's victory.

3. Datura It is a wild plant found in every where in India. It grows in waste places. Many variety found of datura plant- Datura fastuosa grow in plain land these are two type: Datura alba (white flowered plant) & Datura niger (a deep purpled flowered plant) Datura stramonium /Thorn apple (pale green stem with large white flower) grow in high altitudes of temperate Himalayan range. Datura metel , Datura atrox , Datura folia , Datura semina etc..

4. Datura seed- yellowish brown, more or less kidney shaped, large and thick in size. All part of plant are poisonous, but the fruits and the seeds are dangerous. Datura Fruit- Ashy grey, spherical in shape with spinous projections on the surface. something 500 seeds present in a fruit.

5. Toxic principle: It contain 0.2 % to 1.4 % of scopolamine ( hyoscine ) alcaloid , hyoscyamine alcaloid and traces of atropine alcaloid . Scopolamine is one of the active ingredient of Truth serum used for narco analysis. Position in classification: cerebral , deliriant . Fatal dose : 1gm (100-125 seeds) Fatal priod : 24 hour

6. Mode of action: it has got both central and peripheral action. Small dose; it stimulates CNS. Moderate dose; cause somnolence, deep sleep. Larger dose; causes delirium, depression, loss of consciousness and coma. Mainly anticholinergic effects CNS, CVS, Eyes, Smooth Muscles, Glands, Body Temp, Local Anasthetics , decreases bronchial secretion, etc.

7. Sign & Symptoms: Hot as hare: Body temp. may rise as high as 105-107 F Red as beet: Face becomes flusied , conjuntiva red. Blind as bat: Pupils dilated, photophobia, diplopia & loss of accomodation of near vision, temporary blindness,drowsiness leading to coma. Dry like bone: mouth and troat will be dry, intense thirst Nausia , vomiting, drunkun gait, drowsiness

8. Death due to respiratory failure Dilated blood vessels resulting in flushing of face. Muttering delirium is present in irrelavant talking Ping rolling movement(also seen in perkinsonism ) Carphologia - picking up of imaginary threads from cloths, bed sheets.

9. Treatment: Stomach wash with Potasium permagnet and weak solution of tanic acid. Strong tea , coffee specific. antidotes; prostigmin , pilocarpine nitrates, physostigmine . Deprassion may be treated with amphetamines.

10. Post-mortem Appearance: Not characteristic. Dilated pupils Gen. signs of poisoning Seeds resists putrefication hence can be recovered from decomposed body. Test for detection: Physiological test: (a drop of suspected solution is put into the eye of cat- result is positive if there is dilation of pupils.). Vitale’s test, Mydriatic test, microscopic test, chromatography, electrophorasis etc.

11. Medico-legal Aspects Commercial /judicious use: Hakims and vaidyas use extracted juice with butter and ghee for reduce pain in arthritis, but it applied over broken skin, it may lead to poisoning. Criminal/ injudicious use: Homicide Suicide Accidental Abortifacient

12. Thank you