Dhatura

1. DHATURA POISONING By Natasha Puri M.Sc. Forensic Science (4 th - Sem.) 3940

2. PLANT PROFILE Family : Solanaceae English Name : Thorn Apple Indian Name : Dhatturah, Dhaturra Dhusturah ( Sanskrit ), Ummatti (Kannada) , Ummattai (Tamil ) , Kala Dhaturra (Hindi) Species : Dhatura fastuosa , D. stramonium , D. alba D. innoxia, D. metel, D.niger , D. atrox Use : Medicine ( small dose) Poison ( large dose)

3. INTRODUCTION The genus Dhatura, belonging to the Family Solanaceae. It falls under the category of Alkaloids and classified as True Alkaloid having Tropane type of alkaloid as a basic chemical ring. Consists of annual or perennial herbs, shrubs and grows mostly in warmer parts of the world. Out of the 15 species reported from the world, 10 species are found in India. Few Dhatura species like D . stramonium and D . innoxia are weeds. Other than India, the plant species are found in Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, Mexico. It grows on a variety of soils but prefer rich alkaline or neutral, clay-loamy soil, rich in organic matter for their successful growth.

4. SPECIES AND ITS ALKALOIDAL CONTENT Species Origin Leaves (%) Stem (%) Roots (%) Fruits (%) Seeds (%) fastuosa India, Asia and Africa 0.12 0.12 0.10 0.20 - stramonium India, USA and Europe 0.41- 0.45 0.25-0.26 0.21 0.46 0.19 alba India, Asia and Africa 0.12 0.12 0.10 0.20 - innoxia India and Mexico 0.25 0.3 0.39 0.12 0.23-0.25 metel India and Mexico 0.12 0.12 0.10 0.20 -

5. Leaves Flower Fruit Seeds Stem

6. ACTIVE PRINCIPLES Following are the active principles of Dhatura : 1. Hyoscine ( Scopolamine ) : C 17 H 21 NO 4 Present mainly in fruits 2. Hyoscyamine ( Scopoline ) : C 17 H 23 NO 3 present mainly in roots/seeds 3. Atropine : Present mainly in leaves/flowers Atropi Atropine

7. MODE OF ACTION Competitively inhibits muscarinic effects of Acetylcholine

8. SYMPTOMS Following are the symptoms which are First complained of usually within 30 min. after swallowing the drug : Vomiting ( immediately after taking the drug) Dryness of mouth and throat, burning pain in stomach, dysphagia, head ache and difficulty in talking Followed by : giddiness incoordination of muscle peculiar flushed appearance of the face photophobia dry hot skin with raised temperature dilation of pupil inability to pass urine delirium Fatal cases drowsiness passes into stupor, convulsions and coma Death occurs due to respiratory failure

9. POISON RESEMBLENCE Dhatura poisoning is having a resemblance with Atropine Poisoning and quoted as: Hot as a Hare Blind as a Bat Dry as a Bone Red as a Beet Mad as a Hen FATAL DOSE : Uncertain FATAL PERIOD : Death usually occurs within 24 hours

10. TREATMENT Stomach wash with water or a 2-4 % solution of tannic acid, also give sodium sulphate by mouth as a purgative Physiostigmine i.v or i.m route in the dose of 0.5mg at 1-2 hour interval Pilocarpine nitrate , Methacholine or Neostigmine in the dose of 6-15 mg Short acting Barbiturates Stimulants such as Caffeine and artificial respiration ,gives when necessary

11. POST-MORTEM APPEARANCES Fragments of seeds may be find in the stomach wash and intestines, so therefore it is necessary to make a careful search for them in : vomit matter stomach content faecal matter Congestion appears in : oesophagus stomach duodenum Inflammation in rare cases appears in mucous membrane of the stomach

12. EXTRACTION From Stomach wash, vomit and urine : Perform by using Following steps which are as follows: Step 1 : 50 ml of the material 10ml of 5% HCl saturated with Solid Ammonium sulphate Heat in boiling water for 30 min. and then filter it off through funnel Residue on funnel wash with 25 ml hot water

13. Step 2 : Step 1 ( Aqueous acidic filter solution) 50 ml ether In separating funnel and shake for 5 min. Ether Layer Aqueous layer Wash with 10 ml of 5% HCl A.A.Layer E.Layer NH 4 OH and extract with CHCl 3 :Ether Fractions combine & pass through anhyd . Sod. Sulphate & evaporate to dryness Aqueous Layer Use for test Discard Discard

14. ANALYSIS Physical appearance : a. Seeds are hard, flattened, kidney shaped b. very much resembling to those of capsicum seeds Microscopic Test : Fragments of seeds(Vomit or stomach wash) + Drop of Glycerin On Microscopic slide Observe under microscope Structure like eye-lid

15. Vitalis Test : Extracted Residue 0.5 % Acetic Acid (2ml) Porcelin basin & evaporate to dryness One drop of fuming nitric acid & again evaporate to dryness on a hot water bath After cooling add 1 drop of alcoholic caustic potash Violet color produce which immediately changes to red and then disappears. On adding few more drops of alcoholic caustic potash color again appears

16. Physiological Test : Extracted Residue 0.5 % Acetic Acid(ml) Instill into the eye of a cat 4 times at 1 hour interval Observe Dilation of pupil observe which is compare with other eye in which no drop of sample instill

17. Paper Chromatography : Media : Whatman No.1 Paper treat with 2% KCl Solvent System : Butanol : Acetic acid : Water (100:10:25) Location Reagent: Dragendroff’s Reagent Iodoplatinate spray Observation : 3 spots observe ATROPINE ( Rf 0.71) HYOSCINE (Rf 0.52) HYOSCYAMINE (Rf 0.54) S.No. Alkaloid Rf Color Dragendroff’s reagent Observe Iodoplatinate Spray 1. Atropine 0.71 Orange Blue/Brown 2. Hyoscine 0.52 Orange Blue/Brown 3. Hyoscyamine 0.54 Orange Brown

18. Thin Layer Chromatography : Adsorbent : Silica gel G Solvent system : Methanol : Water ( 70:30 ) Location Reagent : Dragendroff’s Reagent Observation : 3 spots observe ATROPINE ( Rf 0.33) HYOSCINE (Rf 0.40) HYOSCYAMINE (Rf 0.48) S.No. Alkaloids Rf Color with Dragendroff’s Reagent 1. Atropine 0.33 Orange 2. Hyoscine 0.40 Orange 3. Hyoscyamine 0.48 Orange

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