Дурман

Datura species are leafy herbaceous annuals or short-lived perennials that can reach up to 2 m in height, with trumpet-shaped flowers and spiny fruit capsules. The flowers are erect or spreading, unlike the pendulous flowers of Brugmansia. Most species are native to Mexico, which is considered the centre of origin of the genus. Angel's trumpets are placed in the closely related genus Brugmansia, not in Datura.

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Toxicity

All parts of Datura plants contain dangerous levels of the tropane alkaloids atropine, hyoscyamine and scopolamine, all of which are classified as deliriants or anticholinergics. The amount of toxins varies widely from plant to plant, by as much as 20:1. Poisoning in humans causes dilated pupils, increased heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature, dry mucous membranes, confusion, depression and incoherence. In one 26-year period in the United States, Datura species were responsible for 20% of fatal plant poisonings in humans, despite their consumption being uncommon. In some places, it is prohibited to buy, sell or cultivate Datura plants.

Alkaloids and medicine

Scopolamine is a muscarinic antagonist and tropane alkaloid used to treat motion sickness and postoperative nausea and vomiting. Atropine is used in the treatment of certain poisonings and heart conditions and to dilate the pupils in ophthalmology. The primary commercial sources of atropine and scopolamine are usually the genus Duboisia, and sometimes Brugmansia, rather than Datura.

Flower scent

In the southwestern United States, the jimsonweed Datura wrightii and the nocturnal sphinx moth Manduca sexta form a pollinator-plant and herbivore-plant association. Gas chromatography of the overnight floral headspace of Datura wrightii shows trans-β-ocimene, both enantiomers of linalool, benzyl alcohol, nerol and geraniol. The flowers of Datura wrightii produce small but consistent amounts of both enantiomers of linalool, less than 1 per cent of their total volatile emissions. The foliage of intact Datura wrightii released no detectable linalool.

Species

Classifying Datura by species is difficult, because the variation within a species can be extreme. Datura wrightii, commonly known as sacred datura, is a poisonous perennial plant native to the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Datura innoxia is a tuberous-rooted subshrub that typically reaches a height of 0.6 to 1.5 metres. Genetic research carried out in 2000 determined that Datura metel is a domesticated form of Datura innoxia.

Brugmansia

Brugmansia is a genus of seven species of woody trees or shrubs with pendulous flowers and no spines on their fruit.