Toxicity Of Belladonna Plant
Belladonna is known for its toxicity. It is one of the most poisonous plant species found in the Western hemisphere. All parts of the belladonna plant are toxic. In fact belladonna berries are greatest danger to children as it looks very attractive and somewhat taste sweet. The following article reveals information about toxicity of belladonna plant.
All parts of the plant are poisonous containing tropane alkaloids. Consumption of two to five berries by children and ten to twenty berries by adult can be fatal. Even the ingestion of a leaf can be lethal to an adult. The information on toxicity of atropa belladonna also reveals that the most toxic part of the belladonna is the root of the plant, though this can vary from one specimen to another. The active agents in belladonna, atropine, hyoscine and hyoscyamine have anticholinergic properties. Read on to know more about poisonous belladonna plant.
Moving further with the information on toxicity of deadly nightshade, the symptoms of belladonna poisoning is almost similar to those for atropine which include fever, hallucination, dilation of pupils, headache, flushed skin, nausea, loss of balance, dry throat, urinary detention, convulsions, and delirium. Other symptoms can be complete dryness of skin. However, fatal cases have a rapid pulse that turns feeble. The antidote is physostigmine or pilocarpine, the same as for atropine.
Information on belladonna toxicity further reveals that the deadly symptoms of belladonna are caused by atropine's effect and disruption of the parasympathetic nervous system’s ability to regulate non-volitional/subconscious activities such as sweating, breathing, and heart rate. Toxicity of belladonna plant information also reveals that this plant is also toxic to many domestic animals and livestock. Belladonna poisoning can caused narcosis and paralysis to animals. However, cattle and rabbits eat the plant seemingly without suffering harmful effects.