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| Brugmansia spp., Angel's Trumpet |
I've been receiving lots of comments about plants in the Datura and Brugmansia genus relating to their toxicity, so I thought a brief post about why I consider these Solanaceae family plants to be important members of a survival garden, might be appropriate. From balconies to acres, Datura and Brugmansia offer beauty, medicine and pollinator food.
Datura and Brugmansia are two different plant genus.
Brugmansias can be recognized by the large, long brilliantly colored trumpet-like flowers usually referred to as angel's trumpets. Brugmansia are also native to the tropical regions of South America and are used widely across North America as beautifully flowering large landscape shrubs. Some may even grow into small trees given the right climate, soil and watering conditions.
Daturas on the other hand are generally considered native to North and Central America. Daturas are not used as frequently in the landscape as Brugmansia and are smaller in plant and flower size than Brugmansia. One Datura species, jimson weed, Datura stramonium, is so widely found in fields and along roadsides, its seeds quickly spread by birds, that it is classified by local entities as an invasive plant.
Both plants bloom strangely ornate and colorful flowers and contain a mixture of tropane alkaloids. It is these alkaloids that are responsible for the toxicity and medicinal qualities of Datura and Brugmansia.
With respect to toxicity, both plants have been used by persons throughout the ages for attempted mind altering experiences. Because the plant's alkaloids act in a manner to interrupt our body's neurotransmitter processes, they can cause uncontrolled delirium and overly-fast heartbeats. Many of the alkaloids found in Datura and Brugmansia are described as anticholinergic. Anticholinergic alkaloids bind to the nerve cholinergic receptors.
The important issue to understand is that in normal health situations our bodies balance the ratio of cholinergic and anticholinergic compounds, each being necessary for proper neurological functioning.
Our bodies can develop imbalances in these two substances. If neurotransmitter ratio imbalances develop then health can rapidly deteriorate.
Too much cholinergic substances can overwhelm the neurotransmitting processes to the point where breathing and other bodily functions become almost impossible. Sarin VX and other nerve agents are organophosphate compounds that cause an overabundance of cholinergic neurotransmitters in our body. With the neurotransmitter compound ratios out of balance our body's ability to breath rapidly ceases.
Datura and Brugmansia seeds and flowers contain atropine. Atropine, along with other alkaloids can counter the cholinergic overload caused by organophosphate or nerve agent poisoning. Atropine is known as an anticholinergic alkaloid. With neurotransmitters it is all about maintaining the proper cholinergic and anticholinergic compound balances.
Atropine is the most widely used antidote to both nerve agent exposure (Sarin VX) and other organophosphate poisonings, like pesticide poisonings.
Some researchers have acknowledged the need for readily available antidotes to nerve agent exposure, especially as availability of toxic pesticides and nerve agents proliferate. Studies of Datura seed extracts as nerve agent antidotes are available across the internet.
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| Datura seeds contain Atropine, a nerve agent antidote |
According to the above linked study, jimson weed seeds (as do other Datura and Brugmansia seeds) contain a significant amount of the alkaloid atropine (along with other tropane alkaloids). An atropine extract can be made by simmering Datura seeds in water. This extract has been shown in mice to greatly reduce nerve agent exposure mortality.
Are we in the industrialized world subject to widespread nerve agent attacks? Are random organophosphate poisonings, a result of a terrorist attacks, possible? These are all risk management questions we must analyze ourselves as survivalists.
But while we are assessing the risks we could plant both eye-catching Datura and Brugmansia in our survival gardens. A final but important note here is that these plants ingested in toxic quantities can poison animals and humans alike. So take care and study up on these plants when adding them to your survival garden.
I like Datura and Brugmansia because of their alien-like wicked geometry and unusual hues. Pollinators, especially night-pollinating moths absolutely love these plants. You will find the flower fragrance is hypnotically sweet, a scent straight out of a frightening fairy tale.
Plants are amazing. Plants eat sunshine and dirt and drink water then synthesize phytochemicals humans have struggled to create.
Our survival as a human race is absolutely intertwined with the plants around us.
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