About the Book
Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 26. Chapters: Mandrake, Atropa belladonna, Withania somnifera, Hyoscyamus niger, Anisodus tanguticus, Petunia, Lycopersicon, Anthocercis, Duboisia, Mandragora officinarum, Duboisia hopwoodii, Schizanthus, Scopolia, Quincula, Solanoideae, Solanum retroflexum, Calibrachoa, Nicandra physaloides, Nolana, Fabiana, Solandra, Latua pubiflora, Duboisia myoporoides, Oryctes, Chamaesaracha, Streptosolen jamesonii, Calibrachoa parviflora, Salpiglossis sinuata, Cyphanthera, Mellissia, Scopolia carniolica, Acnistus arborescens, Browallia, Fabiana imbricata, Salpichroa origanifolia, Anthotroche, Scopolia japonica, Anthocercis viscosa, Browallia americana, Solandra maxima, Alona, Browallia speciosa, Physaleae, Lycieae, Anthotroche walcottii, Solandra grandiflora, Datureae, Hyoscyameae, Aureliana. Excerpt: Atropa belladonna or Atropa bella-donna, commonly known as Belladonna, Devil's Berries, Death Cherries or Deadly Nightshade, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Solanaceae, native to Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia. The foliage and berries are extremely toxic, containing tropane alkaloids. These toxins include scopolamine and hyoscyamine which cause a bizarre delirium and hallucinations, and are also used as pharmaceutical anticholinergics. The drug atropine is derived from the plant. It has a long history of use as a medicine, cosmetic, and poison. Before the Middle Ages, it was used as an anesthetic for surgery; the ancient Romans used it as a poison (the wife of Emperor Augustus and the wife of Claudius both used it to murder contemporaries); and predating this, it was used to make poison tipped arrows. The genus name "atropa" comes from Atropos, one of the three Fates in Greek mythology, and the name "bella donna" is derived from Italian and means "beautiful woman." Atropa belladonnaAtropa belladonna is a branching herbace...
