83 lines
4.2 KiB
Plaintext
83 lines
4.2 KiB
Plaintext
Newsgroups: alt.psychoactives,alt.drugs
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From: bwhite@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu (William E. White )
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Subject: Tropane alkaloids (was Re: jimson)
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Message-ID: <Cx0BBz.5y3@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu>
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Date: Sat, 1 Oct 1994 18:28:47 GMT
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[quoted text deleted -cak]
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"Datura" is a genus, not a chemical. The Datura genus includes species
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such as D. stramonium (jimsonweed), D. inoxia, D. metel, ... all of
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which are similarly toxic. The active alkaloids in the Datura species
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are the same as those in Hyoscyanimus niger (sp?) and Atropa belladonna,
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namely the tropane alkaloids.
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The tropanes include, primarily, atropine and scopolamine. They are
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antimuscarinics, which means they block acetylcholine receptors of the
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muscarinic subtype (the other subtype, nicotinic, is not affected by
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tropanes). There is some evidence that scopolamine is more psychoactive,
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possibly because it crosses the blood-brain barrier more readily.
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The muscarinic receptors (of which there are three identified subtypes,
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M1, M2, and M3) are the receptors of parasympathetic activity, which
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when stimulated cause:
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- decreased cardiac (heart) contraction rate
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- decreased cardiac contraction force
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- vasodilation
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- increased exocrine secretion
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- reduction of intraocular pressure
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- constriction of the pupil
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(and others)
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Being antimuscarinics, tropanes tend to produce the exact opposite effects.
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Tropanes are used medically to dilate the pupils, decrease acid secretion
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in the stomach, reduce nausea (especially that caused by motion sickness),
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and such. One commercial tropane drug is "Donnatal" (sp?) which is really
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nothing more than belladonna extract. Another is "TransDerm/Scop", a
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scopolamine patch for motion sickness.
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When used at higher than normal doses, tropanes produce some rather extreme
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psychoactive effects -- disorientation, confusion, hallucinations, delusions,
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panic, etc. The interesting thing about this class of hallucinogens is
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that the person taking the drug is often absolutely convinced that the
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hallucinations/delusions are, in every sense, real; furthermore, he or she
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may attempt to interact with them (and perceive normal response). This
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can range from amusing to dangerous. There is often a severe distortion
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of position/kinetic sense leading many to say they feel like they were
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in free-fall or flying.
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The really dangerous thing about tropanes is that they have rather strong
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peripheral effects in comparison to their psychoactive effects. The
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lethal dose / effective dose ratio is dangerously low; furthermore, the
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strength of tropanes in wild plants ranges considerably. The Datura
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genus may contain alkaloids which have neurotoxic effects, in addition to
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the tropane alkaloids.
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Interesting trivia bit #1: QNB (quinuclidinyl benzilate), a potent
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antimuscarinic with a somewhat larger lethal/effective dose window
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(possibly due to less activity at the M2 receptor, which is the cardiac
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receptor), was stockpiled by the army for use as a chemical weapon. The
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movie "Jacob's Ladder" was (very loosely) based on this.
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Interesting trivia bit #2: tropanes were (and still are, in some places)
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popular "folk" hallucinogens; typically the people preparing them had
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considerable experience with plants and were able to get the dosage
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right. In Europe during the inquisition and burning times, the Church
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(which prior to this had pretty much left folk culture to itself) became
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aware of these and lumped them in with the rest of low magic, i.e., as
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heresy (which it really wasn't, but that's another story); furthermore,
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the hallucinatory images (such as flying) may have contributed to the
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image of the "gothic" (Christian heretic) witch.
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It is hypothesized (support for this view is somewhat lacking) that the
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preparations, being topical, were often applied to a mucous membrane,
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in particular to the vagina and vaginal walls, using a broomstick as an
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applicator, thus the "witch riding the broomstick" image. Whether this
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is factual or complete bunk is up for debate.
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In any case, stay away from tropanes; they are far too dangerous.
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--
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| Bill White +1-614-594-3434 | bwhite@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu |
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| 44 Canterbury, Athens OH 45701 | finger for PGP2.2 block |
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