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BELLADONNA
Source: Atropa belladonnaL. or its variety
acuminata Royle ex Lindl. (Family
Solanaceae).
Common/vernacular names: Belladonna,
deadly nightshade.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Atropa belladonnais a perennial herb that
grows up to 1 m high with black fruit (a berry);
native to central and southern Europe and Asia
Minor; now cultivated worldwide, including
theUnited States,United Kingdom,China,and
India. Partsused are the driedleaves(including
flowering and fruiting tops) and roots.
The specific epithetbelladonnais of Italian
origin, meaning “beautiful lady.” This refers
to the former practice of Italian women in
using the juice of the berry on the eyes to dilate
the pupils, giving them a striking appearance.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
Leaves and roots contain tropane alkaloids
(0.3–0.5%) that are composed mainly of
l-hyoscyamine (95–98%) and traces of l-
scopolamine (hyoscine) and atropine (dl-hy-
oscyamine); their concentration and propor-
tions vary greatly with age of the plant. On
extraction most of thel-hyoscyamine is race-
mized to atropine. Other alkaloids isolated
include l-hyoscyamine N-oxide (equatorial
and axialN-oxide isomers) andl-hyoscine
N-oxide (equatorial isomer); roots contain
cuscohygrine, which is absent in the leaves.
A total of at least 14 alkaloids have been found
in the root.1,2Flavonoids scopolin, scopoletin,
7-methylquercetin, and a methylkaempferol
are present in leaves (STAHL).3,4The seeds
contain spirostane-type steroidal glycosides
(atroposides A through H).^5
PHARMACOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL
ACTIVITIES
Low doses of the plant in mice produced
protective effects against the effects of exper-
imental stress, including immunoprotective,
gastroprotective, and behavioral (neurotropic)
protection.^6 The activity of belladonna is due
to its alkaloids, primarily atropine. Atropine is
anticholinergic, both central and peripheral.
Its effect on the central nervous system is first
stimulation and then depression. Its peripheral
anticholinergic effects include reducing secre-
tions (e.g., sweat, tears, saliva, nasal, gastric,
and intestinal), decreasing gastric and intesti-
nal motility, and increasing heart rate. Other
activities include dilatation of the pupil,
increase of intraocular pressure, and photo-
phobia. The activities ofl-hyoscyamine and
l-scopolamine are essentially the same as
those of atropine, except that scopolamine is
a powerful hypnotic and usually slows rather
than increases the heart rate.
88 Belladonna
