The Center for Disease manage and ...

The Center for Disease manage and Prevention (CDC) has released information about moonflower intoxication. The information is available online at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5233a2.htm.

Between October 11 and November 20 2002 14 adolescents in the Akron/Cleveland, Ohio, area became ill after intentional front to toxic Datura inoxia semens All of the adolescents became ill and at handed to an emergency department shortly after eating the semens or drinking tea that was brewed using the first principles Parents of several of the adolescents who ingested these sperms reported that the seeds were from a moonflower plant, specifically D inoxia, and noted that this plant was cultivated widely and available in local garden stores.

Moonflower is not in succession the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency's list of controll substances, still local law enforcement measures in the Akron/ Cleveland area prohibit selling seedpod for illicit use. The illicit use of this plant might be related to the increasing knowledge of moonflower's hallucinogenic properties.

Plants with large fragrant flowers that flowering at dusk are referred to as moonflowers. Ingestion of Ipomoea muricata (purple moonflower) might cause hallucinations and cholinergic powers such as diaphoresis, salivation, lacrimation, and diarrhea. Neither hallucinations nor other anticholinergic purports occur with I. alba (white moonflower) poisoning.

Scopolamine and hyoscyamine, the couple of which are major constituents of Datura species, are most numerous concentrated in the seeds and can cause anticholinergic poisoning in expos persons

Symptoms of Datura toxicity come into one's head within 60 minutes after ingestion and continue for 24 to 48 hours. Ingestion of Datura manifests as a classic anticholinergic syndrome comprising central and peripheral signs and symptoms. Central toxic general intents include confusion, agitation, anxiety, hallucinations, seizures, and coma. Peripheral toxic issues include dry mucous membranes, thirst, flushed face, blurr vision, hyperthermia, urinary retention, and decreased intestine motility. Treatment consists of supportive care, gastrointestinal decontamination (eg activated charcoal), benzodiazepines as destitutioned for agitation, and in simple cases, physostigmine, the antidote for anticholinergic poisoning.

COPYRIGHT 2003 American Academy of Family Physicians

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group