Synonym: Datura herb, Angel's trumpet.

Biological source: Datura consists of the dried leaves and flowering tops of Datura metel

Family: Solanaceae.

Geographical source: India, England and other tropical and subtropical regions.

Cultivation, Collection and Preparation

Propagation method and period: Seeds. Since, germination is normally very slow the seeds

are soaked in, water and kept overnight, the rate of germination increases.

Collection: The drug is collected after 4 months of its cultivation. The leaves and branches are removed, drug is dried in the sun and marketed by packing in gunny bags.

Macroscopic characters:

Colour: Greyish green

Odour: Unpleasant odour

Taste: Bitter

Shape: Broken wrinkled, crushed leaves along with stem fragments and floral parts. The leaf is unequal at the base with acute apex and glabrous lamina,

Size: Length of 9 - 18 cm and width of 8 - 13 cm acute 2 - 4 broad lobes.

Flowers are reddish-purple on outer side and whitish on inner side, Corolla is thin, acuminate, triangular to circular in shape. Flowers are funnel shaped with pedicel which is never erect.

Flowers

Colour: Reddish-purple on outer side and whitish on inner side,

Shape: Corolla is thin, acuminate, triangular to circular in shape.

Flowers are funnel shaped with pedicel which is never erect.

Uses:

• • Hyoscine are parasympatholytic with anticholinergic and

  • Central nervous system depressant effects

  • In cerebral excitement

  • In treatment of asthma and cough.

  • In motion sickness, gastric or duodenal ulcers.