- Hyoscyamine is a chemical found in certain plants of the Solanaceae family, including henbane (Hyoscyamus niger), mandrake (Mandragora officinarum), and deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna). High amounts of hyoscyamine are present in the stems and leaves of young jimson weed (Datura stramonium) plants.
- Extracts of the henbane plant containing hyoscyamine have been used for thousands of years to treat depression. The dried leaves of hyoscyamine-containing plants were smoked for the relief of acute asthma. Jimson weed, which contains high amounts of hyoscyamine, has been commonly used by Native Americans and Native Mexicans as a hallucinogen during various rituals. Hyoscyamine and other belladonna alkaloids were used to treat Parkinson's disease in the early 1900s.
- Hyoscyamine has been used to relieve symptoms of various gastrointestinal disorders, including spasms, peptic ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, pancreatitis, colic, and cystitis.
- At this time, high-quality human trials supporting the use of hyoscyamine for any indication are lacking. In general, the use of hyoscyamine has been replaced by therapies with fewer adverse effects.
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Hyoscyamine
Contents
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