This will probably never be made into an anti-drug ad campaign, but I can't imagine a stronger deterrent.
Angel's Trumpet is a flower that contains scopolamine and other alkaloids. It's known as a "biogenic drug" and presumed by naive recreational drug users to be harmless because it's a plant. However, it can cause psychosis, delirium, visual hallucinations, agitation, incoherence, aggressive behaviour, memory problems and "convulsive sobbing" as well as somatic symptoms and well, things like this incident.
A case study describes an 18-year-old male with no history of mental disorders who consumed Angel's Trumpet and snipped off his penis and his tongue with garden pruning shears. He was rushed to hospital but the amputated parts could not be re-attached. He later had complete amnesia for the event. "... illustrating that consuming this beautiful flower with the name of an angel and the poison of the devil can be very dangerous."
Self-amputation of penis and tongue after use of Angel's Trumpet. Marneros et al., European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 2006 Oct;256(7):458-9 [paywall]
Brain & Behavior
Medicine & Health
Comments
Never a good idea to trip in the presence of garden shears.
Posted by: Shelley | December 10, 2007 1:07 PM
Yep. I think there are many cautionary lessons from this case.
Posted by: Sandra Kiume | December 10, 2007 3:23 PM
Well... all I can say is
GGHHHYYYAAAAHHHH!HHHHHH!H!!!!!!!!
Seriously though, while I'm curious about the effects of hallucinogens, I worry that it might increase the instances or duration of small cognitive breaks I have on occasion. Things like this just reinforce that concern.
Posted by: Left_Wing_Fox | December 10, 2007 3:36 PM
Some things to note here:
1)scopolamine is not scheduled in the US i.e. unlike LSD, mescaline..etc, it's not an illegal drug. Why? Despite its easier availability, its prevalence isn't that high. Why? Because of its very weird, aversive phenomenology (like in this case)
2)As David Nichols points out in his overview of 5-HT2a hallucinogens, "What are hallucinogens? This term was originally coined because of the notion that these substances produce hallucinations, an effect, however, that they do not ordinarily elicit, at least at typical dosages. Thus, that name is a misnomer. Today, unfortunately, hallucinogen appears almost to have become a catchall category, often representing pharmacological substances ranging from cannabinoids and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonists to anticholinergic agents, ecstasy (MDMA; 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine), and many others. The common theme of all these classes of pharmacologically active substances is that they alter consciousness, often in dramatic and unpredictable ways, and in high doses may produce delirium, true hallucinations, loss of contact with reality, and in some cases death.". LSD, psilocin are serotonergic agents whereas scopolamine, atropine (both legal) are mACh antagonists.
Posted by: daksya | December 11, 2007 12:48 AM
So,now is he going to become a female?????
Posted by: Fred Greene | December 13, 2007 2:53 AM
Not without gender reassignment surgery, Fred.
Posted by: Sandra | December 13, 2007 8:54 PM
that plant is so potent. everyone is going crazy when they ingest it hehehe..
Posted by: Macnerdzcare | December 17, 2007 2:08 AM