such material. ''o my knowledge, no other Datura ma- 
terial deriving from populations in the Valley has been 
analyzed chemically or pharmacologically. 
The alkaloids of the genus Datura have been subjected 
to intensive study. For a concise review by Edward 
Leete see Avery et al. (1). The principal alkaloids of the 
tree Daturas are the tropanes hyoscine (scopolamine), 
hyoscyamine and atropine. W.C. Evans and his co- 
workers are actively investigating these and closely re- 
lated alkaloids in Datura cornigera (white flowered) and 
D. sanguinea (11, 12, 18, 14). Their efforts promise to 
demonstrate alkaloidal composition and biogenesis in all 
the tree Daturas. They are currently analyzing several 
of the cultivars described herein. The roots of tree Da- 
turas, like those of the herbaceous forms, contain in ad- 
dition to the above named alkaloids, esters of tighic acid 
with 3a-hydroxy-, 8a, 6 B-dihydroxy- and 8a, 6 6, 7 B- 
trihydroxytropane. Ditigloyl esters appear to be present 
in all the Datura species examined. D. sanguinea con- 
tains acetoxy derivatives, one occurring as the mixed 
ester 8a-tigloyl-6 B-acetoxytropane. 
a) / ‘ . 
Pharmacology 
The psychotropic effects of the crude drugs upon the 
Sibundoy have been noted above. 
Atropine, hyoscyamine and scopolamine are of con- 
siderable importance in modern medical practice, but the 
commercial sources of the drugs at present are other 
solanaceous genera, Duboisia and Hyoscyamus. 
Henry summarizes the pharmacologic effects of these 
as follows (17): 
When administered internally in toxic doses, atropine at first stimu- 
lates but eventually depresses the central nervous system, giving rise 
to hallucinations, incoherent speech, delirium and convulsions, 
followed by stupor and coma, It paralyzes muscles and secretory 
glands to the effects of stimulation by post ganglionic, cholinergic, 
[ 196 | 
