Introduction

The use of botanicals in their natural unprocessed form undoubtedly began when the first intelligent animal noticed that certain plants altered particular body function (Katzung, 2004). Hallucinogenic plants have been use as mind altering agents since the beginning of the recorded history. Besides being their use for therapeutic purposes, these agents are also use inform of abuse by criminals because of the fact that the agents in question produce a transient psychotic state to the user called “hallucination”; which is a sensory experience of something that does not exits out side mind. Hallucinations are defined also as “an apparent perception of an external object when no such object is present. It is to be differentiated from illusions in which real perceptions are misinterpreted (Hinsie and Campbell, 1970). It may involve distorted sensory perception so that things look differently from what they are (Marek, 1998). Consequences of the use of hallucinogenic plants for abuse include criminal tendencies men, prostitution in women and other social unrest.

Datura metel is one of the most interesting plants with hallucinogenic properties. The plant is used for the treatment of asthma, depression, motion sickness and analgesic (Bonde, 2001). The watery extract of the leaves is applied around the eyes for the treatment of cataract (Conklin and Marie, 1976). The seeds were also use some time for criminal purposes. The criminal intoxicate themselves with boiled seed before perpetrating their acts.

The widespread, uncontrolled use of these plants has made it necessary to apply scientific knowledge in order to ascertain the nature of these plants. The present study was therefore undertaken to investigate the possible active compound responsible for causing hallucination to the users.

Corresponding Author: A. N. Ukwuani, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Kebbi state university and technology, Aliero, Nigeria. Email: pinknnenna@yahoo.com

Materials and Method

Collection of Plant Material

Solvent Extraction and Fractionation

Aqueous Extraction

Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrophotmetry

Experimental Animals

Extract Administration

The animals were divided into four groups of five rats each. Animals in group 2, 3, and 4 were given oral administration of 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8mg/kg of the aqueous extract respectively. The group 1 received distilled water. The procedure is shown below;

Figure 1

The extract was administered for 2 days and after the extract administration each day, the behaviour of the animals were monitored. The respiratory and heart rate were also measured. The respiratory rate was measured by counting the number of breathing per minute, and the mean was obtained from triplicate counts. Similarly, the heart rate was measured by feeling the pulse at the wrist and then the number of pulse per minutes was recorded. The mean was obtained by triplicate values ( Anika and Shetty, 1982). The rates of food and water consumption were also monitored by measuring the food and water intake, before and after the following morning. The animals were then allowed for 72 hours in which each day their behaviour and their physical body parameters were observed and monitored.

Brain analysis

Vitamin A

Vitamin C

Vitamin E

Statistics

Results

Gas chromatography mass spectrophotometry

Figure 2

Fig. 1.0 shows that, the GC-MS recorded the ethanolic seed extract of the to contain an alkaloid scopolamine.

Effect of aqueous seed extract of on behaviour and physical parameters on rats.

Effect of aqueous seed extract of on food and water intake.

Effect of aqueous seed extract of on heart and respiratory rate.

Effect of aqueous extract of on vitamin A, C and E in brain.

Table 3: Shows the effect of the extract on vitamin A,C, and E in the brain of the rats. The result shows a significant decrease (P<0.05) with increase in dose of the D.metel extract.

Figure 3

TABLE 1: EFFECT OF EXTRACT ON FOOD AND WATER INTAKE.

Figure 4

TABLE 2: EFFECT OF EXTRACT ON RESPIRATORY RATE AND HEART RATE.

Figure 5

TABLE 3: EFFECT OF EXTRACT ON VITAMIN A, C AND E, IN BRAIN.

Discussion

Hallucinogens are compound that caused hallucination. Hallucination is sensory experience of something that does not exist outside mind. It may involve distorted sensory perception so that things look sound, smell, or feel differently from the way they are. Although typically associated with psychiatric disorder, the hallucinatory experience has a wide range of etiologies that may include but not limited to the following: neurological insult, seizure and sleep disorders, drug reaction, substance abuse, grief, stress as well as metabolic, endocrine and infectious diseases (Hinsie and Campbell, 1970). The compound cause hallucination by mimicking or other wise affect neuro effectors junctions. Such agent exerts their influences in several ways; interference with the synthesis or release of the transmitter, interact with receptor and causes the destruction, dispersal or dissipation of transmitter (Wilhem, 1964).

GCMS result obtained recorded, that the ethanolic extract shows the presence of scopolamine. This scopolamine is structurally analogues to a neuro transmitter acetylcholine, and therefore inhibits the effect of the neuro transmitter. Acetylcholine is found in both peripheral nervous system (PNS) and in the central nervous system (CNS) as a neuro modulator (katzung, 2003).

Scopolamine competitively inhibit the acetylcholine at muscarinic acetylcholine receptors found in both peripheral and central nervous system (Foye et al.,1995). The decrease in locomotor activity immediately after extract administration as observed may be due to the inhibition of acetylcholine at M₃ receptors of the ending vagus nerves of the muscle. Normally acetylcholine is released when an exited neurons diffuses a few micrometers across the synaptic cleft or neuromuscular junction to the postsynaptic neuron or myocyte, where it interacts with it receptor and triggers electrical excitation (depolarization) of the receiving cell, depolarization of the muscle fibre triggers muscle contraction (Michael and David, 2005).

The emergence of pupil’s dilatation treated groups shows the peripheral action of the extract even in lower dose which may be the paralysis of the oculomotor nerve ending or its myoneural junction.The dryness of the mouth of the treated animals suggest that, the extract have effect on submaxillary gland that control the secretion of saliva. Since muscarinic receptors when bound to acetylcholine in submaxillary gland stimulate gastric acid secretion, salivation and lacrimation (Foye et al., 1995). Therefore, the absence of saliva indicates the competitive activity of the extract on the gland.

The restlessness and hyperactivity exhibited by the treated animals serve as a marker for the action of the extract on central nervous system which comprises the brain and the spinal cord. Acetylcholine has effect on excitability of central nervous system (CNS), its presence causes a slow depolarization by blocking a tonically active K⁺ current which increase neuronal excitability (Katzung,2004) while in the brain muscarinic receptor (M₅) is found in substantial nigra where it regulate dopamine release at terminals within the striatum (Foye et al., 1995). This could be probably the reason for Hallucination effects of the D. metel by affecting the dopamine release.

The food and water intake significantly (P<0.05) decrease with increase in the dose of the extract throughout the experiment as compared with control, indicating that, the extract suppress apatite. From the result the effect of extract on heart rate shows significance (P<0.05) increase with increase in the dose of the extract. Acetylcholine induces decreased contraction in cardiac muscle fibers by binding to its M₂ receptors found in cardiac muscle (Foye et al., 1995). But due to the presence of scopolamine, it inhibits the activity of the acetylcholine at the receptor and hence result in rapid heart beat.

The rate of respiration is also significantly (P<0.05) increase as compared with control. The increase in respiration is due to the Broncho dilation that occur when the bind to the M₃ receptor on air way smooth muscles. In the airways acetylcholine is released from efferent ending of the vagus nerves and bind to the M₃ receptor there by mediating boroncho constriction (katzun,2004). The competitive inhibition of scopolamine to the acetylcholine results in broncho dilation hence increase in respiration.

The effect of extract on vitamin A, C, and E shows that the D. metel extract significantly (P<0.05) decrease the levels of these vitamins in the brain suggesting that the extract depletes these vitamins in the brain. Vitamin A, C and E are called antioxidants vitamin, they scavenge the oxygen free radicals which cause lipid peroxidation which causes delayed reversible demylinazation of white matter in the central nervous system, and can lead to edema and focal areas of necrosis within the brain (Gorman et al., 2003). Therefore, the potential of causing brain damage by the extract of D. metel has been significantly elucidated by the result of this study.

The findings of our research clearly validate the action of D.metel on central nervous system (CNS) and pheriparal nervous system (PNS) and this provide the evidence to support the use of such plant for medicinal, social or even rituals in the past.