Medicinal Uses
The plant has been used since ancient times to treat many ailments. The leaves and flowers are used as analgesic, tonic, febrifuge and carminative while the roots, seeds, stems, berries and egg shells are also employed in the treatment of bone cancer, tumors and various other diseases. Datura stramonium is also the source of the tropane alkaloids (a group of substances with methylated nitrogen atoms and anticholinergic properties) atropine and scopolamine. The plant is named after Nicolas Monardes, a 17th-century physician, in recognition of his contribution to herbal medicine and the knowledge of medicinal plants.
The plant is used as a dye in the Caribbean and is sometimes eaten. Consumption of the berries may lead to serious anticholinergic poisoning.
Phytochemicals
Phytochemicals are plant-based substances with varying roles in the oxidative reactions of the body. The polyphenol resveratrol that made headlines as the French paradox, for example, promotes longevity and is more effective than diclofenac sodium in treating inflammatory disorders [1].
Nutritional antioxidant phytochemicals stimulate mild cellular stress responses when consumed at small doses. These responses, called hormesis, may counteract or diminish the toxic effects of higher doses of compounds or radiation.
Many anticancer phytochemicals target epigenetic processes that are implicated in carcinogenesis through oxidative stress. Among these, curcumin (from the plant Curcuma longa) exhibits antiproliferative and cytostatic properties. Phenolic phytochemicals such as flavonoids, coumarins, isoflavones, and tannins also possess anticancer potential. These phytochemicals inhibit oxidative damage to DNA by interfering with one of the steps in the Fenton reaction. Antimalarial phenolic phytochemicals such as hesperidin, quercetin, naringin, and silymarin have been shown to be effective in treating sepsis through inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum protein synthesis [1]. A combination of vitamin D and these phytochemicals promote healthy gut microbiota and upregulate immune responses by increasing butyric acid-producing bacteria, thus suppressing chronic inflammation and decreasing production of TNF- thereby reducing the risk of infections. For more details please visit dewameta
Pesticides
Durmet is an organophosphate insecticide with both contact and stomach actions that can be applied to crops through foliar spraying, soil drenching, seed dipping, or seed treatment. It is an effective solution against a range of pests including bollworms, stemborers, grubs, termites, and fruit borers on various crops such as cotton, paddy, beans, vegetables, and fruits.
A recent study of the human health risk assessment for the aromatic amine pesticide imazethapyr found an increased risk of bladder and colon cancers among applicators. Further investigation of these findings is required. (Rate ratios were 137% for bladder and 78% for colon cancer). These findings may be a new contributing factor in the etiology of these cancers. NPIC fact sheets provide more information. (Source: University of California One Health Center)