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Herb Groups
Antimuscarinics
Botanicals

Definition

Antimuscarinic Herbs

introduction:
Herbs in this group contain significant levels of tropane alkaloids, principally atropine, hyoscyamine and scopolamine (hyoscine). They are mostly found in the Solanaceae family. The tropane alkaloids have high potential toxicity, i..e., acting as competitive antgonists to acetylcholine at muscarinic receptors. The tropane alkaloid-containing herbs are dominated by the activity of their alkaloidal constituents and may beviewed as the more "drug-like" remedies in the herbal materia medica.

They have limited use in herbal medicine as antispasmodics, and they are not generally available in commerce except to licensed practitioners. Preparations of Datura spp. are used by some native peoples in North America and Mexico for ceremonial and hallucinogenic purposes.

overview of interactions:
• herbal constituents affecting drug toxicity: Atropine, Hyoscamine.

• herbal concerns: Parasympathomimetics herb group.

• herbal concerns: Sympathomimetics herb group.

• herbal concern: Toxicity

» Herbs:
herbal constituents affecting drug toxicity: Atropine, Hyoscamine.

• mechanism: Antimuscarinic herbs will additively interact with Atropine and Hyoscamine.

• herbal concerns: Clinically this might be an improbable scenario, although recreational abuse of tropane alkaloid containing plants has been reported.

herbal concern: Toxicity

• herbal concerns: Due to the high potential toxicity of tropane alkaloids, therapeutic administration of these herbs should only be undertaken by licensed practitioners and medical herbalists within safe therapeutic dose guidelines.

herbal concerns:
Indirect interaction with other herbs that affect autonomic nervous system activity may take place with herbs from the following herb groups:
Parasympathomimetics herb group.
Sympathomimetics herb group.

Common herbs with antimuscarinic activity:
Tropane alkaloid containing herbs are restricted in availability.

Restricted and unusual herbs with antimuscarinic activity:
Atropa belladonna (Belladonna) toxic
Datura stramonium (Jimson Weed) toxic
Hyoscyamus niger (Henbane) toxic
Mandragora officinarum (Mandrake root) toxic
Scopolia carniolica (Scopolia root) toxic


Footnotes

Blumenthal M, Gruenwald J, Hall T, & Riggins CW, (eds.) German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Monographs on Medicinal Plants for Human Use. Austin, TX: American Botanical Council, 1998.

Hardman J, et al. (eds.) Goodman &Gilman's Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. Ninth Edition. McGraw Hill, 1996.

McGuffin M, et al. (eds.) AHPA Botanical Safety Handbook . CRC Press, 1997.