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Thornapple or Datura stramomium is also known as Jimson weed
(a corruption of  Jamestown weed), stinkweed and mad apple. It 
has a foul smell and usually found wild in wasteland. It belongs to 
the nightshade (solanaceae) family and like all its members is 
extremely poisonous and can cause death. The troops of Marc 
Antony ate this plant when retreating from Parthia in 38AD leading 
to delirium, stupor and death. The name Jamestown weed came 
from the fact that it was in Jamestown County of Virginia that the 
plant was first found in North America. Daturine an alkaloid 
extracted from this plant is a combination of hyoscyamine and 
atropine. The extract cause mydriasis and cycloplegia. Smoking 
of the leaves can relieve asthma because of its anticholinergic 
effect. 
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