Don't forget to be careful.....

16 years ago

I know that Brugs and Datura are poisonous, as I'm sure you all know too, but it's easy to become a little careless when handling them. After years of touching, pruning, and admiring these beauties, something has happened that has caused me to post. Last night I came in for dinner after doing my normal gardening "routine" which included snapping off pesky yellow leaves, smelling the Datura, pinching off wilting Brugs flowers. I quickly rinsed my hands, not using soap because the dish soap had disappeared from next to the sink (husband had moved it...somewhere) A few hours later, I noticed my vision was blurry in one eye. I cleaned my glasses, rubbed my eyes several times, kept watching TV. Finally I asked my husband "Is my eye all red? it's kinda blurry..." He freaked out because one pupil was big and black, while the other is normal. I ran to the mirror...it was true! This has never, ever happened before, even though I have been touching my plants without gloves for years. It is now about 10 hrs later and my pupil is still a little dilated, not as bad as last night, but appears to be getting better. After doing some internet research, I'm pretty sure that this is the reason for my dilated pupil, but I'm gonna go to the Dr later today if it hasn't gone down completely. Be very, very careful with these plants everybody, even if you've never had problems with handling these pants in the past. I will be wearing gloves from now on...hope you will too.

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Comments (11)

karyn1
16 years ago
Your pupil should return to normal within 24 hours. That's a pretty common reaction and I can imagine it would freak you out. Even people who's skin isn't sensitive to the brug and datura sap will have this happen if it gets into their eyes. I hope everything is fine now.
Karyn
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jroot
16 years ago
I had this experience myself. Freaked me out for a while until I realized what had happened. I now take more care. Thanks for the reminder.
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technodweeb
16 years ago
Thank you for the reminder.

IÂm VERY lax when it comes to washing my hands right after handling these.

Dweeb
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sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
16 years ago
I used to be super sensitive to brugs. I have a lot of wierd allergies anyways. I would break out in hives when I touched a brug's sap and then touched my arms, face, etc. But I have noticed that through the years I have become much less sensitive to the sap. Now it doesn't really affect me at all. I haven't gotten it in my eyes lately though. Hopefully yours has gotten better by now.
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beachplant
16 years ago
QUICK! Go get an eye exam!
Seriously, not a big problem. Happened to a friend of mine also. Just make sure you wear sunglasses until your pupils return to normal.
Tally Ho!
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tngreenthumb
16 years ago
The chemicals in brugs is similar (may be the same) as in Belladona. Women used to use drops of Belladona in water to dialte their eyes to make them "more beautiful". Of course they also ended up blind as a bat after a while...

Also, the drops used at the optometrist's office work in a similar way.

I've had it happen before. And aside from looking like you have severe brain damage, there should be no lasting harm.
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sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
16 years ago
Our eyes pupils dilate naturally in low light situations to in order for more light to enter the eye and aid in our vision. When your eye is in a dilated state you probably shouldn't go out into bright sunlight and look directly at the sun or bright lights. Your pupils cannot adjust on thier own when under drug influence and are not able to constrict in order to block out damaging suns rays. So just to be a little on the safe side and because everyone is different I would wear shades outdoors if my pupils were dilated. Eye doctors used to give out these cheap dark sunglasses after they dilated your pupils for the ride home (do they still do that- lol)?
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mdahms1979
16 years ago
If anyone has ever had an eye exam the drops they put into your eyes contain the tropane alkaloid Scopolamine. Scopolamine is one of the alkaloids contained in many of the Solanaceous plants including Brugmansia. The dilation of the pupil is not dangerous as long as you protect your eyes from bright light until the pupil is able to constrict again. Scopolamine is also used extensivly to treat motion sickness and is often applied using a dermal patch. Brugmansias are no doubt toxic but unless you have an allergy or you ingest part of your plant you will be fine. Remember these plants have been used in a ritual atmosphere in several South American countries for hundreds of years where they ingest a concoction of the flowers or leaves accompanied with other alkaloid rich plants. Of course this is a very serious undertaking and could be life threatening but I think it is important that the general public knows that these plants are not as dangerous as everyone says they are if you treat them with respect, just don't eat them and you will be fine. Children because of their size are obviously more sensitive so it is always a good idea to keep an eye on them and teach them not to put anything in their mouth unless it came from mom or dad or the refrigerator.

Here is a link that might be useful: Scopolamine eye drops
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oxmyx
16 years ago
well said.... and thank you mikedahms
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kadasuki
16 years ago
One of the problems with the daturas, is experimental drug use by youths. My nephew durn near died of Jimson Weed aka Thornapple, locoweed, stinkwell, dragon apple, etc. It is from the Datura stramonium and is very hallucinagenic and NOT a controlled substance nor illegal, just highly poisonous. Kids raid neighbors' gardens harvesting the seeds which they then use for their highs and many die of the overdose.
In the past, locoweed, killed many horses and cattle.
The flowers are heavenly, but we must remember that kids will try anything, expecially this when they learn there are no legal problems with it.
Kat
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knotz
16 years ago
Oh my gosh!!!...It just happened to me...I moved a brug in my greenhouse a couple hours ago and notice i had a blurry eye..I went to check in the mirror and sure enough, my right pupil it bigger...I've had brugs for years and this is a first...I never even thought of it...My eye allergies are bugging me so of course I had to scratch my eyes...YUCK!!...I'm trusting you guys that it will go away...Looks aweful!!

Thanks for the info...I didn't even know this happened...
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Don't forget to be careful.....

Comments (11)

karyn1

jroot

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