The tropane alkaloid atropine, which occurs naturally in various plant parts of some nightshade plants such as mandrake, angel's trumpet, jimson weed, belladonna or henbane, acts as a non-selective competitive and reversible muscarinic receptor antagonist. It displaces the natural ligand, the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, from the muscarinic receptors and thus reduces the effect of the parasympathetic nervous system.
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Atropin poisoningT44.3
DefinitionThis section has been translated automatically.
Clinical featuresThis section has been translated automatically.
Atropine poisoning causes "anticholinergic symptoms". The symptom complex is called anticholinergic syndrome with:
- Fever,
- dry mouth,
- tachycardia,
- urinary retention,
- constipation,
- mydriasis,
- skin flushing,
- delirium (with severe motor agitation) and confusion.
- confusion, sometimes with hallucinations.
At high doses, unconsciousness, seizures and respiratory paralysis occur. Physostigmine is used as a specific antidote in severe intoxication. Therapeutically, atropine is mainly used in ophthalmology and emergency medicine.