Atropin poisoning T44.3

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.

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.