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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

A comparative study of behavioural and autonomic effects of atropine and Atropa belladonna.

Atropa belladonna L. (Solanaceae) tincture was compared with atropine for its anticholinergic activity, both in vivo and in vitro. In all tests, the biological activity of A. belladonna resulted greater than that suggested by its alkaloid content. The results suggest the presence in A. belladonna leaves of unknown compounds with a significant biological activity.

Alkaloids↗

Effects of the rol C gene on hairy root: induction development and tropane alkaloid production by Atropa belladonna.

Two series of Atropa belladonna hairy root lines were obtained, the first one transformed via Agrobacterium tumefaciens harboring rol C and npt II genes, and the other transformed with rol ABC and npt II genes. Thirteen hairy root lines were obtained and selected on hormone-free medium. The transformation was confirmed by PCR analysis, and these root lines were first examinated for their growth rate. Then hyoscyamine and scopolamine production was measured after 3 and 4 weeks of culture to evaluate the possible role of rol C gene in tropane alkaloid formation. The rol C gene alone played a significant role in the hairy root growth rate (17-fold increase). However this effect was much lower than that induced by the rol ABC genes together (75-fold increase). In contrast, the rol C gene alone was as efficient as the rol ABC genes together (mean value of total alkaloids: 0.36% dry weight, i.e., 12-fold times more than in untransformed roots) to stimulate the biosynthesis of tropane alkaloids in A. belladonna hairy root cultures.

Atropa belladonna↗

Characteristics of Atropa belladonna hairy roots cryopreserved by vitrification method.

Atropa belladonna hairy roots (clone M8) were successfully cryopreserved by using the vitrification method. A. belladonna hairy root tips were precultured on a half strength of Murashige and Skoog (MS) solid medium with 0.1 mg per L 2,4-D or without phytohormone for 1 day, and then dehydrated with PVS2 solution for 15 minutes prior to immersion into liquid nitrogen for 1 day, 1 week, 1 month and 3 months. Hairy root tips kept in liquid nitrogen were rapidly thawed at 36 degree C in a water bath. The root tips were recultured on half strength MS medium. The hairy root tips, precultured with 2,4-D before cryopreservation, showed a higher survival rate than those precultured without phytohormone. The hairy root tips, precultured with 2,4-D, showed an average survival rate of 83 percent. There was no significant difference in the viability of the hairy roots cryopreserved for different periods. The regrowth of cryopreserved hairy roots was similar to that of untreated hairy roots and tropane alkaloid productivity became stable after 4th subculture. PCR analysis of hairy roots demonstrated the conservation of the T-DNA in cryopreserved hairy roots. These results indicate that cryopreservation by vitrification method is useful to preserve A.belladonna hairy root clone M8.

Atropa belladonna↗

Salicylic acid carboxyl methyltransferase induced in hairy root cultures of Atropa belladonna after treatment with exogeneously added salicylic acid.

In Atropa belladonna hairy roots, exogeneously added salicylic acid (SA) is converted to methyl salicylate (MSA) through the reaction, which might be catalysed by S-adenosyl-L-methionine: salicylic acid carboxyl methyltransferase (SAMT). Here we cloned a cDNA for A. belladonna SAMT (AbSAMT1), which consisted of 357 aa residues. It was expressed in E. coli, and the recombinant AbSAMT1 showed SAMT activity. When A. belladonna hairy roots were exposed to a high concentration of SA, AbSAMT1 mRNA begins to be expressed 12 h after the exposure, and steady expression continued over 144 h.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna) intoxication: an analysis of 49 children.

Deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna) intoxication has been infrequently reported in both children and adults in the literature. In this article, the clinical and laboratory findings of 49 children with acute deadly nightshade intoxication are reviewed. Our purpose was to enlighten the findings of deadly nightshade intoxication in childhood. The most common observed symptoms and signs were meaningless speech, tachycardia, mydriasis, and flushing. None of the children required mechanical ventilation or died in our series. The patients were categorized into two groups, mild/moderate and severe intoxication. Children with and without encephalopathy were accepted as severe and mild/moderate intoxication, respectively. While 43 children were placed in the group of mild/moderate intoxication, six were in severe intoxication group. We found that meaningless speech, lethargy, and coma were more common, but tachycardia was less common in the severe intoxication group (children with encephalopathy) (P < 0.05). In the treatment, neostigmine was used in all children because of no available physostigmine in our country. In conclusion, our findings showed that the initial signs and symptoms of acute deadly nightshade intoxication might be severe in some children, but no permanent sequel and death were seen in children. We also showed that meaningless speech, lethargy, coma, and absence of tachycardia were ominous signs in deadly nightshade intoxication in childhood. Lastly, we suggest that neostigmine may be used in cases of deadly nightshade intoxication if physostigmine cannot be available.

Atropa belladonna↗

Effect of Atropa belladonna and Echinacea angustifolia in homeopathic dilution on experimental peritonitis.

Atropa belladonna and Echinacea angustifolia have been used in homeopathy as modulators of inflammatory processes, in simple potency or 'accord of potencies', as recommended by homotoxicology. We evaluated their effects on leukocyte migration and macrophage activity induced by experimental peritonitis in vivo. Mice were injected (i.p.) with LPS (1.0mg/kg) and treated (0.3ml/10g/day, s.c.) with different commercial forms of these medicines. Echinacea angustifolia D4--a simple potency preparation--and Belladonna Homaccord, Belladonna Injeel, Belladonna Injeel Forte, Echinacea Injeel and Echinacea Injeel Forte--all in 'accord of potencies'--were tested. The association of A. belladonna and E. angustifolia in 'accord of potencies' produced an increase of polymorphonuclear cell migration (Kruskal-Wallis, P = 0.03) and a decrease of mononuclear cell percentages (Kruskal-Wallis, P < or = 0.04), when compared with control, mainly in preparations containing low potencies. The proportion of degenerate leukocytes was lower in the treated groups, compared to a control group (P < or = 0.05). The treated groups showed increased phagocytosis (P < or = 0.05), mainly in preparations containing high potencies. Our results suggest that A. belladonna and E. angustifolia, when prepared in 'accord of potencies', modulate peritoneal inflammatory reaction and have a cytoprotective action on leukocytes.

Animals↗

[Atropa belladonna poisoning suggesting severe post-traumatic brain damage].

In the paper I have described a case of a student of the University of Technology who has suffered a severe Atropa belladonna intoxication. Originally the student has been sent to the Surgery Department by the ambulance service doctor who had recognized the symptoms of the post-traumatic brain damage. The diagnosis of the post-traumatic brain damage has been excluded during the following diagnostic investigation, the symptoms represented by the patient and his bad general condition, however, has still reminded the same. As the next step the patient has been transferred to the Toxicology Ward according to our suggestion of Atropa belladonna intoxication, where the diagnosis has been confirmed. The patient has regained consciousness after 10 hours of the therapy (with the use of the respirator) and has been discharged from the hospital in a good general condition after 11 days. This case of intoxication has been an example of an experiment done by a very inquiring student on himself.

Adult↗

Overexpression of tropinone reductases alters alkaloid composition in Atropa belladonna root cultures.

The medicinally applied tropane alkaloids hyoscyamine and scopolamine are produced in Atropa belladonna L. and in a small number of other Solanaceae. Calystegines are nortropane alkaloids that derive from a branching point in the tropane alkaloid biosynthetic pathway. In A. belladonna root cultures, calystegine molar concentration is 2-fold higher than that of hyoscyamine and scopolamine. In this study, two tropinone reductases forming a branching point in the tropane alkaloid biosynthesis were overexpressed in A. belladonna. Root culture lines with strong overexpression of the transcripts contained more enzyme activity of the respective reductase and enhanced enzyme products, tropine or pseudotropine. High pseudotropine led to an increased accumulation of calystegines in the roots. Strong expression of the tropine-forming reductase was accompanied by 3-fold more hyoscyamine and 5-fold more scopolamine compared with control roots, and calystegine levels were decreased by 30-90% of control. In some of the transformed root cultures, an increase of total tropane alkaloids was observed. Thus, transformation with cDNA of tropinone reductases successfully altered the ratio of tropine-derived alkaloids versus pseudotropine-derived alkaloids.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗

Tropane alkaloid production by hairy roots of Atropa belladonna obtained after transformation with Agrobacterium rhizogenes 15834 and Agrobacterium tumefaciens containing rol A, B, C genes only.

Atropa belladonna leaf disks were infected by a wild strain Agrobacterium rhizogenes 15834 harboring the Ri-TL-DNA and by a disarmed Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain harboring a construction with only rol ABC and npt II genes. Thirteen root lines were established and examined for their growth rate and alkaloid productivity to evaluate the possible role of rol genes in morphological differentiation and in tropane alkaloid formation. A great diversity has been observed in the growth rate of these 13 root lines. The root biomass increased up to 75 times. The total alkaloid contents were similar in the root lines obtained by infection with A. rhizogenes 15834 and A. tumefaciens rol ABC. The last ones accumulated between 4 (1.1 mg g(-1) DW) and 27 (8 mg g(-1) DW) times more alkaloids than the intact roots (0.3 mg g(-1) DW). This work has shown that the rol ABC genes were sufficient to increase tropane alkaloid production in A. belladonna hairy root cultures.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens↗

Amino acid sequences of ferredoxins from Atropa belladonna and Hyoscyamus niger: their similarities to those in other tropane-alkaloid-containing plants.

The complete amino acid sequences of [2Fe-2S] ferredoxin from Atropa belladonna and Hyoscyamus niger have been determined by automated Edman degradation of the entire S-carboxymethylcysteinyl proteins and of the peptides obtained by enzymatic digestion. These two ferredoxins exhibited 1-8 differences in their amino acid sequences compared to those of other tropane-alkaloid-containing plants (Scopolia japonica, Datura stramonium, D. metel, and D. arborea), and only 1 or 4 differences compared to S. japonica and D. arborea. In contrast, 9-23 differences were observed among the other solanaceous ferredoxins. This suggests that tropane-alkaloid-containing plants are closely related taxonomically.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Bimodal dose-dependent effect on autonomic, cardiac control after oral administration of Atropa belladonna.

This single-blind placebo-controlled study was designed to investigate the dose-dependent vagolytic and vagotonic effects after a single oral administration of Atropa belladonna tincture (ABT, 0.1 mg/ml alkaloid concentration, atropine/scopolamine = 20:1). In eight healthy young subjects, heart rate and noninvasive arterial finger blood pressure were recorded simultaneously over 4 h after oral application of four different doses of ABT (day 1: 2 ml, day 2: placebo, day 3: 5 ml, day 4: 1 ml). On each day, 14 20-min sequences under controlled experimental conditions were performed. Among others, mean RR interval (RR), high-frequency spectral power of heart rate variability (HF), and noninvasive baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) were calculated during metronome breathing in supine position. These parameters were robust markers of vagal activity. One hour after 5ml ABT, RR, HF and BRS decreased clearly in six of eight subjects. This effect was interpreted as vagolytic response. After 1 and 2 ml ABT, and after placebo, RR and HF increased markedly. The increase after ABT was much higher than the increase solely due to adaptation after placebo administration, and it could be clearly identified as an augmentation of vagal cardiac activity caused by low-dose ABT. In conclusion, low doses of orally administered ABT can be effectively used to stimulate parasympathetic activity in man. The mode of vagal activation changes between 2 and 5 ml ABT from vagotonic to vagolytic. ABT has no or very little effect on blood pressure control.

Administration, Oral↗

Alkaloids in plants and root cultures of Atropa belladonna overexpressing putrescine N-methyltransferase.

Putrescine N-methyltransferase (PMT) is the first alkaloid-specific enzyme for nicotine and tropane alkaloid formation. The pmt gene from Nicotiana tabacum was fused to the CaMV 35S promoter and integrated into the Atropa belladonna genome. Transgenic plants and derived root cultures were analysed for gene expression and for levels of alkaloids and their precursors. Scopolamine, hyoscyamine, tropine, pseudotropine, tropinone, and calystegines were found unaltered or somewhat decreased in pmt-overexpressing lines compared to controls. When root cultures were treated with 5% sucrose, calystegine levels were elevated in control roots, but were not affected in pmt-overexpressing roots. 1 microM auxin reduced calystegine levels in control roots, while in pmt-overexpressing roots all alkaloids remained unaltered. Expression level of pmt alone is apparently not limiting for tropane alkaloid formation in A. belladonna.

Atropa belladonna↗

An Atropa belladonna hyoscyamine 6beta-hydroxylase gene is differentially expressed in the root pericycle and anthers.

The AbH6H gene for hyoscyamine 6beta-hydroxylase (H6H), which converts hyoscyamine to scopolamine, was isolated from Atropa belladonna. This plant also possesses a related sequence, Ab psiH6H, which appears to be a non-functional pseudo-gene. AbH6H RNA was detected in cultured root, native root and anther, but not in stem, leaf, pistil, petal, and sepal tissues. In situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry and promoter::GUS transgene analysis showed that AbH6H is expressed specifically in root pericycle cells, and in tapetum and pollen mother cells. A 671 bp 5'-upstream region from AbH6H was sufficient for pericycle-specific expression in hairy roots of A. belladonna and Hyoscyamus niger, which both produce scopolamine, but cell-specific regulation was severely compromised in tobacco hairy roots, which do not produce scopolamine.

Amino Acid Sequence↗