Asthmador, Barter's Powder, Kinsman's Asthmatic Powder, Green Mountain Asthmatic Compound, and Haywood's Powder, often abused by teens. The toxins in Jimson Weed are tropane belladonna alkaloids which possess strong anticholinergic properties. The peripheral receptors are on exocrine glands which affect sweating, salivation, and smooth and cardiac muscle. These toxins are easily absorbed from mucous membranes and the GI tract. The half-life of atropine is approximately 4 hours.
Metabolism occurs in the liver by hydrolysis which eliminates approximately half the drug.
It grows 4 to 6 feet tall and has dark green, long stemmed, lobed leaves which exude a foul odor. Its flower whic blooms in late spring is usually white, sometimes lavender, solitary and tubular. A four lobed, thorny, green seed pod fruit ripens in early fall. All parts of the plant are toxic. They are ingested, smoked and absorbed topically especially through mucous membranes.