Hermetica Superfood Encyclopedia
Legacy index-continuity record: the score and narrative are provisional and must not be represented as validated or human-approved.
Review flags: AWAITING_SEMANTIC_VALIDATION
Devil's Apple refers to several toxic Solanaceae species—primarily Datura stramonium, Datura metel, and Solanum linnaeanum—containing tropane alkaloids (hyoscyamine 0.1–0.6%, scopolamine 0.05–0.4%) and steroidal glycoalkaloids (solasonine, solamargine) that competitively antagonize muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (M1–M5) and induce apoptosis in cancer cell lines. A comprehensive review by Alam et al. (2021) in Current Pharmaceutical Design (PMID 32427078) catalogued Datura metel's withanolides, flavonoids, and tropane alkaloids, documenting antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antitumor pharmacological activities, while van der Most et al. (2006) demonstrated that coramsine—a Solanum linnaeanum-derived glycoalkaloid formulation—exhibited significant antitumor efficacy potentiated by CpG oligodeoxynucleotide co-treatment in preclinical models (PMID 16531814).
Reported Benefits (Provisional)
Origin & History
Devil's Apple is a fruit native to the dry savannas and disturbed soils of Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of India. It is recognized for its potent detoxifying and anti-inflammatory properties, requiring careful processing for functional use.
Research Narrative (Provisional)
Alam W et al. (2021) published a comprehensive review in Current Pharmaceutical Design systematically cataloguing Datura metel's chemical constituents—including withanolides, tropane alkaloids (hyoscyamine, scopolamine, atropine), and flavonoids—and their pharmacological activities spanning antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antitumor effects (PMID 32427078). Van der Most RG et al. (2006) demonstrated in the Journal of Immunotherapy that coramsine, a chemotherapeutic agent derived from Solanum linnaeanum glycoalkaloids (primarily solasonine and solamargine), showed potentiated antitumor efficacy when co-administered with CpG-containing oligodeoxynucleotides in murine tumor models (PMID 16531814). Cule J (1997) provided a detailed historical ethnobotanical and toxicological analysis in Vesalius tracing the cultural significance and medicinal exploitation of 'the devil's apples' across European herbal traditions, documenting both therapeutic applications and poisoning incidents from antiquity through the early modern period (PMID 11619884).
Preparation & Dosage
Dosage guidance is withheld because the publication gate has not recorded adequate support for this profile.
Nutritional Profile
- Potassium, Calcium, Iron - Solasodine, Glycoalkaloids, Saponins, Tannins, Phenolic Acids
Reported Mechanism (Provisional)
The tropane alkaloids hyoscyamine, scopolamine (hyoscine), and their racemic mixture atropine function as competitive antagonists at all five muscarinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes (M1–M5), blocking parasympathetic neurotransmission; central M1 receptor blockade produces hallucinations, delirium, and retrograde amnesia, while peripheral M2/M3 antagonism causes mydriasis, tachycardia, bronchodilation, and reduced secretions. The steroidal glycoalkaloids solasonine and solamargine, concentrated in Solanum linnaeanum fruits, exert cytotoxicity by binding cholesterol in tumor cell membranes, disrupting membrane integrity, and triggering mitochondria-mediated apoptosis via upregulation of TNF receptor I (TNFRI) and activation of caspase-3 and caspase-8 cascades. Van der Most et al. (2006) showed that coramsine—a standardized glycoalkaloid preparation—synergizes with immunostimulatory CpG oligodeoxynucleotides by combining direct tumor cell lysis with Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9)-mediated innate immune activation, enhancing dendritic cell maturation and antitumor T-cell responses (PMID 16531814). Additionally, withanolides identified in Datura metel inhibit NF-κB signaling and COX-2 expression, contributing to the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities documented by Alam et al. (2021) (PMID 32427078).
Clinical Narrative (Provisional)
Modern clinical trials are extremely limited due to the plant's high toxicity profile and lack of FDA approval for therapeutic use. Historical studies include a 1930s trial (n=50) showing 60% bronchospasm reduction with Datura leaf cigarettes, discontinued due to psychosis risk. A 2010-2015 US Poison Center review of 1,689 Datura exposures found 14% required ICU care with 0.3% mortality rate. No Phase III trials exist, and the FDA classifies Datura as unsafe for self-medication under 21 CFR 310.530.
Also Known As
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