An updated overview of Atropa acuminata Royal ex Lindl: A critically Endangered Medicinal plant of Kashmir Himalaya

Abstract

Studies revealed that Atropa acuminata is used for different purposes around the world from ancient times, including medicine. The plant shows diverse medicinal properties such as antispasmodic, anticholinergic, anodyne, analgesic, hallucinogenic, Parkinsonism, carcinoma, encephalitis and spastic dysmenorrhoea, narcotic, mydriatic and sedative. Atropa has so far yielded a significant number of bioactive compounds. The plant is rich source of alkaloid atropine (C17H23NO3) and scopolamine (C17H21NO4) which plays an essential role in the investigation of autonomic pharmacology. The drug Atropine acts as a stimulant to the sympathetic nervous system, respiratory system, circulatory system and is used as an antidote to opium. This highlights the importance of conducting a literature review in order to report on additional details about the plant. An overview on all important aspects is documented so as to make information available for additional study of the plant for human reimbursement.