Difference Between Effects From Henbane and Datura
Datura and Henbane belongs to the Solanaceae family, which is a class of toxic plants. Henbane and Datura are known to mankind since ages and have been used for medicinal purposes and also abused as both produce hallucinogenic effects. Yet there are remarkable differences between the two that will be clear after a brief description of the two.
Henbane
It was an ingredient of witches brew and it has had creepy reputation since time immemorial. This plant stinks and looks ugly but it is a source for many other sedative alkaloids like scopolamine, atropine etc. The plant is intoxicating and if someone consumes it in even minute quantities, he feels dizzy and delirious. When eaten in large quantities it can cause a slow and painful death. In a previous era, henbane was used as a sedative to reduce pain but it was always a problem to determine safe dosage of this plant. The effect of henbane is similar to alcohol in the sense that users go into a comatose sleep preceded by stupor. But, when applied locally, it relieves the pain in rheumatoid patients. Henbane has traditionally been used as a pain killer, especially for urinary tract diseases and kidney stone. It was also used to treat bronchitis and asthma. 0.045-0.14% tropane alkaloids are present in Henbane.
Datura
It is also called Thornapple in western countries and it is a member of the order Solanceae. It is a plant which is toxic and is found in warmer climates. The plant and the flower are known to mankind since ages and also its hallucinogenic effects. It is named after the Hindi word Dhatura, as called in India.
Datura is a tranquilizer and it has a particular type of effect on human beings that makes it very useful as a medicinal plant. Datura when consumed in moderate amounts some effects seen are the dilation of pupils, dizziness, dim sight and delirium. Sometimes people act like maniacs when they consume large amounts of Datura. Datura is more dangerous than Henbane for brain. People eating Datura cannot distinguish reality from fantasy. The effect can last for several days. It contains a mixture of atropine and hyocyamine with malic acid and has traditionally been a common product for suicide and murder in many parts of Asia.