In Australia,
The quickest way to tell the difference between these two plants its by looking at their berries - deadly nightshade's black berries grow individually, while black nightshades grow in large bunches.
Black nightshade (or blackberry nightshade) Solanum nigrum is a highly adaptable plant, and a common weed across Australia, from the south to the tropical north. The species can look quite different from region to region.
This plant is not dangerous to touch, but do make sure you wash your hands thoroughly if you've handled it to avoid ingesting the toxins that remain on your hands.
Deadly nightshade is a perennial bushy herb that grows in arid lands, reaches a height of 1.5 m (but can grow >2m), and has greenish purple flowers, oval leaves, and purple-black spherical sweet berries. All parts of the plant contain the alkaloids atropine, hyoscine, and scopolamine, making it poisonous.
Toxicity. D. moroides is notorious for its extremely painful sting which may leave victims suffering for weeks or even months. It is reputed to be the most venomous plant in Australia, if not the world.
Did you know? Although the berries might be the most tempting part of Deadly nightshade, all parts of this plant are poisonous if ingested. It causes a range of symptoms including blurred vision, a rash, headaches, slurred speech, hallucinations, convulsions and eventually death.
Physostigmine is a specific antidote and crossing the blood brain barrier, it reversibly inhibits anticholinesterase. Physostigmine should be given in cases of tachycardia, coma and respiratory arrest (1).
Symptoms of poisoning include abdominal pain, thirst, restlessness, flushing, and skin irritation. In severe cases, victims may experience vomiting, difficulty breathing, dilated pupils, diarrhea, bloody urine, loss of sensation, and even death.
Nightshade vegetables, such as potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplants, contain solanine. This substance may increase the leakiness of the intestines and affect the gastrointestinal microbiota, indirectly increasing the inflammation relating to arthritis.
Belladonna lily (Amaryllis belladonna) is regarded as an environmental weed in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, and as a minor environmental weed or "sleeper weed" in New South Wales and Tasmania.
Black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) is a plant with a musk-like smell when wilting. It contains a chemical that can be toxic when consumed. Black nightshade contains a chemical called solanine which is poisonous to humans.
For the formidable deadly nightshade (atropa belladonna), Australia is no native breeding ground, but it has become a fruitful one. The nightshade's brightly-coloured poisonous berries make it a dangerously intriguing spectacle for young children and rebellious gardeners alike.
The root of the plant is generally the most toxic part, though this can vary from one specimen to another. The active agents in belladonna, atropine, hyoscine (scopolamine), and hyoscyamine, have anticholinergic properties.
Overall, there is no hard evidence that nightshade vegetables are bad for your health. Some preliminary research shows these vegetables may not be the best for people with certain inflammatory and auto-immune conditions like arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease.
Black Nightshade berries have a sweet and savory, musky flavor suited for fresh and cooked preparations. Only ripe berries are consumed, and the berries can be eaten straight out of hand.
Perhaps the most famously lethal on our list is Atropa belladonna, the aptly named Deadly Nightshade. This toxic plant belongs to the same family as tomatoes, potatoes and aubergines, and can be found across Europe, including in Britain, as well as North Africa, Western Asia and some parts of the USA and Canada.
According to Galenic medicine, the coldness of stupefactives such as henbane, deadly nightshade and the opium poppy were useful in counteracting fever and helping a patient to sleep. However, their coldness could also cause death. They were therefore used mainly in external medicine.
Clinical Signs: Hypersalivation, inappetence, severe gastrointestinal upset, diarrhea, drowsiness, CNS depression, confusion, behavioral change, weakness, dilated pupils, slow heart rate.
Nightshade poisoning was deduced as the cause of death for one of the characters based on foaming saliva, dilated pupils, mental confusion and bluish skin.
Symptoms last for 1 to 3 days and may require a hospital stay. Death is unlikely. DO NOT touch or eat any unfamiliar plant. Wash your hands after working in the garden or walking in the woods.
Atropa Belladonna is a poisonous plant also called deadly nightshade.
Uses of deadly nightshade
Medicines made from the plant are said to ease abdominal problems and motion sickness. It is also used by eye surgeons – in a very refined state – as it dilates the pupils. Did you know? Belladonna means 'beautiful woman' as it was used by Renaissance women to dilate their pupils.
The active ingredients of this plant are hyoscyamine, atropine, atropamine, belaplomine and scopolamine, present in the whole plant but with higher concentration in the leaves. These toxic substances cause euphoria and hallucinations and, in high doses, disorientation, memory loss, coma and even death.
Deadly Nightshade (Atropa belladonna)
Nightshade contains atropine and scopolamine in its stems, leaves, berries, and roots, and causes paralysis in the involuntary muscles of the body, including the heart. Even physical contact with the leaves may cause skin irritation.