What are some medical applications of Datura?
Datura has been used medicinally probably as long as it has been used as a visionary plant. D. inoxia has been used as a poultice and analgesic by the Zuni for treating bruises and minor wounds. Similarly it was used by the Aztec for such matters as skin ulcers, hemorrhoids, and anesthesia for setting bones. Arthritis, rheumatism, and general swelling are conditions frequently treated with Datura by various groups. The Yucateco and Lancondon Maya prefer the rarer D. inoxia to the common D. stramonium for medicinal purposes and cultivate it in secret gardens. Datura leaves and flowers have been smoked for centuries to alleviate athsma and other pulmonary conditions, and it has been shown by modern research that scopolamine happens to be an excellent bronchiodilator. Today scopolamine is commonly used to treat motion sickness.
