Question

The drug ‘Belladonna’ is obtained from:
A. Atropa
B. Rauwolfia
C. Solanum
D. Capsicum

Answer 1

Hint: Atropa belladonna is commonly called belladonna.

Complete answer: Belladonna is a common useful and handy homeopathic drug used widely in the country and also worldwide. It is prepared from a perennial herbaceous plant of the family Solanaceae.
The scientific name of the plant is Atropa belladonna.
Its pet name or common name is ‘deadly nightshade’. This is an important medicinal herb. Another drug obtained from this plant is ‘Atropine’. It is found in various regions and states of North America, Europe and West Asia.
The name of this drug i.e. ’belladonna’ has originated from the Italian words meaning "beautiful woman".
It is because historically the herb extract was used as eye-drops by women for dilating the pupils for aesthetic reasons.

Additional information: The medicinal property comes from the naturally occurring alkaloids of the plant.
1. The fruits, leaves and roots of the plant contain atropine, scopolamine and hyoscyamine respectively. These alkaloids are muscarinic antagonists.
2. The chemical constituents of the drug belladonna form the basic ingredients.
3. It is used as antispasmodic compounds and are commonly prescribed to treat intestinal diseases such as peptic ulcers, diarrhoea, irritable colon etc.
4. However, the herb is poisonous for direct consumption; accidental ingestion leads to belladonna intoxication which may result in anticholinergic syndrome.
5. As an alternative medicine, belladonna can treat inflammation, pain, sciatica, haemorrhoids etc.

So, the correct option is A. Atropa.

Note: Belladonna when used as a medicine is not harmful, because it is either diluted to its in-toxic concentration or mixed with other compounds for pharmaceutical uses.