Summary of the Article

Mandrake root, also known as mandragora, is a remedy for petrification, according to

Hermione Granger. The takeaway is that maintaining a garden is necessary if you're going to
employ herbal treatments. Mandrake tuber, also known as Mandragora officinarum, is a real
plant with a human-like morphology. According to a tale from the West, anyone who uproots it
would be killed by its screams (Flavius Josephus in 93 AD). Chemists discovered a single active
component in the late 1800s that was in charge of the physiological activity of numerous herbal
medicines.
French chemist Crouzel believed that by separating the active component from the
mandrake root, it could be feasible to distinguish between the intended effects and the adverse
effects. Mandragorine is the name of the main active chemical that he isolated. It was later
discovered by chemists to be identical to the atropine molecule, which was extracted from the
deadly belladonna plant.

Reaction Paper
The given article shares the properties of a Mandrake tuber and how it was used as an
inspiration in one of the installations of J.K. Rowling’s movie Harry Potter and the Chamber of
Secrets. In the scene where Professor Sprout and the students in Hogwarts were in the garden,
Professor Sprout instructed on how to re-pot young mandrakes to maintain enough sources for
significant purposes such as remedies. This scene reminds me of the current issue in our
country regarding the legalization of the use of marijuana because of its curing properties,
despite the dangers associated with its utilization. The same with the mandrake plant, although
it is particularly useful and has a lot of amazing properties, the mandrake is also known to be a
dangerous plant. A class of potent hallucinogens known as tropane alkaloids can be found in
the mandrake root. Tropane alkaloids are extremely poisonous and lead to delirium when used
as drugs. The inability to distinguish between the real and the imagined is known as delirium.
Most people are unable to tell the difference between their hallucinations and what is truly
happening because they are so strong and convincing. Mandrake is a poisonous plant that can
be fatal in high doses. (Cooke, 2022). All things considered, the similarities between both plants
prove that we must not waste this kind of significant possible remedy or treatment for numerous
illnesses. We could utilize this plant in disciplined moderation. Just like what Professor Sprout
said in the movie, repotting or replanting helps to maintain the garden and save a sufficient
number of herbal remedies for good purposes.
 Questions to consider:

1. Do the toxic members produce the same set of toxic molecules?

- There are about 2500 species of global plants in the Solanaceae family,
many of which are indigenous to North America. Although many members of
this family of plants are poisonous and occasionally fatal to mammals,
including humans, they have significant utility as food and medicines. Some
of them also cause hallucinations and alteration of perception. The presence
of a variety of chemical compounds, some of which are responsible for the
toxicity and mortality observed after consumption, as well as others that are
presumed to be harmful, is a characteristic of the toxic species of this family.
(Pomilio and Falzoni, 2008).
- Solanaceae plants, which are members of the nightshade family, are truly
experts in chemical warfare. Alkaloids are still essential medications in
medicine today, including ophthalmology. There is a rich mythical background
behind the name "atropine." In addition to its enormous significance as a
poison and a medication, Atropos inspired the name of a kingdom that
existed in the area that is now Azerbaijan: Atropatene. One of the most
renowned academics of the 18th century was Giovanni Antonio Scopoli, who
is credited with creating the word scopolamine. His multidisciplinary studies
have benefited ophthalmology, general medicine, and botany. (Scholtz, et al.,
2019)

2. Use the Internet to discover the other medicinal uses of atropine and scopolamine.

- Both alkaloids, which were utilized historically, remain crucial medications

today. Atropine is a very strong toxin that was once used extensively as a
medication. It is still a crucial drug in ophthalmology and modern medicine.
The alkaloid known as "Scopolamine" was first identified as Scopolia
carniolica by its discoverer, Giovanni Antonio Scopoli, who also gave the
plant its name. Scopolamine is a chemical that is utilized in both general and
ophthalmic treatment. (Scholtz, et al., 2019)
 References

Cooke, J. (2021, April 6). Mandrake Root: “Murderous & Psychotic Delirium” - Tripsitter.
Tripsitter; tripsitter.com. https://tripsitter.com/mandrake/

Pomilio, A., Falzoni, E., & Vitale, A. (2008) Toxic Chemical Compounds of the Solanaceae.
Research Institute. Vol. 3 No. 4: 593 - 628

Scholtz S, MacMorris L, Krogmann F, Auffarth GU (2019) Poisons, Drugs and Medicine: On the
Use of Atropine and Scopolamine in Medicine and Ophthalmology: An Historical Review
of their Applications. J Eye Stud Treat 2019(1): 51-58.