Dr G V N Reddy

Prof and Head

Forensic Medicine
 DATURA
 TYPES:
DATURA FASTOSIA
○ DATURA ALBA – white (THORN APPLE )
 Contains 400 – 500 seeds each
○ DATURA NIGER – black/purple
DATURA STRAMONIUM

 ACTIVE PRINCIPLES:
Hyoscine, hyoscyamine, scopalamine, atropine
Alkaloids
MECHANISM OF ACTION:
 Early stage stimulation, later depression

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

 Dry as bone
 Red as beet
 Hot as hare
 Blind as a bat
 Mad as wet hen
D’s:
 Dryness of mouth and throat
 Difficulty in speech
 Dysphagia
 Dilated pupils
 Dry hot skin
 Dysuria
 Drunken gait
 Drowsiness leading to coma
 Dilatation of cutaneous blood vessels
 FATAL DOSE:
50 – 100 seeds

 FATAL PERIOD:
24 hours

 TREATMENT:
Stomach wash with weak soln of tannic acid
PHYSIOLOGICAL ANTIDOTE
○ Pilocarpine 5 -15mg/ prostigmine 0.5 – 1 mg
Short acting barbiturates to control delirium
Purgatives
 POST MORTEM APPEARANCE:
Signs of asphyxia
Seeds in stomach

 MEDICOLEGAL IMPORTANCE:
(CIRCUMSTANCES OF POISONING)
Roadside poison
CANNABIS INDICA/
SATIVA
 Indian hemp, Hashish, Marijuana, Pot
 Dope, Grass
 Female plant taller than male (4-6ft)
 Seeds contain active principles

ACTIVE PRINCIPLE:
Cannabinal, cannabidiol
Become potent by heat – turn to Tetra hydro
cannabinol (THC)
Metabolised in liver, excreted in urine
 FORMS OF CANNABIS
FORM FEATURE PERCENAGE
Dried leaves and fruit shoots 15 %
BHANG Prepared as decotion

Sweet prepared with bhang

Increase appetite and sexual desire
MAJUM

Flower tops of female plant 15 – 20 %

GANJA Characteristic colour and odour
(marijuana)
(Reefers)

Resin from leaves and stem 25 – 40%

CHARAS Mixed
(hashish) Mixed with tobacco and smoked
 METABOLISM

 THC is lipid soluble and rapidly absorbed

through inhalation
 Protein bound, quickly redistributed from
blood to tissues
 Metabolized in liver and excreted in urine
up to 2 to 3 days
 SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Intoxication:
 Psychiatric:
Feeling of detachment, euphoria, elation, well being,
dreaminess, self confidence, laughing
Illusions and hallucinations
Altered sexual feelings

 Physical
Increased thirst and appetite
Nausea, tremors, tachycardia, urinary frequency,
drowsy and deep sleep
 FATAL DOSE:
Charas – 2g, ganja – 8g, bhang 10g /kgwt
THC – 30 mg/kg body wt

 FATAL PERIOD:
Several days

 TREATMENT
Stomach wash, Activated charcoal
50% glucose, Naloxone – 2%, thiamine 100 mg in
100 mL IV
Symptomtic

 P M Appearances:
Asphyxial signs
CHRONIC POISONING:
Tolerance – used over long periods
CNS degeneration and insanity
Decreased sperm count, gynaecomazia
Vacant look, wasting
Hallucinations
RUN AMOK

CIRCUMSTANCES OF POISONING:
 Over indulgence
 Religious indulgence - sadhus
 COCAINE
 Coke, Snow , Cadillac, white lady
 Alkaloid obtained from leaves of Erythroxylon
coca
 CRACK – combination of baking soda and
cocaine
 ACTION:
 Desensitizes terminal nerves and causes
vasoconstriction at sites of applcation
 Powerful CNS stimulant followed by
depression.
ABSORPTION AND EXCRETION:
 Through MM and subcutaneous tissue
 NASAL mucosa – snorting
 IVDA
 Smoke

METABOLISM:
 Rapidly hydrolized by liver
 Half life is half to 1 ½ hrs
 Excreted in urine upto 24 hrs
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:
 Inhaled and IV – action in seconds

 Stage of excitement:
Bitter dry taste, dysphagia, well being, dilated pupils,
headache, tingling and numbness in hands & feet
 Stage of depression:
Feeble respiration, perspiration, convulsions, collapse
and death
 SPEED BALLS – cocaine + heroin injection
Fatal Dose/ Fatal Period:
 1 g orally
 Few mins to few hours
TREATMENT:
 Stomach wash with warm water + KMNO4
and tannic acid, activated charcoal
 Convulsions – short acting barbs
 ANTIDOTE: Amyl nitrate
 Symptomatic management
 MAGNANS SYMPTOM (Cocaine bugs)

CIRCUMSTANCES OF POISONING:
 Commonly used by drug addicts
 So called aphrodisiac
Thank you