Nicotiana tabacum 煙草

Solanaceae 茄科

Tobacco, Common Tobacco¹

煙葉、菸草^2,3

POISONOUS PARTS

Whole plant, especially leaves and fruits.^4,5

TOXICITY

Toxic Constituents
Nicotine, nornicotine, anabasine and anatabine.^2,6
Toxic Dose
Reported lethal dose: 40 mg of nicotine (about 2 g of dried leaves).^2,6,7
Mechanism
Nicotine and related alkaloids are agonists at nicotinic cholinergic receptors. The initial clinical features are mainly due to stimulation of the sympathetic ganglia; with larger doses or prolonged exposure, paradoxical inhibition occurs, resulting in ganglionic and neuromuscular blockade.⁶
Poisoning Features
Nausea, vomiting, salivation, headache, dizziness, tremor, muscle fasciculation, convulsion, hypertension and tachycardia. In severe poisoning, a delayed phase occurs, resulting in bradycardia , hypotension, weakness, paralysis, respiratory depression , central nervous system depression and even death.⁶
Poisoning Events
Multiple cases of N. tabacum poisoning related to dermal exposure during harvesting of the plant have been reported. Other poisoning cases involved ingestion of salads containing wild tobacco leaves, use of boiled tobacco water as an enema for treatment of intestinal parasites and suicidal attempts involving drinking of boiled tobacco water.^6,8

CLINICAL MANAGEMENT

Supportive treatment. Activated charcoal therapy has been used for gastrointestinal decontamination in N. tabacum poisoning. For skin exposure, affected area could be irrigated with water.⁶

IDENTIFICATION FEATURES

Annual herbs, 0.5–2 m tall, viscid‑pubescent throughout. Leaves alternate; leaf blades 10–30(–70) × 8–15(–30) cm, base attenuate, auriculate or semi‑amplexicaul, margin entire or slightly sinuate. Panicles terminal. Calyx 5‑lobed. Corolla funnelform, pink; tubes 4–6.5 cm long; limb 1.5–2 cm in diameter, 5‑lobed. Stamens 5. Capsules about 1.5 cm long, many‑seeded.⁹