Tag: Nightshade

The Solanaceae family, or nightshades, contains over 2,700 species, including common foods and some of the world's most toxic plants [1.2.7]. A 'nightshade drug' refers to potent medicinal alkaloids derived from these toxic species, most notably *Atropa belladonna* (deadly nightshade) [1.3.3, 1.2.3].

For centuries, the highly toxic deadly nightshade plant, *Atropa belladonna*, has been both a poison and a source of life-saving medicine. The answer to the question, **What drug is made from nightshade?** is not one, but several powerful medications, including atropine, hyoscyamine, and scopolamine, all of which are carefully extracted and dosed for therapeutic purposes. This article explores how modern medicine leverages these deadly compounds.