Cultures

Mystery potions from the angel's trumpet Extracts from the angel's trumpet (Brugmansia) have long been used by South American shamans to induce visionary dreams. Western science has recently identified the alkaloid responsible for causing the hallucinations.
Poisonous silence: the dumb cane The dumb cane, a popular houseplant, has a chequered history. Investigated by the Nazis for use in sterilisation of prisoners and a favorite torture tool of caribbean plantation slave-owners, the plant produces chemicals that cause speechlessness and attack the body's sex cells.	Different potions, different places The trumpet tree is used to treat different ailments in different countries. Western medicine now uses it to cure ailments ranging from obesity to cancer.	Poison jewels: the dart frogs Poison dart frogs - some of which produce toxins powerful enought to kill 150 adult humans - are used by tribal people to catch food. Recently, scientists have used these toxins to produce a painkiller 200 times more effective than morpine.

Mystery potions from the angel's trumpet