Díaz Ramiro, Yáñez-Sánchez Mauricio, de la Fuente Francisco, Ortega Andrea, Figueroa-Carvajal Alejandra, Gangitano David, Scholz-Wagenknecht Oscar
Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Natural Resources, Catholic University of Temuco, Temuco 4813302, Chile.
Department of Diagnostic Processes and Evaluation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Catholic University of Temuco, Temuco 4813302, Chile.
Plants (Basel). 2025 Jul 16;14(14):2196. doi: 10.3390/plants14142196.
Several plants produce toxic and hallucinogenic metabolites, posing risks when misused due to a lack of botanical knowledge. Improper or accidental use of these plants poses a public health risk and has been associated with forensic cases involving poisoning, suicide, or drug-facilitated crimes. This review identified eight species of forensic interest that grow in southern Chile and analyzed their active compounds, mechanisms of toxicity, and documented clinical and legal cases. These selected species included both native and introduced taxa, whose main toxic agents are tropane alkaloids (atropine, scopolamine), piperidine (coniine), taxane pseudoalkaloids, and natural opiates (morphine, codeine). Most reported cases involved unintentional poisoning, mainly in children, highlighting the lack of regulation and awareness. This review revealed the need for improved forensic and clinical documentation of plant-based intoxications in Chile and greater public education regarding the toxicological risks posed by these botanical species.
几种植物会产生有毒和致幻代谢物，由于缺乏植物学知识，在滥用时会带来风险。不当或意外使用这些植物会构成公共健康风险，并与涉及中毒、自杀或药物辅助犯罪的法医案件有关。本综述确定了在智利南部生长的八种具有法医意义的植物物种，并分析了它们的活性化合物、毒性机制以及已记录的临床和法律案例。这些选定的物种包括本地和外来分类群，其主要有毒成分是托烷生物碱（阿托品、东莨菪碱）、哌啶（毒芹碱）、紫杉烷类假生物碱和天然阿片类物质（吗啡、可待因）。大多数报告的案例涉及意外中毒，主要发生在儿童身上，突出了监管和意识的缺乏。本综述揭示了智利需要改进对植物中毒的法医和临床记录，并加强对公众关于这些植物物种所带来的毒理学风险的教育。
