Deliriant

Deliriants are a class of hallucinogen. The term was introduced by David F. Duncan and Robert S. Gold to distinguish these drugs from psychedelics and dissociatives, such as LSD and ketamine respectively, due to their primary effect of causing delirium, as opposed to the more lucid states produced by other hallucinogens (psychedelics and dissociatives).^[1] The term is generally used to refer to anticholinergic drugs.

Effects

The delirium produced is characterized by stupor, confusion, confabulation, and regression to "phantom" behaviors such as disrobing and plucking.^[2] Other commonly reported behaviors include holding full conversations with imagined people, finishing a complex, multi-stage action (such as getting dressed) and then suddenly discovering one had not even begun yet, and being unable to recognize one's own reflection in a mirror.

The effects have been linked to sleepwalking, a fugue state or a psychotic episode (particularly in that the subject has minimal control over their actions and little to no recall of the experience). This is a notable departure from the effects of serotonergic psychedelics.

Naturally occurring deliriants are found in plant species such as Atropa belladonna (deadly nightshade), various Brugmansia species (Angel's Trumpets), Datura stramonium (Jimson weed), Hyoscyamus niger (henbane), and Mandragora officinarum (mandrake) in the form of tropane alkaloids (notably atropine, scopolamine, and hyoscyamine). Synthetic compounds such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) and dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) are also deliriants.

Recreational use

Despite the fully legal status of several common deliriant plants, deliriants are largely unpopular as recreational drugs due to the severe and sometimes unpleasant nature of the hallucinations produced.^[3]

User reports of recreational deliriant usage on the Erowid website generally indicate a firm unwillingness to repeat the experience.^[4] In addition to their potentially dangerous mental effects (accidents during deliriant experiences are common)^[5] some tropane alkaloids are poisonous and can cause death due to tachycardia-induced heart failure and hyperthermia even in small doses.^[6]

Mythology

Deliriants such as henbane, mandrake, and Jimson weed are featured in many stories in European mythology.

Classes of deliriants

Anticholinergics Tropanes: atropine hyoscyamine scopolamine Disubstituted glycolic acid esters:           benactyzine dicyclomine N-ethyl-3-piperidyl benzilate N-methyl-3-piperidyl benzilate 3-quinuclidinyl benzilate ditran EA-3167 Other: Myristicin

Antihistamines cyclizine dimenhydrinate diphenhydramine doxylamine meclizine promethazine Other benzydamine

See also

Anticholinergics            Atropine Tropicamide Psychedelic drug

Dissociative Hallucinogen Psychoactive drug

References

1. Duncan, D. F., and Gold, R. S. (1982). Drugs and the Whole Person. New York: John Wiley & Sons
2. Bersani, F. S.; Corazza, O.; Simonato, P.; Mylokosta, A.; Levari, E.; Lovaste, R.; Schifano, F. (2013). "Drops of madness? Recreational misuse of tropicamide collyrium; early warning alerts from Russia and Italy". General Hospital Psychiatry 35 (5): 571–3. doi:10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2013.04.013. PMID 23706777.
3. Grinspoon, Lester and Bakalar, James B. (1997). Psychedelic Drugs Reconsidered. The Lindesmith Center
4. "Datura reports on Erowid". Retrieved 2013-05-07.
5. "Datura Items". Retrieved 2011-01-04.
6. Beaver, Kathleen M; Gavin, Thomas J (1998). "Treatment of acute anticholinergic poisoning with physostigmine". The American Journal of Emergency Medicine 16 (5): 505–507. doi:10.1016/S0735-6757(98)90003-1.

External links

• The Uses of Delirium: Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Datura-like Drugs Des Tramacchi's lecture in Entheogenesis Australis 2007 symposium.