Alkaloids from Brugmansia arborea (L.) Lagerhein reduce morphine withdrawal in vitro.

Traditional medicine is a primary source for the study of medicinal plants. In some countries, knowledge about the therapeutic use of medicinal plants is very deep and very often 'magical' plants also are used to diagnose and treat illnesses. The study of these plants can help in the research of metabolites active on the central and peripheral nervous system. Brugmansia arborea (L.) Lagerheim (Solanaceae) is used in the northern Peruvian Andes for magic-therapeutic purposes and the present study examined the effect of three pure tropane alkaloids from Brugmansia arborea (L.) Lagerhein (Solanaceae) on morphine withdrawal in vitro. All the tropane alkaloids isolated from Brugmansia arborea (L.) (10(-7), 5 x 10(-7), 10(-6) m) significantly and in a concentration dependent manner reduced morphine withdrawal. The results of the present study suggest that these alkaloids may be a potential anti-additive agent.