Magical, Shamanic and Curative Uses for Datura
- Ingesting datura seeds was part of a rite of passage for young Huichol men. They returned from the delirium with no memory of their mother, as if "born into manhood with a blank slate."
- Datura plants have been studied for their utility in bioremediation projects. They help to absorb heavy metals polluting groundsoil.
- The dried leaves of Datura were once smoked to combat symptoms of asthma
- Datura preparations were once used to moderate opium addiction
- Datura has been identified as an antipoison remedy for organophosphate, nerve gas, and pufferfish exposure
- Native Americans once rubbed Datura on horses they didn't want to wander off
References #
- Information gleaned from a lecture presented by gardener Vivien Hillgrove [Mom's Head Garden, Santa Rosa] at Scarlet Sage Herb Co., San Francisco, CA, on May 1, 2002.