|
The Bioterrorism Sourcebook
| Section IV. Chemical Weapons > |
Sources
Topics Discussed: nerve agent.
Excerpt:
"BZ and similar anticholinergic chemicals are not difficult to
synthesize and so may be produced in clandestine laboratories. Anticholinergics
are used widely in medicine and are available as prescription or
over-the-counter drugs—atropine, oxybutynin, scopolamine,
and antihistamines, to name a few. Numerous plant sources for anticholinergic
compounds exist, many with hallucinogenic effects used for medicinal
and religious purposes by indigenous peoples, shamans, and healers.
These include members of the plant family Solanaceae that contain
atropine, hyoscine, and hyoscyamine in varying proportions. Examples
include Jimson weed or thornapple (Datura
stramonium); belladonna or deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna); black henbane (Hyoscyamus niger); woody nightshade (Solanum dulcamara), and Jerusalem
cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum). Pharmacologic
researchers also use BZ (known as QNB for 3-quinuclidinyl benzilate)
as a marker for muscarinic receptors...."
The content above is only an excerpt.
For full access, log into an existing user account below, purchase an annual subscription, or purchase a short-term subscription to the complete website.
|
|
|
|
|