By Hamza BaderPublished On 28 May 202628 May 2026Iraq’s Ministry of the Interior has warned farmers and residents to be on the alert for an invasion of datura plants – commonly known as jimsonweed, thorn apple or devil’s trumpet.Plants like datura usually grow sparsely in desert regions but can be cultivated for their medicinal and pharmaceutical properties, and the growth of this one appears to have spun out of control, authorities say.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listIn an official statement, the ministry stated that the plant poses a significant risk to agricultural crops because it contains highly toxic chemical compounds which affect the nervous systems of humans, animals and plants.This plant is known for its white or purple trumpet-shaped flowers, green prickly fruit and large leaves which give off a pungent odour. Despite its classification as a poisonous plant, it contains important pharmaceutical compounds when used medically in very precise doses.These are tropane alkaloids such as atropine, hyoscyamine and scopolamine, which are used to dilate pupils, treat motion sickness and for some anticonvulsant medications. The plant has been used medicinally for 500 years, Khalid Mohammed Omer, a professor of chemistry at the College of Science, University of Sulaimani, told Al Jazeera.The plant originates from Central America where it was used by Indigenous people before the arrival of European colonisers in traditional medicine, mainly for anaesthesia and pain relief. When Europeans arrived in the Americas in the late 15th century, the plant caught their attention due to its potent effects on the nervous system. It was brought back to Europe, from where it reached the rest of the world’s continents, and is now invading Iraqi agriculture, Omer said. The datura plant is …
