Citation

Berney C, Wolfensberger TJ. Klin. Monatsbl. Augenheilkd. (1963) 2000; 216(5): 346-347.

Vernacular Title

Mydriase pharmacologique par les alcaloides du bois d'atropa belladonna.

Affiliation

Hôpital Ophtalmique Jules Gonin, Université de Lausanne, Suisse.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, Georg Thieme Verlag)

DOI

10.1055/s-2000-10994

PMID

10863712

Abstract

AIM: Pupillary dilatation with alcaloids from the Atropa belladonna plant have been used since antiquity. It is less known that the wood of the plant contains an even higher concentration of alkaloids than the ripe fruit. METHODS: Clinical case. RESULTS: A 32-year-old patient presented with a foreign body sensation after a splinter got in his eye while chopping wood of an Atropa belladonna bush in the underbrush. Ophthalmic examination showed a visual acuity of 0.9 s.c. (1.0 with pinhole) and a pupil in a fixed mydriasis without any visible rupture of the sphincter muscle. After a 3-day follow-up the pupil returned to normal size and visual acuity recovered to 1.25 s.c. CONCLUSION: The wood of the Atropa belladonna plant contains a very high concentration of alkaloids. A well-directed history may help to discover this less well-known cause of an accidental mydriasis.

Language: fr