Datura quids at Pinwheel Cave, California, provide unambiguous confirmation of the ingestion of hallucinogens at a rock art site.

While debates have raged over the relationship between trance and rock art, unambiguous evidence of the consumption of hallucinogens has not been reported from any rock art site in the world. A painting possibly representing the flowers of Datura on the ceiling of a Californian rock art site called Pinwheel Cave was discovered alongside fibrous quids in the same ceiling. Even though Native Californians are historically documented to have used Datura to enter trance states, little evidence exists to associate it with rock art. A multianalytical approach to the rock art, the quids, and the archaeological context of this site was undertaken. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) results found hallucinogenic alkaloids scopolamine and atropine in the quids, while scanning electron microscope analysis confirms most to be Datura wrightii Three-dimensional (3D) analyses of the quids indicate the quids were likely masticated and thus consumed in the cave under the paintings. Archaeological evidence and chronological dating shows the site was well utilized as a temporary residence for a range of activities from Late Prehistory through Colonial Periods. This indicates that Datura was ingested in the cave and that the rock painting represents the plant itself, serving to codify communal rituals involving this powerful entheogen. These results confirm the use of hallucinogens at a rock art site while calling into question previous assumptions concerning trance and rock art imagery.

PEG-induced fusion of phosphatidylcholine-liposomes with protoplasts and post-fusion evaluation of plating efficiency and enrichment in plasmamembrane phosphatidylcholine of protoplasts in Datura innoxia Mill.

Liposomes entrapping fluorescein diacetate were fused with protoplasts of Datura innoxia Mill by employing polyethylene glycol (PEG) as the fusogen. Factors that influence liposome-protoplast fusion were optimized as a function of PEG-concentration and incubation duration, liposome composition and surface charge and liposome:protoplast ratio. Phosphatidylcholine-liposomes were found ideal for the objectives of the study. Fusion index based on per cent fluorescing protoplasts varied among the protoplast types. PEG-incubation duration in the fusion assay and growth ability of protoplasts to form microcalli subsequent to liposome-protoplast fusion was determined based on protoplast plating-efficiency. Plating efficiency of post-fusion protoplasts increased due to incorporation of liposome-phosphatidylcholine in the plasmamembrane of protoplasts. Results are discussed in relation to the application of liposome-protoplast fusion system in selective modification of plasmamembrane phospholipids of protoplasts.

[Effect of space flight on ultrastructure in medicinal plant Datura innoxia Mill].

OBJECTIVE: To substantiate the effect of space environment on medicinal plants. METHOD: The seeds of Datura innoxia were set up in retrievable satellites. After returning to earth, the ultrastructural changes were observed by means of electron microscope. RESULTS: In cells of weightless group and hit group, some changes were found in chloroplast grana, starch grains and vesicles in chloroplasts. No obvious changes were observed in nuclei. CONCLUSION: Space environment has some effect on the ultrastructure in D. innoxia, and chloroplast is more sensitive to space environment than other organs.