Scopolia

Scopolia is a genus of four species of flowering plants in the family Solanaceae, native to Europe and Asia. The genus is named after Giovanni Scopoli (1723–88), a Tyrolean naturalist. The genus has a disjunct distribution, with two recognised species in Central to Eastern Europe, (including the Caucasus), and two species in East Asia. The two European species are: Scopolia carniolica Jacq. of Slovenia, Austria and the Carpathian Mountains Scopolia caucasica Kolesn. ex Kreyer of the Caucasus and the two Asiatic species are: Scopolia lutescens Y.N. Lee of Korea Scopolia japonica Maxim. of Japan The four species in the equally medicinal genus Anisodus Anisodus tanguticus (Maxim.) Pascher Anisodus luridus Link ex Spreng. Anisodus carniolicoides (C.Y.Wu & C.Chen) D'Arcy & Z.Y.Zhang Anisodus acutangulus C.Y.Wu & C.Chen have in the past been placed in the genus Scopolia, as has the monotypic genus Atropanthe with its single species Atropanthe sinensis Pascher. Scopolia carniolica - the longest-known species and the one with the westernmost distribution - is a creeping perennial plant, with light green leaves and dull reddish-purple flowers (cream-to-yellow in the attractive and more ornamental form hladnikiana, sometimes cultivated as a decorative plant). Extract of Scopolia (which contains a form of the alkaloid scopolamine) is used in at least one commercial stomach remedy (Inosea, produced by Sato Pharmaceutical). The extract is an anti-spasmodic in low doses and may be used to relax smooth muscle tissue or prevent motion-sickness-induced nausea; in higher doses, it is a poison having hallucinogenic and memory-inhibiting effects. Other alkaloids found in Scopolia carniolica include cuscohygrine, hyoscyamine, and atroscine. The coumarin phenylpropanoids umbelliferone and scopoletin have been isolated from the roots of Scopolia japonica.