Burundanga is in the news for its bad effects as it is being used for criminal activities like rape or to rob passengers. The drug is passed on to the victim through business cards, pamphlets, drink etc. Thorough touch the skin can absorb a very small quantity and can lead to adverse effects.
It is a voodoo powder obtained from a Colombian local plant of the nightshade family called barrachera, or "drunkenbinge". It is a new addition to the date rape group of drugs.
Traditionally it has been used for religious ceremonies. The powder when ingested causes victims to lose their will and memory, a condition well described as chemical hypnotism.
Medically the refined the powder contains scopolamine, a medical drug. It is used in the treatment of nausea, motion sickness, and gastrointestinal cramps. It is also used as a pre surgical drug for the purpose of impairing memory of surgical trauma. It provides an initial knockout effect, before the anaesthesia proper is administered, and has the added benefit of preventing long term memory formation during the period of time. At one time scopolamine was given to women during childbirth.
Like any other date rape drugs, it is colorless, smell less and tasteless and can easily me mixed with any liquid. In powdered form scopolamine can be easily mixed into food or drink, or blown directly into victims’ faces, forcing them to inhale it.
One ingested the victim can't say no; has no will and becomes open to suggestion; from the moment it's given, the victim remembers absolutely nothing of what happened (ante grade amnesia). For this reason this has been used as a “truth serum” by law enforcement agencies and knockout drug by criminals.
Scopolamine has a selective effect on memory. The planning and manipulation of information remain unaffected. Victims remain active in terms of cognitive but are unable to retain information. It blocks the release of acetylcholine. It affects brain functioning amygdala, a brain area that controls aggression and anxiety. This explains the calming effect it has on the drug.
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