Scopolamine

/ˌskoʊpəˈlæmiːn/ noun

Definition

A toxic drug derived from plants like henbane and datura that causes hallucinations, memory loss, and sleepiness, and is sometimes called 'devil's breath'.

Etymology

Named after the genus 'Scopolia' (plants from which it was first extracted) + the suffix '-amine' (chemical compound). The plant genus itself was named after Italian naturalist Giovanni Scopoli.

Kelly Says

Scopolamine was called 'truth serum' and used during wartime interrogations because it supposedly made people confess, but it actually just made people confused and suggestible—they'd agree with anything the interrogator said.

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