Physostigmine is a white crystalline alkaloid extracted from the beans of the Physostigma Venenosum plant. The toxic effects of Physostigma Venenosum have been known since the 19th century. William Freeman Daniel was the first scientist to observe the first use of calabar beans. He traveled to Africa with a mission of exploration and discovery. Somehow he ended up in Old Calabar, near the Niger River. He observed the people, the culture, the lifestyle they lived in, and the government. He documented everything he saw in Old Calabar. Interestingly, he noted that the justice system was harsh. The document documented that the court consisted of the king and several chiefs and that the Calabar beans were used as a court system. He said if the person was found guilty, they were forced to undergo an ordeal called "cutting a nut." The beans were mashed, then soaked in water until a creamy white liquid was obtained. The culprit had to drink this liquid, then walk around until the poison took effect. If the person died, this was considered proof of their guilt. If the person vomited the poison before it took effect, then they were considered innocent and released. Can this test really distinguish between the guilty and the innocent? The answer will be no. According to Walter Sneader, “If the person confident in his innocence had quickly swallowed the poison of the ordeal, which might have overwhelmed his stomach and caused vomiting; while the culprit, fearing to undergo the ordeal, could have kept the liquid in his mouth, facilitating oral absorption of the alkaloid, or swallowed it slowly.” It has also been proposed that the leader who administered the poison may have preceded...... middle of paper ... involuntary muscle contractions. The mechanism underlying the toxic effects is that physostigmine targets acetylcholinesterase and inhibits its activity, which inhibits acetylcholine hydrolysis. An increase in acetylcholine will therefore be useful in treating cholinergic disorders. Physostigmine, as a tertiary amine, can easily cross the blood-brain barrier. It is a soluble lipid capable of crossing the placental barrier mainly by passive diffusion. It is rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and subcutaneous tissues and metabolized to largely destruction in the body. Physostigmine is the antidote for atropine poisoning. Currently, physostigmine salicylate is used for glaucoma, Alzheimer's disease, scopolamine and myasthenia gravis. The FDA has only approved glaucoma treatment for adults. Additionally, in cases of poisoning, the FDA has approved physostigmine for adults and children..