The burundanga , also called scopolamine , has turned out to be the perfect psychotropic substance for aggressors, since it provokes an automatism in the victim’s brain causing a state of submission to any order. Thus, some offenders and sexual offenders supply the drug to the person they wish to rob, rape or even murder. Once consumed, the victim is left totally unprotected.

There are few scientific publications devoted specifically to burundanga poisoning. This article aims to show a collection of interesting data about this substance, while at the same time it aims to make people aware of taking preventive measures in certain situations.

What do we know about the Burundanga?

Scopolamine, also known as burundanga is an extremely toxic tropical alkaloid found as a secondary metabolite in certain plants. For centuries it has been widely used for ritual purposes, in shamanism and in witchcraft (Ardila-Ardila, Moreno and Ardila-Gomez, 2006).

Today it is famous for being used among other things to commit crimes such as robbery, kidnapping and sexual offences . This is because burundanga seems to have a sedative-hypnotic effect that meets the characteristics of intensity and duration that fits well with the purposes of the criminals who plan these actions.

Medical use of Burundanga

Scopolamine is not only related to criminal purposes, but also has its medicinal use in which it must be used in tiny doses (less than 330 micrograms) because an overdose can cause delirium, aggression, disorientation, convulsions, coma, and even death (Alvarez, 2008).

It is usually used in medicine to prevent and treat dizziness, for pupil dilation in fundus examinations and is also used as an antispasmodic, local analgesic and anti-Parkinsonian.

Criminal use of this drug

As mentioned above, is a drug used for criminal purposes , because the victim intoxicated with burundanga follows any order without presenting resistance, that is, if ordered, he is able to offer his money and belongings without making any attempt to escape. It is often used for robberies, as sexual abuse, according to data collected by Ardila-Ardila, Moreno and Ardila-Gomez (2006), accounts for less than 5 per cent of cases.

What makes it difficult for the victim to detect this drug is that it does not taste or smell of anything in particular and can be supplied through different means, such as food, drink (if it is alcoholic drinks the depressant effect is increased) or even by inhalation (for example, a contaminated cigarette or handkerchief). Scopolamine turns out to be one of the most dangerous drugs, not only because of the above, but also because if the aggressor exceeds the dose by a few micrograms, he will cause the death of the victim .

On the other hand, there is the myth that burundanga nullifies a person’s will, making him agree to perform all kinds of actions. However, this is not true, since this substance fundamentally affects the state of consciousness, so it cannot be said that they become more “obedient” to those who consume it; in any case, it cancels out their ability to resist.

Symptoms of scopolamine

poisoning

According to Salcedo and Martinez (2009), scopolamine is rapidly absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract and has a great facility to cross the blood-brain barrier, therefore it has an almost immediate effect, in a matter of minutes the victim will probably be under the effects showing a vulnerable behavior, while his will will be subjected to that of the aggressor, that is, the will of the victim will be completely annulled. During the first three hours we can observe its greatest effect.

This effect is due to the fact that scopolamine acts as an anticholinergic causing a depressing effect on the central and peripheral nervous system, therefore, its symptoms are various, among them we can highlight the dilation of the pupils (blurred vision), stupor (state of partial consciousness in the person), tachycardia, urinary retention, reduced salivary and stomach secretion (dry mouth, thirst, difficulty in swallowing and speaking), fever, drowsiness and severe amnesia.

During the amnesiac episode, the victim maintains a personal identity and is able to carry out his normal daily activities properly. It is as if the victim were “hypnotized” by his aggressor , as he is able to guide the aggressor to his bank and provide him with the secret code, for example.

It is a substance that causes a complete elimination of free will while continuing to act, the brain is automated doing what it is told and responding appropriately without censorship, For this reason this tropical alkaloid is also known as “the truth serum” and a very interesting fact to keep in mind is that years ago this drug had been used by the CIA during the war so that the hostages told the truth about cases of espionage. But as we have said, this is explained because the functioning of the nervous system is compromised, not because the Burundanga get to do what is asked of us is an obligation for us.

What happens at the brain level when Burundanga is consumed?

The strange thing in this case is that the victim apparently does not seem to be drugged or sleepy . She appears to be in a normal state, which is why it is very difficult for the people around her to perceive that the victim is under the influence of such a drug. Burundanga makes everything that happens to the person seem normal, even though its effects are very specific and quite powerful, although discreet. What is happening in our brain?

It is now clear that scopolamine acts on mnesic functions and behaviour but it is not known exactly what its action is. Squirrel-Squirrel, Moreno and Ardila-Gomez (2006) have shown through several studies that the mnesic and behavioral effects of burundanga intoxication are likely to be due to its anticholinergic character and to its affectation to certain nuclei of the frontal lobe (Meynert’s basal nucleus) and temporal lobe (lobe that includes hippocampus and limbic system being seen, thus affecting the amygdala, which is responsible for reacting to threatening stimuli).

Scopolamine poisoning is an example of transient global amnesia and the severity of its effect will depend on the dose used.

Post-poisoning effects

Dr. Myriam Gutiérrez, who heads the Department of Toxicology at the National University of Colombia, assures us that burundanga is the perfect substance for the criminal acts since the victim cannot remember anything (not even that she herself has collaborated in the act) and, therefore, there is no complaint. Moreover, this substance disappears in a period of 15-30 minutes from the blood and in approximately 12 hours from the urine, which makes it very difficult to obtain positive toxicological tests. This, of course, represents a limitation to prove that someone has been poisoned (Ardila-Ardila, Moreno y Ardila-Gómez, 2006).

After the fact, other studies, such as the one carried out by Bernal, GĂłmez, LĂłpez and Acosta (2013), show that many of the victims of scopolamine poisoning have shown, once the poisoning episode has passed, important medical, cognitive and social repercussions such as attention and concentration failures, anterograde amnesia (difficulty in remembering recent events), anxiety, isolation, etc. These negative effects on health are due to the fact that, on most occasions, this episode generates a trauma and leaves sequelae, making psychological treatment and subsequent follow-up important.

There is little advice to give, since we are all vulnerable to falling into situations like this , but it is always good to remind ourselves of preventive measures such as: always keep your drink under control when you go out for a drink, try to go out in a group, and in the event that we find ourselves in this situation (God forbid…) it is very important to go to the nearest hospital (try to go without urinating and without washing) and, of course, to report it .

Conclusions and data to take into account about Burundanga

Burundanga is, in short, a substance whose main utility is to induce a state of chemical submission. It is a drug made to be used in crimes and criminal acts, which is why its study is important to implement prevention measures. Unfortunately, perhaps because of the link between burundanga and nightlife and sometimes sordid environments, little is still known about scopolamine.

It is possible that burundanga is produced on a small scale by related laboratories, which maintain some control over the destination of their merchandise in order to avoid drawing too much attention to it. However, it is to be expected that if burundanga’s effects become more popular, this power to monitor what happens to scopolamine will be lost. Unfortunately, the level of knowledge about this drug will go hand in hand with its use.

Bibliographic references:

  • Álvarez, L. (2008). Drunkard, cocoa savannah or floripondio. A group of plants to be rediscovered in Latin American biodiversity. Culture and Drugs , 13(15), 77-93.
  • Ardila-Ardila, A., Moreno, C. B., and Ardila-GĂłmez S. E. (2006). Scopolamine (‘burundanga’) intoxication: loss of decision-making ability. Journal of Neurology , 42(2), 125-128.
  • Bernal, A., GĂłmez, D., LĂłpez, S., and Acosta, M. R. (2013). Neuropsychological, neurological and psychiatric implications in a case of scopolamine poisoning. Psychology: advances in the discipline , 7(1), 105-118.
  • Burke R.E. (1986). The relative selectivity of anticholinergic drugs for the M1 and M2 muscarinic receptor subtypes. Movement Disorders. 1 (2): 135–44.
  • Salcedo, J., and MartĂ­nez, I. (2009). Scopolamine intoxication . Federation of Pan-American Associations of Medical Schools.

    • .