Physostigmine is a white crystalline alkaloid extracted from the seeds of the Physostigma Venenosum plant. The poisonous 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 on 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, and the government. He documented everything he saw at 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 the Calabar beans were used as the judicial system. It said that if the person was found guilty, they were forced to undergo an ordeal called “nut chopping.” The beans were mashed and then soaked in water until a creamy white fluid was obtained. The guilty person had to drink this fluid and was then made to walk around until the poison took effect. If the person died, this was considered proof of his guilt. If the person vomited the poison before it took effect, they were considered innocent and released. Can this ordeal really distinguish between the guilty and the innocent? The answer will be no. According to Walter Sneader, “If the person confident in his innocence could have quickly swallowed the poison of the ordeal, which could have overwhelmed his stomach causing him to vomit; whereas as a guilty person, fearing to face the ordeal, he could have kept the liquid in his mouth, facilitating the buccal 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 behind the toxic effects is that physostigmine targets acetylcholinesterase and inhibits its activity, which inhibits the hydrolysis of acetylcholine, so increased acetylcholine will be helpful in treating cholinergic disorders. Physostigmine, as a tertiary amine, can easily cross the blood brain barrier. It is a soluble lipid and capable of crossing the placental barrier mainly by passive diffusion. It is rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, subcutaneous tissues and metabolized largely destroyed 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 approved glaucoma treatment for adults only. Additionally, in case of poisoning, physostigmine has been approved by the FDA for both adults and children.