mandrake
n. the root or other parts of the plant Mandragora officinarum, traditionally used as an anesthetic, aphrodisiac, hallucinogen, and folk remedy for asthma, whooping cough, stomach ulcers, and other conditions. The name derives from the supposed resemblance of the root to the human form; -drake (from the Old English word for dragon) alludes to the alleged magical powers of the plant. A member of the nightshade family, it contains the anticholinergic alkaloids scopolamine, mandragorine, and hyoscyamine, which are poisonous and potentially fatal. Symptoms of poisoning include flushing, pupillary dilation, dry mucous membranes, and dry mouth, progressing to visual disturbances, hallucinations, restlessness, agitation, delirium, and possibly death from respiratory failure.