| Abstract Detail
Historical Section Ryu, BoMi [1], Ratsch, Angela [2], Steadman, Kathryn [3]. Pituri: Is it Duboisia or Nicotiana? Pituri is prepared from leaves of Australian species of Nicotiana mixed with wood ash and is chewed by many Australian Indigenous people as a source of nicotine. Pituri use was formally described in the late 19th century by European explorers. At this time the popular physiological and psychoactive effects of pituri made it highly valued and traded across Australia in woven pituri bags. The identification of pituri in 1877 as Duboisia hopwoodii is at odds with contemporary use of Nicotiana species. Both plants are Solanaceae subfamily Nicotianoideae and contain nicotine as the primary alkaloid, Nicotiana is widely spread across Australia while D. hopwoodii availability is limited and specific, and some early writers noted that they believed Aboriginal people were chewing wild tobacco plants. However, pituri continues to be referred to as D. hopwoodii in contemporary pharmacological, anthropological, botanical and social literature based on this early identification. In this study we endeavoured to identify 100+ year old pituri using DNA sequencing technology. We used 14 pituri specimens from the Queensland Museum that were acquired by museum between 1883 and 1969. Using chloroplast sequences from selected matK and ndhF regions, the 14 samples were determined to be Nicotiana spp., not D. hopwoodii. This was confirmed using phylogenetic analysis to assess relationships of the pituri samples with species within Duboisia and Nicotiana for which sequences were available. Identification of the nature of pituri is of value, not only for taxonomic purposes, but also as a historical and cultural discovery due to the importance of pituri in social interaction in Aboriginal life.
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1 - The University of Queensland, School of Pharmacy, 20 Cornwall St, Woolloongabba, Qld , 4102, Australia
2 - The University of Queensland, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Level 3, Chamberlain building , St Lucia, Qld, 4165, Australia
3 - The University of Queensland, 20 Cornwall St, Woolloongabba, Qld, 4102, Australia
Keywords:
Pituri
Duboisia
Nicotiana
Chewing Tobacco
Australian Aboriginals.
Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections
Session: 54
Location: Salon 14/The Shaw Conference Centre
Date: Tuesday, July 28th, 2015
Time: 3:30 PM
Number: 54003
Abstract ID:1290
Candidate for Awards:Emanuel D. Rudolph Award |
