Black henbane is a wild poisonous plant. Scope of use of the plant black henbane

Belen - a plant, bright representative the nightshade family. Among the people, henbane has many names - dope grass, scab, rabies, blekota, witch grass, and even "chicken killer". All of them are quite impartial, and all because of the highest level of toxic substances in this herb.

The main property of black henbane is hallucinogenic. A person, after using this herb, will behave inappropriately, stay in intense excitability.

This effect gave rise to the proverb: “as if he had eaten henbane”. And for many centuries, this herb was used as an amplifier of ferocity for warriors (in the Middle Ages). In addition to excitation, the aggression of henbane also reduces the sensitivity threshold of the pain syndrome. And it was also used for soldiers in the armies of different countries.

All parts of the henbane plant are poisonous, but in the very more quantity the poison is contained in its seeds.

Despite belonging to the poisonous family of this plant, its properties are widely used in medicine, because doctors have long discovered the healing power of poisons at low concentrations. Even Hipocrates, Avicena and Dioscorides (ancient medical scientists) described and used henbane as an anesthetic and hemostatic agent.

Today's pharmacology uses this plant in drugs with a pronounced antispasmodic effect, which are prescribed in therapy. gastrointestinal tract, to relieve spasms of smooth muscles, slow down the functioning of the glands of the digestive tract. Henbane is also used for the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal nature.

During the collection of henbane as a raw material for medicine in without fail gloves and respirators are used. These precautions are necessary because even the fumes of henbane have high level hazards to human health.

Poisoning Dosage

Getting bleached poisoning is easy enough. People who do not know about her belonging to a group of powerful poisonous plants can be poisoned even while collecting henbane grass. And if it is used without special doctor's prescriptions in the form of decoctions or compresses, a lethal outcome is not excluded.

Any pharmacological drug is always accompanied by instructions for use, which indicates the maximum allowable dosage per day for a person and describes in detail the mode of taking the medication.

Any excess of this established norm for a preparation containing henbane, it can also cause not only intoxication of the body, but also lead to lethality. Therefore, in no case should you self-medicate. Only the attending physician can prescribe preparations with henbane and calculate the dosage for each individual case.

IN pure form The lethal dosage of henbane black is 100 mg.

Chemical composition

Of course, all the medicinal properties of this plant are due to its chemical composition.

The aerial part of the henbane grass contains a large number of different alkaloids. The main ones are atropine, hyoscyamine and scopolamine. Important trace elements were found in the leaves of henbane - potassium, bromine, calcium, selenium, molybdenum, lithium and copper. And in the seeds, in addition to alkaloids, there are phospholipids, steroids, fatty acids.

Ways of intoxication

You can get intoxication of the body with bleached black in two ways (ways):

1. Through food: henbane rhizome is easily confused with parsley root, white carrots, and its seeds with poppy seeds; in addition, during the flowering period, alkaloids in seeds and young shoots are particularly active, and eating these parts of the plant is easy to poison.
2. External ways, during the collection of medicinal raw materials without observing the rules and safety precautions (without gloves, goggles, respirators).

Direct evidence of bleached black poisoning are signs that begin to appear within half an hour after its internal intake:

• Difficulty swallowing;
• Dryness in the mouth and throat;
• Hoarseness of voice;
• slurred speech;
• Visual impairment, dilated pupils;
• Photophobia;
• Violation of spatial orientation;
• Redness of the skin, excessive dryness;
• Intense and not passing headache;
• Tachycardia.

Severe intoxication with henbane will be accompanied by the following clinical picture:

• General and motor excitation, to a rather strong degree;
• convulsions;
• Complete loss of spatial orientation;
• Blue mucous membranes;
• Rave;
• hallucinations.

With severe intoxication, a person quickly develops paralysis of the respiratory organs, respiratory arrest occurs and death occurs.

First aid for intoxication

The first aid for human intoxication with henbane is calling an ambulance and washing the stomach and intestines in order to free them from toxic substances and prevent their further absorption into the blood.

Since there is no natural vomiting with such poisoning, it will not work artificially to cause it. Only with the help of a probe can the stomach be washed. top the probe is lubricated with oil (since the patient has dryness of the pharynx and oral cavity characteristic of this condition), and washing is carried out activated carbon(2 tablespoons of coal are diluted in 0.5 l clean water) or sodium bicarbonate.

If it is impossible to carry out washing, the patient should be forced to drink a solution of activated charcoal.

An enema method is used to wash the intestines.

Doctors use bleached antidote for poisoning - proserpine, in the form of a 0.05% solution.

It is administered subcutaneously at a dosage of 1 ml. At the same time, a 0.1% solution of physostigmine salicylate and a 1% solution of pilocarpine hydrochloride are injected at a dosage of 0.006 g and 1 ml.

These antidotes are administered in cases of a coma in a patient with henbane poisoning, but without his active excitation.

In the case of psychomotor agitation and a convulsive state, it is necessary to use hexenal, chlorpromazine, sodium thiopental, dimedrol or promedrol.

When tachycardia appears, it is removed with the help of a solution of indleral, administering it intravenously.

Possible consequences

The most unfortunate consequence of bleached black poisoning can be death due to respiratory arrest, convulsions and vascular insufficiency.

If, however, to provide timely qualified medical care, then the prognosis is usually favorable, but the recovery will be long.

It is especially difficult to normalize disorders of a nervous nature. This will require a long period of time and strict adherence to all doctor's instructions.

Prevention of poisoning

To avoid bleached poisoning, you must:

1. Everything garden work carry out while observing safety measures (wearing gloves, goggles, and so on).
2. When taking drugs with bleached black, strictly follow all the recommendations and prescriptions of a doctor.
3. Do not take homemade medicines from henbane (decoctions, infusions, etc.).
4. Avoid eating unfamiliar plants.

Henbane black is a typical representative the nightshade family. Among the people, the plant has several names: dope-grass, rabies, fading, scab. The English call the plant "chicken killer".

Belena - unusually dangerous, poisonous plant, which has a powerful narcotic effect on a person. That is why henbane also has such a nickname as "witch grass". There were times when given plant used to prepare deadly poison. Concerning side effects, then there are strong, colorful hallucinations.

The plant is widespread in Russia, Ukraine, Central Asia, on the Far East, in the Caucasus. This is due to the fact that the plant is very unpretentious, it forms many seeds. For example, at least ten thousand seeds can be obtained from one instance of henbane, which retain the ability to germinate for a long time.

henbane is biennial plant, can grow up to 20-140 cm. The surface of the leaves and stem is covered with fluff, sticky hairs. It has a very strong, unpleasant odor. Often grows near roads, in landfills and wastelands, as well as along buildings. Sometimes lives in vegetable gardens, fields as an annoying weed.

Black henbane is extremely dangerous, as the poison is contained in every part of the plant. The seeds are the most poisonous. Despite all this, the plant is used in traditional and folk medicine due to its unique chemical composition. Henbane contains atropine and a number of substances that have similar functions. The stem and root contain hyoscine, hyoscyamine.

The aerial part contains the following substances:

• apoatropine;
• scopolamine;
• tropin;
• apo-hyoscin;
• hyoscine and hyoscyamine;
• a-belladonin;
• b-belladonin;
• skimmian.

Henbane seeds contain:

• steroids;
• fatty acids: oleic, linoleic and stearic, myristic, and also palmitic;
• alkaloids.

Beneficial features

As you know, many poisons are able to have a therapeutic effect, but only in small quantities. Black henbane is no exception, as its medicinal properties have been known since ancient times. This is one of the most powerful, effective hemostatic, analgesic natural remedies.

Black henbane is actively used in modern medicine. Based on it, antispasmodic drugs are produced. Such medicines help fight abdominal cramps, normalize the activity of the gastrointestinal tract. Among other things, such drugs help slow down the digestive glands and are used in the treatment of peptic ulcers.

Henbane helps well in the treatment of bronchial asthma. It is actively used in diseases of the musculoskeletal system: bone tuberculosis, gout and rheumatism, arthritis.

Clinical picture of henbane poisoning

Poisoning with henbane is not uncommon. The poison of the plant is so powerful and powerful that if a cow eats the grass, the milk will become poisonous! The most poisonous components of henbane are scopolamine, as well as atropine. These alkaloids have a psychotropic effect, affect the central nervous system person.

Interestingly, scopolamine is considered the basis of the well-known "truth serum", which is widely used in special services during various interrogations.

The main signs of black bleached poisoning:

• dryness in the pharynx, oral cavity, swallowing is very difficult and painful;
• there is a change in speech, it becomes slurred, and the voice wheezes;
• dryness and excessive redness of the skin;
• pupils dilate, near vision is disturbed, fear of light is observed;
• tachycardia;
• headaches;
• lack of coordination.

If degree mild poisoning, then these symptoms begin to appear within twenty or thirty minutes.

Symptoms of severe bleached black poisoning:

• rave;
• mucous membranes become cyanotic;
• there is a loss of orientation;
• pulse weakened, uneven;
• "jumps" arterial pressure;
• visual hallucinations;
• convulsions;
• sharp motor and emotional excitement.

Often, patients begin to behave aggressively, violently and inappropriately, not without reason there is a saying - "I ate too much henbane".

In case of severe intoxication, paralysis of the respiratory center may develop, followed by respiratory arrest and death. The lethal dosage for an adult is about one hundred mg of atropine, and for children it is much less.

Video

Features of therapy and first aid in case of poisoning

If signs begin to appear that cause suspicion of poisoning by a poisonous plant, it is important to urgently call " ambulance". If the necessary measures are not taken in time, death occurs! In case of poisoning with henbane, it is necessary to immediately begin gastric lavage. However, there is a catch, a very serious one: in this situation, you cannot provoke vomiting. All actions must be accurate, prompt and professional. This is done to ensure that the minimum amount of a toxic substance enters the bloodstream.

In such situations, gastric lavage is carried out medical workers using a gastric tube. Then a soda solution or a suspension of activated carbon is introduced through the probe. In the event that there is no special probe, the patient should drink activated charcoal, crushed into powder and mixed with water. With the help of Aminazine and Dimedrol, acute arousal is stopped.

Prozerin is injected subcutaneously, and with the help of Inderal, signs of tachycardia can be eliminated. It is very important to bring the body temperature back to normal, Analgin, ice and wiping with a damp cloth are suitable for this. Black henbane poisoning can lead to paralysis, coma, and death. Therefore, the victim should be urgently taken to the hospital.

IN middle lane In Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic countries and Central Asia, the poisonous henbane plant can be found almost everywhere. Signs of poisoning them are very specific. Its intoxicating and poisonous properties have been known since ancient times, they were widely used in witchcraft rites, and this plant was called "witch's potion" and "witch's grass".

Description of henbane

Henbane, which is popularly called dope, dope-grass, night blindness, demon grass - grassy perennial from the Solanaceae family. She has a viscous, intoxicating smell, because of which she got her vernacular name.

Cream flowers or beige colour shaped like a bell with purple or lilac streaks. The middle of the flower is dark purple, almost black, with five dark stamens and a pistil. The leaves are quite large and slightly sticky to the touch due to the huge number of hairs.

Henbane blooms from May to October, and although all parts of the grass are poisonous, the most poisonous are the seeds that ripen in a poppy-like box by August-September.

This plant can be found everywhere, it is extremely unpretentious and grows along the roadsides, on garbage heaps, on the ruins of houses and in wastelands.

Poison properties

Poisoning with henbane occurs in the form of acute psychosis, accompanied by hallucinations, speech and motor excitability and a strong heartbeat. Signs of henbane poisoning: intense thirst, difficulty urinating and swallowing. As a result of disturbed sweating and urination, the temperature rises, the pupils dilate, severe pain appears in the eyes, the face and neck turn red or become covered with red-purple spots.

Symptoms of poisoning also include rapid and difficult breathing, convulsions, clouding of consciousness. If first aid is not provided in time, the victim will lose consciousness and may die.

First aid for poisoning

If you or your loved ones accidentally or mistakenly ate henbane seeds, then immediately flush your stomach aqueous solution table salt(40 g of salt per 10 liters of water). If the person is already losing consciousness, try pouring water into their mouth through a funnel on their own. After that, you need to take activated or white charcoal at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 kg of body weight, and then rinse the stomach again with a manganese solution.

In any case, be sure to call an ambulance, because it is impossible to cope with this problem on your own. The poisonous henbane plant can not only kill a person, but also cause a serious mental disorder.

Procurement of raw materials

In medicine, the leaves and tops of plants are used, both black henbane and annual Czech. The preparation of raw materials takes place in different time: the collection of whole leaves is carried out in September-October, and the tops of the stems during the flowering period - from August to September.

It is necessary to collect raw materials in clear and dry weather in the afternoon, since even the minimum amount of moisture on the leaves leads to a change in the color of the raw material and its disappearance. medicinal properties.

The leaves are dried in the shade fresh air within 3-4 days.

Important: all parts of the plant are poisonous, they contain alkaloids, therefore, when harvesting raw materials, extreme caution should be exercised. Collect henbane only with gloves and in no case touch the face or mucous membranes of the mouth and eyes with your hands.

The use of henbane in medicine

Although henbane is a poisonous plant, it is widely used in medicine. In microscopic doses, it has a calming effect on the human nervous system, has an antispasmodic effect on the smooth muscles of the intestines, biliary and urinary tract.

Belena is widely used for the following diseases:

1. neurological disorders.
2. Respiratory pathology.
3. Digestive disorders.
4. Pathologies urinary system.
5. Dermatological diseases.
6. Diseases of the organs of vision.

The pharmaceutical industry presents medicines using henbane in the form of powders, tablets, ointments, decoctions, potions and rectal suppositories.

Important: accept everything medications It is possible only on the recommendation of a doctor, and in no case should you self-medicate!

Traditional medicine recipes

In folk medicine, recipes using henbane leaves and seeds have long been known. Medieval witches used Datura herb ointments in their magical rituals and in hallucinations they saw that they flew to the sabbath with the devil and participated in orgies with Satan. Vikings ate rabies leaves (as henbane was called) before battle and with bare hands killed their enemies. In the Arab Caliphate, a decoction of the plant was used as an analgesic.

What else is dangerous for henbane is the fact that in no case should the dose of the drug be exceeded. Therefore, when using preparations from this plant in the treatment, one must be very careful.

If you burn mature seeds, and take the smoke into your mouth and hold it, then the toothache will go away. For swollen and swollen hands and feet, baths are made with steamed plant stems. Rheumatism is treated with henbane leaves infused with vodka: rubbed into diseased joints in the morning and evening for three months.

For the treatment of gout, neuralgia, myositis, and also as an aid for bruises, an oil infusion is used. To do this, large leaves are soaked in ammonia and then mixed with vegetable oil and insist for three days.

For the treatment of boils and purulent abscesses, a decoction of the leaves of the plant is used. For this, a teaspoon of crushed raw materials is poured with a liter of boiling water and kept on low heat for five minutes. Strainer can be used not only for compresses, but also for rubbing with colds and chills.

Henbane is rarely consumed internally due to its poisonous and intoxicating properties. But infusions and decoctions from this plant are an excellent remedy for the treatment of convulsions, emetic spasms, dysentery.

To prepare the medicine, a full tablespoon of raw materials is poured with boiling water (100 g), kept on low heat until the broth becomes thick and viscous. Two drops of the elixir are diluted with a tablespoon of water and taken in the morning and evening before meals.

Video: henbane.

Contraindications

Black henbane seeds are pleasant to the taste, so they can be mistaken for another plant and eaten. But any, even the smallest amount, seeds can lead to poisoning and can seriously harm your health.

There are also diseases in which the possibility of taking medicines based on plant extracts is excluded.

• glaucoma - increased intraocular pressure;
• inflammation and adenoma of the prostate;
• pregnancy and lactation;
• severe renal failure, impaired urination;
• these drugs should not be taken by children.

Important: any medicine in small doses is healing, but in large doses it is poison. This condition fully applies to henbane. Therefore, all preparations containing the extract of this plant, and especially those prepared according to folk recipes, can be taken only after consultation with your doctor.

Poisoning by mushrooms and poisonous plants

Poisoning bleached and first aid

Henbane is a very poisonous plant from the Solanaceae family. Distribution geography - from India to the Canary Islands, through the whole territory of Europe and southern part Siberia to Japan. It usually grows on roadsides, in various wastelands, in the yard or in the garden. Accordingly, the risk of poisoning by this plant is quite high. The plant is usually scattered or in small groups.

It has a thick, fleecy stem, the height of which reaches 1.5 m. Leaves are long and dark. That is why it is known as black henbane. It blooms in large, yellowish inflorescences with purple patches, veins. During the flowering period, henbane publishes bad smell from which even animals try to bypass it.
The seeds are very similar to poppy seeds.

Symptoms

The toxic effect on the body is mainly caused by atropine and hyoscine, blocking the parasympathetic nerves. All parts of the plant are poisonous. The most toxic are the seeds. Inflorescences become poisonous towards the end of spring. Most often, poisoning by poisonous plants occurs in children, including henbane poisoning, as they confuse its seeds with edible ones.
The first signs of intoxication appear very quickly - after 20 minutes:

• elevated temperature;
• rapid heart rate;
• dryness in the throat and mouth;
• vision problems;
• consciousness is confused;
• hallucinations;
• rave;
• pupils are dilated;
• redness on the skin;
• high blood pressure;
• constipation;

With acute heart failure, even death is possible.

Benefits and uses in medicine

Gastric lavage through a tube

The first actions should be aimed at removing toxic substances from the body that have not yet entered the bloodstream. Since bleached natural vomiting does not occur during intoxication, as usual, this happens with food poisoning, it will also be problematic to cause it artificially. The only way out- Rinse the stomach with a probe. Due to dryness in the throat, the probe must be lubricated with oil on top. You can wash the stomach with either sodium bicarbonate or ordinary activated charcoal. Coal is diluted in water: 2 tablespoons per half liter of water. If it is impossible to carry out washing, it is recommended to simply give the victim 2-3 tablespoons of activated charcoal dissolved in water to drink.

Proserpine (0.05% solution) is considered an antidote. It is administered subcutaneously in an amount of 1 ml. Physostigmine salicylate (0.1%) also under the skin. A single dose for adults is 0.006 g. And pilocarpine hydrochloride (1%) - 1 ml also under the skin.

Antidotes are administered if there is a coma without a sharp excitation.

Drink or inject through a probe shows magnesium sulfate. The optimal dosage is 25g per 3 cups of water. You can also enter under the skin 1 ml of apomorphine hydrochloride, its 1% solution.

If convulsions and psychomotor agitation appear during poisoning, then hexenal, sodium thiopental, chlorpromazine, promedrol, diphenhydramine are used. Enemas are also made with a solution of barbamyl or sodium hydroxybutyrate.

To get rid of tachycardia, enderal solution is administered intravenously. In this case, special care is necessary for acidosis.
All dosages must be prescribed individually by a doctor.

Reopyrin, analgin or amidopyrin (4%) will help bring down the temperature. Additionally, it will be useful to blow the victim with a fan, apply cold to the head and inguinal areas, and rub down with cold.

From folk remedies in case of bleached poisoning, you can eat 1 coffee spoon of ground coffee (not instant, but ground roasted seeds). Take every 30 minutes 4 times.

For poisonous plants, simply do not eat or touch plants that you do not know. If you notice any of the symptoms listed above, call your doctor immediately. Provide first aid and entrust subsequent treatment to specialists.

Black henbane was popularly called: dope-grass, furiously, rabies, bleat, German, night blindness, dog poppy, damn potion ... This is not a complete list of the nicknames of this plant. Belarusian peasants considered henbane to be the work of the unclean. That's what the legend tells.

The legend of black henbane

When God was preparing the earth for man, he sowed various good grains and plants. However, some seeds fell on places poisoned by devil's saliva (“the devil spat”), And then wheatgrass grew out of barley, bonfire grew out of rye, blackthorn appeared instead of apple trees and pears, and instead of healing herbs - bleach (henbane) and other harmful plants.
Black henbane (Hyoscyamus niger L.) is a typical weed that occurs throughout Ukraine.
Henbane usually grows in wastelands, near roads, in gardens, orchards, near buildings. Getting rid of this annoying weed is not at all easy: henbane gives a lot of seeds, and when the aerial part is destroyed, it easily grows from the root.
But not only for this they disliked henbane. The plant has been the cause of many accidents. Leaves, stems, seeds caused severe poisoning, sometimes fatal. Children especially suffered: they mistook henbane seeds for poppies and ate them.

Symptoms of henbane poisoning

The milk of cows that ate the stems of the plant also became poisonous. There are cases when the root of the stupefaction-grass was eaten instead of the parsley root similar to it. We had to pay dearly for such mistakes.
The ancient Babylonians, Egyptians, and Persians knew about the poisonous properties of henbane. It was noticed that pigs that ate the fruits of the plant died. That's why it sounds Latin name herbs - hyoscyamus (from Greek words "gios" - pig and "cyamos" - bean). In ancient times, warriors chewed the leaves of this plant before the battle: their faces turned purple, they became insane and, like animals, rushed at the enemy, feeling neither fear nor pain, crushing everything in their path.
This is how he described the symptoms bleached poisoning Avicenna: “The one who drinks it, there is a relaxation of all members, the tongue swells, foam comes out of the mouth and the eyes turn red. He develops dizziness, a veil before his eyes, tightness of breath, deafness, itching in the body and in the tongue, intoxication and clouding of the mind, and often he is struck by epilepsy. Often such patients make various sounds: sometimes they roar like a donkey, sometimes they neigh, sometimes they coo, and sometimes they croak.
To this it should be added that in case of poisoning with henbane (and for this it is enough to eat a few seeds; the first signs of poisoning occur within 30-50 minutes), the heart rate increases, blood pressure rises, dryness of the skin and oral mucosa appears, the voice becomes hoarse, there are thirst, nausea, vomiting, redness of the body. The pupils of the eyes dilate, there is no reaction to light. The victim loses control over himself, his psyche is disturbed. He rushes about, laughs unnaturally, raves, strives to run away, not knowing where himself, he has a feeling of flight.
Violent state, hallucinations combined with convulsions. If you do not provide urgent assistance to the patient, respiratory paralysis may occur, and death will occur. Fatal outcome can cause a dose of poison within 0.01 milligrams. Many crimes are on the "conscience" of bleached. These facts are reflected in the tragedy of W. Shakespeare "Hamlet, Prince of Denmark". The Ghost who appeared to the prince told him about the deceit of his uncle and the cause of his father's death:
...when I slept in the garden
In my afternoon,
Your uncle crept into my corner
With cursed henbane juice in a flask
And he poured infusion into the vestibule of my ears...
have been known since ancient times poisonous properties henbane in Russia. We find mention of it in the monument of the Old Russian
Literature "Izbornik Svyatoslav" of the list of 1073: henbane "no one mind imish, not evil, if there is no great need, not a dog bite" (every sane person does not eat it even in great need, do not eat it and dogs).
The veil of mystery that covered the mysterious properties of the "evil" grass served as an impetus for the emergence of various superstitious ideas about this plant. Since henbane caused hallucinations, sensations of free floating, it was part of the "magic ointment". There was a belief that if you rub yourself with such an ointment under your armpits, you can turn into a witch and fly away to the Sabbath.

henbane in small doses

However, observant people noticed that in small doses, henbane juice calms a person, relieves pain, brings healing. The ancient doctors of Babylon and Assyria knew about these properties of the plant. Hippocrates, Theophrastus, Dioscorides wrote about henbane.
If the blood is excessively mixed with disgusting pus,
The blood will become inflamed, and a lot of painful papules will grow.
Then you combine crushed barley with resin:
Sprinkling with warm water, apply this medicine.
You wanted henbane combined with wax and lard
Take for treatment? Take it. This tool will help no worse.
So wrote Quint Soren Samonik in the chapter "On the treatment of boils."
In the Middle Ages, henbane leaves ground with barley flour were applied to tumors, gout, earache, and hemoptysis were treated with this plant. Vinegar, in which henbane roots were boiled, was kept in the mouth when a toothache tormented. Avicenna pointed out that henbane "causes numbness, stops bleeding and with its analgesic power soothes throbbing pains." So, it was suitable as a reliable medicine for severe pain in the eyes, bleached oil was allowed into the ear to relieve severe pain (it was believed that henbane kills "worms"). Sometimes with the help of henbane cough was treated, with tumors of the breasts, medicinal dressings from its leaves were applied. Grass seeds were fumigated for aching teeth. Henbane was also included in complex multicomponent compositions - theriaki, chalissa, large and small zamihran, large "aristun" (it was used for "coldness of the body", consumption, abdominal pain, fever). Prepared a kind of anesthetics. Here is a recipe for one of them. They took saffron, opium, myrrh, henbane seeds, mandrake fruit peel in equal parts, kneaded on lettuce juice and prepared cakes, which, if necessary, soaked in water and lubricated whiskey with this elixir.
In the Middle Ages, with the help of black henbane, gouty pains were soothed, using it in the form of an ointment or a drink sweetened with honey water. It was part of cigarettes, "giving fullness," as this remedy "thickens the blood and thickens the juices." Bleached lubricated breast tumors that appeared after pregnancy: she absorbed them and prevented the formation of new ones. The squeezed juice of the plant was considered useful for pain in the uterus and uterine bleeding. It was also believed that the condensed juice of the leaves, the leaves themselves or the seeds of henbane, placed as an ointment on the forehead, "prevent the cathars from descending there." This herb has been recommended for worms, convulsions, melancholy and dementia.
Odo from Maine left to posterity such poetic lines about henbane:
The juice of the grated seed, if squeezed out, is able to
To appease the eye, which can be hot and sticky,
The sick eyes themselves were often rubbed with that juice.
A seed weighing an obol is combined in a weight of the same
With poppy seed, with honey it takes water
That woman is not without benefit, that the uterus suffers with a current;

And hemoptysis is so, they say, to heal in a state;
If blood flows from the mouth from a different cause, -
This drink is said to help by taking frequent.
Dough seed with wine, applied as a poultice,
Helps swollen breasts and testicles;
Many semen and plasters are included in antidotes.
Grass brings madness if eaten in the same way as greens;
Juice is the same, if it is poured into any wound.

He spoke about the benefits of henbane in " Salerno Code of Health» Arnold of Villanova, advising not to give it up as a pain reliever.
However, not only doctors turned their eyes to the damn potion. Alchemists, sorcerers, wizards had a special interest in grass, trying to get a “philosopher's stone” with the help of its root, which allegedly had the ability to turn any substance into gold. Even Paracelsus, a recognized authority for medieval medicine, describing the possibility of creating a mythical living creature - a homunculus in a flask, pointed out that in such a complex and laborious business one cannot do without the henbane root.
Domestic folk herbal medicine used henbane in a few cases - this grass was very unloved. Sometimes, with gout, rheumatism, ointment from the juice of the plant was rubbed on sore spots. It happened that henbane seeds were chewed to soothe a toothache. In the Ukrainian home medical book of the 18th century it is said that “they light up with fading from the teeth.”
Popular among the people was the so-called bleached butter, which was used externally in the form of ointments and poultices for rheumatism, gout, bruises, neuralgia. To obtain it, henbane leaves insisted on sunflower oil. The herb has also been used to treat vomiting and diarrhea. Seed ointment helped with bone tuberculosis. In Central Siberia, an infusion of henbane was used for boils at the beginning of their appearance, rubbed with ointment for colds, coughs, and pleurisy.
There were also jokes. A certain Paul Sedir in the book published in 1909 " magical plants”Advised quite seriously:“ Henbane seeds will help with toothache if they are placed on a red-hot brick or frying pan and bent over them so that the smoke enters the mouth. But it doesn't need to be inhaled. Then the worms from rotten tooth fall into the frying pan."
Currently black henbane is used as an anti-asthma remedy(included in the "Astmatol" and "Astmatina" - anti-asthma collection). The oil extract of the leaves (the so-called bleached oil) is used for rubbing with gout, rheumatism, joint pain, and neuralgia. Henbane is also used in homeopathy.
Know this plant and experienced veterinarians. If small amounts of henbane leaves are ingested in animal feed, they act as an anti-spasmodic and moderate secretion agent. Therefore, the herb is used in veterinary practice as a sedative, analgesic, anticonvulsant in inflammatory and ulcerative processes, to relieve spasm of smooth muscles. In such cases, cattle are fed 20-30 grams of leaves, sheep and goats - 5-15, pigs - 2-10, dogs - 0.2-1 grams. Bleached butter in combination with chloroform and other drugs is prescribed externally as an anesthetic.