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Mandrake root where it grows and how it looks. Collection and preparation of mandrake officinalis

From time immemorial, the mandrake plant has been associated with man. Its roots resemble arms and legs attached to the body. And the aerial part of the plant crowns the head. As early as the 12th century, Hildegard of Bingen wrote that "because of this resemblance to man, it is easier to be influenced by the Devil and his machinations than other plants."

— white mandrake- male, had a black outside, but a white root inside. A plant with creeping leaves and a heavy, intoxicating smell. Berries yellow color had a sharply hypnotic effect, used as a sleeping pill and for anesthesia;

— black mandrake- female. Unlike the male one, it has a forked root;

— Morion or grass of fools.

Modern studies of the composition of the mandrake have revealed the presence in its root of narcotic additives containing hyoscyamine, scopalamin and atropine. Medieval authors advised to distill the mandrake root with wine, so that the juice contained in it passed into the drink. From the resulting composition, the wine turned into a dangerous poison that could plunge a person into a delusional state, drive him crazy or kill him, depending on the concentration.

Digging up the mandrake

The ancient Greeks were strongly prejudiced against the mandrake. Theophrastus wrote that two people had to dig up the mandrake. The first one should outline the mandrake with three circles and become facing west. At this time, his assistant should dance around the plant, whispering love speeches to him.

Theophrastus (372-288 BC or 390-284) was from the city of Eres on the island of Lesbos. As a young man, he came to Athens and studied first with Plato (427-347), then with Aristotle (384-322), for whom he was a faithful student and assistant. He showed brilliant oratory skills, which gave Aristotle a reason to remake his name from Tirtam to Theophrastus, Greek. "divine speaker"

Subsequently, superstitions developed so much that the rules for picking a plant were developed:

You can only dig up a plant at night;

Be sure to lay your ears with wax and plug with cotton;

The plant, as if feeling that it will be dug up, is trying to hide in the ground. To prevent this from happening, you need to pour it with a liquid, the name of which is indecent to pronounce aloud. Apparently this liquid is human urine. Accordingly, the reluctance to touch the plant in the next paragraph is quite understandable;

The soil, after watering the plant, must be loosened and dug in a circular ditch, avoiding touching the plant;

Wrap the root with a rope tied to the collar of a black dog;

Move away from the dog at a safe distance and throw a piece of meat to her;

The dog will run after the meat and pull out the root. At the same time, the root emits a deafening cry, upon hearing which, the dog dies. According to beliefs, all living things around will die. There is another theory that explains the death of all living things by the release of the root of the plant, narcotic essential oils from which all living things fell from their feet. If, however, the plant was pulled by the string from a safe distance, the ejection of oils did not reach the mandrake hunter;

The corpse of the dog must be buried in a place where the mandrake root is pulled out.

According to existing beliefs, extracting the root by a human hand nullified the entire power of the root. But that was not all. During the Middle Ages, people were hanged frequently and methodically. It was during this period that another belief was born that the mandrake grows from droplets of the hanged man's sperm that fell to the ground. As a consequence of the connection of the mandrake with the products of ejaculation, its action is recognized as an effective love component of the potions of medieval Europe.

Mandrake storage

With the root plucked, the mandrakes perform monthly rituals according to the lunar cycle. The root must be stored wrapped in a piece of red cloth. Each new moon, a piece of cloth must be replaced with a new one. If there is no red fabric, then it is possible to change the color of the fabric to white. Every week it is necessary to wash the root with red wine. If the storage of the root is correct, then it will protect its owner and help on the sexual front.

Usage

The main direction, as mentioned earlier, is love magic. The reason is most likely in the legend of growing from the seed of a hanged man and the resemblance to the figure of a man. The root was used by wearing pieces of it at home and discreetly tossing it into the clothes of his beloved.

Leonbart Fuchs, in his New Kreutterouch, writes: "Mandrake root, placed under a bed or pillow, arouses a strong passion for a woman and suppresses all moments that destroy the sexual instinct."

Leonhard Fuchs

The most stubborn not only threw the roots into their clothes, but also crushed the root and added it to the solution. After that, the lady who drank the drink had an unexpected pregnancy. In Russia, the mandrake is known precisely as a love spell.

The second aspect of use is as a substance for contacts with other worlds. In this, of course, the narcotic components of the mandrake root are to blame.

And finally, the use of the mandrake root as a doll for the impact operation. The root outwardly represents a person and influencing the connection of the root with specific person, injuring the root - they killed a person.

Use of roots as amulets. It has also been occasionally used as a remedy for insomnia and gout.

legends

The Greeks considered the mandrake to be the very root with which Circe turned Odysseus' companions into pigs.

The goddess of love Aphrodite was called Mandragorita or Mandrogaritis.

Pythagoras, Dioscorides and Pliny praised magic power mandrake root.

Mandrake in the bible

Old Testament, Book of Songs of Solomon:

8.14 The mandrakes have already blown incense, and at our doors are all excellent fruits, new and old: I have saved this for you, my beloved!

Old Testament, First Book of Moses. Being

30:14 Reuben went out during the wheat harvest, and found mandrake apples in the field, and brought them to Leah his mother. And Rachel said to Leah [her sister], Give me the mandrakes of your son.

30:15 But [Leah] said to her, Is it not enough for you to take possession of my husband, that you covet even the mandrakes of my son? Rachel said: so let him lie with you this night, for the mandrakes of your son.

30:16 Jacob came from the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him and said, Come to me [today], for I bought you with the mandrakes of my son. And he lay down with her that night.

30:17 And God heard Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob the fifth son.

Mandrake Root Ritual

For the ritual, you will need a mandrake of the opposite sex. The operation of extracting the mandrake from the ground is described in detail above.

After receiving the plant, you need to separate the foliage from the root. At the root, cut out the secondary sexual characteristics of the opposite sex with a knife. Of course now mores are somewhat simplified and same-sex options are possible.

You must take the main part of the root home and with your knife cut into it the features of the doll of the sex opposite to your own. While cutting, repeat over and over the phrase: "Keep this house."

A properly prepared root had to be planted in the churchyard, or at the crossroads of two roads. This arrangement increased the strength of the root. The planting of the root was again carried out by drawing a circle around the intended place in a clockwise direction, that is, in the direction of the sun in the northern hemisphere. If such a need arose in the southern hemisphere, then, accordingly, it was necessary to draw a circle counterclockwise, this is how the sun spins there. It is best to plant the root at the new moon and at midnight. But after planting the root, you need to take care of it for 28 days. For the entire lunar month, you must water it with a mixture of water with the addition of your blood, in a ratio of twelve to one, which is thirteen parts of the solution. Extraction of the root was also to take place at midnight. Do not forget to draw the same circle around the plant as when planting it.

If all the instructions are followed correctly, then at the root, most of the incisions will be tightened, acquiring a resemblance to the figure of the opposite sex.

Further processing of the root consists in washing it and daily smoking in the smoke of vervain for three months. In three months, you will have a wonderful protective amulet that will keep your home.

Correspondence

Popular name: wild lemon, raccoon berries, Circe herb
Aura: Warm
Planet: Mercury
Element: Earth
deities: Hecate
Parts of the plant used: root
Basic properties: love, fertility

Mandrake in the movies

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, there is a mandrake transplant scene.

The sequence of actions when transplanting a mandrake:

1. Hold the mandrake firmly at the base of the stem.

2. Pull firmly on the stem of the mandrake, being careful not to damage its stem and leaves.

3. Plant a mandrake in another pot.

4. Backfill firmly and compact the ground

Warning: Mandragora can bite fingers!

Attention: Ears must be protected with special sound-damping headphones

Many plants - flowers, trees, herbs - have long been revered different nations says the folk doctor. In some cases, some legend was associated with this or that plant, for example, the story of a narcissus. In other cases, people paid attention to unusual conditions, in which the plant lives, the shape and smell of the flower and other specific properties due to which this plant was chosen as a symbol.
From the crushed leaves, fruits and roots of many plants, various substances were obtained that were used to prepare ointments, tinctures, essences that have the ability to influence the mind and feelings of a person. In the treatment of many diseases, plants were used whose leaves, roots or fruits were similar in shape to organs or parts of the human body. For example, long fluffy moss growing on oaks was used to strengthen hair.

But perhaps the most mysterious and powerful magical properties prescribed mandrake. People have long noticed that its root is shaped like a person. Pythagoras called the mandrake "a humanoid plant." In the cultures of some nationalities, there was even a distinction between female and male plants. In ancient herbalists, this plant was usually depicted as a man with a bunch of leaves growing from his head.

According to an old legend, a mandrake shrinks from a human touch and at the same time emits a loud cry, trying to get back into the ground from which it was pulled out. Anyone who hears this cry either dies on the spot or goes crazy. To avoid this, you need to dig the root so that the connection of the plant with the ground is weakened, and then tie it with a rope, tying the other end to the dog. The dog, obedient to the call of the owner, will pull out a magical root from the earth and itself will become a victim of the curse of this magical plant. After that, the root becomes safe for humans.

In many legends, the mandrake is associated with evil spirit. For example, in Arabia, it was believed that the mandrake glows at night, so it was called the "devil's candle" there. And in medieval Europe, this plant was often called the witch's flower. It was believed that with the help of a mandrake, a sorceress could deprive a person of beauty and reason, bewitch him.

Mandragora (Mandragora)- a genus of herbaceous plant of the nightshade family. Perennial stemless or very short-stemmed grass with a thick, straight, sometimes resembling a human figure, root. Due to the unusual shape of the root, the plant was called planta semihominis (half-human grass) and anJrwpomorjh (human-like plant) in ancient times.

The leaves are large, curly, entire, up to 80 cm long, in a dense basal rosette. Usually oval or lanceolate. Flowers solitary, consisting of a five-part large calyx, a five-lobed bell-shaped corolla, five stamens and a pistil, with a one-cell multi-shift ovary; greenish white, blue or purple. Blooms in July-August. The fruit is a large orange or yellow berry.

There are five or six species that grow in the Mediterranean, Western and Central Asia, in the Himalayas:
- Mandragora (Atropa mandragora);
- Mandragora officinalis (Mandragora officinarum L.);
- Mandragora spring (Mandragora vernalis);
- Autumn Mandragora (Mandragora autumnalis Spreng);
- Turkmen mandrake (Mandragora turcomanica).

The most little-studied species is the Turkmen mandrake, says a folk healer. This is a perennial plant with a thick, spindle-shaped root, reaching 60 cm. The flowers are greenish-white, the fruit is a spherical yellow berry 2-3 cm in diameter, it is quite edible. It is listed in the international Red Book. It has amazing vitality: in isolation from the ground, the ability to grow throughout the year remains.

In 1973, I deeply studied the Baysun and Kapyt-Dag mountains. In the Turkmen Kapit-dag I found a mandrake, for the first time in my life I saw with my own eyes the tears of this legendary plant. I still use these tears as a homeopathic remedy for the treatment of patients.

The medicinal mandrake (Mandragora officinarum) and the closely related European autumn mandrake (Mandragora autumnalis syn. Atropa mandragora, Mandragora praecox, Mandragora acaulis, Mandragora vernalis) belong to the Solanaceae family. In the wild, they are found in the Mediterranean, Southern Europe and Central Asia. The root is fusiform, powerful, fleshy, thick, up to 60 cm long. The leaves are large, shortly petiolate, the eggs are visible-oblong, often with an unevenly serrated edge. Pedicels bear one flower each, which has a large five-toothed calyx and a greenish-yellow corolla about 3 cm in diameter. The fruit is a silvery and yellow spherical berry.

In western Turkmenistan (Kopetdag) a new species of Turkmen mandrake (Mandragora turcomanica) was described in 1942. This is a perennial plant with leaves flattened on the ground, similar to tobacco leaves. Among the leaves, a bunch ripens by spring - up to thirty orange fruits, similar to green tomatoes, with the smell of melon. Blooms in May. The fruits ripen in July-August.

This is one of the oldest medicinal plants. It is mentioned in the Ebers Papyrus, one of mankind's first written sources on herbal medicine, under the amusing name "dya-dya". Pythagoras called her "humanoid".

In the Middle Ages, it was believed that the owner of the mandrake acquires youth, love, beauty and happiness forever, that the mandrake helps to search for buried treasures. In general, the prospect is tempting, but it was not so easy to dig it out. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that the mandrake grows only on graves and places of execution.

All these superstitions were so widespread that even in the books of the 15th century the mandrake root was depicted as a human figure. And only in 1560, the botanist Bock in his Herbalist first depicted the mandrake as an ordinary plant.

Mandrake juice (tear) was used as an abortifacient, introducing it into the vagina. The juice from the roots and fruits of this plant was mixed with wine and given as a sleeping pill.

The roots, fruits and seeds of the mandrake officinalis and autumn contain the alkaloids hyoscyamine, scopolamine and other alkaloids, the folk doctor claims. In terms of pharmacological activity, mandrake root extracts are close to belladonna, henbane, and dope. The roots of the Turkmen mandrake contain alkaloids found glycoalkaloid solanine.

Currently, mandrake is practically not used in scientific medicine. And in traditional medicine it is occasionally used as an analgesic for gout and rheumatism (externally). The roots are used to prepare analgesic and antispasmodic remedies against gastrointestinal diseases, as well as muscle, joint and neuralgic pains.

In homeopathy, fresh herb essence is used to treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and headaches, and root preparations for circulatory disorders, bile secretion disorders and liver diseases, as well as sciatica.

According to homeopathic views - external features indicate a healing power - the root of the mandrake until the New Age was considered as a universal healing agent that carries a "divine sign".

Mandragora has analgesic, sedative, hypnotic and cholagenic effects. Liquefies mucus. The roots are used for the preparation of painkillers and antistatic agents for gastrointestinal diseases, as well as for muscle, joint and neuralgic pains.

Tincture: crushed mandrake root insist on alcohol (in a ratio of 1:4) for 15 days, filter. Take 3-10 drops as an analgesic and hypnotic for rheumatism, gout.

Butter: interior fat is mixed with mandrake tincture (1:5). Used as an external pain reliever for rheumatism and gout.

The Greek physician Dioscorides identified the mandrake with "Circe", or Circe's plant. It is mentioned in the Odyssey: “The root was black, the color was like white milk, ... it is dangerous for people to tear it out of the ground with its root, but everything is possible for the gods.” Dioscorides used the soporific properties of the mandrake for surgical operations in the army of Nero.

Hippocrates, the most famous healer of antiquity, carefully studied the actions of the mandrake and came to the conclusion that in small doses it is effective tool from fear, melancholy and depression, and in more significant cases it has a sedative effect.

The Roman physician Galen noted the qualities of mandrake wine. It was brought to the capital of the empire in large quantities.

Avicenna called the mandrake "yabrukhussanam" - an idol created by nature in the outward likeness of a person. The patient was advised to give one dirham of the juice (tears) of the plant with wine before the operation so that he would sleep soundly and not feel pain. The same "tears" reduced freckles and bruises. Crushed mandrake root, together with vinegar, was applied to carbuncles, and mixed with oatmeal - to sore joints. Sometimes they were treated with elephantiasis, and used as an abortifacient.

A halo of mystery has been enveloping the mandrake since ancient times. Mandrake apples (fruits) are mentioned in the Bible as a means to ensure conception, which was used by Leah and Rachel. In Arabia, there was a belief that the mandrake glowed at night, and therefore it was called the "devil's candle" or "witch's flower." AT ancient Greek mythology mandrake was used to get rid of a love spell. They carried it with them as a love amulet. Egypt is a means of increasing sexual desire; in Israel as a means of conceiving; in Rome as an aphrodisiac herbal drug.

In Germany, the mandrake was used to depict the domestic gods of the Alruns. There were many legends about how especially strong magicians managed to revive the roots, making them real homunculi (zombies) that can be controlled.

Almost throughout Europe, it was believed that the mandrake grows from the sperm of the hanged, so sorcerers and witches could often be found under the gallows.

Mandragora has amazing magical properties, but only true professionals who have all the knowledge on the use of this plant can use them.

Most often, the mandrake is used as a means of protection against harmful spells, since its root is an accumulator of astral energy, and therefore it is considered one of the best amulets plants, according to a folk healer. These amulets are so strong that they work even without applying any magical signs or symbols to them.

Carrying a mandrake root with you will relieve the negative influence of any evil energies, because thanks to it a very powerful energy shield is created that can protect against the evil eye, damage, slander and even curses. Since ancient times, it was believed that the mandrake patronizes trade transactions, especially underground, secret and illegal ones, protecting them from disclosure. It is used as a talisman for transactions related to money. In the old days, it was believed that a mandrake placed in a chest with coins doubles their number.

Having a mandrake in the house is a good sign. Her aura will attract prosperity, wealth and prosperity. As a personal talisman, the mandrake root is able to bestow power on its owner, but on one condition: the owner must not part with the talisman day or night.

However, the mandrake is most in demand in love magic, although the area of \u200b\u200bimpact lies more at the physiological level: it has fantastic properties for inciting passion and love desire. For love potions, either the root or a tincture of the roots and leaves is used. It should be borne in mind that you need to bewitch a man with a “female” root, and a woman with a “male” one.

In black magic, the mandrake is used as a means to deprive a person of reason or beauty.

In small doses, mandrake is used as an antidepressant, and in larger doses it has a sedative and hypnotic effect. It is alleged that the mandrake can make a person invulnerable to edged weapons.

Mandragora is able to help in the search for treasure and in predicting the future in the form of a pendulum.

You can pull out a mandrake only in the evening. First of all, the healer must bow in the direction of the setting sun and pay homage to the gods of hell. After that, with an iron sword or dagger, never used, it is necessary to draw three magic circles around the stem of the mandrake, all the while turning away the face in order to avoid ominous emanations that penetrate the body. Then it is best not to participate in uprooting the plant, but to tie a dog to the plant and throw him a piece of meat that he could not reach. Reaching for the meat, the dog will tear the root out of the ground, taking on all the negative energy.

As a home talisman, the mandrake requires special treatment. A figurine of a person carved from a root should be dressed and stored in a secret place at home, away from prying eyes. During the meal, the figurine is seated in a place of honor, giving a “taste” first to the mandrake, and only after itself. On Saturdays, the mandrake man must be bathed in wine, and on the first day of the new lunar month, dressed in new clothes.

In some traditions, according to the type of mandrake root, male and female plants are distinguished and even given their corresponding names: mandrake and womandrake. Older herbalists depict mandrake roots as male or female forms, with a bunch of leaves growing out of the head, sometimes with a dog on a chain or an agonizing dog.

From time immemorial, the mandrake has attracted magicians with its magical properties, and the common people - as a powerful tool against the forces of evil. This is well known, as well as it is known that the mandrake has a strong narcotic effect, can relieve pain, immerse a person in a state of sleep. The psychotropic qualities of the mandrake The myriad of myths, legends and dreams surrounding this plant testifies to the nature of the Pisces sign (ruled by Neptune).

The narcotic and anesthetic effect of the mandrake is so powerful that a person can be mistaken for a dead person. Mandragora excites the centers of sensuality, and the visions, delusional states and hallucinations caused by it can lead to dementia, which Hippocrates noted in his own words as a folk doctor. The Assyrians used the mandrake as an anesthetic and sleeping pill. Hippocrates noticed that in small doses mandrake is very effective as a remedy for fear and depression. With an increase in the dose used, it can cause rather strange sensory impressions, akin to hallucinations. If the doses continue to be increased, then the mandrake will have a sedative and hypnotic effect and, finally, causing the deepest sleep, accompanied by a complete lack of sensitivity. Homer in his notes described the treatment of epileptics with mandrake.

Medieval physicians used the mandrake in potions, syrups and other preparations for insomnia and pains of various origins. In order to speed up falling asleep, it was enough just to hold a mandrake apple in your hand before going to bed. Peel, mandrake root and juice, infused with cognac, were taken by patients as an anesthetic before surgery.

Mandragora was equated in antiquity with the "spirit of the dead." For many millennia, until recently, the mandrake was considered a sacred plant.

The origin of the mandrake and its properties are covered with a halo of numerous legends. The ancient Germans and Arabs believed in mandrakes - demonic spirits that resemble small beardless men who chose these plants as their abode. In ancient Greece, the mandrake was called the plant of Circe, the legendary supreme goddess of witches, who prepared juice from the root and turned Odysseus' warriors into pigs. Rumor has it that medieval witches gathered mandrake roots at night under the gallows, where unrepentant criminals met their death.

According to Christian teaching, witches wash the roots in wine, then wrap them in velvet and silk, and then feed them with sacred prosphora stolen from the church during Holy Communion. Mandrake has and amazing property increase love attraction and fertility, and therefore is known by its other name - love apple. The Book of Genesis tells how the barren Rachel, the wife of Jacob, ate the roots of the mandrake, after which she conceived Joseph. Mandrake is believed to be used by women to give birth to as many sons as possible, and the Arabs wear mandrake roots as an amulet to enhance their male power.

Healers use mandrake as a sleeping pill and pain reliever, and as a drug during operations. In fact, science explains such an action by the presence of a very poisonous alkaloid hyoscyamine in a huge amount in the mandrake root, which is also contained in other plants from the nightshade family: belladonna, dope, henbane, scopolia. Present in the composition of the mandrake and another set of alkaloids - mandrake, scopolamine. I must say that the mandrake is a fairly rare plant.

Russian names: Adam's head, Male root, Sleeping potion, Umbilical, Shishkarnik, Pustosel, Kukushkin's boots, Grass-pokrik.

In Russia, they treated gastrointestinal diseases, muscle, joint and neuralgic pains, hardening of the glands, tumors, edema, vitiligo, airsickness.

Tincture: crushed mandrake root is insisted on alcohol (in a ratio of 1: 4) for 15 days, filtered. Take 3-10 drops as an analgesic and hypnotic for rheumatism, gout.

Oil: interior fat is mixed with mandrake tincture (1:5). Used as an external pain reliever for rheumatism and gout.

The crushed fresh mandrake plant, together with milk and honey, is used in the form of dressings as a softening agent for gland seals, tumors and edema.

Mandrake tincture is part of medicines against vitiligo (a disease from the group of skin dyschromia) and airsickness (a temporary painful condition of a person in flight caused by prolonged irritation of the vestibular apparatus).

The mandrake is mentioned in many sources - in ancient Egyptian scrolls, in the works of Greek healers. Mandragora was well known in Asia as well.

In the Egyptian Papyrus Ebers, mandrake is described as a sensual aphrodisiac. A special "love drink" was made from the fruits of the mandrake.

The Assyrians used the mandrake as a sleeping pill and pain reliever.

E. D. Murashkintseva

(short content)

The action takes place in Florence. The tie is Kallimako's conversation with his servant Shiro, addressed, in fact, to the audience. The young man explains why he returned to his hometown from Paris, where he was taken away at the age of ten. In a friendly company, the French and Italians started a dispute over whose women are more beautiful. And a Florentine declared that the Madonna Lucrezia, the wife of Messer Nic Calfucci, overshadows all the ladies with her charm. Wanting to check this, Callimaco went to Florence and found that the fellow countryman didn’t cheat at all - Lucrezia turned out to be even more beautiful than he expected. But now Kallimako is experiencing unheard-of torments: having fallen in love to the point of madness, he is doomed to languish with unquenched passion, since it is impossible to seduce the virtuous Lucretia. There is only one hope left: the cunning Ligurio, the one who always comes at dinner and constantly begs for money, has taken up the matter.

Ligurio is eager to please Callimaco. After talking with Lucretia's husband, he is convinced of two things: firstly, Messer Nicha is unusually stupid, and secondly, he really wants to have children, whom God still does not give. Nicha has already consulted with many doctors - everyone unanimously recommends going to the waters with his wife, which Nicha's homebody doesn't like at all. Lucretia herself made a vow to defend forty early dinners, but only twenty - some fat priest began to pester her, and since then her character has deteriorated greatly. Ligurio promises to introduce Nich to the most famous doctor who has recently arrived in Florence from Paris - under the patronage of Ligurio, he may agree to help.

Kallimako, as a doctor, makes an indelible impression on Messer Nitsch: he speaks excellently in Latin and, unlike other doctors, demonstrates professional approach to the point: he demands to bring the urine of a woman in order to find out if she is able to have children. To Nich's great joy, the verdict is favorable: his wife will certainly suffer if she drinks mandrake tincture. This is the surest remedy that has been resorted to french kings and dukes, but he has one drawback - the first night is deadly for a man. Ligurio suggests a way out: you need to grab some tramp on the street and put him in bed with Lucrezia - then the harmful effect of the mandrake will affect him. Nicha sighs sadly: no, the wife will never agree, because this pious fool had to be persuaded even in order to get urine. However, Ligurio is sure of success: Lucrezia Sostrata's mother and her confessor Fra Timoteo are simply obliged to help in this holy cause. Sostrata enthusiastically persuades her daughter - for the sake of the child, you can endure, and we are talking about a mere trifle. Lucrezia is horrified: to spend the night with a stranger who will have to pay for it with his life - how can you decide on this? In any case, she will not agree to this without the consent of the holy father.

Then Nicha and Ligurio go to Fra Timoteo. To begin with, Ligurio launches a trial balloon: a nun, a relative of Messer Calfucci, accidentally became pregnant - is it possible to give the poor thing such a decoction that she will throw it away? Fra Timoteo willingly agrees to help a rich man - according to him, the Lord approves of everything that benefits people. After leaving for a moment, Ligurio returns with the news that the need for the decoction has disappeared, because the girl threw it away herself - however, there is an opportunity to do another good deed, making Messer Nitsch and his wife happy. Fra Timoteo quickly figures out what the idea promises him, thanks to which one can expect a generous reward from both her lover and her husband - and both will be grateful to him for life. It remains only to persuade Lucretia. And Fra Timoteo copes with his task without much difficulty. Lucrezia is kind and simple-hearted: the monk assures her that the tramp may not die, but since such a danger exists, you need to take care of your husband. And this “sacrament” cannot be called adultery, for it will be performed for the good of the family and at the order of the spouse, whom one must obey. It is not the flesh that sins, but the will - in the name of procreation, the daughters of Lot once copulated with their own father, and no one condemned them for this. Lucretia is not too willing to agree with the arguments of the confessor, and Sostrata promises her son-in-law that she herself will put her daughter to bed.

The next day, Fra Timoteo, who is eager to know how the case ended, learns that everyone is happy. Nicha proudly narrates his foresight: he personally undressed and examined the ugly tramp, who turned out to be perfectly healthy and surprisingly well built. After making sure that his wife and "deputy" did not shirk their duties, he talked all night with Sostrata about the future baby - of course, it would be a boy. And the ragamuffin almost had to be kicked out of bed; but, in general, the doomed young man is kind of sorry. For her part, Callimaco tells Ligurio that Lucrezia understood perfectly the difference between an old husband and a young lover. He confessed everything to her, and she saw in it God's sign- this could happen only by the permission of heaven, so what you started should certainly be continued. The conversation is interrupted by the appearance of Messer Nich: he crumbles in gratitude to the great doctor, and then both of them, together with Lucretius and Sostrata, go to Fra Timoteo, the benefactor of the family. The husband "acquaints" his half with Kallimako and orders to surround this person with all kinds of attention as the best friend of the house. Submissive to the will of her husband, Lucretia declares that Kallimako will be their godfather, because without his help she would never have carried a child. And the satisfied monk invites the whole honest company to pray for the successful completion of a good deed.

Many plants - flowers, trees, herbs - have long been revered by different peoples, according to a folk doctor. In some cases, some legend was associated with a particular plant, for example, a story with a narcissist. In other cases, people paid attention to the unusual conditions in which the plant lives, the shape and smell of the flower, and other specific properties due to which this plant was chosen as a symbol.
From the crushed leaves, fruits and roots of many plants, various substances were obtained that were used to prepare ointments, tinctures, essences that have the ability to influence the mind and feelings of a person.

In the treatment of many diseases, plants were used whose leaves, roots or fruits were similar in shape to organs or parts of the human body. For example, long fluffy moss growing on oaks was used to strengthen hair.

But perhaps the most mysterious and powerful magical properties were assigned to the mandrake. People have long noticed that its root is shaped like a person. Pythagoras called the mandrake "a humanoid plant." In the cultures of some nationalities, there was even a distinction between female and male plants. In ancient herbalists, this plant was usually depicted as a man with a bunch of leaves growing from his head.

Mandragora has strong narcotic properties. Therefore, even the ancient Greeks used it as a means of anesthesia during surgical operations.
She was also identified with the magical plant baaras, with the help of which the ancient Jews conjured various spirits and demons. Since ancient times, the mandrake root has also been used as a remedy for the treatment of infertility - this property is described in one of the biblical legends.
According to an old legend, a mandrake shrinks from a human touch and at the same time emits a loud cry, trying to get back into the ground from which it was pulled out. Anyone who hears this cry either dies on the spot or goes crazy. To avoid this, you need to dig the root so that the connection of the plant with the ground is weakened, and then tie it with a rope, tying the other end to the dog. The dog, obedient to the call of the owner, will pull out a magical root from the earth and itself will become a victim of the curse of this magical plant. After that, the root becomes safe for humans.
In many legends, the mandrake is associated with evil spirits.
For example, in Arabia, it was believed that the mandrake glows at night, so it was called the "devil's candle" there. And in medieval Europe, this plant was often called the witch's flower. It was believed that with the help of a mandrake, a sorceress could deprive a person of beauty and reason, bewitch him.

But at the same time, the mandrake makes a person invulnerable and helps to discover hidden treasures. It was also used in medicine, and later in alchemy. Dried roots were worn as an amulet. Such mass worship of the mandrake caused the emergence of a whole "industry" of making fake roots in the Middle Ages.
Mandragora is a genus of herbaceous plant in the nightshade family. Perennial stemless or very short-stemmed grass with a thick, straight, sometimes resembling a human figure, root. Due to the unusual shape of the root, the plant was called planta semihominis (half-human grass) and anJrwpomorjh (human-like plant) in ancient times.
The leaves are large, curly, entire, up to 80 cm long, in a dense basal rosette. Usually oval or lanceolate. Flowers solitary, consisting of a five-part large calyx, a five-lobed bell-shaped corolla, five stamens and a pistil, with a one-cell multi-shift ovary; greenish white, blue or purple. Blooms in July-August. The fruit is a large orange or yellow berry.

There are five or six species that grow in the Mediterranean, Western and Central Asia, in the Himalayas:
- Mandragora (Atropa Mandragora);
- Mandragora officinalis (Mandragora officinarum L.);
- Mandragora spring (Mandragora vernalis);
- Autumn Mandragora (Mandragora autumnalis Spreng);
- Turkmen mandrake (Mandragora turcmanica).
The most little-studied species is the Turkmen mandrake, says a folk healer. This is a perennial plant with a thick, spindle-shaped root, reaching 60 cm. The flowers are greenish-white, the fruit is a spherical yellow berry 2-3 cm in diameter, it is quite edible. It is listed in the international Red Book. It has amazing vitality: in isolation from the ground, the ability to grow throughout the year remains.
In 1973, I deeply studied the Baysun and Kapyt-Dag mountains. In the Turkmen Kapit-dag I found a mandrake. For the first time in my life I saw with my own eyes the tears of this legendary plant. Then he conserved them and prepared from them homeopathic dilutions from one to a million hundredth degree according to the method of Hahnemann and still use these tears as a homeopathic remedy for the treatment of patients.
The medicinal mandrake (Mandragora officinarum) and the closely related European autumn mandrake (Mandragora autumnalis syn. Atropa Mandragora, Mandragora praecox, Mandragora acaulis, Mandragora vernalis) belong to the nightshade family (Solanoceae).
In the wild, they are found in the Mediterranean, Southern Europe and Central Asia. The root is fusiform, powerful, fleshy, thick, up to 60 cm long. The leaves are large, shortly petiolate, the eggs are visible-oblong, often with an unevenly serrated edge. Pedicels bear one flower each, which has a large five-toothed calyx and a greenish-yellow corolla about 3 cm in diameter.
The fruit is a silvery and yellow spherical berry.
In western Turkmenistan (Kopetdag) a new species of Turkmen mandrake (Mandragora turcmanica) was described in 1942. This is a perennial plant with leaves flattened on the ground, similar to tobacco leaves. Among the leaves, a bunch ripens by spring - up to thirty orange fruits, similar to green tomatoes, with the smell of melon. Blooms in May. The fruits ripen in July-August.
This is one of the oldest medicinal plants on Earth. It is mentioned in the Ebers Papyrus, one of humanity's first written records of phototherapy, under the amusing name "dya-dya". Pythagoras called her "humanoid".
In the Middle Ages, it was believed that the owner of the mandrake acquires youth, love, beauty and happiness forever, that the mandrake helps to search for buried treasures. In general, the prospect is tempting, but it was not so easy to dig it out. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that the mandrake grows only on graves and places of execution.
All these superstitions were so widespread that even in the books of the 15th century the mandrake root was depicted as a human figure. And only in 1560, the botanist Bock in his Herbalist first depicted the mandrake as an ordinary plant.
Mandrake juice (tears) was used as an abortifacient by introducing it into the vagina. The juice from the roots and fruits of this plant was mixed with wine and given as a sleeping pill.
The roots, fruits and seeds of the mandrake officinalis and autumn contain the alkaloids hyoscyamine, scopolamine and other alkaloids, the folk doctor claims. In terms of pharmacological activity, mandrake root extracts are close to belladonna, henbane, and dope. The roots of the Turkmen mandrake contain alkaloids - a glycoalkaloid solanine was found.
Currently, mandrake is practically not used in scientific medicine. And in folk medicine, it is occasionally used as an analgesic for gout and rheumatism (externally). The roots are used to prepare analgesic and antispasmodic remedies against gastrointestinal diseases, as well as muscle, joint and neuralgic pains.
In homeopathy, fresh herb essence is used to treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and headaches, and root preparations for circulatory disorders, bile secretion disorders and liver diseases, as well as sciatica.
According to homeopathic views - external features indicate a healing power - the root of the mandrake until the New Age was considered as a universal healing agent that carries a "divine sign".
Mandragora has analgesic, sedative, hypnotic and cholagenic effects. Liquefies mucus. The roots are used for the preparation of painkillers and antistatic agents for gastrointestinal diseases, as well as for muscle, joint and neuralgic pains.
Tincture: crushed mandrake root insist on alcohol (in a ratio of 1:4) for 15 days, filter. Take 3-10 drops as an analgesic and hypnotic for rheumatism, gout.
Oil: interior fat is mixed with mandrake tincture (1:5). Used as an external pain reliever for rheumatism and gout.
The crushed fresh mandrake plant, together with milk and honey, is used in the form of medicinal dressings as a softening agent for gland seals, tumors and edema.
The mandrake is mentioned in many sources - in ancient Egyptian scrolls, in the works of Greek healers. Mandragora was well known in Asia as well.
In the Egyptian Papyrus Ebers, mandrake is described as a sensual aphrodisiac. A special "love drink" was made from the fruits of the mandrake.
The Assyrians used the mandrake as a sleeping pill and pain reliever.
The Greek physician Dioscorides identified the mandrake with "Circe", or Circe's plant. It is mentioned in the Odyssey: “The root was black, the color of milk was similar to whiteness, ... it is dangerous for people to tear it out of the ground with its root, but everything is possible for the gods.” Dioscorides used the soporific properties of the mandrake for surgical operations in the army of Nero.
Hippocrates, the most famous healer of antiquity, carefully studied the actions of the mandrake and came to the conclusion that in small doses it is an effective remedy for fear, melancholy and depression, and in larger doses it has a sedative effect.
The Roman physician Galen noted the qualities of mandrake wine. It was brought to the capital of the empire in large quantities.
Avicenna called the mandrake "yabrukhussanam" - an idol of a handsome man, created by nature in the outward likeness of a man. The patient was advised to give one dirham of the juice (tears) of the plant with wine before the operation so that he would sleep soundly and not feel pain. The same "tears" reduced freckles and bruises. Crushed mandrake root, together with vinegar, was applied to carbuncles, and mixed with oatmeal - to sore joints.
Sometimes they were treated with elephantiasis, and used as an abortifacient.
A halo of mystery has been enveloping the mandrake since ancient times. Mandrake apples (fruits) are mentioned in the Bible as a means to ensure conception, which was used by Leah and Rachel.
In Arabia, there was a belief that the mandrake glowed at night, and therefore it was called the "devil's candle" or "witch's flower."
In ancient Greek mythology, the mandrake was used to get rid of a love spell. They carried it with them as a love amulet.
In Egypt, it is a sexual stimulant; in Israel as a means of conceiving; in Rome as an aphrodisiac herbal drug.
In Germany, the mandrake was used to depict the domestic gods of the Alruns. There were many legends about how especially strong magicians managed to revive the roots, making them real homunculi (zombies) that can be controlled.
Almost throughout Europe, it was believed that the mandrake grows from the sperm of the hanged, so sorcerers and witches could often be found under the gallows.

Mandragora has amazing magical properties, but only true professionals who have all the knowledge on the use of this plant can use them.
Most often, the mandrake is used as a means of protection against harmful spells, since its root is an accumulator of astral energy, and therefore it is considered one of the best amulets plants, says the folk healer. These amulets are so strong that they work even without applying any magical signs or symbols to them.
Carrying a mandrake root with you will relieve the negative influence of any evil energies, because thanks to it, a very powerful energy shield is created that can protect against the evil eye, damage, slander and even curses.
Since ancient times, it was believed that the mandrake patronizes trade transactions, especially underground, secret and illegal ones, protecting them from disclosure. It is used as a talisman for transactions related to money. In the old days, it was believed that a mandrake placed in a chest with coins doubles their number.
Having a mandrake in the house is a good sign. Her aura will attract prosperity, wealth and prosperity. As a personal talisman, the mandrake root is able to bestow power on its owner, but on one condition: the owner must not part with the talisman, day or night.
However, the mandrake is most in demand in love magic, although the area of \u200b\u200bimpact lies more at the physiological level: it has fantastic properties for inciting passion and love desire. For love potions, either the root or a tincture of the roots and leaves is used. It should be borne in mind that you need to bewitch a man with a “female” root, and a woman with a “male” one.
In black magic, the mandrake is used as a means to deprive a person of reason or beauty.
In small doses, mandrake is used as an antidepressant, and in larger doses it has a sedative and hypnotic effect. It is alleged that the mandrake can make a person invulnerable to edged weapons.
Mandragora is able to help in the search for treasure and in predicting the future in the form of a pendulum.
You can pull out a mandrake only in the evening. First of all, the healer must bow in the direction of the setting sun and pay homage to the gods of hell. After that, with an iron sword or dagger, never used, it is necessary to draw three magic circles around the stem of the mandrake, all the while turning away the face, in order to avoid ominous emanations that penetrate the body. Then it is best not to participate in uprooting the plant, but to tie a dog to the plant and throw him a piece of meat that he could not reach. Reaching for the meat, the dog will tear the root out of the ground, taking on all the negative energy.
As a home talisman, the mandrake requires special treatment. A figurine of a person carved from a root should be dressed and stored in a secret place at home, away from prying eyes. During the meal, the figurine is seated in a place of honor, giving a “taste” first to the mandrake, and only after itself. On Saturdays, the mandrake man must be bathed in wine, and on the first day of the new lunar month, dressed in new clothes.
In some traditions, according to the type of mandrake root, male and female plants are distinguished and even given their corresponding names: mandrake and womandrake. Older herbalists depict mandrake roots as male or female forms, with a bunch of leaves growing out of the head, sometimes with a dog on a chain or an agonizing dog.
From time immemorial, the mandrake has attracted magicians with its magical properties, and ordinary people - as a powerful remedy against the forces of evil. It is well known, as well as known, that the mandrake has a strong narcotic effect, can relieve pain, immerse a person in a state of sleep. The psychotropic qualities of the mandrake The myriad of myths, legends and dreams surrounding this plant testifies to the nature of the Pisces sign (ruled by Neptune).
The narcotic and anesthetic effect of the mandrake is so powerful that a person can be mistaken for a dead person. Mandragora excites the centers of sensuality, and the visions, delusions and hallucinations caused by it can lead to dementia, which Hippocrates noticed at one time, the folk doctor reports.
The Assyrians used the mandrake as an anesthetic and sleeping pill. Hippocrates said that in small doses mandrake is very effective as a remedy for fear and depression. With an increase in the dose used, it can cause rather strange sensory impressions, akin to hallucinations. If the doses continue to be increased, then the mandrake will have a sedative and hypnotic effect and, finally, causing the deepest sleep, accompanied by unconsciousness.

Among the widely used folk medicine natural remedies Special attention attracts mandrake officinalis, related to

Legends of the mandrake

A distinctive feature of this perennial herbaceous plant, called "male root", "cuckoo boots", "Adam's head", "raccoon berries", is a thick straight root resembling a human figure, which has become the subject of many superstitions, fictions and legends. One of them says that the medicinal mandrake, when dug out of the ground, emits a cry that can drive a person crazy or kill him. Therefore, in ancient times, a special protective rite was used to extract the “witch flower” (as the mandrake was called by the people). Only a knowledgeable person could dig up a plant. He did this not with his own hands (so as not to accept death from the plant), but tied a hungry dog to it, at a distance from which he threw a bone. The animal struggled to reach for food and, thus, pulled a magical root out of the ground, after which it died.

This magical root

The root of the plant was extracted for various magical rituals, was considered a very strong amulet and was most valued if it conveyed the shape of the human body as accurately as possible, especially with the difference between gender: female and male. It is believed that men should be treated with the male mandrake and women with the female.

Herbalists used the crushed root of the plant to treat carbuncles, sore joints, and elephantiasis. Shamans used the hallucinogenic properties of the mandrake to astral travel to another world.

plant description

Mandragora officinalis (photo can be seen in the article) in natural conditions found in the territory of Central Asia, the Himalayas, the Mediterranean, Transcaucasia, the Middle and Near East.

Prefers well-drained sandy and loamy soils. Likes plenty of sun, also able to grow in partial shade. It is characterized by a long (about 1 meter) root, which helps the plant to wait out long dry periods. At temperatures below -15 ° C, it dies. The stem of the plant is absent or very short. The leaves are large (about 80 cm long), have an oval or lanceolate shape, are collected in a basal rosette, and are characterized by a sharp unpleasant odor.

The flowers are solitary, consist of a large 5-parted calyx and a bell-shaped 5-lobed corolla. At the beginning of flowering (in May), they are characterized by a light green color, which becomes purple closer to autumn. The fruit looks like a large orange or yellow berry, is characterized by a pleasant fruity aroma and looks like a small apple or physalis. It tastes like a tomato.

Chemical composition

Traditional medicine has managed to identify beneficial properties for the body in the poisonous mandrake and uses all parts of the plant in its recipes. The root and fruits contain psychoactive highly toxic alkaloids:

Mandragora officinalis (the photo conveys the modest attractiveness of the plant) is characterized by a calming, analgesic, cholagonic, hypnotic effect. By pharmacological properties, the plant is close to belladonna, dope, henbane.

The alkaloids that make up its composition inhibit the functionality of the central nervous system, so the plant is characterized by a hypnotic effect.

Medicinal properties of the root

Mandrake root was used to relieve toothache, treat hemorrhoids and complications arising during labor. It was ground to a powder and added to beer. The same drink was recommended for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Boiled in milk, mandrake root helped as a poultice for non-healing chronic ulcers.

The freshly squeezed juice of the root helps to soothe the pain of rheumatism and gout. The great Avicenna advised him as an effective remedy for removing freckles and treating bruises. "Tears of a mandrake" was mixed into a glass of wine and given as an anesthetic during surgical operations. In combination with honey and milk in a crushed form, the root of the plant was applied externally to tumors, edematous places, compacted glands. In dried form, it was used for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as joint and muscle pain.

Since ancient times, aphrodisiac properties have been attributed to the plant: a handful of crushed root was added to a bottle of wine. The drink was infused for a week. To improve the taste, 2-3 cinnamon sticks and a tablespoon of saffron were added to it. It was also believed that the medicinal mandrake, the benefits of which were proven by the scientific luminaries of antiquity, helps with infertility and inhibits the growth of cancer cells.

Methods of treatment with mandrake

Headaches, ulcers, open wounds, diseases of the liver and spleen were cured with a medicine that included dry mandrake fruits, opium poppy, cyperus flowers, common harmala and cinnamon, previously ground into powder and combined in equal parts.

A decoction of the mandrake was used for painful manifestations in the limbs, the area of the sacrum, as well as for the treatment of feverish conditions. plant leaves in fresh helped with toothache. To do this, they needed to be carefully chewed. The smoke from burning the leaves of the plant helped in the treatment of coughs and headaches.

In small doses, mandrake officinalis helps with phobias, melancholy and depression. Even Homer described in his works, the smoke from the burning roots of the plant was used to fumigate epileptics. To fall asleep quickly, it was enough to hold a mandrake apple in your hand before going to bed or drink a glass of wine containing dried mandrake root powder, ivy, white henbane and licorice one pinch each.

Mandrake against diseases

In ancient times, the medicinal mandrake, the description of which was well known to ancient healers, was considered universal. medicine and assisted in the treatment

depressive states,
abscesses
eye inflammation,
tumors,
gout,
skin inflammation,
hemorrhoids,
impotence,
headaches,
convulsions,
snake bites,
food poisoning,
calluses,
worms
loss of speech
open wounds, etc.

Mandrake was also used to normalize the menstrual cycle.

Mandragora officinalis: the action of the plant

In modern medicine, the root extract is part of the painkillers, sleeping pills and antispasmodic drugs. Mandragora officinalis, the use of which was widely demanded several centuries ago, helps with disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, pains of a different nature, in the treatment of vitiligo and other skin pathologies. The leaves of the plant have a cooling effect, so the extract based on them is added to gels and ointments for the treatment of external wounds.

Today, in folk medicine, mandrake harvesting is done without the use of mystical rituals. The roots are dug out by hand in late August - early September, after the mandrake has faded. The alkaloids contained in its composition are well studied by modern medicine and are used narrowly to reduce internal secretion, acidity, intestinal and gastric activity, as well as relieve spasms.

Collecting the leaves of the plant is best done before the fruit ripens. It is recommended to dry raw materials in a well-ventilated place, without direct sunlight. In finished form, it can be used for smoking instead of ordinary tobacco, as part of smoking mixtures, or as incense and incense.

Recipe for tincture and ointment

To prepare the tincture, it is required to pour the cleaned and crushed root of the plant with alcohol in a ratio of 1 to 4. Let it brew for 15 days. In finished form, the drug is recommended to be taken for insomnia, gout and rheumatism, 3-8 drops diluted with water.

To prepare a healing ointment based on mandrake, you need to combine the tincture of the plant with interior fat in a ratio of 1 to 5 and apply externally to relieve pain.

For the treatment of bruises and injuries, it is effective to use lotions from fresh juice combined with water in a ratio of 1 to 5. Or you can use an alcohol tincture diluted with water at a rate of 1 to 10.

Mandragora officinalis: contraindication for use

The mandrake is very poisonous. The main damage to the brain is caused by the substance scopolamine. Its uncontrolled self-use can lead to brain disorders, hallucinations, memory loss, coma, respiratory arrest and lethal outcome. Signs of mandrake poisoning are nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, staggering when walking, dilated pupils, dry mouth, asthma attacks. Pregnant women, nursing mothers and children should not use mandrake.

The fresh fruits of the plant contain a large number of alkaloids, so their consumption does not pose any health hazard.

Modern medicine can offer a wide range of drugs of similar action, safer for health. Therefore, when choosing between preparations based on mandrake or other means with a corresponding therapeutic effect, it is better to prefer the second option.

Signs associated with the mandrake

Since ancient times, it has been known that the medicinal mandrake, whose properties have found their main application in the medical field, helps in financial transactions, so knowledgeable people used it as a talisman. This was especially true of illegal, underground transactions, which saved them from disclosure. If the root is placed in the same place as money, then their number will double.

The root of the plant is able to give its owner wealth, power, wealth, provided that the owner will never part with him: neither at night nor during the day. The use of the mandrake as a home talisman needs special treatment. The figurine must be dressed up in clothes and stored at home in a secret place, away from prying eyes. During home meals, you should put the little man in a place of honor, treat him first, and then yourself. On Saturdays, it is recommended to bathe the talisman in wine, and on the first day of the new moon, dress it up in new clothes. It is believed that the mandrake officinalis can help in the search for treasure, can predict the future.

In Russia, it was called “Adam's head”, because in shape it resembles the structure of a person, at a later time “Leah-grass”. According to the description in the Bible, being barren, the wife of Isaac Leah, thanks to the use of this plant, gave birth to the prophet Joseph. So the name Leah-grass appeared. This plant is surrounded by gloomy beliefs. Alchemists believed that the mandrake root could be dug up only on the night of Ivan's Day, and there was a belief that the root itself emits a terrible cry, and the alchemist may die altogether. It is extremely difficult to extract the mandrake, since it does not grow in plantations, like other plants. It is important to consider the planetary clock here. During flowering, the mandrake in the dark emits a light similar to phosphorus. Therefore, searches are carried out only at night, and they collect it during the day. Gathering mandrake is associated with considerable risk, since its root has a very large electromagnetic field that spreads over an area with a radius of one meter, which negatively affects a person's heart and can lead to his death. Therefore, the plant is tied to a dog, which runs and uproots it. It was believed that the mandrake grows where the seed of the gallows fell, who experienced an orgasm at the time of execution.

In fact, the mandrake root contains atropine and scopolamine - very poisonous alkaloids. Poisoning with which can even cause hallucinations.

Plants were found in a whole clearing on the top of a mountain near the city of Tuapse.

I read about this plant in M.Sandemu's saga "People of Ice". It says that the one who possesses the root of the mandrake is endowed with supernatural powers and is able to call on the help of the devil. Does this plant actually exist?

what have you done to this devil? a little something supernatural, then immediately dark forces. devil, etc. Mandragora is rich in its healing properties, causes a narcotic state. in general, a lot of things, if you wish, you can take and study everything

Where does mandrake grow?

Plant mandrake often give magical powers because it looks like a human figure. Mandrake grows in the Mediterranean, the Himalayas, Western and Central Asia. The plant is poisonous, and therefore it should not be used for food.

Where does mandrake grow?

Mandragora grows in Western and Central Asia, the Mediterranean and the Himalayas.

This Chinese flower attributed magical properties, and its root resembles the lower part of the human body. Apparently, this is where the story went that the mandrake grows in the place where the seed of the person who had just been hanged fell (a terrible story).

The plant is really magical, has a bunch medicinal properties. It is best known as a remedy for the treatment of diseases of the kidneys and liver.

I used to think it was some kind of drug, because what can Spleen sing about?

As it turned out, I didn’t think so in vain: Mandragora really, among other things, also has psychotropic properties.

There is something mysterious and hidden in the word mandrake. This plant has almost no stem and this is what it looks like.

But the mandrake root sounds even more mysterious.

Of course, it is simply impossible to eat this plant, since it is a strong psychotropic agent. And this is due to the presence of alkaloids, which have a hallucinogenic property.

This plant grows in the Himalayas and the Mediterranean. In the Middle Ages, mandrake root was used in witchcraft tinctures. Maybe that is why there are so many stories about the magical properties of the mandrake root. And yes, this plant belongs to the nightshade. So you can not use it and you can just get poisoned.

Often under trees with gallows. Where did their dying feces fall? According to magic, they should be dug carefully. The cry of a mandrake can drive you crazy or kill you.

Often described in old books as an aphrodisiac.

The plant "mandrake" is often given magical powers due to the fact that it resembles a human figure in appearance. Mandrake grows in the Mediterranean, the Himalayas, Western and Central Asia. The plant is poisonous, and therefore it should not be used for food.

Mandragora - a plant that wanted to become a man

Mandragora is interesting in many ways. Firstly, a lot of ancient legends that arose long before our era are associated with it. The role of the mandrake in mythopoetic representations is explained by the presence of certain psychotropic, hypnotic and stimulating properties in this plant, as well as the similarity of its root with the lower part of the human body (Pythagoras called M. "a human-like plant", and Columella - "grass-half-human"). Moreover, the mandrake was a cult plant in Zoroastrianism - the religion of the Persian fire worshipers, and played a very important ritual role in this religion. The mandrake rhizome can reach a meter or more in length; it often takes on bizarre forms that resemble the human body. For this, the mandrake was endowed with supernatural properties in ancient times. Pliny the Elder argued that the white mandrake is the male and the black one is the female. In some folk traditions according to the type of mandrake root, they distinguish between male and female plants and even give them the appropriate names in the spirit of folk etymology: mandrake and womandrake .. In old herbalists, mandrake roots are depicted as male or female forms, with a bunch of leaves growing from the head, sometimes with a dog on chains or a moribund dog. Belief in the exciting power of the mandrake and its role in the conception of the fetus had deep roots; cf. biblical tradition about mandrake apples (mandrake fruit), which are used to ensure the conception of Leah and Rachel. The Book of Genesis tells that Leah conceived and gave birth to the fifth son from Jacob after she “bought” him for mandrake apples found by her son Reuben from Rachel. (Gen. chapter 30, verses 14-23). Mandragora, which according to cabalistic beliefs is a symbol of unity, could be used in ancient Israel in secret mystical rites. In Greece, the mandrake was associated with Aphrodite, who sometimes received the corresponding epithet, and with Circe - it was believed that with the help of a witchcraft drug from the mandrake, Circe arouses attraction and love in people. Young men sometimes wore pieces of mandrake as a love amulet. Plots are known in which Mandragora is associated with evil spirits - with the devil: in Arabia, it is widely believed that the mandrake glows at night, which is why it is called the "devil's candle". Also, the mandrake was often associated with witches: in the Middle Ages, in a number of European traditions, the mandrake was called the "witch's flower", it was believed that with the help of the mandrake they could deprive a person of beauty and reason, bewitch, and cause harm. Among the Germanic peoples, images of domestic gods, the Alrunes, were made from the mandrake root. In the same place, in Germany, the peasants made eyes for their mandrakes from millet grains and treated them very kindly: they bathed, dressed, carefully wrapped up for the night, sometimes laying them in a coffin. They did all this in order to be able to consult with the mandrake on important issues. In old German, the mandrake is called "Alruna", this word comes from the word "rune", which meant a secret, something secret, and then became the name of one of the letters of the ancient Germanic alphabet. There was a belief that the mandrake root serves as a powerful thickener of astral energy, and the human form characteristic of it was considered as the basis for the fantastic theories of magicians who wanted to find a life elixir in it. In France, the mandrake was considered close to the elves and was called "main-de-gloire" (hand of glory) or "magloire". Thomas Brown wrote in 1646 about the fat and semen of the hanged that nourished her. The bottom of the names of the mandrake "Pokrik" is associated with the legend that when pulled out of the ground, the mandrake allegedly emits a wild cry that can drive a person crazy. The barbaric medieval ritual of getting the mandrake root consisted in tying a black dog to the dug up root, plugging one’s ears with resin or wax (so as not to hear the scream and groans of the root that bring death) and forcing the dog to pull out the mandrake. The poor dog, of course, died after that, but in the hands of the surviving lucky man there was a juicy ripe magic root. In Renaissance magic and early modern occultism, mandrake was used as an incense, influenced by the moon. In Mecklenburg (a region in northern Germany), the mandrake was previously placed under the pillow to see prophetic dreams. On the Apennine Peninsula, the erotic cult of the mandrake lasted until the beginning of the 20th century. In this cult, the mandrake was seen as a plant of life and death and was considered a magical love and aphrodisiac. The plant was harvested on the full moon between Easter and the Feast of the Ascension.

The genus Mandragora belongs to the Solanaceae family and includes only 4 species growing in the Mediterranean countries, Western China, Northern Iran and Turkmenistan (Karakalinsky district):

Mediterranean mandrake species are drought-resistant herbaceous plants with an underground location of perennial organs - caudex, stem / stems and root system. The most durable part of the mandrake is the caudex - a tuber of hypocotyl origin, smoothly turning into a thick root. The caudex contains reserves of moisture and nutrients. Caudexes may be in the form of a thick root branching at the bottom, or a tuber. The caudex, divided into two parts, bears a distant resemblance to the human torso and legs. From the upper part of the caudex, shortened underground stems, which are hardly noticeable in young plants, grow from which leaf rosettes and seasonal roots grow. With age, the plant may form several stems on one caudex. The stems hardly grow in length and always remain a few centimeters below the soil surface. Perennial cord-like roots reach a length of 2-2.5 m. They grow in a horizontal plane at a depth. Like other perennial herbaceous plants of Middle-earth, the mandrake is adapted to living in a rainy cool season from autumn to spring and very hot and completely dry summer. The life form to which the mandrake belongs is called the geophytic ephemeroid. The ephemeral, annually dying organs of ephemeroids are leaves, which evaporate a large amount of water during photosynthesis and therefore dry up after the rains stop and the root layer of the soil dries up. Mandrake leaves are collected in a rosette. The leaves of different species and populations have an average length of 20 to 50 (up to 80) cm. They somewhat resemble beet or tobacco leaves. Mandrake flowers vary depending on where they grow. In most cases, they are small, bell-shaped, purple, blue or greenish-white in color. The size of the fruit is also highly dependent on the habitat. Most small fruits(about 1 cm) from mandrakes in northern Morocco. The largest (up to 5.5-6 cm) are near the Levantine mandrake in the Beer Sheva region (Israel) and in the Sumbar valley of Turkmenistan. The fruit is a berry, orange or yellow. Inside the fruit is filled with pulp with a strong perfumed apple smell.

The rhythm of development, corresponding to the Mediterranean type of precipitation, is embedded in the genetic memory of mandrakes. Therefore, it must be strictly followed. Watering during the summer months from late May to early October will lead to death of the mandrake: the caudex will rot, and with it the whole plant. Mandragora can be propagated by seeds taken shortly after maturity and sown in autumn in light soil. The alkaloids atropine, scopolamine, mandragorine (Cl7H27O3N) and chioscyamine were found in the caudex of the mandrake, causing loss of sensitivity, muscle relaxation and anesthesia, and also possessing hallucinogenic properties. Signs of poisoning are: nausea, vomiting spasms, muscle weakness (feeling "wobbly"), drowsiness, hallucinations. There is a possibility of falling into a coma.

Mandragora is used as a means of protection against harmful spells, since its root is an accumulator of astral energy, and therefore is considered one of the best amulets plants. These amulets are so strong that they work even without applying any magical signs or symbols to them. Carrying a mandrake root with you will relieve the negative influence of any evil energies, because thanks to it a very powerful energy shield is created that can protect against the evil eye, damage, slander and even curses. Mandrake was recommended when making trade transactions, especially underground and illegal ones, she protected them from disclosure. She is a talisman for money-related transactions. Mandragora in the house - to prosperity, wealth and prosperity. As a personal talisman, the mandrake root is able to bestow power on its owner, but on one condition: the owner must not part with the talisman day or night. A figurine of a person carved from a root should be dressed and stored in a secret place at home, away from prying eyes. During the meal, the figurine is put in a place of honor, giving a “taste” first to the mandrake, and only after itself. On Saturdays, the mandrake man is required to be bathed in wine, and on the first day of the new lunar month, dressed in new clothes. In the Egyptian papyrus Ebers, the mandrake is described as a means of stimulating sensuality. A special "love drink" was made from the fruits of the mandrake. It has fantastic properties for inciting passion and love desire. For love potions, either the root or a tincture of the roots and leaves is used. It should be borne in mind that you need to bewitch a man with a “female” root, and a woman with a “male” one. In black magic, the mandrake is used as a means to deprive a person of reason or beauty. Mandragora is one of the traditional ritual herbs of Halloween(a) and was also part of the ointment for the flight of witches. She was used as a "doll" in voodoo witchcraft, witches could conjure, representing the "figure" of the one against whom they directed their magic. In the place that the witch damaged at the mandrake, a person will inevitably be injured. It is alleged that the mandrake can make a person invulnerable to edged weapons. mMandrake is able to help in the search for treasure and in predicting the future. There is an opinion that the mandrake has hypnotic qualities, as in the past it was used as the original remedy for date rape! Similarly, other plant reference books mention the use of the mandrake as a defense against rape.

Mandragora is mentioned in the works of Galen, Avicenna, Dioscorides, Pliny (the elder and the younger). The ancient Assyrians used mandrake as an analgesic and anesthetic. She quenched toothache, treated complications associated with childbirth, and hemorrhoids. The root was ground to a powder and given with beer to treat stomach pains and burned as a fumigating agent for "flesh poison" (exorcism). Hippocrates, the most famous healer of antiquity, carefully studied the actions of the mandrake and came to the conclusion that in small doses it is an effective remedy for fear, melancholy and depression, and in larger doses it has a sedative effect. Flavius Josephus healed the demon-possessed with a mandrake. Homer mentions that epileptics were treated by inhaling mandrake vapors. The Roman physician Galen noted the amusing qualities of mandrake wine. It was brought to the capital of the empire in large quantities. Avicenna called the mandrake "y-abruk" - an idol created by nature in the outward likeness of a person. The patient was recommended to give 2 g of juice (tears) of the plant with wine before the operation so that he sleeps soundly and does not feel pain. There are also frequent references to the aphrodisiac properties of the mandroke fruit, which are closely intertwined with legends. They made a drink from them, which supposedly aroused love and gave birth. Few plants in ancient times had such a wide range of uses as the mandrake. It has been used as a hypnotic, analgesic and anesthetic, antidote, abortifacient, sexual enhancer and intoxicant, and as a love magick. The medical indications for which it was used were correspondingly numerous and included the following ailments: ulcers, arthritis, eye inflammation and disease, discharge, fear, demon possession, depression, swollen tonsils, inflammation of the uterus, childbirth complications, joint pain, tumors, ulcers, gout, hemorrhoids, inflammation of the skin, pain in the hip joints, hysteria, impotence, bone pain, headaches, convulsions, pain in the liver, stomach ailments, melancholia, problems with menstruation, amenorrhea, pain in the spleen, insomnia, snakebite, pain, pain in the side, scrofula, tubercles, infertility, poisoning, calluses, loss of speech, worms, wounds, erysipelas, and toothache!

In homeopathy, preparations of mandrake from the root of the plant are used in accordance with medical prescriptions for ailments such as headaches. Mandrake alkaloids cause paralysis of the eye muscles, as a result of which the pupil cannot react with its contraction to light. Eye drops based on these alkaloids are still used in eye examinations, as well as in eye surgery. Mandrake is highly toxic, and the alkaloids contained in it inhibit the growth of cancer cells (releasing cytotoxins).

Mandragora officinarum is easy to grow from seed. This is best done from September to November. Seeds are buried 0.5 cm into pre-steamed soil. Shoots appear within 2-4 weeks. The soil must be kept moist. Watering should not be excessive, otherwise the roots of the seedlings may rot. For growing seedlings, room temperature is sufficient. There is also a germination method with pre-stratification - it is ideal for old, poorly germinating seeds. To do this, mix the seeds with wet sand in a plastic bag. The bag must be kept warm (about 20 degrees Celsius) and damp for the first 2 weeks. After this period, place the seed in the refrigerator at 5 degrees Celsius for 2-3 weeks. Then take the bag out of the refrigerator and store it at room temperature. Regularly check for sprouts. The soil can be ordinary garden, loose, but without traces of manure, otherwise the tuber may be affected by the nematode. Mandrakes are nightshade, which means that the soil can be used for nightshade, for example, for tomatoes, just add sand to the bottom of expanded clay, since the mandrake is a dry-loving plant, and do not forget the drainage holes. Top dressing, only with mineral fertilizers, is desirable for flowering and fruiting plants. The pot should be big enough for this plant depth - at least 40 - 50 cm. In order for the root to develop freely, there must still be room for a good layer of lower drainage, since mandrakes do not tolerate stagnant water. At the same time, the surface area of the pot should not be too large, and this is especially important - with too large a volume of dishes, the risk of root rot, especially during the period preceding the dormant period, is very high. It is advisable to put the pots in a place where they would receive maximum sun. The temperature should not fall below °C. Water the plants daily, but not too much (so that the water does not stand).

The rhythm of development, corresponding to the Mediterranean type of precipitation, is embedded in the genetic memory of madragora. Therefore, it must be strictly followed. Watering in the summer months after the leaves die off from late May to early October will lead the mandrake to death: the caudex will rot, and with it the whole plant. The mandrake should be transplanted into a new pot after a green seedling appears on the top of the root (approximately mid-September) and watered at first with great care, since during the dormant period the plant loses small suction roots, and it is necessary to give them time to grow back. It should also be borne in mind that the active vegetation of the mandrake falls on the autumn-winter period, when middle lane There is almost no sun in Russia, and the room is completely twilight, so it is advisable to illuminate the seedlings with a fluorescent lamp of maximum brightness 8-10 hours a day at a distance of about 20 cm. Several stems can grow on old caudex - 2-4 (up to 8), each of which will grow a rosette of leaves. The stems do not actually grow in length (otherwise they would eventually rise above the ground), only in thickness. If the caudex is near the soil surface, the stem may be barely visible. However, if the caudex is deep, the length of the stem may exceed 30 cm. Also, the stems are less durable than the caudex. Instead of a dead stem, 1 or 2 new ones may form on the caudex.

crushed mandrake root insist on alcohol (in a ratio of 1: 4) for 15 days, filter. Take 3-10 drops as an analgesic and sleeping pill

The crushed fresh mandrake plant, together with milk and honey, is used in the form of dressings as a softening agent for gland seals, tumors and edema.

Interior fat is mixed with mandrake tincture (1:5). Used as an external pain reliever

Use the mandrake exclusively as talismans and amulets.

Pay attention to the following products:

The mandrake rhizome can reach a meter or more in length; it often takes on bizarre forms that resemble the human body. For this, the mandrake was endowed with supernatural properties in ancient times.

What is Mandragora Grass? What does it look like? Where does it grow? What is it used for? What properties does it have?

Other names: Adam's head, Male root, Sleepy potion, Umbilical, Shishkarnik, Pustosel, Cuckoo's boots, Grass-pokrik.

Mandragora officinalis (Mandragora officinarum L.);

Mandragora spring (Mandragora vernalis);

Autumn Mandragora (Mandragora autumnalis Spreng);

Turkmen mandrake (Mandragora turcomanica).

Healers use mandrake as an anesthetic and sleeping pill, as a drug during operations. This action is associated with the presence in the root of the mandrake, poisonous in large quantities, the alkaloid hyoscyamine, which is also found in other plants from the nightshade family: belladonna, dope, henbane, scopolia. There are also other alkaloids in the composition of the mandrake - scopolamine, mandrake. It is also worth noting that this is a rather rare plant.

[edit] References in the Bible

The plant is poisonous. Roots, fruits and seeds contain psychoactive alkaloids:

The roots sometimes resemble a human figure, like that of ginseng, in connection with this, in ancient times, magical powers were attributed to the mandrake.

In nature, there are several species: in the Mediterranean, Western and Central Asia, in the Himalayas.

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mandrake root. (plants that expand our consciousness)

a little mythical. I haven’t written anything like this for a long time. Although this plant is the most real and really existing (!). (Maybe someone knew about this, but not me).

in any case, starting from here I will write about psychotropic herbs. how do you like this idea? ;))

Mandragora(Alraune)

The mandrake plant and mandrake root have been widely used since antiquity in folk medicine, magic, witchcraft, and later in alchemy.

"The role of the mandrake in mythopoetic representations is explained by the presence of certain hypnotic and stimulating properties in this plant, as well as the similarity of its root with the lower part of the human body (Pythagoras called the mandrake a "humanoid plant"). In some traditions, male and female plants are distinguished by the type of mandrake root and even give them (in the spirit of folk etymology) appropriate names: cf. English mandrake and womandrake In old herbals, the roots of the mandrake are depicted as male or female forms, with a bunch of leaves growing from the head, sometimes with a dog on a chain or an agonizing dog.

According to beliefs, the one who hears the groan emitted by the mandrake when it is dug out of the ground must die; in order to avoid the death of a person and at the same time satisfy the thirst for blood allegedly inherent in the mandrake, when digging up the plants, they put a dog on a leash, which, as it was believed, died in agony.

There was a belief about the origin of the mandrake from the pollution of a hanged man (cf. the German name for the mandrake: Galgenmännlein, lit. "gallowsman"). Hildegard of Bingen (XII century) believed that the mandrake arose where Adam was created. Belief in the exciting power of the mandrake and its role in the conception of the fetus had deep roots; cf. biblical tradition about mandrake apples (mandrake fruits), which are used to ensure the conception of Leah and Rachel (Gen. 30, 14-23). In Greece, the mandrake was associated with Aphrodite, who sometimes received the corresponding epithet, and with Circe (it was believed that with the help of a witchcraft drug from the mandrake, Circe arouses attraction and love in people). Young men sometimes wore pieces of mandrake as a love amulet. In the Middle Ages, ideas about the ability of the mandrake to cause conception led to the emergence of an entire industry for the manufacture of fake mandrake roots. Since ancient times, mandragora has been widely used in folk medicine, magic, witchcraft, and later in alchemy.

There are known stories in which the Mandragora is associated with evil spirits - with the devil (in Arabia it is widely believed that the mandrake glows at night, in connection with which it is called the "devil's candle"), with witches (in the Middle Ages, the mandrake in a number of European traditions was called the "flower witches"), sorceresses (it was believed that with the help of a mandrake they could deprive a person of beauty and reason, bewitch, cause harm).

At the same time, the mandrake makes a person invulnerable, helps to discover treasures, can be used for predictions, etc.

In the "language of flowers" mandrake is a sign of a rare, unusual "

There are very few plants that capture the human imagination and even the subconscious to such an extent. For many millennia and until recently, the MANDRAGORA was considered a plant, par excellence, sacred. The Assyrians used it as a sleeping pill and pain reliever; in the same capacity, much later, she was known to the famous Dioscorides, a Greek military surgeon in the army of Nero, who used the mandrake in the course of his surgical interventions.

Jacques Bross on the mandrake in Plant Magic

In the same aspect, it was introduced to us in the 5th century BC by the great Hippocrates, who, having carefully studied the action of the mandrake, specified that in small doses it is an effective remedy for fear and depression. In larger quantities, it causes strange sensory impressions, close to hallucinations. In even larger doses, the mandrake has a sedative and hypnotic effect and, finally, causes deep sleep, accompanied by complete insensibility. In short, mandrake is probably the most ancient anesthetic. At the same time, she was known among the first aphrodisiacs. Quite surprising in this regard is the fact that the mandrake appears in the Bible.

Theophrastus tells us of a rather strange practice which must be accompanied by the uprooting of a plant from the ground. This can only be done in the evening. First of all, the pharmacist bows in the direction of the setting sun and pays homage to the gods of hell, that is, the telluric forces. After that, he traces with a never-used iron sword three magic circles around the stalk of the mandrake, all the while turning away his face to protect himself from the sinister emanations that penetrate the body, inflating it, unless precautions are taken and the body is not anointed with vegetable oil. . Then it is best not to take part in the uprooting of the plant itself, because it emits such a cry from which you can die or go crazy. ) Therefore, carefully covering the ears with wax, the pharmacist ties the dog to the plant, and then throws a piece of meat to it, to which it could not reach. The dog rushes to the meat and falls dead. But the mandrake is already uprooted from the ground.

About the unusual properties of the mandrake plant

From this we can conclude that such a dangerous occupation deserved a high reward. But it no longer mattered, because the mandrake itself more than rewarded its owner. It was enough to close it in the chest in order for it to double the number of coins contained in it. In that era, the mandrake became, accordingly, something like a ludion chtonien, an anthropoid egregor, as can be seen from the really strange shape of its roots.

It is even rumored that some magicians managed to "revive" these roots, that is, to make real homunculi out of them.

In the Middle Ages, this plant, the Greek name of which simply meant "harmful for stables", that is, for livestock, on French was called the "hand of glory", at the same time as in German and in ancient English the name of the plant was identified with the fairy of the ancient Germans - Alruna. The key to prosperity, ensuring its owner success in love and in all other enterprises, the mandrake has become a universal talisman, an object of fruitful and secret trade. To give it the desired look, the mandrake was cultivated in special-shaped pots, which made it possible to embellish and even “sculpt” the root of the plant in the right direction; finally, charlatans created a mandrake root from completely different species, using for this purpose the roots of bryonia, into which necessary places grains of barley or millet were inserted; growing, they formed strands of hairs. This trade has survived to the present day; in 1930, similar mandrakes could be bought in large stores in Berlin.

The mandrake owes its reputation, first of all, to the fact that in the Middle Ages this plant was part of a love potion. But whatever the areas of extravagant use of the mandrake, it and its root actually have peculiar properties. Being an extremely toxic agent, the plant is at the same time such a strong anesthetic that the person under its influence seems to be dead: probably, the mandrake excites sensuality; the visions, hallucinations and delusions it causes can lead to dementia, which was once noticed by Hippocrates.

Interpretation of the qualities of the mandrake and its root

It all comes down to the fact that the mandrake was identified with the spirit of the dead. First of all, this is evidenced by its ancient Latin name - Atropa, which then passed to belladonna, which was characterized by somewhat similar properties. The buried finds a mandrake; digging it up is a form of sacrilege punishable by death; in other words, it is impossible to bring death to life without exchanging it for another life. If you use a dog when digging, then in all mythologies the dog is associated with death, with the underworld, where he is the guide of his dead master. One might even ask oneself whether the soul of a dog, in a moment of agony, does not become an absorbing, replaced soul of a mandrake. Such an interpretation is supported by a belief that was widespread during the Middle Ages: the plant is born under the gallows, from the sperm of the hanged. This tradition associated the mandrake with the "hand of glory", which was actually the hand of a hanged man, subjected to a magical mummification ceremony. The properties of the mandrake plant, which combined death and sexuality, were based, therefore, on the fact that the spent seed is restored again, but for the benefit of the happy owner of the root.

Mandragora is a plant from the genus perennial herbs nightshade family. In nature, there are several types of mandrakes: in the Mediterranean and Central Asia, in the Himalayas. The most common mandrake species are Mandragora Autumnalis (autumn mandrake), Mandragora Officinarum or Mandragora Officinalis (officinal mandrake), Mandragora Turcomanica (Turkmen mandrake), Mandragora Caulescens (stem mandrake) and Mandragora Vernalis (spring mandrake). Mandrake root has a pronounced psychotropic effect.

Different types of mandrake plant (mandragora)

The medicinal mandrake (mandragora officinalis) grows in southern Europe and is especially abundant in Calabria and Sicily. Its purple flowers appear in autumn, while the flowers wild species mandrakes appear in spring and have a light greenish hue.

Spring mandrake (mandragora vernalis) is considered a male species and grows in more northern areas. The male mandrake differs from the female mandrake in a thicker whitish root both outside and inside, a pronounced unpleasant stimulating odor that spreads from the leaves and flowers of the plant, its fruits are much larger than the female variety, resemble small yellow apples and emit a sweet and tender smell. It was the fruits of this plant that the Egyptians considered a means of stimulating sensuality. This knowledge passed to them from the Arabs, who called these fruits “apples of the devil” because of the exciting dreams they caused, but also “eggs of spirits”.

Turkesmen mandragora (mandragora turcomanica) lives in the Western Kopetdag, it is a relic of the tertiary flora.

Mandrake root. Description of mandragora root

Mandrake root is dark brown on the outside and white on the inside; it forks in an amazing way, causing associations with the torso, ending in the hips. With a little fantasy, in this root one can find what the Pythagoreans called Anthroporphon (human silhouette), with a head slightly higher above ground level and equipped with lush hair of leaves, and two other secondary roots; occupying the place of the forelimbs.

The content of alkaloids in the mandrake plant

The mandrake, and above all in the roots, contains the following alkaloids that have an effect on humans:

2. Scopolamine (scopolamine): (-)-(1S,3S,5R,6R,7S,8S)- 6,7-epoxy-3-[(S)-tropoyloxy]tropane.

3. Hyoscyamine (hyoscyamine): 8-methyl-8-azabicyclooct-3-yl) 3-hydroxy-2-phenyl-propanoate.

4. Mandragorine: Cl7H27O3N.

Mandrake is sometimes used as a potent hallucinogenic drug. The plant and root are often mentioned in witchcraft recipes in the Middle Ages. Atropine and scopolamine are poisonous, which is why taking mandrake is categorically contraindicated, since the most severe side effects and, in some cases, death. The use of mandrake root can cause irreparable harm: memory loss, cognitive impairment of brain function. Close relatives of the mandrake are the henbane and belladonna plants, which have a similar psychoactive effect.

The use of mandrake root in medicine

Mandragora is one of the most ancient anesthetics, it also has an analgesic (painkiller), sedative, hypnotic and cholagogue effect. Liquefies mucus. In the 5th century BC, the action of the mandrake was introduced by the great Hippocrates, who specified that in small doses it is an effective remedy for fear and depression. In higher amounts, mandrake causes strange sensory impressions and hallucinations. In even larger doses, the mandrake has a sedative and hypnotic effect and, finally, causes deep sleep, accompanied by complete insensibility.

Avicenna called the mandrake an idol created by nature in the outward likeness of a person. The patient was recommended to give 2 grams of plant juice with wine before the operation so that he sleeps soundly and does not feel pain. The same “tears” reduced freckles and bruises. Crushed mandrake root, together with vinegar, was applied to carbuncles, and mixed with oatmeal - to sore joints. Sometimes they were treated with elephantiasis, and used as an abortifacient.

The use of mandrake: tincture from the root

In terms of pharmacological activity, mandrake root extracts are close to belladonna, henbane, and dope. The roots are used for the preparation of analgesics and antispasmodics for gastrointestinal diseases, as well as for muscle, joint and neuralgic pains.

Mandrake tincture is prepared as follows: crushed mandrake root is infused with alcohol (in a ratio of 1 to 4) for two weeks, then filtered. Take 3 ... 10 drops as an analgesic and hypnotic for rheumatism, gout.

This article on mandrake root uses material from Lois of the Parasciences - Conference for Psychedelic Research and Frontier Science website. A description of the experiments with the mandrake plant and personal experience consumption of mandrake root.

story: about the mandrake and the ascetics

Once again, I learned about the mandrake many years later. A friend of mine once told me this story from the Doza Lama. Two ascetics came to visit the Doza Lama and wanted to try the tincture from the Mandrake root. They asked the Doza Lama to collect the roots of the plant for them, which he did. He showed them how much to take, but these ascetics, thinking that they were strong guys, took 3 times more. The dose lama had gone somewhere, leaving the ascetics at home. At that time, electricity went out in the village and it seemed to the ascetics that the whole village was full of KGB officers. One ascetic went to another village located at a distance of 40 kilometers. On the way, he completely undressed and threw out his clothes. Another ascetic turned out to be smarter: he stayed at home, but tried to pass through the wall, which he succeeded. He passed through the walls several times, finding himself in and out of the house. Finally, one wall did not let him through and he smashed his head.

Personal experience with mandrake root

The story of the mandrake intrigued me. I thought it would be nice to try this root, and as we were on the train back home, I found out that a girl who was with us bought a whole bag of Mandrake root from a local resident. I asked her to give me one root, which she gladly did. The root she gave me turned out to be like a human figure. When I got home, I put the mandrake root in a drawer and forgot about it. I discovered this root only six months later. The root is completely dry during this time. And suddenly I really wanted to try this mysterious root. However, I did not know what dose to take. I cut off a small piece of the root and dropped it into a cup of boiling water. It occurred to me that since the root is magical, it is necessary to perform some kind of ritual before drinking tincture from it. I couldn't think of anything better than to take a moonstone ring off my finger and throw it into a cup. Then he covered the cup with his hands and chatted a little. At this point, I decided that the magical rite was completed and opened the cup. It turned out that the ring was put on the root of the mandrake, which frightened me a little. The idea of some kind of mystical wedding came to mind. Then I drank some of the tincture. The action began about thirty minutes later. I felt unearthly bliss and everything that surrounded me turned out to be full of great meaning. The effect of one dose of mandrake lasted three days. There were no hallucinations, but everything that I was told or said seemed to be something special, and I comprehended the mysterious, magical meaning of the word. As soon as the action of the root ended, I took a new portion. Thus, in a month I completely used this root. True, in the end, some blue lights began to fly around the apartment.

Images of mandrakes in modern art

For example, in the movie Pan's Labyrinth, the Faun gives the heroine magical mandrake roots to put under Carmen's bed for her to recover. The captain finds a mandrake root, Carmen burns the root in the hearth and she immediately becomes ill and dies. In the movie Flesh and Blood, mandrake roots are found in the ground, which is soaked in the feces of the gallows. The heroes of the picture each bite off the root: they believe that now they will fall in love with each other forever.

Mandrake root in literature.

In the book of Hans Heinz Evers "Alraune", the mandrake root serves starting point courageous experiment: conception with the help of the sperm of a hanged man. In the novel Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, college students, under the guidance of a professor, grew mandrakes in their greenhouses. They were sure that the cry of a mandrake kills a person. Mandrake juice in the book is used to disenchant dangerous spells. In Andrzej Sapkowski's story "Baptism by Fire", sorcerers prepare an ointment from the mandrake, which gives dazzling beauty. They also use the mandrake for an elixir that gives eternal youth, and also get incredibly pungent moonshine from the plant. The heroes sip mandrake moonshine, look at the root of the plant and discuss how to extract it.

Music and songs about mandrake roots.

On Deep Purple's first album, The Shades Of Deep Purple, there is a song called Mandrake Root, which means mandrake root. The leader of the Splin group, Alexander Vasiliev, has a song that is called “Mandrake Root”:

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