Benefits and harms of common belladonna. Application, composition, preparation

The belladonna plant is a strong poison and at the same time an effective cure for many diseases.. There are many myths and legends around it. There are other names for it: belladonna, sleepy dope, mad cherry, witch grass. The last name of the plant was due to the belief that it was used by witches to prepare an ointment that allows you to fly. Today belladonna is widely used for medical purposes. Preparations of traditional medicine are prepared from it, and are also used in folk recipes. At the same time, it is worth remembering that the careless use of sleep stupefaction leads to severe poisoning and in many cases death. Therefore, it is necessary to remember the features of this plant and the rules for its use.

What is a beauty

Common belladonna is a perennial herbaceous plant . At favorable conditions it can grow up to two meters high. It belongs to the nightshade family.

The stem of belladonna is quite dense, branched and thick. Has a green or purple color. Broadly lanceolate leaves are attached to it with petioles. Closer to the top of the plant, they have a saturated green color. The lower leaves are slightly lighter. The maximum leaf length is 20 cm.

Belladonna owes its power to a well-developed root system. The diameter of the rhizome can reach 8 cm. Long large roots extend from it.

A striking feature of belladonna are large single flowers.. The diameter of each of them can reach up to 3 cm. They grow exclusively from the sinuses. top leaves. The shape resembles a bell, they have a five-pronged bowl. Dyed purple. Inner part The flower has a dirty yellow tint.

Young plants enter the flowering phase from early August. If belladonna is more than a year old, then its flowering can start in May and last until the end of the growing season.

After flowering, it develops large fruit. It vaguely resembles a cherry. The berry has an attractive sheen. Painted in dark purple-blue. Inside it is a large number of seeds. The pulp has a sweet taste. However, it is deadly poisonous.

Especially dangerous is the use of such berries for children. It is enough to eat just one berry to cause irreparable health consequences. For an adult, a dose of 10 grams is considered fatal.

Where can you find belladonna

Sleep apnea is especially prevalent in mountainous regions.. Found at altitudes up to 1000 meters. It can often be found in the Caucasus, the Carpathians, and also in the Crimea. It grows not only in Russia, but also in the USA, Asia, South America and Pakistan.

Most often, you can find belladonna along the outskirts of roads and at the edges of forests. It can be a single plant or whole thickets. Prefers loose soil rich in humus. Because the beauty loves high humidity, sometimes it can be found on the banks of rivers.

For use in medicine, it is irrational to look for places where belladonna grows and collect. It's easier to cultivate it intentionally. Specializing in this in our country Krasnodar region. Since in wild nature Since this plant can be found infrequently, it was decided to include it in the Red Book of Russia.

What is included

The poisonous plant belladonna has a complex chemical composition. Alkaloids represent the greatest danger and value at the same time.. According to scientists, their maximum concentration is observed in the roots of the plant. Least of all these substances are found in fruits. The plant contains the following types of alkaloids:

1. Atropine. Once in the human body, this substance reduces the efficiency of the salivary and sweat glands, increases the frequency of contraction of the heart muscle, reduces muscle tone, lowers the acidity of gastric juice, and leads to excitation of respiration. In medicine, it is used to treat the gastrointestinal tract, urinary and cardiovascular systems.
2. Hyoscyamine. Under the action of oxygen, it is oxidized and converted into atropine.
3. Scopolamine. This alkaloid has an antispasmodic and ganglion-blocking effect, is able to expand peripheral vessels. It is used to treat Parkinson's disease.
4. Kuskgigreen.

In addition, belladonna leaves were found to contain: phenolcarboxylic, oxalic, leucatropic acids, flavonoids, aliphatic hydrocarbons and some other substances.

The danger of belladonna

Atropine, which is part of the plant, when the permitted dosage is exceeded, becomes a strong poison. Belladonna poisoning can have irreparable consequences. Among the main symptoms of the problem are the following:

1. Unpleasant sensations in the oral cavity, including burning and dryness.
2. Distortion of the voice or its complete loss.
3. Change in skin color, the appearance of rashes on it.
4. Pupil dilation. They stop responding to bright light. There is a partial loss of vision.
5. Dyspeptic disorders.
6. Violation of the rhythm of the heart, lowering blood pressure.
7. Headache.
8. Increased body temperature.
9. Puffiness.
10. Discoordination of movements.
11. Seizures.

If you notice these symptoms, call immediately ambulance. Before the doctors arrive, perform a gastric lavage. To do this, use a weak solution of potassium permanganate or table salt. After that, you should take a few pills. activated carbon or other sorbent.

First aid must be provided as soon as possible. In severe cases fatal outcome occurs already 3 hours after the poison of belladonna enters the body.

Belladonna, a berry that looks appetizing, often attracts children. Therefore, going to the forest, explain to the child that you can not eat any berries and plants.

What is belladonna used for?

Despite the fact that belladonna is poisonous, it is widely used for medicinal purposes. Based on the leaves of the plant, tinctures, extracts and other preparations are prepared.. They are used to treat peptic ulcer, tuberculosis, epilepsy and other serious diseases. The belladonna-based remedy has a good anti-inflammatory and analgesic property.

Belladonna preparations have also found application in ophthalmology. It is used to dilate the patient's pupil. This helps to conduct a full examination and make an accurate diagnosis.

Belladonna preparations are used to treat the following diseases:

1. Bronchial asthma, severe cough.
2. Muscle and joint pain.
3. Deviations in the work of the liver and biliary tract.
4. Deposition of kidney stones.
5. Diseases gastrointestinal tract.
6. Violation of the urinary system.
7. Neuralgia.
8. Gastritis in a chronic form.

The use of plant juice externally allows you to get rid of age spots on the skin. In addition, the use of belladonna-based products improves performance, activates the brain, and stimulates physical activity.

Belladonna is often used to treat intoxication. It is used for poisoning with fungi and chemicals..

Sleepy dope has found application in homeopathy. On its basis, special dragees are made, which are designed to relieve the patient of toothache.

How do I use belladonna?

The belladonna flower is used in medicine in various forms. Prepared from it:

1. Tinctures.
2. Decoctions. Apply strictly in accordance with the dosage calculated by the attending physician.
3. Solutions for lotions. They are used to treat skin diseases and joint problems.
4. Atropine sulfate. It is the atropine secreted from the plant. It is produced in the form of powders.
5. Dry and thick belladonna extract.
6. Collection. Tall parts of a plant that are rolled up like a cigarette. This remedy is used for the treatment of bronchial asthma.
7. Tablets. The following drugs are distinguished:
   • "Bellataminal". It is recommended to relieve increased irritability, insomnia, vegetovascular dystonia.
   • For the treatment of diseases of the stomach, "Becarbon" is used. It reduces the acidity of gastric juice and relieves spasms.
   • Bellalgin. It is used as an anesthetic drug during spasms in the gastrointestinal tract.
   • "Bepasal". Used in the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
8. Suppositories. The most widely used drugs are Anuzol and Betiol. They are used to treat hemorrhoids and fissures in the anus.

It is strictly forbidden to use the above drugs without a doctor's prescription.. The dosage is calculated individually, based on the disease and the patient's condition. Before starting treatment, carefully read the description of the drug and how to use it. Remember that self-medication is extremely dangerous for your life.

Contraindications and side effects

Since the belladonna flower is a poisonous plant, preparations based on it must be taken with caution. The main contraindications include:

1. Pregnancy and breastfeeding period.
2. The presence of glaucoma.
3. Childhood.
4. Serious pathologies of the cardiovascular system.
5. Hypertension.
6. Intestinal atony, ulcerative colitis, intestinal obstruction and some other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
7. Acute form of atherosclerosis.
8. Bleeding.
9. Individual intolerance.

People suffering from kidney disease, diaphragmatic hernia and hyperthyroidism should use similar drugs possible only when absolutely necessary. Such treatment should take place under the mandatory supervision of a specialist.

Sometimes the use of drugs with belladonna can lead to the appearance side effects. Often observed headache, speech disturbance, increased drowsiness, loss of appetite, dry mouth, dizziness, sleep disturbance. The drug should be used with extreme caution in hot weather . This can cause heat stroke.

An overdose of such drugs is dangerous. Its symptoms include:

1. Attacks of nausea and vomiting.
2. Ischemia.
3. Reducing sweating.
4. Tachycardia.
5. Impotence.
6. Hives.

If such symptoms are detected, the drug should be discontinued. You will need a gastric lavage. After that, be sure to consult your doctor. The doctor will be able to correctly adjust the dosage or completely stop taking the drug.

Cultivation of belladonna

Since belladonna is rarely found in Russian forests. It can be grown on your suburban area . This process differs little from the cultivation of other plants. It is enough to follow the basic recommendations:

1. The belladonna should be planted on fertile soil. It is best to choose low-lying areas for this, which maintain a sufficient level of humidity. Belladonna thrives on light soils with good air permeability. The best predecessors winter crops become for her. You can not grow it after potatoes or tomatoes.
2. Before sowing, the soil must be plowed to a great depth, as the plant has a powerful root system. Fertilizer is recommended. Manure will do. It will take about 30 tons per hectare of land.
3. Seeds must be planted in soil that is warmed up to a temperature of at least 20 degrees. About 8 kilograms of seeds will be needed per hectare. The embedment depth is not more than 1.5 cm. If the soil is very light, this distance increases to 3 cm.
4. Seedlings are small and develop rather slowly. They must be protected from drought, frost and pests. In the first year of life, the plant forms very few flowers and fruits.
5. Care consists in regular watering, weeding and loosening the soil.

Growing this plant is easy. If you follow all the recommendations, you can grow a plant rich in alkaloids. It remains only to properly prepare the raw materials, and it will be possible to prepare medicines.

How belladonna is made

For the manufacture of medicines use the roots and leaves of the plant. For the remedy to be effective, the belladonna flower must be properly collected and dried.

You can harvest raw materials up to five times per season. The first collection is carried out at the very beginning of flowering. It is at this time that the maximum amount of valuable substances accumulates in the leaves.

Leaves can only be collected by hand. Even with industrial harvesting, the use of any mechanized means is not possible. First, all large leaves are torn off. Small ones can be plucked only after they have fully developed. In order to facilitate the collection process, some companies cut the plants whole. Separate the foliage only after drying.

After the leaves are collected, they are dried. For this on one square meter surface lays out a kilogram of leaves. Drying is carried out in a well-ventilated area. Leaves should not be exposed to direct sunlight. According to the accelerated technology, drying is carried out in specialized dryers, where the temperature is maintained at +40 degrees. The concentration of alkaloids in the leaf veins is much higher than in the pulp. Therefore, for the preparation of medicines, it is necessary to use the entire sheet without residue.

The roots of the plant can only be harvested in the third year. They are dug up, cleaned from the ground. The root neck and all branches, the diameter of which is less than a centimeter, must be cut off. The remaining rhizomes are cut into pieces no larger than 10 cm. The roots are dried in a well-ventilated area.

After the raw material has dried, it is cleaned of all impurities. After that, it can be used for its intended purpose. Storage must be organized separately from other blanks.

Recipes of traditional medicine

You can prepare belladonna-based products yourself. For this, simple recipes are useful:

1. Decoction. Ten grams of dried belladonna rhizome is steamed in a glass of boiling water. The prepared mixture is boiled for 10 minutes. After it cools down a bit, it is filtered. This tool is used to prepare compresses on the joints..
2. Tincture. Belladonna leaves in the amount of 10 grams are poured with a glass of alcohol. For a week, this mixture is hidden in a dark place. Strain it before use. This remedy is taken orally to treat cholecystitis or kidney stones.
3. Decoction of Parkinson's disease. Mix 30 grams of crushed dry rhizome and 100 grams of crushed activated carbon. The resulting composition is poured into 750 ml of white wine of any dry variety. Boil on fire for 10 minutes. The resulting product is filtered.
4. Powder. The dried leaves of the plant are ground into a fine powder. A teaspoon of such a product must be set on fire and the resulting smoke inhaled. It helps a lot in the treatment of bronchial asthma. For the treatment of gastritis, it is taken orally. Wherein you can not use it more than fits on the tip of the knife.
5. Insomnia tincture. One part of belladonna leaves is poured with ten parts of vodka. Such a composition must be kept for three weeks in a dark place. Taking it 15 drops twice a day can get rid of sleep problems.

When preparing such products, you must carefully monitor the dosages. Any mistakes are fraught with serious consequences for your health. You can use such medicines only after consulting your doctor. He also determines the dosage, based on the age of the patient, his state of health and the characteristics of the course of the disease.

Belladonna is a poisonous perennial. But at correct use it can be a real salvation from many diseases. Before starting such treatment, consult a specialist, carefully study all the features of this plant and weigh all the advantages and disadvantages.

Belladonna is a poisonous plant

Belladonna, or belladonna as it is often called, is a perennial herbaceous plant whose height is 1-2 meters. This plant belongs to the nightshade family. Belladonna has a strong multi-headed rhizome, which resembles a cylinder with a diameter of about 8 cm. The roots of the plant are very powerful and branched. The stem of the plant is green (and sometimes with a purple tint), always straight, with many branches.

The leaves of belladonna are pointed and ovoid in shape, the color of the leaves is dark green. The lower and upper leaves differ in size. The upper leaves are arranged in pairs, but the lower ones are alternate.

Belladonna can be recognized by its flowers: they are very large (3 cm) brown-violet on the outside and dirty yellow on the inside. The fruit of belladonna is a black glossy berry that resembles an ordinary cherry in appearance. The berry consists of two nests, has many seeds. The taste of the berry is sweetish, and the juice is dark. purple. Black seeds are about 2 mm long, both flat and with uneven surface, angular or round.

The flowering of the plant depends on the year of life. For example, if the plant is in the first year of vegetation, then it blooms in August, and if it is older, then flowering begins in May and lasts until the end of the growing season. Fruit ripening occurs from July to September.

Belladonna is a plant that is very common in the mountains of the Crimea, the Caucasus and the Carpathians. But also this poisonous plant grows in Malaya and Central Asia, Afghanistan, South America, Pakistan and USA.

The plant can grow both singly and in the form of thickets on the outskirts of roads, in clearings and edges in the forest. Belladonna grows in moist, humus and loose soil. Surprisingly, it is poisonous and dangerous plant was listed in the Red Book of Russia.

Belladonna is a poisonous plant: all parts of it are poisonous, including the fruits. There have been cases when people were poisoned by honey, which was produced from belladonna pollen.

Belladonna is very dangerous for children: just two berries of this "mad cherry" lead to the death of a child. But birds do not care for this berry: thrush, starlings and other birds can peck this berry without fear.

Medicinal properties of belladonna

The whole plant contains the alkaloid hyoscyamine. Atropine is the main alkaloid of the plant, which has antispasmodic and neurogenic properties. It reduces the tone of the intestines, uterus, and other smooth muscle organs.

All the alkaloids contained in belladonna improve heart function, can dilate pupils and increase pressure inside the eye.

Application of belladonna

The leaves of the plant are used to produce tinctures, tablets, extracts and other preparations for the treatment of various diseases.

On the basis of belladonna, preparations are made that are used as an anti-inflammatory, analgesic for intestinal and stomach ulcers, for muscle pain, and even for epilepsy.

In ophthalmology, atropine, which was isolated from belladonna, has been widely used. But if a person has increased eye pressure, then the use of belladonna as an eye treatment is contraindicated.

Belladonna is used for poisoning with poisonous substances or mushrooms.

Small doses of belladonna are used if they want to reduce the secretion of the salivary or sweat glands. And also a small dose of this poisonous plant normalizes the peristalsis of the pathways that remove bile and urine from the body.

Scopolamine content was found in the roots of the plant. Scopolamine is a drug used to treat Parkinson's disease.

The juice squeezed from the leaves of the plant helps to remove dark spots, if any, on any human skin area.

belladonna treatment

Belladonna tincture. This tincture is used as an anesthetic for nephrolithiasis or calculous cholecystitis. This tincture is easy to prepare. You need to take 10 grams of belladonna leaves and pour half a glass of 96% alcohol on them. Tincture should be removed in a dark place for one week to infuse. Next, do not forget to strain the remedy and take 5-10 drops for pain.

Belladonna decoction. Take 10 grams of crushed belladonna roots and fill them with one glass of boiled water. We put on fire for half an hour, after which we cool for about 10 minutes and filter. This decoction is used for pain in the joints. Compresses are made from the decoction or simply rubbed with them on problem (painful) areas of the body.

Tincture of belladonna leaves. You need to take 10 grams of belladonna leaves and insist them on 100 ml of 40% alcohol. It is necessary to take such a tincture in 5-10 drops. This medicine is used for colic and insomnia. And externally it is used for tumors, breast cancer and infiltrate.

Belladonna decoction. This decoction is used to treat Parkinson's disease. It is necessary to prepare such a tool in the following way: take 30 grams of dried and crushed plant roots and mix them with 100 grams of activated charcoal. Pour all this into 750 ml of dry white wine and put on fire. Cook for 10 minutes and remove from heat. Ready broth must be filtered. Take this brew 3 times daily before meals. Treatment lasts 3 days. A single dose of taking the medicine is 1 teaspoon. When 3 hours have passed after taking the decoction, you need to take nutmeg (on the tip of a knife). Or you can just chew a little calamus root.

Belladonna poisoning and first aid for it

Belladonna is a poisonous plant. Therefore, it is necessary to take drugs from it carefully and only under the supervision of a doctor.

Belladonna poisoning is a consequence after eating the berries of this plant (which is most often done by kids). When belladonna is harvested on the plantations, due to the fact that it is touched by hands, and then touched by the face, a toxic effect on the human body occurs.

Symptoms of belladonna poisoning are as follows: dryness is observed in the oral and nasal cavities, the pupils are dilated, vision is impaired, the face turns red. A rash is visible on the body. A person poisoned with belladonna suffers from headaches, hallucinations, it is difficult to swallow, his voice is hoarse, and vomiting and diarrhea also occur.

First aid for belladonna poisoning. Of course, the very first and most important decision is to call an ambulance! While the doctor arrives at the injured person, he needs to do a gastric lavage. To do this, make the victim drink 250–1250 ml of a solution of weak potassium permanganate or simple weak tea. Poisonous alkaloids are bound by tannin, which is contained in tea and potassium permanganate, which does not allow alkaloids to be further absorbed into the stomach. After that, a person who has poisoned with belladonna should begin - this is normal! After taking potassium permanganate, you need to do the following: take 20-30 activated charcoal tablets, crush them and pour 200 ml cold water. We stir it all and give it to the poisoned person to drink.

If necessary, you can wash the stomach again, but not earlier than after the first wash, 1-2 hours will pass.

In the event of a strong heartbeat or in the presence of shortness of breath, heart drops should be given to the victim.

If the heart suddenly stops and the person stops breathing, then resuscitation measures should be taken immediately.

Even if the victim feels better, he still needs to go to the hospital.

In order not to be poisoned by this plant, you need to follow the dosage and take preparations from belladonna very carefully!

Expert editor: Sokolova Nina Vladimirovna| Phytotherapeutist

Education: A diploma in the specialty "Medicine" and "Therapy" received at the University named after N. I. Pirogov (2005 and 2006). Advanced training at the Department of Phytotherapy at the Moscow University of Peoples' Friendship (2008).

In the article we discuss belladonna, tell how it looks and where the grass grows. You will find out what medicinal properties and contraindications for use are plant-based preparations. Following our advice, you will learn how to prepare remedies for the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory and cardiovascular systems, and gynecological diseases.

Common belladonna is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Solanaceae family (lat. Solanaceae). Latin name — Atropa belladonna. The plant is also known as belladonna, mad cherry, sleepy dope, rabies, red berry, mad berry. All parts of belladonna are poisonous.

What does it look like

Appearance (photo) belladonna belladonna has a thick rhizome with numerous branched processes. The length of the tap root reaches 30 cm.

Thick and erect stems reach a height of 2 meters. In the upper part of the plant shoots branch.

The lower leaves are petiolate, alternate, up to 3-5 cm long. The upper paired leaves are much larger - they reach a length of 20 cm. The leaf blade is oblong-ovate, brown-green above, light green below.

Small single or paired flowers are located on short pedicels in the axils of the upper leaves. The five-petalled flower looks like a bell. Petals from yellow-brown to dirty purple. The belladonna blooms from May to October.

The fruit is a black and purple flattened berry. Inside contains blue-violet juice and many seeds. By appearance berries are similar to cherries, taste sweet, but poisonous. The plant bears fruit from July to October.

Where does it grow

The belladonna prefers a mild, humid climate. Grows on fertile forest soils. The plant is found in small groups along the banks of rivers, on the edges and in forests.

The belladonna is common in Europe, North and Central Africa, Asia Minor. In Russia, the plant is found in the Crimea and the Caucasus.

Grass, leaves and roots of belladonna

Beauty products are used in medicine for the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory and cardiovascular systems. The stems, leaves and roots of the plant act as medicinal raw materials.

Chemical composition

Beauty contains:

• flavonoids;
• atropine;
• hyoscyamine;
• kuskggrin;
• oxycoumarins;
• scopoletin.

Medicinal properties

Preparations based on belladonna have analgesic and antispasmodic effects. They are used to treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: gastritis, pancreatitis, gastric and duodenal ulcers.

The belladonna normalizes the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Plant-based products improve cardiac conduction, eliminate muscle spasms and increase the heart rate.

Belladonna tincture stimulates the respiratory system, expands the bronchi. The remedy is effective for asthma, laryngitis and bronchitis.

How to collect

Beauty - poisonous grass, so it should be collected with extreme care. Protective gloves must be worn when harvesting the plant.

Collect grass and leaves of the plant begin in June - July. Roots are harvested in autumn or in early spring.

Dry raw materials under a canopy, spreading it out thin layer. Periodically stir the grass so that it dries evenly. The roots are dried mainly in dryers at temperatures up to 50 degrees.

Store medicinal raw materials in a ventilated area, away from other plants. Shelf life - 2 years.

How to apply

belladonna extract excites the central nervous system. It is used to enhance physical and mental activity, to increase endurance and performance.

Drops with belladonna are used to treat ophthalmic diseases. They are instilled into the eyes to dilate the pupils.

On the basis of belladonna, rectal suppositories are made. They are used in gynecology to relax the cervix before childbirth and to treat hemorrhoids. With the external form of the disease, an ointment is used.

Tablets and tinctures based on the plant normalize the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, heart and blood vessels. They are used as antispasmodics, antiseptics and anticholinergics.

Ointment for hemorrhoids

The belladonna is part of the pharmaceutical preparations for hemorrhoids, for example, the candles "Anuzol", "Betiol", "Belladonna Extract". To treat the external form of the disease, you can prepare an ointment at home.

Ingredients:

1. belladonna leaves - 25 gr.
2. Vaseline - 100 gr.

How to cook: Powder belladonna leaves. Melt the vaseline in a water bath, add the resulting powder to it and mix until smooth. Close the lid and store in the refrigerator for a week.

How to use: Apply ointment to the anal sphincter area after each bowel movement. The course of treatment is 7 days.

Result: The tool quickly relieves inflammation, eliminates pain and discomfort.

Tincture for the stomach

Pharmacies sell belladonna-based tablets for the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: Bellalgin, Bekarbon and Bellastezin. At home, a tincture is prepared that helps with ulcers, gastritis, and pancreatitis.

Ingredients:

1. belladonna leaves - 100 gr.
2. Vodka - 500 ml.

How to cook: Grind belladonna leaves, fill them with vodka, tightly close the lid and insist for 2 weeks. Periodically, the product must be shaken. Strain the finished tincture and store in the refrigerator.

How to use: Take 5-10 drops of tincture 2-3 times a day. The maximum daily dose is 23 drops.

Result: The remedy eliminates pain and spasms. Effectively eliminates gastric colic and scars ulcers. This recipe can be used to eliminate insomnia.

Infusion under pressure

Infusion of belladonna is used for bradycardia and angina pectoris. The tool stimulates heart contractions and normalizes their rhythm.

Ingredients:

1. belladonna leaves - 10 gr.
2. Water - 300 ml.

How to cook: Grind belladonna leaves, pour boiling water over them, cover with a lid and let it brew for 2 hours. Strain the finished product.

How to use: Take 1 teaspoon 3 times daily before meals. Increase daily dosage by ½ teaspoon until single serving reaches 2 tablespoons. After that, also gradually reduce the dosage.

Result: The tool increases the heart rate, eliminates aching chest pain and fatigue.

Asthma Powder

For the treatment of asthmatic paroxysmal cough, belladonna leaf powder is used. It can be purchased ready-made or you can make your own.

Ingredients:

1. belladonna leaves - 20 gr.

How to cook: Powder the leaves.

How to use: Take a pinch of powder 3 times a day before meals. The course of treatment is 1 week.

Result: The remedy eliminates spasms of the respiratory tract and relieves cough.

Decoction for use in gynecology

Beauty products are used to treat gynecological diseases and to soften the cervix in preparation for childbirth, accelerating the process of its maturation. To do this, use a decoction of the plant. The tool softens the muscles and relieves their spasms, which is useful for the cervix in late pregnancy.

Ingredients:

1. belladonna roots - 5 gr.
2. Water - 100 ml.

How to cook: Grind the roots of the plant, cover with water, put on a minimum fire and simmer under the lid for 10 minutes. Strain the finished broth and use within 2 hours.

How to use: The cooled remedy is used for douching, and also taken orally 1 tablespoon before meals.

Result: The product eliminates inflammation and discomfort in the genital area.

Candles with belladonna

Rectal suppositories with belladonna can be purchased at any pharmacy. They quickly eliminate pain and relieve inflammation. With this method of entry into the body useful material are quickly absorbed and have an effective therapeutic effect.

Candles with belladonna have a mild laxative and antiseptic effect. Rectal suppositories "Anuzol" are used for hemorrhoids to eliminate swelling of soft tissues.
Candles Anuzol contain belladonna extract Before the procedure, empty the intestines with an enema. Insert the suppository into the rectum and lie down for 30 minutes. Usually prescribed 2-3 suppositories per day. The course of treatment is 7 days.

With the help of suppositories "Extract belladonna" infectious diseases are treated in gynecology. They are used strictly according to the instructions - administered rectally, 1 suppository up to 3 times a day. The course of treatment is 5−7 days.

Suppositories with belladonna rarely cause allergies. Despite this, the instructions for use indicate that these agents are capable of causing adverse reactions from the secretory glands and muscles: dry mouth, convulsions, palpitations. For this reason, children are not allowed to use candles.

belladonna tincture

Belladonna tincture can be prepared at home or purchased at the nearest pharmacy. Store the finished product away from children in a dark place.

Instructions for use recommends the use of tincture for the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, genitourinary and cardiovascular systems. In this case, it is necessary to strictly observe the dosage prescribed by the doctor. Usually appoint 5-10 drops of funds for 1 reception.

Can belladonna be used during pregnancy

The belladonna before childbirth softens the immature cervix, eliminates muscle spasms and prevents constipation, which is useful for pregnant women. Usually appoint no more than 2-3 suppositories per day. The product is not suitable for self-treatment. The use of the drug should be under the supervision of a gynecologist.

Contraindications

Since the plant is poisonous, it must be taken strictly according to the instructions and under the supervision of a specialist. An overdose of drugs based on belladonna leads to poisoning. Nausea, dizziness, and headache may occur.

At a deadly dose, redness of the skin, nervous excitement, and hallucinations appear. At the first sign of poisoning, you should call an ambulance and wash the stomach. Delay can be fatal.

Contraindications to the use of agents based on belladonna:

• bleeding;
• hypertension;
• intestinal atony;
• prostatic hypertrophy;
• heart failure;
• ulcerative colitis;
• glaucoma;
• atherosclerosis;
• pregnancy (except for the prenatal period);
• individual intolerance.

Classification

The Solanaceae family (lat. Solanaceae), to which the belladonna belongs, unites about 100 genera of plants. Belladonna belongs to the order Solanaceae (lat. Solanales), class Dicotyledonous (lat. Dicotylédones), Flowering department (lat. Magnoliophyta).

Varieties

The genus Krasavka (lat. Atropa) combines 5 plant species:

• belladonna pointed (lat. Atropa acuminata);
• belladonna (lat. Atropa belladonna);
• belladonna Komarova (lat. Atropa komarovii);
• Spanish belladonna (lat. Atropa baetica);
• belladonna Caucasian (lat. Atropa caucasica).

belladonna infographic

Photo belladonna ordinary, her beneficial features and application
belladonna infographic

What to remember

1. Means based on belladonna are used to treat diseases of the cardiovascular, nervous, genitourinary systems, and the gastrointestinal tract.
2. In pharmacies, you can buy ready-made belladonna preparations or prepare them at home.
3. The belladonna is a poisonous plant, so products based on it should be used strictly according to the instructions and only after consulting a specialist.

What is the belladonna plant? What are its properties? You will find answers to these and other questions in the article. The belladonna or belladonna plant, as well as many representatives of the Solanaceae family, contains toxic substances that can be dangerous for humans. However, various tinctures made from belladonna leaves can be used in medicinal purposes. Consider the scope of the belladonna plant below.

Description

It is known that the belladonna plant is herbaceous and perennial, reaches a height of 1-2 m. Its rhizome is strong and many-headed, it looks like a cylinder with a diameter of about 8 cm. The roots of belladonna are branched and very powerful. Its stem is green (sometimes with a purple tinge), always straight and branched.

Agree, in the photo the belladonna plant looks very interesting. Its leaves are dark green in color, ovoid and pointed. The upper and lower leaves have different parameters, with the lower ones placed alternately, and the upper ones in pairs.

Everyone can recognize belladonna by its flowers, they are very large (3 cm in diameter) dirty yellow inside and brown-purple outside. The fruit of the plant is a glossy black berry that looks like a simple cherry. berry has big number seeds and consists of a pair of nests. Juice her dark purple, sweet in taste. Black seeds are often up to 2 cm long, round or angular, both flat and irregular.

The flowering of belladonna depends on its age. For example, a plant in its first year of life blooms in August, and if it is older, then flowering begins in May and continues until the end of the growing season. The fruits ripen from July to September.

Belladonna grows mainly in the mountains of the Caucasus, Crimea and the Carpathians. But this poisonous plant can also be found in Central and Asia Minor, the USA, South America, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The belladonna can grow both singly and in the form of thickets on the edges and clearings in the forest, on the outskirts of roads. It grows on loose, moist and humus soil. Surprisingly, this dangerous herb was included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation.

Belladonna is a poisonous plant, as mentioned above. All parts of it are toxic, including fruits. It happened that people were poisoned by honey, which was obtained from belladonna pollen. This plant is very dangerous for babies: only two berries of this “rabid cherry” lead to the death of a child. But the birds don't care. Starlings, thrushes and other birds can peck at its fruits without fear.

Healing qualities

What are the medicinal properties of the plant? Belladonna contains the alkaloid hyoscyamine. Atropine is the most important plant alkaloid with neurogenic and antispasmodic properties. It reduces the tone of the bronchi, uterus, intestines and other smooth muscle organs. All alkaloids contained in belladonna can increase intraocular pressure and dilate pupils, improve heart function.

Benefit

Take a good look at the photo of the poisonous belladonna plant. You need to remember it, because belladonna can only be used for its intended purpose. The pharmacological effect on the body of preparations containing it is due to the action of the alkaloids scopolamine and atropine (hyoscyamine). They have a peripheral and central M-anticholinergic effect, which is manifested by excitation of the central nervous system, a decrease in the secretion of glands and a decrease in tone. internal organs. Preparations with belladonna affect the following systems body:

• Digestive - reduce the secretion of the gastrointestinal and salivary glands, pancreas, inhibit the motor function of the gastrointestinal tract, relieve spasm.
• CNS - excite it, activating physical and mental activity, increase efficiency and endurance.
• Cardiovascular - improve the conduction of the heart and increase the frequency of its contractions.
• Organs of vision - dilate the pupil. This property of the plant is used to diagnose various eye ailments.
• Respiratory - expand the bronchi, excite the respiratory center, regulate breathing.

Chemical composition

So it was Full description belladonna plants. What is its chemical composition? It has already been said above that all parts of belladonna contain tropane alkaloids: hyoscyamine and scopolamine. The most important of these is the optically active hyoscyamine. When isolated from the plant, it transforms into the optically inactive atropine. The roots contain the alkaloid radobelin. Experts in the plant also found flavonoids, oxycoumarins, steroids, aliphatic alcohols, phenolic acids, derivatives of quercetin, kaempferol.

Application

From belladonna leaves, tablets, tinctures, extracts and other preparations are made to treat various ailments. On the basis of this plant, drugs are created that are used as an analgesic, anti-inflammatory agent for stomach and intestinal ulcers, tuberculosis, muscle pain, and even epilepsy.

Widespread use in ophthalmology received atropine, which was isolated from belladonna. But if a person has increased eye pressure, he should not use belladonna as an eye remedy.

The belladonna is also used for poisoning with mushrooms or poisonous substances. Small doses of this plant are used to reduce the secretion of sweat and salivary glands. Also, in a small amount, belladonna normalizes peristalsis of the biliary and urinary tract.

Scopolamine is used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Belladonna juice removes age spots.

Healing with tincture

Belladonna tincture is used as an anesthetic for calculous cholecystitis or kidney stones. Preparing it is easy. Take 10 g of plant leaves and pour 0.5 tbsp. alcohol 96%. Remove the tincture for 7 days in a dark room. Then strain it and take 5-10 drops for pain.

How to heal with a decoction

Prepare the decoction like this:

• Crushed belladonna roots (10 g) pour a glass of boiled water.
• Put on fire for 30 minutes, cool and strain.

Use decoction for joint pain. Make compresses out of it or just rub the problem areas of the body.

Another potion

From the leaves of belladonna (10 g) and alcohol 40% (100 ml) make a tincture. Take it 5-10 drops for insomnia, diarrhea and colic. Outwardly, it can be used for infiltration, tumors and breast cancer.

Treatment of Parkinson's disease

Prepare a decoction of belladonna using the following technology:

• Mix dried and crushed belladonna leaves (30 g) with activated charcoal (100 g).
• Pour the mixture with dry white wine (750 ml) and put on fire.
• Simmer for 10 minutes and then remove from stove.
• Strain the finished broth.

Take this concoction three times before meals daily for 1 tsp. The course of treatment is three days. When three hours have passed after taking the decoction, eat a pinch of nutmeg or lightly chew a calamus root.

Help with poisoning

It is necessary to take drugs from belladonna carefully and only under the supervision of a doctor, because it is very poisonous. After eating the berries of this plant, the body is poisoned. When belladonna is harvested on plantations, due to the fact that they touch it with their hands, and then touch their face with them, there is a toxic effect on human body. Signs of belladonna poisoning are as follows:

• redness of the face;
• visual impairment;
• pupils are dilated;
• a rash is noticeable on the body;
• dryness is observed in the nasal and oral cavity;
• there is a headache, hallucinations;
• diarrhea and vomiting occurs;
• hoarse voice;
• hard to swallow.

The very first solution for belladonna poisoning is to call an ambulance. Before the arrival of the doctor, make the affected person gastric lavage. To do this, make him drink 250-1250 ml of weak ordinary tea or a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

Poisonous alkaloids will bind to tannin, which will not allow them to be further absorbed into the stomach. Then the poisoned person will begin to vomit - this is normal. After a person has drunk a solution of potassium permanganate, do the following: crush 20-30 tablets of activated charcoal and pour cold water (200 ml), stir. Give this mixture to drink to the victim.

If necessary, wash his stomach again, but not earlier than one hour after the first wash.

If shortness of breath occurs or the heartbeat increases, give the victim heart drops. If the person has stopped breathing or has a cardiac arrest, start resuscitation immediately. Even if a person feels better, he still needs to go to the clinic.

This beautiful plant prefers to grow in small plantings or singly. Throughout the mysterious history of its existence, it is accompanied by rumors and fictions, truth and lies, great benefits and great harm. This is about belladonna, or belladonna.

There are many legends and tales about this plant, which are united by one thing: the plant is toxic, but in small doses it can heal. Belladonna means "beauty". And no wonder - aristocrats ancient rome used a tincture of it to dilate the pupils and brighten the eyes, or applied to the cheeks for a "natural" blush.

BUT mystical story it started back in Ancient Greece. According to the legend, three moiras - the goddesses of fate - were responsible for the duration of the thread of a person's life. The eldest of them, Atropa, mercilessly cut it. So incompatible concepts were combined in one name: Atropa belladonna- "death" and "beauty".

This perennial has always been shrouded in mystery, was considered a potion of sorcerers and witches, a magic potion of healers. And a series of its names only confirms this unkind fame - rabies, wolfberry, belladonna, devil's berry, German, mad cherry, sleeping potion, sleeping dope.

Outwardly, it is a bush with a green stem (sometimes it has purple hue), its height is 1-1.5 m, very powerful root system, the leaves are green, pointed in shape, the flowers are large (about 3 cm), shaped like elongated purple bells. The berries are black, inside are divided into two halves, filled with seeds, juice, like ink.

Outwardly, they resemble small ones. Belladonna belongs to the nightshade family.

It blooms from May to July, the berries ripen in September. That is when they are harvested when they become fully mature. In belladonna, not only the berries are poisonous, but all parts of the plant - the stem, roots, leaves and even flowers. Cases of poisoning with honey from belladonna are known.

The main component of belladonna is tropane alkaloids (atropine, atropamine, scopolamine, hyoscyamine, belladonin).
Their content may be:

• in the leaves - 0,30-1,10%;
• in stems - 0,11-1,15%;
• in flowers - 0,30-0,53%;
• in fruits - 0,16-0,35%;
• in the roots - 0,21-1,10%.

Belladonna, or belladonna, is easily confused with wild cherries. True, her taste is sweetish, without sourness. But the consequences can be fatal: severe poisoning occurs if a child eats only 2-3 berries, and an adult eats 10-20 berries.

Therefore, the advice not to eat unknown berries is more relevant than ever. Moreover, the belladonna juice left on your hands can also harm yourself by touching your face, mouth or eyes.

Since the whole plant is poisonous, any part of it can be poisoned. Most often, poisoning occurs when eating berries. You can get poisoned by using belladonna as part of tinctures, ointments, decoctions, or when using medicines, of which belladonna is a part. The parasympathetic and central nervous systems are affected.

Signs begin to appear 15-20 minutes after ingestion:

1. spasm of the throat;
2. shortness of breath;
3. dry oral mucosa;
4. loss of voice
5. pupils enlarge and stop responding to light;
6. fever;
7. desire to drink, nausea, vomiting;
8. a significant decrease in urine output and a decrease in bowel activity;
9. low pressure;
10. the number of heart beats increases to 140-150 per minute;
11. dyspnea;
12. the color of the lips and mucous membranes is blue;
13. loss of orientation in space;
14. restlessness, seizures, memory loss. Then the person falls into a sleepy state, inhibition appears;
15. confusion, hallucinations. Poisoning resembles acute psychosis.

Did you know? Belladonna is included in the TOP 10 plant toxins, occupying an honorable 8th place in this list.

First aid

The first thing to do is call an ambulance. But you can help the patient yourself:

1. Rinse the stomach - a weak solution of potassium permanganate, boiled water(or slightly salted water solution). It is better to carry out the procedure several times.
2. You can offer the victim activated charcoal at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 kg of weight. Coal is better to crush and mix with water. This solution must be drunk.
3. With a significant increase in temperature, wraps with wet sheets and wiping with wet towels are recommended. Ice may be applied to the head.
4. With strong excitement, Corvalol or Valocordin is indicated.

Treatment for poisoning

Medical attention is a must. After all, only a doctor can assess the patient's condition (it can only look like a lung), determine the ways of treatment, its urgency and volume.

In the hospital, gastric lavage is mandatory, the introduction of an antidote (1% Pilocarpine solution, 0.05% Prozerin solution or 1% Ezerin solution). The antidote is injected subcutaneously. The symptoms of mental arousal are also relieved.

If the respiratory function is impaired, but the person can breathe, an oxygen mask is used. If the patient cannot breathe on his own, he is connected to a ventilator.
Rest and bed rest are prescribed for at least a week.

Did you know? The belladonna in the Middle Ages was used not only in medicine or in the manufacture of magical potions. Warriors moistened edged weapons with belladonna juice, and then even a small scratch could be fatal.

Industrial billets this plant is not yet Soviet times belladonna was listed in the "Red Book" of Ukraine. The belladonna grows mainly in the beech forests of Western Ukraine, which are mercilessly cut down. And with them, this plant also disappears. In medical whole, only roots and leaves are collected. Plants are harvested by hand.

The leaves are harvested during the flowering period (June, July). It is advisable to coincide with the beginning of the collection for the full moon - then the plant will fully show all its properties.
As it grows from one plant, leaves can be plucked several times - from two to five. The root time is autumn, the second half of October, November, when the plant "fell asleep". You can harvest the roots in early spring (end of March, April), when sap flow has not yet begun. The roots are dug out with a shovel, the earth is shaken off from them, they are cut off (if the rhizome is thick, they are cut along the length), washed under cold water.

The plant whose roots are dug up must be at least two years old. The leaves are pre-wilted, then dried in a well-ventilated place devoid of direct sunlight - for example, in the shade, under a canopy or in the attic. The temperature in this case should be 30-40 ° C, gradually increase it to 60 ° C.

Raw materials are laid out in a thin layer and left to dry completely. The roots are crushed into pieces 10-15 cm long, dried under a canopy or in a heated room. The crushed raw materials are packed into bags of 10, 25, 50 and 100 kg. Shelf life of leaves - 2 years, roots - 3.

Important! When harvesting belladonna, it is important to observe safety precautions - carry out all work with gloves, do not touch the face, eyes, open areas of the body with your hands.

The famous advice to treat like with like comes in handy in the case of belladonna. This poisonous plant can be beneficial in such cases:

• removal of spasms of smooth muscles;
• improvement of the work of the heart;
• decrease in intraocular pressure;
• analgesia of renal colic, symptoms of cholelithiasis, gastric and duodenal ulcers;
• decrease in the tone of the uterus, bronchi;
• normalization of intestinal motility;
• in the treatment of persistent cough;
• at excessive sweating in patients with tuberculosis;
• for pupil dilation in ophthalmology.

• acute febrile conditions;
• sore throats;
• flu;
• stop initial stages abscess;
• ear infections;
• throbbing headaches;
• convulsions in children high temperature;
• pain during teething;
• when vomiting from fright or nervousness.

In the past, it was used against rabies. The belladonna is widely used in folk medicine.

1. Bronchospasm . Grind dried belladonna leaves to a powder state, take on the tip of a knife. Take three times a day half an hour before meals with water. The course of treatment is a week.
2. excessive sweating . The collection of belladonna, mint, valerian and motherwort is mixed in equal proportions (1 teaspoon each). Then pour 750 ml of boiling water and infuse for 3-4 hours. The infusion is taken 1 teaspoon 2 times a day.
3. From a slow heartbeat (bradycardia) . Required for cooking May lily of the valley(2 tablespoons), valerian (1 tablespoon), belladonna and menthol (2 teaspoons). Place this mixture of herbs in a glass container, pour 1 liter of vodka, leave in a dark place for a month. Take 30 drops 3 times a day. Store the tincture in a cold place.
4. Parkinson's disease . Combine a coffee cup of crushed activated charcoal with 30 g of dry belladonna roots, 3 glasses of dry white wine. Boil this mixture over low heat for 8-10 minutes, strain. Take 1 teaspoon 3 times a day half an hour before meals.