Crow's eye is a herbaceous plant. Infusion for disorders of the nervous system

A lone bluish berry, coquettishly lying on green leaves, gives the impression of a sapphire in a light frame. One would like to know what it tastes like, but you should not do this: the raven eye is poisonous! However, the famous Paracelsus noticed back in the 16th century that any poison becomes a medicine if the dosage is observed. O medicinal properties and application in medicine, the proposed article will tell about the appearance and first aid for poisoning with an alluring berry.

From a scientific point of view, the raven eye is a unique plant. It belongs to the class Monocots, which are characterized by parallel or arcuate leaf venation. The raven eye is the only one that breaks this rule - the venation of its leaves is reticulated.

Another interesting feature of the plant is that its chromosomes are not presented in pairs, as in the vast majority of organisms, but in triplets, quadruples and even fives. Evolutionists and geneticists often use the raven eye as an ideal object for building scientific models.

The raven eye is a dangerous poisonous plant, which is explained by the content of paristifin and paridin glycosides in the tissues of the rhizome and berries. These compounds have a pronounced neurotoxic effect. Of the other substances noted:

  • steroidal saponins - they serve to protect the plant itself from pathogens;
  • flavonoids - strengthen capillaries, affect the heart;
  • coumarins - have an anticoagulant effect;
  • pectins - preserve the intestinal microflora;
  • organic acids, including ascorbic (vitamin C).

Crow's eye is a poisonous plant

What does the raven eye look like and where does it grow

This is a herbaceous perennial with an elongated creeping rhizome, at the top of which a single upright shoot grows. In the upper quarter of this shoot is a whorl of four broad leaves, forming a kind of "Maltese cross". In the center of the "cross" rises a thin peduncle with a single green flower, in the place of which matures over time large berry. It is thanks to her that the plant got its name.

The raven eye flower is inconspicuous. Its calyx and corolla look like an emerald star with sharp rays. The blue-black berry smells bad, tastes bad, but has a resemblance to blueberries or blueberries, which makes it dangerous for children. Birds feed on these fruits without harm to health and contribute to the spread of the plant.

The Latin name of the genus - Paris - is associated with ancient Greek hero Paris, because of whose love began Trojan War. The specific name quadrifolia translates as "four-leaved" and indicates the main morphological feature plants. There are also popular names for this representative of the flora: cross-grass, crowberry, one-berry, wolf's eye.

The raven eye prefers temperate climate and is found in Eurasia from Central Europe to Kamchatka. In Russia, it is absent only in the Yamal-Nenets and Chukotka districts. A related species grows in the Caucasus - the raven eye is incomplete.

This is typical forest plant, loves shading, well-moistened loose soils with rich forest litter. It tolerates acidic soils well, therefore it is also common in coniferous ecosystems. They find it among the undergrowth, along the slopes of ravines, near forest lakes and small rivers.

The use of a poisonous plant

The raven eye is not included in the State Pharmacopoeia and has not been officially used in medicine. However, traditional healers did not ignore beneficial features herbs. Phytotherapeutists consider one-berry effective tool treatment of heart disease, as well as:

  • tuberculosis;
  • metabolic disorders caused by stress;
  • migraines, neuralgia and other pain sensations;
  • catarrhal conditions of the respiratory tract.

Homeopaths prescribe the drug Paris quadrifolia with conjunctivitis and blepharitis. However, they can only be used after consulting a doctor and in small doses to avoid poisoning.

Medicinal properties and harm of the crow's eye

AT traditional medicine use the following medicinal properties raven eye:

  • sedative;
  • antispasmodic;
  • anti-inflammatory.

Plant preparations relieve spasms of cerebral vessels, thereby eliminating the cause of migraines, have a calming effect on the heart muscle in case of tachycardia, as well as on the intestines when it malfunctions.

There are contraindications for the use of cross-grass: it cannot be used in the treatment of children, pregnant and lactating women, patients with liver and kidney diseases.

If you eat the fruits of the cross-grass in the amount of 8-10 pieces, symptoms of poisoning appear:

  • abdominal pain, profuse vomiting, diarrhea;
  • dizziness, sometimes reaching fainting;
  • burning sensation in the mouth, difficulty swallowing;
  • sometimes convulsions and failures of cardiac activity.

First aid in case of poisoning is provided immediately. The victim is washed with a stomach (1 tablespoon of salt per liter of water), give "Enterosgel", at the same time call an ambulance.

Collection, preparation and storage of a poisonous plant

For the manufacture of medicines collection of cross-grass is carried out during the flowering period (May-June). Work in gloves and thick clothing to avoid getting drops of juice on the skin. Plants are cut sharp knife, then spread out thin layer in a shaded, ventilated area and periodically stir until completely dry. Store raw materials in paper bags marked: "Poisonous!"

The berries of the crow's eye are harvested when they are fully ripe, when the blue-black skin is covered with a bluish bloom. They can be dried or stored in the freezer, be sure to make the appropriate inscriptions on the bags.

Folk recipes with a crow's eye

From the fresh leaves of the cross-herb, folk healers prepare alcohol tincture . Proportions: 50 g of leaves per 0.5 l of vodka. Insist 20 days in a dark cabinet, then filter through gauze. With prolonged neurosis, take 20 drops of tincture from the leaves in half a glass of water. They take two weeks, after which they take a break of the same duration.

Alcohol tincture can also be made from the berries of the plant, and dry, fresh, and frozen are suitable. They take a bottle of vodka with a capacity of 0.5 liters and put a dozen berries in it. Insist two weeks in the closet. For each dose, take 25 drops of tincture and dilute them in 50 g of water. For the treatment of migraines, it is taken three times a day for three weeks, then the course is stopped.

Cross-grass is used for cooking infusions and decoctions in collections with other plants . For example, for the treatment of inflammatory eye diseases, a collection of equal parts is mixed:

  • herbs of the crow's eye, red clover, sowing cornflower, open lumbago;
  • meadow geranium flowers;
  • cherry berries.

The components are crushed, mixed, separated 1 tbsp. spoon, pour boiling water and insist for an hour. Then filter and use as lotions, soaking cotton pads with infusion.

The raven eye is low and beautiful in its own way. Four leaves and only one berry - if you remember these identification marks, it will not be possible to confuse it with edible berries. All the power and benefits of a plant are not in taste, but in a combination of chemical compounds that official science has yet to put at the service of man.

Crow grass, crow berries, black cohosh, cross-grass. It attracts attention with its shiny black berries, which can cause severe poisoning and at the same time have healing properties. Where does the raven eye grow and how is it used in medicine?

habitats

The raven eye is found in regions such as middle lane Russia, Siberia, Caucasus, Ukraine, Belarus. This plant loves moist soil and is found in shady deciduous, coniferous or mixed forests, on the slopes of ravines, in bushes. On a stem 30 cm high, there is a scaly leaf at the bottom, split in two. Above - 4 more leaves of an ovoid-rounded shape with a pointed tip. Because of this, in science, the crow's eye is called the four-leafed. True, there are also plants that have three or even five leaves.

The rhizome of the plant is long and creeping, it can grow rapidly to the sides. and can be propagated by both seeds and shoots that grow from the rhizome. Each year, one segment is added to the shoot of the crow's eye. By counting them, you can determine how old the plant is.

The raven eye begins to bloom in May. True, it is very difficult to notice its flowers: although they are not small, they do not attract attention due to their greenish color. By their appearance it is even difficult to tell how long the flower has blossomed. It looks the same all the time, both at the beginning and at the end of flowering. The stamens and tepals simply dry out as the pistil turns into a fruit. Much more striking are the large berries: in July and August they reach full maturity and are clearly visible against the background of the leaves. Looking at these brilliant fruits (because of their resemblance to the eye of a crow, the plant got its name), somehow I don’t want to believe that the crow’s eye - But nevertheless, it’s true: both berries and leaves, once in the body, can cause severe poisoning. It is accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, severe abdominal pain, convulsions and impaired cardiac activity up to

What cures the raven eye?

In the Middle Ages, the crow's eye was considered a plant-amulet. People believed that it could disenchant the bewitched, as well as protect them from the plague and other similar diseases. For this, the berries of the plant were collected and sewn into clothes. But in general, plants were afraid and were not used very often.

Nowadays, the plant is used only in folk medicine and homeopathy. Both leaves and berries are used. The leaves are harvested throughout the summer, and the berries are harvested in July or August. Dry them quickly in a room that is well ventilated.

In homeopathy, fresh juice of the plant is used to treat bronchitis, rheumatism, headache and dizziness. In folk medicine, the herb collected during flowering is used, which has anesthetic and anti-inflammatory properties.

An infusion of dried, crushed leaves can be used for insomnia, convulsive conditions, and migraines. Alcohol tincture of fresh leaves and crushed berries (in equal proportions) helps with such diseases as migraine, concussions and brain bruises, arachnoiditis, protracted bronchitis, pulmonary tuberculosis. If you decide to harvest this plant in medicinal purposes, make sure that raw materials and medicines are kept locked up and separate from food. Due to the toxicity of the fruits and leaves of the crow's eye, it is not recommended to use without consulting a specialist. For the same reason, the plant does not have much popularity even in traditional medicine, and it is possible to treat drugs based on it only in small doses.

In the article we discuss the raven eye. You will learn how it looks, where it grows and what properties it has. We'll show you how to distinguish poisonous berries from edible blueberries, and list contraindications to the use of drugs based on the crow's eye.

The raven eye is a genus of herbaceous plants of the Melantiev family (lat. Melanthiaceae). The Latin name is Paris. The most famous representative of the genus is the four-leafed raven eye (lat. Paris quadrifolia). This poisonous species known as wolf's eyes, cross-grass, cuckoo's tears, bearberries, parid grass, raven.

What does it look like

Appearance of the raven eye plant. The crow's eye has a creeping long root with sparse processes. In spring, the rhizome produces new above-ground shoots.

The raven eye has a ribbed, smooth, erect stem. The length of the shoot is from 10 to 40 cm.

Leaves are criss-crossed at the base of the stem. The leaf blade is broad, ovate, with a pointed tip and reticulate venation.

One plant has 4 to 6 leaves. If you rub the leaf in your hands, an unpleasant pungent odor will appear.

A single flower has 4 yellow-green petals and the same number of green sepals. The shape of the flower resembles an asterisk. The plant blooms from May to July.

The fruit of the crow's eye is a spherical black shiny berry with a bluish bloom, no more than a centimeter in diameter. By appearance looks like blueberries.

Where does it grow

This perennial representative of the Melantiev family prefers moist soil. Grows in shady forests, ravines and bushes. Most often, the raven eye is located singly, but sometimes there are groups of 5-10 plants.

Cross-grass is found in almost the entire territory of Central Europe and Central Asia. In Russia, the raven eye grows in the Caucasus, in Western Siberia and on Far East.

For more information about the raven eye plant, see the following video:

Dried berries and leaves

Herbs and berries of the plant are used as medicinal raw materials. In folk medicine, dried raw materials are more often used, and in homeopathy, fresh berries and their juice.

Chemical composition

Crow's eye contains:

  • saponins;
  • glycosides;
  • vitamin C;
  • steroids;
  • alkaloids;
  • pectins;
  • coumarins;
  • flavonoids.

Medicinal properties

Crow's eye has antispasmodic, sedative, diuretic and anti-inflammatory effects. On the basis of the plant, medicinal infusions and decoctions are made, which are used to treat laryngitis, headache, and neuralgia.

Medicines normalize metabolic processes in the body and improve appetite. The raven eye eliminates tachycardia and calms the heart rhythm. The infusion of the plant is effective in heart failure.

How to collect

Preparation of medicinal raw materials is started during the flowering period. Shoots along with leaves and berries are cut with a knife. Do this with gloves, as the plant is poisonous.

Dry raw materials under a canopy at a temperature of not more than 50 degrees. You can use a special dryer, which will speed up the process.

Dry berries and grass must be stored separately from other plants. Raw materials are placed in canvas bags and stored in a ventilated area for a year.

How to apply

The raven eye has been widely used in homeopathy. For the treatment of headaches, eye diseases, concussions and bronchitis, the fresh juice of the plant and the drug Paris quadrifolia, which has antispasmodic and anticonvulsant effects, are used.

Official medicine does not recognize the healing properties of the crow's eye and prohibits its use. The use of the plant for medicinal purposes must be carried out strictly under the supervision of a specialist.

In folk medicine

In folk medicine, grass and leaves of the plant are used to prepare infusions and decoctions. Crow's eye insist on water and vodka as an independent remedy and in combination with other medicinal herbs.

Decoction for heart disease

Ingredients:

  1. Dry leaves of the crow's eye - 10 gr.
  2. Water - 300 ml.

How to cook: Mash the leaves, fill with water and put on water bath. Simmer under the lid for no more than 5 minutes. Remove the decoction from the heat, wrap with a towel for half an hour, then strain through a sieve.

How to use: Take ½ teaspoon diluted in 50 ml of water three times a day. The course of treatment is 3 weeks.

Result: The decoction strengthens the heart muscle and normalizes the pulse. The product has a mild sedative effect.

Infusion for eye diseases

Ingredients:

  1. Crow's eye grass - 3 gr.
  2. Clover - 3 gr.
  3. Cornflower field - 3 gr.
  4. Sleep-grass - 3 gr.
  5. Geranium flowers - 3 gr.
  6. Bird cherry flowers - 3 gr.
  7. Water - 450 ml.

How to cook: Combine dry ingredients, grind with a rolling pin. Pour the herbal collection with boiling water, cover and leave for at least an hour. Strain the cooled remedy through a sieve.

How to use: Dip a cotton pad in the infusion, wring it out and apply to your eyes. Keep the lotion for 5-10 minutes, then wash with warm water.

Result: The infusion relieves inflammation, disinfects and anesthetizes. The remedy is effective for barley, conjunctivitis and blepharitis.

Tincture for neurosis

Ingredients:

  1. Fresh raven eye grass - 50 gr.
  2. Vodka - 500 ml.

How to cook: Grind the grass, place in a glass container, fill with vodka and close the lid. Insist in a dark place for 14 days. Strain the finished product. Dilute 2 teaspoons of the tincture in a glass of water.

How to use: Take 1 tablespoon diluted tincture every 2-3 hours. No more than 1 glass of the diluted product should be drunk per day. The course of treatment is 2 weeks.

Result: The tincture has a calming effect. The tool is used to treat neurosis, depression and mental illness.

Symptoms of poisoning

All parts of the plant are poisonous. An overdose of herbal medicines can lead to poisoning. Therefore, before use, you must consult a specialist and strictly follow the instructions.

Symptoms of poisoning:

  • nausea;
  • vomit;
  • dizziness and pain in the temporal region;
  • heartburn;
  • diarrhea;
  • sharp pains in the abdomen;
  • dryness in the nasopharynx;
  • photophobia.

In a severe form of poisoning, there is a violation of speech and swallowing function, convulsions and tachycardia attacks appear. Eating 7-10 crow's eye berries can be fatal.

How to distinguish from blueberries

The raven eye can be confused with blueberries, it is even found in places where they grow. Knowing features plants, you will never mix them up.

What is the difference between a raven eye and a blueberry:

  • The poisonous berries are much larger than blueberries and are black in color, unlike the blue edible fruits.
  • The raven eye grows mainly as single plants, and the blueberry shrub grows as a carpet. Blueberries have several berries on one branch, raven eye - only one.
  • Blueberry fruits stain fingers in purple, the crow's eye leaves no traces.

Contraindications

Contraindications to the use of the crow's eye:

  • childhood up to 12 years;
  • diseases of the liver and kidneys;
  • During pregnancy and breastfeeding;
  • individual intolerance.

Classification

The Melantiaceae family (lat. Melanthiaceae), to which the raven eye belongs, unites 19 genera of plants. Cross-grass belongs to the Lilicolor order (lat. Liliates), monocotyledonous class (lat. Liliopsida), Flowering department (lat. Magnoliophyta).

Varieties

The genus Crow's eye includes 27 plant species. The most famous of them:

  • crow's eye four-leafed or ordinary;
  • raven eye of Cronquist;
  • crow's eye is multi-leaved;
  • the raven eye is incomplete.

Crow eye infographic

Photo of a crow's eye, its useful properties and applications
Crow's eye infographic

What to remember

  1. The raven eye is a poisonous plant that grows mostly singly.
  2. This plant is widely used in homeopathy and traditional medicine for the treatment of disorders of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, eye diseases and bronchitis.
  3. Before using plant-based products, you should seek the advice of a specialist.

Crow's eye - small herbaceous plant, notable primarily for its blue-black berries, similar to blueberries or blueberries. It has been known since antiquity and is currently quite well studied - the raven eye is an object for genetic research. In the old days, it was believed that the berries of the crow's eye, sewn into clothes, could save a person from evil spells. During epidemics, they were worn on the body to protect against pestilence. However, despite its wide popularity, it was used extremely reluctantly and with great caution.

What does this plant look like, what benefits does it bring and why is the crow's eye dangerous for humans? First, consider its botanical characteristics.

Description of the raven eye plant

Due to its wide range, this plant has many folk names: bear berries, raven, cross-grass, crow berries, nail-eater, puller, wolf eyes, native-grass, cuckoo's tears, forest tan, parid's grass. In total, there are more than twenty types of raven eye. The most widespread raven eye is the four-leafed ( Latin name Paris quadrifolia). All species are small herbaceous perennials. In winter, the green part of the crow's eye dies off, leaving a rhizome from which a new shoot develops the following year.

What does a raven eye look like? Its stem is erect, ribbed, without pubescence, the height of the stem ranges from 10 to 40 cm. At the bottom of the stem, the leaves are crosswise - wide, ovate, with a pointed tip. There are usually four of them, but sometimes there is a raven eye with 5 or 6 leaves. If you rub the leaves between your fingers, you can catch bad smell plant juice. The flower at the crow's eye is inconspicuous and unremarkable. It is solitary, located at the top of a ribbed stem and has four outer green (sepals) and four inner yellow-green petals. In appearance, the flower resembles a small four-pointed star. Crow's eye blooms in May-July, flowering lasts a long time. The fruit is a globular berry about one centimeter in diameter, ripening in August. The berry is black and shiny, with a bluish bloom, inside it there are many seeds located in four nests.

It is easy for ignorant people or children to confuse the fruits of the crow's eye with blueberries or blueberries. The taste of the berries is unpleasant, in some people even the smell of a crow's eye can cause nausea or headache. For the same reason, animals do not eat them, so poisoning in livestock is extremely rare. Interesting feature birds eat berries large quantities without any harm to yourself.

The root system of the plant is a long creeping rhizome. In the spring, from the lateral buds, it gives new above-ground shoots.

The plant is distributed almost throughout the European part of the mainland, in Western Siberia, the Caucasus, the Crimea, the Mediterranean. And in the Far East - in Kamchatka and Sakhalin, in Primorye, the Amur Region - there are other types of this grass (Manchurian and six-leaved crow's eye). Biotopes where the raven eye grows are shaded wet places - ravines, thickets of bushes, damp rocky slopes. raven eye loves fertile soil therefore, it is found in deciduous and mixed forests, less often in coniferous forests or in the forest-steppe.

Usually located singly, but sometimes you can see about a dozen plants growing nearby.

Where is the raven eye used?

As noted above, this herb is well studied. Crow's eye contains flavonoids, organic acids (citric, malic), vitamin C, pectin, coumarin, paridin glycoside. The plant is classified as poisonous - its rhizomes, leaves and fruits contain the poisonous saponin paristifin. The rhizomes also contain steroidal saponins and alkaloids.

crow's eye decoction

Raw materials for medical purposes are harvested during the flowering period. Use the whole plant as a whole, using the green parts to prepare an alcohol tincture. Berries are harvested after ripening, used fresh or dried for the preparation of infusions and decoctions.

Due to the toxicity of the crow's eye, its use in official medicine forbidden. Traditional medicine uses the raven eye also very carefully. Berries and leaves have an emetic and laxative effect. In the old days, it was believed that decoctions of the crow's eye relieve spasms that are caused by nervous disorders, help with fever and dropsy. Alcohol tinctures from berries are used to treat inflammation of the larynx, migraine, increased drowsiness, various diseases heart with increased heart rate. The people believed that with the help of the berries of the crow's eye, you can get rid of a hernia. Juice from fresh berries cures boils, heals skin ulcers and is used for the bites of rabid dogs. AT Tibetan medicine preparations from the crow's eye are used for the speedy fusion of bones in case of fractures.

To this day, recipes for decoctions and infusions can be found in various herbalists, but they all come with a caveat - use only under the supervision of a doctor.

Crow's eye preparations are more widely used in homeopathy. From fresh above-ground parts prepare a homeopathic remedy Paris quadrifolia, which is used for neuralgic pains of the head, face, with frequently recurring inflammation of the larynx. The drug is effective in conjunctivitis, accompanied by twitching of the eyelids.

Crow's eye poisoning

poisoning

The raven eye is a poisonous plant, all its parts are dangerous to humans. The juice of the plant causes severe irritation of the mucous membranes. Berries affect mainly the cardiovascular system, the rhizome causes vomiting, and the leaves affect the nervous system. In experiments conducted on dogs, with intra-arterial administration, an infusion of berries caused a violation of the heart rhythm - first slowing down, then increasing it and arrhythmia. This action is similar to the glycosides of lily of the valley, a relative of which is the crow's eye.

The plant is considered slightly poisonous - they do not know of fatal cases of poisoning. Children often suffer from the consequences of eating berries, because the beautiful fruits are attractive and look appetizing. Luckily, they don't taste good, and one or two berries can be eaten without any serious consequences. When 7–10 berries are ingested, poisoning with the crow's eye occurs.

Also, symptoms of poisoning can occur with an overdose of drugs from the crow's eye during treatment. It should be noted that for them there is a wide range of contraindications - childhood, pregnancy and lactation, disorders of the liver and kidneys.

Symptoms of poisoning

What are the signs of crow's eye poisoning? Symptoms will be as follows:

  • nausea;
  • burning in the mouth, throat, stomach;
  • liquid stool;
  • pain in the abdomen, colic;
  • headaches and dizziness.

In severe cases, dilated pupils, dry mouth and nasal cavity, fear of light are noted. In the future, speech is disturbed, swallowing is difficult. There may be convulsions and disruption of the heart until it stops.

First aid

First aid for poisoning with berries of the crow's eye is to free the stomach from the poison and remove its remnants from the intestines.

Attention! Taking laxatives for poisoning with a crow's eye is contraindicated.

The victim can be given strong tea, which contains substances that precipitate poison (tannins). If a lot of time has passed after eating the berries and toxins have entered the intestines, then a cleansing enema is done.

Treatment of poisoning

After providing first aid for poisoning with a crow's eye berry, you must definitely consult a doctor!

You may need to administer heart medications. Depending on the indications, forced diuresis is performed. To enhance the work of the liver, which neutralizes toxins, as well as to maintain the heart muscle, intravenous glucose is indicated.

So, the raven eye is a widespread plant, all parts of which are poisonous when ingested. They can be poisoned by taking preparations prepared from the plant, or by unknowingly eating the berries of the crow's eye, which in appearance look like blueberries or blueberries. The first signs of poisoning are nausea, stomach pain and diarrhea, vomiting and cardiac dysfunction are possible. First aid measures for poisoning with a crow's eye come down to removing the poison from the body - gastric lavage, giving adsorbents and enveloping substances. Applying for a qualified medical care necessarily - you may need intravenous infusions of antitoxic and cardiac drugs.

The raven eye is a herbaceous low plant belonging to the Melantiev family. This poisonous plant has been known since ancient times. Previously, it was believed that the berries protect from evil spells and saves from diseases during pestilence. The crow's eye has many names, among them is a cross - grass, cuckoo's tears, wolf's eyes, bear berries.

There are over twenty various kinds raven eye plants. The most common is the four-leaf raven eye. All species of this family are not very large herbaceous plants. They are perennials. On the winter period the green part of the plant dies off, and the next spring a new shoot appears from the root.

The plant reaches a height of forty centimeters. Straight, ribbed stem. The leaves are very wide, with pointed ends. They are located crosswise - crosswise at the very base of the stem. Each plant has four to six leaves.

On one shoot, one nondescript flower is formed, which consists of four yellow petals - Green colour and four green outer sepals. The flower looks like a small star. Crow's eye blooms from May to July. Berries begin to appear in August. The fruits are round in color, with a diameter of one centimeter. The color of the berry is black with a bluish bloom. Inside it is a large number of seeds. In appearance, the berries of cuckoo tears are similar to blueberries.
The crow's eye has a very long, creeping root. After winter, the root gives new green shoots.

Growth area

Where does the raven eye grow? Cuckoo's tears grow in the European part of our mainland. Berries can be found in the Caucasus, in Western Siberia, in the Crimea, in the Mediterranean countries, as well as in the Far East. The plant prefers to grow in moist and shady forests, in ravines, on mountain slopes. The soil prefers good, fertile, more often it can be seen in deciduous and mixed forests.
Mostly likes to grow singly, but it happens to meet about a dozen plants growing together.

Crow's Eye Berries

The berries of the four-leafed crow's eye fully ripen at the end of summer. They reach up to ten millimeters in diameter, black with a bluish bloom, similar to the fruits of blueberries and blueberries. There are many seeds inside. Berries have bad taste, one of their smell in humans can cause nausea and headache. Animals avoid these berries and never eat them, while birds, on the contrary, eat the fruits of the crow's eye with pleasure. Need to know distinctive features cross - herbs in order to avoid poisoning by fruits, which are very toxic.

In medical practice, three types of crow's eye are most often used:

  • four leaf
  • incomplete
  • many-leaved

Chemical composition

The berries and other parts of the crow's eye contain very dangerous poisonous substances:

  • paradin
  • paristifin

The greatest number of them is part of the fruits and underground roots of the plant. Leaves are less toxic.

In addition there are:
flavonoids coumarins pectins steroids alkaloids vitamin C saponins glycosides
These substances are absolutely harmless to humans. In the right doses, the plant can be used to treat certain diseases.

The medicinal properties of the plant

The raven eye is a strong plant poison, its use in traditional medicine is not allowed. And in the folk it is used, but with an extreme degree of caution. Raw materials for medicinal use are best harvested during the flowering period. The raven eye is used for the purpose of treatment completely, an alcohol tincture is prepared from the leaves and stems.

The green part is cut off at the root. This must be done with gloves. The fruits are harvested after they ripen. They are used fresh and dried. Prepare infusions, as well as decoctions.

The four-leaf raven eye is endowed with the following properties:

  • soothing
  • antispasmodic
  • diuretics
  • anti-inflammatory

The leaves, as well as the berries of the plant, have an emetic and laxative effect. A decoction of the plant is able to relieve spasms, helps with severe fever and dropsy. Berry alcohol tinctures used in the treatment of inflammation of the larynx, with migraine, increased drowsiness, with heart disease.

The raven eye serves effective medicine with the following diseases:

  • with tachycardia
  • with arrhythmia
  • with pharyngitis
  • with laryngitis
  • with tuberculosis
  • with bronchitis
  • with neuralgia
  • in violation of the endocrine system
  • with edema
  • with hearing impairment

Besides correct usage preparations from this plant can improve appetite and improve bowel function.

The plant is widely used in homeopathic medicine to get rid of nervous tics, mental disorders, conjunctivitis, and frequent inflammation of the larynx. Treatment should take place under the full supervision of a homeopathic physician.

In official traditional medicine, this plant is recognized as poisonous and its use for the preparation of any medication is officially prohibited.

Crow's eye poisoning

For people, all parts of the crow's eye are of great danger:

  • mucous irritating juice
  • berries adversely affect the work of the heart and blood vessels
  • roots cause nausea and severe vomiting
  • leaves are bad for the nervous system

It is believed that accidentally eating up to two berries will not bring severe harm for the body. If you eat a dozen of them, severe poisoning will occur, which may well end lethal outcome. You can also get poisoned when taking the medicine, if you do not follow the doctor's recommendations and exceed the prescribed dose.

The poisonous raven eye, first of all, is dangerous for children, who can accidentally eat a few berries, confusing them with blueberries. You can distinguish them in several ways.

  1. Blueberries are smaller than berries poisonous plant. They are blue, while bearberries are black.
  2. Blueberries grow in a dense carpet, and the poisonous raven eye prefers to grow singly. On one shoot, blueberries have several berries, and on the cross - herbs - one berry.
  3. Blueberries paint hands in a rich purple color.

Fortunately, bearberries are not very palatable, so it is unlikely that you will be able to eat a lot of them.
If this happened, and a large amount was eaten, then you should know the symptoms of poisoning.

Symptoms of poisoning

These include:

  • nausea
  • vomit
  • pain in the temporal part of the head
  • dizziness
  • heartburn
  • diarrhea
  • photophobia
  • acute pain in the abdomen
  • tachycardia

With very strong poisoning, speech and swallowing disorders may occur. Seizures may occur. All this can lead to death.

First aid

It is very important to provide the very first aid in case of poisoning. It consists of complete cleansing stomach from plant parts and removal plant residues from the intestine.
1. Gastric lavage should be done with a mixture activated carbon, two percent soda solution. Soda take five grams per liter of water. Or you can drink a large amount of water at once.
2. Then you should give the person with poisoning an adsorbent. These include: "Smekta", "Polysorb", "Enterosgel".
3. To prevent the poison from being absorbed into the stomach and further into the intestines, it is necessary to give enveloping agents. This is egg white, milk or vegetable oil.
4. Against pain, it is better to take Anestezin and Dikain.
5. With severe vomiting, you can keep pieces of ice in your mouth. This will ease the situation.
6. With diarrhea, to prevent dehydration, you need to drink Regidron.

A poisoned person can be given strong tea. If a lot of time has passed since the poisoning, then it is necessary to do a cleansing enema, since the poison has already entered the intestines. But taking laxatives is strictly prohibited.

Treatment of poisoning

After providing first aid, you need to urgently see a doctor. It is possible that it will be necessary to introduce drugs that support the work of the heart. Depending on the condition, forced diuresis may be prescribed. It is indicated for the use of glucose intravenously to maintain the functioning of the liver and heart muscle.

In addition to the fact that the raven eye has a number of contraindications:
kidney and liver disease
pregnancy and lactation period
individual intolerance
under twelve years of age

The raven eye is a highly poisonous plant. It should be remembered that it should be used with great care and only under the supervision of the attending physician. In official medicine, the preparation of drugs from it is not allowed. It is used only in folk medicine and homeopathy. With proper use, wolf eyes can help in the treatment a large number diseases.

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