Belladonna in Latin. Belladonna (belladonna) poisonous plant with medicinal properties

Syn: belladonna, crazy cherry, crazy berry, sleepy stupor.

The plant is poisonous!

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Flower formula

Belladonna flower formula: *CH5L5T5P2.

In medicine

Perennial tall herbaceous, very poisonous plant. Has important medicinal properties. It is used to obtain alkaloids atropine, hyascyamine, scopolamine, as well as for the preparation of drugs atropine, asthmamol, besalol, belloid, etc.

Contraindications and side effects

With systemic use of belladonna preparations, the following are possible: headache, nervousness, drowsiness, weakness, dizziness, ataxia, speech impairment, dry mouth, loss of taste, loss of appetite, constipation, as well as blurred vision and photophobia. This must be taken into account when prescribing atropine to people whose profession involves a high degree of responsibility, for example, drivers, pilots, etc. When applied topically, the following are often observed: increased intraocular pressure, visual impairment, paralysis of accommodation and photophobia. In case of an overdose of atropine, toxic phenomena may develop, manifested in motor agitation, blackouts, convulsions, and hallucinations.

All parts of belladonna are extremely toxic - consuming ten to twenty of its black, shiny berries, about the size of a small cherry, can be fatal. The alkaloid atropine contained in belladonna is contraindicated in glaucoma and breastfeeding, as it can cause deterioration in lactation. It is also contraindicated for intestinal atony, stenotic gastrointestinal diseases, acute ulcerative colitis, mechanical intestinal obstruction and atonic constipation. In addition, it is not recommended to take belladonna for benign prostatic hyperplasia, acute pulmonary edema, severe atherosclerosis, tachycardia, arrhythmia, exhaustion and hypersensitivity to it.

In hot weather, the use of belladonna may contribute to heatstroke in the patient.

The dose of belladonna preparations, the frequency of their use and the duration of administration are always prescribed individually and depend on the indications, the age of the patient and the dosage form used.

Overdose

In case of overdose, patients experience: nausea, vomiting, myocardial ischemia, urticaria, decreased sweating, hyperthermia. Also possible: arrhythmia, hallucinations and other side effects. In case of overdose, urgent gastric lavage is prescribed and the patient is admitted to a hospital.

Classification

Belladonna or belladonna (lat. Atropa belladonna) is a species of the genus Belladonna (lat. Atropa) from the nightshade family (lat. Solanaceae).

Botanical description

Belladonna or belladonna has a multi-headed rhizome, with numerous thick branched roots. Succulent, branched, powerful stems, up to 0.5-2 m high, covered with dense dark green foliage. At the top they are divided into 3 branches, which then branch again in a forked or false whorl-like manner. It has entire, petiolate, bare leaves, the lower ones are alternate, and the upper ones are brought together in pairs. Large leaves are up to 22 cm long and up to 11 cm wide, and small leaves are 7.5 cm 3.5 cm, respectively. One of two pairwise leaves close together is always much larger than the other, while large leaves are usually elliptical, pointed, and paired leaves are small, ovoid. The flowers, located in the leaf axils, are drooping, solitary, quite large, five-membered, bell-shaped, regular, with a double perianth, have a brown-violet corolla, up to 20-30 mm long and 14-20 mm wide. The calyx is five-toothed, the corolla has 5 bent lobes, there are 5 stamens. Belladonna flower formula: *Х5Л5Т5П2. The belladonna fruit is a black, shiny, juicy, multi-seeded berry the size of a cherry. It has a sweetish-sour taste and is poisonous, like the whole plant. Belladonna blooms in June-August and bears fruit in July.

Spreading

A small number of species (4-5) are common in Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia. In wild form, 2-3 species of belladonna grow in the mountain deciduous forests of the Caucasus and Crimea, and are also found in the middle part of the mountains of Transcaucasia, in the Krasnodar Territory.

For industrial use, belladonna is currently grown on large plantations in the Krasnodar Territory and Voronezh Region.

Regions of distribution on the map of Russia.

Procurement of raw materials

In medicine, leaves, grass, and roots are used as medicinal raw materials. In warm climates and good care Belladonna plantations can be used for more than 5 years. During the summer, the leaves are collected 2 to 5 times and dried in dryers. The leaves of wild belladonna are collected by hand. At the beginning of flowering, the lower leaves are collected before the stem branches, towards the end of flowering - from young branches, then during the formation of seeds, the plant is mowed at a height of 10 cm from the ground. The mown grass is chopped into pieces up to 4 cm long and then dried. The roots are dug up in the fall, washed, divided into pieces up to 10-20 cm long, if necessary, splitting them lengthwise and dried. Thus, three types of raw materials are obtained: leaves (pharmacopoeial raw materials), cut grass (used in galenic production) and roots (used in galenic production, sometimes for the extraction of atropine). The leaves and grass are dried quickly, in special dryers, at 40°C, and the roots are dried in air. The crop is grown in one place for 5-6 years. The shelf life of leaves is 2 years, roots - 3 years.

Chemical composition

Alkaloids - mainly atropine and hyoscyamine are contained in roots - 4%, leaves - 0.14-1.2%, stems - 0.2-0.65%, flowers - 0.24-0.6%, ripe fruits - 0.7%. Belladonna leaves also contain scopolamine (hyoscine), apoatropine, belladonine, as well as volatile bases: N-methylpyrroline, N-methylpyrrolidine, pyridine, as well as flavonoids, oxycoumarins. The roots contain the alkaloid cushygrin.

Pharmacological properties

The main alkaloid contained in belladonna, atropine, dilates the pupil by blocking the M-cholinergic receptors of the circular muscle of the iris. It also suppresses the secretion of almost all glands of the gastrointestinal tract (salivary, gastrointestinal, pancreatic), the secretion of sweat glands and relaxes the smooth muscles of the bronchi and stomach. Large doses of atropine can cause motor and mental agitation, affecting the cerebral cortex.

Use in folk medicine

In folk medicine, the use of this dangerous poisonous plant has now been abandoned. But in herbal books written in the Middle Ages, it was noted that belladonna grass, cut and applied, heals all ulcers and tumors, inflamed stomach and liver, while quenching fever. Also, belladonna extracts with wine and juices were taken both internally and as an external remedy for pain of various origins.

Historical reference

The genus name Atropa is given in honor of the Greek goddess of death, Atropa, the eldest of the three moirae - goddesses of fate. According to legend, the first parka, named Clotho, held a spindle and the thread of fate in her hands, the second, Lachesis, took a ball from an urn to write on it everything that was coming in a person’s life. Atropa cut the thread of life with scissors. The specific name belladonna comes from the Italian words bella - “beautiful” and donna - “woman”. In ancient sources there is practically no mention of the use of belladonna in medicine, although there is no doubt that its poisonous properties were already known in those days. Belladonna is referred to as medicinal plant in De Materia Medica, written by Dioscorides in 40-90 AD. Only in medieval herbalists did detailed information about this medicinal plant appear, for example, in Fox's herbalism, published in the second half of the 15th century. In addition, already in those days people began to use belladonna as a source of poison. In the Middle Ages, women dropped the juice of this plant into their eyes, the pupil “dilated” and a special shine appeared in the eyes. The ladies rubbed the red juice on their cheeks. More recently, a drink was prepared from belladonna, and was also used as one of the components of the famous “sorcerers’ ointment” along with henbane and later dope. When this ointment was rubbed into the skin, the subjects fell asleep for twenty-four hours and felt like they were spinning in the air. When they woke up, they believed that they had really participated in a witchcraft Sabbath. German toxicologist Gustav Schenk himself was convinced that such a feeling of flight was the result of the action of henbane. He deliberately inhaled the smoke of the ignited henbane seeds and immediately felt intense excitement, a strange state of “bliss”, which he described as a crazy impression of weightlessness of the legs increasing in volume and separating from the body, as well as the euphoria of the state of flight. In 1813, many French soldiers of Napoleon's army were poisoned by belladonna berries while stationed near the city of Pirna in Germany, some of them died.

Literature

1. Blinova K. F. et al. Botanical-pharmacognostic dictionary: Reference. allowance / Ed. K. F. Blinova, G. P. Yakovleva. - M.: Higher. school, 1990. - P. 187. - ISBN 5-06-000085-0.

2. State Pharmacopoeia of the USSR. Eleventh edition. Issue 1 (1987), issue 2 (1990).

3. State Register medicines. Moscow 2004.

4. Ilyina T.A. Medicinal plants of Russia (Illustrated encyclopedia). - M., "EXMO" 2006.

5. Zamyatina N.G. Medicinal plants. Encyclopedia of Russian nature. M. 1998.

6. Kuchina N.L. Medicinal plants middle zone European part of Russia - M.: Planeta, 1992. - 157 p.

7. Medicinal plants: Reference manual. / N.I. Grinkevich, I.A. Balandina, V.A. Ermakova and others; Ed. N.I. Grinkevich - M.: Higher School, 1991. - 398 p.

8. Medicinal plants of the state pharmacopoeia. Pharmacognosy. (Ed. I.A. Samylina, V.A. Severtsev). - M., “AMNI”, 1999.

9. Medicinal plant raw materials. Pharmacognosy: Textbook. allowance / Ed. G.P. Yakovlev and K.F. Blinova. - SPb.: Special. Lit, 2004. - 765 p.

10. Lesiovskaya E.E., Pastushenkov L.V. "Pharmacotherapy with the basics of herbal medicine." Tutorial. - M.: GEOTAR-MED, 2003.

11. Maznev V.I. Encyclopedia of medicinal plants - M.: Martin. 2004. - 496 p.

12. Mannfried Palov. "Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants". Ed. Ph.D. biol. Sciences I.A. Gubanova. Moscow, "Mir", 1998.

13. Mashkovsky M.D. "Medicines." In 2 volumes - M., Novaya Volna Publishing House LLC, 2000.

14. Novikov V. S., Gubanov I. A. Rod Spruce (Picea) // Popular atlas-identifier. Wild plants. — 5th ed., stereotype. - M.: Bustard, 2008. - P. 65-66. — 415 p. — (Popular atlas-identifier). — 5000 copies. — ISBN 978-5-358-05146-1. — UDC 58(084.4)

15. Nosov A.M. Medicinal plants in official and traditional medicine. M.: Eksmo Publishing House, 2005. - 800 p.

16. Plants for us. Reference manual / Ed. G.P. Yakovleva, K.F. Blinova. - Publishing house "Educational Book", 1996. - 654 p.

17. Plant resources of Russia: Wild growing flowering plants, their component composition and biological activity. Edited by A.L. Budantseva. T.5. M.: Partnership of scientific publications KMK, 2013. - 312 p.

18. Sokolov S. Ya. Medicinal plants. - Alma-Ata: Medicine, 1991. - P. 118. - ISBN 5-615-00780-X.

19. Sokolov S.Ya., Zamotaev I.P. Handbook of medicinal plants (herbal medicine). - M.: VITA, 1993.

20. Turova A.D. "Medicinal plants of the USSR and their use." Moscow. "Medicine". 1974.

21. “Herbal medicine with the basics of clinical pharmacology”, ed. V.G. Kukesa. - M.: Medicine, 1999.

22. Chikov P.S. “Medicinal plants” M.: Medicine, 2002.

Belladonna is poisonous perennial family Solanaceae. Its other names are belladonna, belladonna, belladonna belladonna, mad berry, sleepy stupor, wolf berries, witch grass, etc. The plant is a strong narcotic poison, its use for medicinal purposes is based on the atropine alkaloid contained in the plant, which has a relaxing effect on the muscles , which stimulates cardiac activity, reduces the secretion of glands and dilates the pupils of the eyes. These healing properties belladonna and are widely used in the manufacture of drugs for the treatment of various diseases.

Belladonna (belladonna) - a poisonous plant with medicinal properties

belladonna or belladonna vulgaris – photo of the plant

Botanical characteristics and chemical composition

Description: Common belladonna grows up to a meter in height, has a thick and straight stem with branched greenish, less often purple shoots. Belladonna leaves are large, pointed with small glands. The flowers are brown-violet, located in the axils of the leaves, and have a bell-shaped shape.

The ripe berries are similar in shape to cherries, but are purple-black in color and are poisonous. The root system is well developed, in the first year of life it is a taproot, and subsequently branches.

Chemical composition: poisonous belladonna contains alkaloids (atropine, hyoscyamine, scopolamine), phonolcarboxylic and oxalic acids, non-cyclic hydrocarbons, flavonoids and trace elements.

Distribution area

In the wild, the plant can be seen in Asia, North Africa, Europe; the grass is found on the slopes of the Carpathians, Crimea and the Caucasus. Loves loose soil with humus, grows in beech forests, hornbeam and fir groves, oak plantings, on forest edges, clearings, along reservoirs. For the medical industry, belladonna is grown in the warm and humid climate of Ukraine and the North Caucasus. Leaves are harvested, less often the roots of the plant.

This is what a belladonna looks like in its natural habitat

Proven healing properties of belladonna

The plant has the following beneficial effects on the human body:

• Antispasmodic;
• Neurogenic;
• Anti-inflammatory;
• Painkillers;
• Antiseptic;
• Antidepressants;
• Cleansing.

Herbal medicines

What pathologies are treated with belladonna

Antispasmodic effect - by relaxing smooth muscles, belladonna relieves spasms of the bronchi, stomach, gallbladder, genitourinary system, and uterus.

Accelerates the heartbeat - which is positive when the heart rate slows down and is not desirable when there is tachycardia.

Stimulates breathing - stops coughing and bronchospasms, stimulates the respiratory center, but in case of overdose it can lead to its paralysis.

Dilates the pupils - which is used by ophthalmologists for diagnostic examinations.

Belladonna is used in homeopathy to eliminate spasms of internal organs, heart pain, as well as to treat parkinsonism, abscesses, gout, and mastitis.

Belladonna preparations - recipes

medicinal raw materials are belladonna leaves and roots

Decoction of roots - take tsp. chopped roots, pour 250 ml. water and boil over low heat for 5 minutes, let it brew, filter and use externally as an anesthetic for joint diseases, neuralgia, gout.

Belladonna tincture - the leaves are placed in a container, poured with vodka (in a ratio of 1:10), and infused in a dark place for three weeks. Take 15 drops with water up to two times a day. Helps with nervous excitement and insomnia.

For Parkinson's disease:

• crushed belladonna leaves in an amount of 30 g. (mixture of fresh and dry) mixed with 100 gr. activated carbon.
• add dry white wine (750 ml.) and put on fire.
• cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
• strain and take three teaspoons for three days, combine well with a small amount of nutmeg and chew calamus root.

Contraindications

• With increased heart rate;
• Hypertension;
• Glaucoma;
• Atony and intestinal obstruction;
• Bleeding;
• Pregnancy and lactation;
• Individual intolerance.

Use in folk medicine

Ointment for hemorrhoids

Available in finished form, it contains belladonna extract, propolis, and shark liver. The product has an antispasmodic and analgesic effect, stops bleeding, relieves pain, burning and swelling of the rectum.

Tincture for the stomach

Take belladonna leaves (2 tbsp) and pour vodka (200 ml). Leave in a dark place for a week. The strained product is taken 10 drops with water. Helps with pain, cramps, colic and diarrhea.

Pressure infusion

An alcoholic infusion of belladonna is included in Zelenin and Valocordin drops - these agents have an antispasmodic and calming effect that can lower blood pressure.

Asthma powder

To treat this pathology, belladonna leaves are ground to a powder and taken on the tip of a knife three times a day for a week. Inhaling smoke from burnt powder helps a lot.

Decoction for use in gynecology

belladonna candles help relieve inflammation and painful periods

An aqueous extract of belladonna is included in the suppository, they relieve inflammatory processes, have an antiseptic and analgesic effect. They are used before childbirth to relax the muscles of the uterus.

The danger of belladonna poisoning

Symptoms of poisoning

With mild poisoning, after 20 minutes dry mouth appears, difficulty speaking and swallowing, then the heartbeat quickens, the voice becomes hoarse, the pupils dilate, photophobia, severe agitation and even hallucinations begin.

In case of severe poisoning, mental disorders occur, the person loses orientation, convulsions appear, body temperature rises, shortness of breath, falls arterial pressure, death is possible.

Belladonna fruits are especially dangerous for children, because the juicy fruits can attract their attention and, if eaten, they will become severely poisoned

First aid

If signs of belladonna poisoning appear, you should immediately call an ambulance, give an enema at home, drink several glasses of a weak solution of potassium permanganate or activated carbon.

Treatment for poisoning

While the poisoned person is waiting for medical help, he needs to rinse his stomach with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and give him an enema. This will prevent the poisons from continuing to be absorbed into the walls of the stomach and will cause a gag reflex. Then drink activated carbon - 20 crushed tablets with a glass of water. If your heart rate increases, take heart drops.

pharmachologic effect

medicines containing belladonna have antispasmodic, antiseptic and analgesic effects, which allows them to be used to treat many diseases

Release form

The use of plant-based medicinal products in medicine is carried out in the form of tinctures, ointments, tablets, dragees and other dosage forms.

Belladonna tincture – has an antiseptic effect for the treatment of gastrointestinal pathologies. Use according to instructions, 10 drops with water up to 3 times a day.

Belladonna extract - available in the form of tablets that help in the treatment of gallstone pathologies, ulcerative lesions, bradycardia, cholecystitis.

"Besalol" - the drug is made in tablets. Has an antiseptic effect for gastrointestinal disorders, stool disorders and poisoning.

“Becarbon” is a tablet preparation that relieves pain and intestinal spasms.

"Belloid" is a tablet form. Indications for use: functional disorders of the central nervous system, increased excitability, insomnia, allergic manifestations.

"Anuzol" suppositories - suppositories with belladonna extract, have an analgesic effect, help with hemorrhoids and fissures anus.

Belladonna extract - recipe in Latin:

Rp.: Supp. Cum. extracto Belladonnae 0.015.

D.t. d. No. 10 in scat. orig.

S. 1 suppository 2-3 times a day.

The form of release of drugs with belladonna is varied and has a wide range of applications

Indications for use

The medicinal properties of the plant help in the treatment of the following diseases:

• Cancerous tumors, prostatitis;
• Bronchitis, bronchial asthma;
• Gastrointestinal diseases, ulcers, gastritis, colitis, intestinal colic;
• Functional disorders endocrine system and thyroid gland;
• Pathologies nervous system, depressive states, neuroses, insomnia;
• Vegetative-vascular dystonia;
• Inflammations of the genitourinary system, hemorrhoids;
• Poisoning (mushrooms, narcotic drugs, antidepressants);
• Cholelithiasis pathologies, cholecystitis, bradycardia;
• Joint ailments;
• Neurodermatitis.

Directions for use and dosage

The plant has found wide use in medicine in the treatment of various diseases, but one should not forget that the plant is poisonous and when preparing recipes, one should not allow deviations from the recommended dosages and norms. Instructions for use are included in the packaging of each drug, and in order not to harm the body, it must be strictly followed.

belladonna is a poisonous plant, so it must be used with great caution

Side effects

The plant should be used with extreme caution and as prescribed by a doctor, strictly following the dosage. Otherwise, side effects may occur in the form of tachycardia, difficulty urinating, and dry mouth. With severe abuse of belladonna, clouding of consciousness, hallucinations, and motor agitation may occur.

Use during pregnancy and lactation

The plant has a contracting effect on the smooth muscles of the uterus, which can cause miscarriage or early labor. During breastfeeding, belladonna can cause irreversible consequences on the baby's nervous system and brain.

Drug interactions

It is possible to take belladonna preparations simultaneously with other medications.

Conditions and shelf life

Medicines containing belladonna should be stored in a dark, dry place, out of reach of children, at a temperature not exceeding 25 degrees. The expiration date of each drug is individual.

Man has long been interested in poisonous plants. For some reason, people liked to invent all sorts of mysterious stories about them, creepy legends, and attribute magical and wonderful properties to these plants, although this was not true at all. These plants were also used – and not always medicinally.

Belladonna, or belladonna, is considered one of the oldest medicinal plants, but people did not immediately begin to use this plant in medicine, but they quickly learned to extract poison from it.

The generic name - Atropa Bella-Donna - was given to the plant by the famous biologist Carl Linnaeus. Atropa is the name of one of the ancient Greek moiras, the goddesses of fate - in Greek mythology she is the most inexorable, cutting the thread of human life.

Belladonna is a deadly poisonous plant. In the Middle Ages, it was often used as part of various poisons for which there was no antidote - it is not surprising that Linnaeus gave it this name. At the same time, a remedy called “witches ointment” was known, which caused hallucinations in humans.

Belladonna is the specific name of the plant, and it already speaks of its other properties. Starting from the 15th century, and perhaps earlier, Italian beauties began to use the juice of the plant as a cosmetic product - they buried it in their eyes, and the pupils dilated. The eyes sparkled, and the women seemed more beautiful, hence the name bella - “beautiful, beautiful”, donna - “woman, lady”.

Atropine, an alkaloid contained in belladonna, is a powerful poison: it can cause severe poisoning, affect the nervous system, and at the same time it is quickly absorbed, but does not disintegrate under the influence of gastric juice.

In Rus', belladonna was also called according to its properties, and the most colorful epithets were invented: drunken bush, devilish or crazy (mad) berries, sleepy and crazy cherry, sleepy stupor, beauty and belladonna. Belladonna was called “rabid” because many people became extremely agitated when poisoned with atropine. In severe cases, loss of consciousness, paralysis, convulsions occurred, and it all ended in death, so in Europe in the 18th century they began to publish circulars that spoke of the toxicity of belladonna. The first such documents with its detailed description were issued in Austria, where belladonna poisoning occurred very often.

It is known that belladonna was used as a poison even in wars. For example, the Scots left barrels of beer with beer juice added to the enemy. When the enemy soldiers drank this beer, they were overcome by a deep and heavy sleep, and the Scots, returning, destroyed them all without much effort. The method of waging war is incorrect, but very effective...

Belladonna was first mentioned as a medicinal plant in the mid-16th century, and until the 19th century it was used as an anticonvulsant, sedative, sedative and analgesic. Belladonna was also used to treat coughs, jaundice, and even venereal diseases. In Eastern countries, belladonna was known and used 2,5 thousand years ago. The name “belladonna” in Russian, as in Italian, is also associated with the cosmetic use of belladonna.

Belladonna - perennial herbaceous plant nightshade family. It has a very long root, and shoots grow from it every year, reaching a height of 1.5 m. Ripe belladonna berries are juicy, glossy black in color, the size of a cherry, and they appear in August - September. Belladonna grows in many regions globe: in Europe, Great Britain, Malaya and Central Asia, in Crimea, the Caucasus, the Himalayas, North Africa and both Americas. In Russia it is found in the Krasnodar region, and sometimes in central regions. Belladonna loves mountain slopes and deciduous forests on them, forest edges and roads, and often grows on calcareous and calcium-rich soils.

Collecting and using belladonna as a medicinal raw material is deadly- All parts of the plant are poisonous. Belladonna berries are eaten by birds, but for a person, and especially for a child, a few berries are enough to receive a lethal dose of poison.

Belladonna (belladonna) in medicine. Belladonna treatment

Official medicine widely uses belladonna - medicines are made from all parts of the plant. Belladonna preparations are prescribed for pain and spasms of various types, for disorders of the nervous system, inflammation, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, biliary and urinary tract, renal colic.

It is known that atropine, which is obtained from hyoscyamine contained in the roots and leaves of belladonna, is often used in ophthalmic practice - it is used to dilate the pupils.

Medicinal properties of belladonna (belladonna)

Many effective medicines are made from belladonna, often used in the treatment of various diseases. White crystalline powder of atropine sulfate is prescribed orally; atropine solution is administered intravenously and subcutaneously; used in the form of ointments and tablets.

Belladonna extract and tincture are also known: they are prescribed for stomach and duodenal ulcers, smooth muscle spasms, bradycardia, cholecystitis, cholelithiasis.

Belladonna is part of the anti-asthma collection, used in an unusual way - in the form of cigarettes.

For bronchitis and bronchial asthma the drug “Solutan” is prescribed, with liquid extract of belladonna.

Belladonna extract is also part of well-known drugs, prescribed for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: “Becarbon”, “Bepasal”, “Bellalgin”, “Bellasthesin”, etc.

For irritability, neuroses, insomnia and nervous system disorders"Bellataminal" with belladonna alkaloids is prescribed. Belladonna extract is included in the Anuzol and Betiol suppositories for the treatment of hemorrhoids and anal fissures.

In medicine, belladonna preparations are often used with success, but you cannot use the plant yourself - it is life-threatening.

Belladonna is also used in homeopathy: for gout, neuralgia, heart pain, spasms of internal organs, insomnia, parkinsonism, enuresis, mastitis, allergies, abscesses and other diseases.

In folk medicine, belladonna is currently almost never used, as it is dangerous, but earlier extracts and extracts of the plant were used internally and externally, with juice and wine.

A case in Bulgaria is very famous in the history of medicine: there, a resident of the city of Shipki managed to create a drug based on belladonna to treat Parkinson’s disease. Then it became a serious discovery, and the Queen of Italy bought this drug for a lot of money. It was used to treat encephalitis, and a quarter of patients recovered completely; 40% of patients felt significant improvement. Later, however, the medicine could not be used in medical practice, since it caused many side effects.

Belladonna against Parkinson's disease

Preserved folk recipe drugs for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Dry crushed belladonna roots (30 g) are mixed with activated carbon (100 g), poured with dry white wine (3 glasses), and boiled for 10 minutes over low heat. The decoction is filtered and taken 3 times a day before meals, 1 tsp. 3 hours after taking it, eat nutmeg - on the tip of a knife, or chew calamus root. This treatment was continued for 3 days in a row.

For bronchial asthma We took belladonna powder 2-3 times a day - on the tip of a knife. Considering that even a small dose of belladonna can be fatal, you should not prepare the drugs yourself and use them. In the Middle Ages, a person did not have much choice, but today there is official medicine, so it is better to take those belladonna preparations prescribed by a doctor.

If poisoning does occur, it is manifested by a sharp dilation of the pupils, headache, redness of the face, vomiting, and diarrhea. You must immediately call an ambulance, rinse your stomach with plenty of water with potassium permanganate, take activated carbon - 5 tablets or more; drink strong coffee without sugar.

For glaucoma, organic changes in the cardiovascular system, and pregnancy, belladonna preparations are contraindicated.

plant with beautiful name Belladonna is a powerful poison that can lead to painful death. But at the same time, it is also a medicine that helps fight many ailments. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that witches used belladonna to make an ointment that allowed them to fly. Therefore, the people often called the plant witch’s grass. But modern scientists have appreciated the medicinal properties of belladonna (belladonna). This made it possible to create many drugs that are successfully used in official medicine.

The official name of the plant - Atropa belladonna - reflects the characteristics of the culture. The generic name “atropa” was given to the plant by biologist Carl Linnaeus. This is exactly what the inexorable goddess of fate, who cut the threads of life, was called in ancient Greek mythology. And since belladonna was used to create poisons that had no antidote, the name Atropa was completely suitable for it.

Belladonna - the specific name, translated from Italian means “beautiful woman”, is also dictated by cultural characteristics. Belladonna juice has the ability to dilate the pupils and make the eyes shine. Italians used such properties in an effort to look beautiful.

Botanical characteristics

The herb belladonna is found in the Carpathians, in some areas of the Caucasus and Crimea. The culture grows well in humus, loose soil, and is most often found in beech forests. Sometimes belladonna can be seen in oak, fir or hornbeam groves. Belladonna can grow singly or in the form of small thickets, choosing places near a river, in clearings or forest edges. Belladonna has characteristic features.

• Stem. The dense and thick stem of belladonna can grow up to 90 cm in height. The branched shoot is greenish and sometimes purple in color.
• Leaves. Large leaves, dark green in color, are dotted with small glands and have a slightly pointed shape. They have a characteristic narcotic odor.
• Flowers.
• They bloom in the axils of the leaves. The inflorescences are located on small stalks. The drooping corollas have a bell-shaped shape. Their color is brown-violet, somewhat paling towards the base of the flower.
• Fruit. The shape of the berries is very similar to cherries. But they differ significantly from it in color. Belladonna berries are deep purple, sometimes even black. The fruits are shiny, juicy and very poisonous!

Root. Belladonna has a very powerful root system. During the first year, a strong core develops. In subsequent years, a branched rhizome is formed. Wild belladonna is practically not harvested today. It is cultivated in humid and warm climates. The most suitable conditions for growing belladonna are: North Caucasus

Chemical composition

and southern regions of Ukraine. Belladonna leaves are most in demand for medicinal purposes. Sometimes the roots of the plant are also used. Belladonna leaves have a complex chemical composition

• , and include alkaloids such as:
• atropine;
• scopolamine;

hyoscyamine.

Proven healing properties of belladonna

These substances are supplemented by oxalic acids, phenolcarboxylic acids, non-cyclic hydrocarbons, flavonoids and many other biologically active compounds.

• The pharmacological capabilities of the plant are determined by the main alkaloid of belladonna - atropine. It blocks specific (m-cholinergic) receptors, which causes a decrease in the activity of the digestive, excretory and reproductive organs and a relative activation of autonomic functions that provide the fight-flight response. The use of belladonna in medicine is dictated by the following effects of the culture on the human body. Antispasmodic properties.
• Atropine relaxes smooth muscles. Thus, it relieves spasms of the stomach, uterus, gall bladder, bronchi, and urinary tract. Belladonna suppresses the secretion of glandular organs. The herb helps reduce saliva secretion and reduces sweating. The secretion of gastric juice and the production of pancreatic enzymes decrease noticeably.
• Increased heart rate. Belladonna is capable of increasing the heart rate, which is very useful when the rhythm is slow, but is extremely dangerous when there is tachycardia.
• Breathing stimulation. Belladonna preparations provide stimulation of the respiratory center. They effectively suppress bronchospasms and stop coughing. But in case of overdose they can lead to respiratory paralysis.
• Central effects. The effect of atropine on the higher parts of the central nervous system is mild, but in case of overdose it can provoke severe agitation, anxiety, and sometimes convulsions.
• Pupil dilation. This property is in demand in ophthalmology for diagnostic studies of the eye.

Belladonna is also used in homeopathy. Based on plant materials, drugs have been created that effectively eliminate heart pain and spasms of internal organs. Homeopathic remedies are also used to treat gout, abscesses, parkinsonism, and mastitis.

What pathologies are treated with belladonna

What does belladonna treat, and for what diseases is belladonna used? In official medicine, drugs are made from belladonna plant materials that can help with a variety of diseases.

The main indications for the use of belladonna preparations are as follows.

• Respiratory pathologies. Due to the antispasmodic effect and suppression of the activity of the glands of the mucous membranes, belladonna preparations can effectively relieve laryngospasm or bronchospasm. Belladonna medications are in demand in the treatment of bronchial asthma.
• Gastrointestinal diseases. The culture eliminates spasms of the gastrointestinal tract caused by ulcerative lesions, gastritis, spastic colitis, and intestinal colic.
• Heart diseases. Belladonna helps cope with ailments such as blockade of electrical conduction of the heart, bradycardia, and angina.
• Endocrine disorders. Belladonna is recommended for the symptomatic treatment of patients suffering from excessive secretion of certain glands. For example, medications will help with excessive sweating in case of thyroid dysfunction.
• Neurological problems. Belladonna is used to treat Parkinson's disease and vegetative-vascular dystonia. Belladonna medications help with paresis caused by cerebral palsy. They are also used in psychiatry to treat depressive conditions.
• Gynecological conditions. In the form of suppositories, belladonna is used for uterine spasms. Prescribed medications for inducing labor in order to regulate (streamline) labor.
• Diseases of the urinary system, hemorrhoids. Suppositories help relieve spasms of the anus and urethra.

Belladonna is used to treat intoxication of the body caused by fungi, organophosphorus compounds, antidepressants, and narcotic analgesics. Atropine is often combined with morphine to reduce negative impact opium on the body before surgery.

Danger of poisoning

The use of belladonna requires great care. The use of medications is permissible only as prescribed by a doctor and strictly in prescribed dosages. Abuse can lead to side effects, manifested in dry mouth, tachycardia, difficulty urinating. You must immediately report such symptoms to your doctor and the doctor will select analogues to the prescribed medication.

In case of severe poisoning, hallucinations, clouding of consciousness, constipation, motor agitation and even mental disorder. If overdose symptoms occur, you must immediately call an ambulance. In the meantime, the patient is given a cleansing enema at home and given four to five glasses of a weak solution of potassium permanganate to drink. You can take activated charcoal to absorb toxins.

The following conditions are contraindications to belladonna treatment:

• glaucoma;
• hypertension;
• cardiac rhythm and conduction disturbances;
• pregnancy (except during childbirth);
• intestinal obstruction, intestinal atony;
• individual intolerance;
• bleeding.

The use of belladonna during lactation is not recommended. Toxic substances from plant materials easily penetrate into milk. They are dangerous for infants. Therefore, a mother who is prescribed belladonna medication must temporarily stop feeding.

Herbal medicines

In official medicine, tablets, ointments, and tinctures are made from belladonna. Such drugs, due to their high toxicity, are most often dispensed with a doctor’s prescription. In pharmacies you can find the following belladonna-based preparations.

• Belladonna tincture. The medicine is used as an antispastic agent. It is usually prescribed for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The instructions for using belladonna tincture recommend using the product in five to ten drops. The dose is repeated, depending on the pathology, twice or thrice a day. Sometimes doctors may prescribe a maximum single dose of 23 drops (0.5 ml).
• Belladonna extract. Produces a thick and dry extract. The drug is used for the treatment of ulcerative lesions, cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, and bradycardia.
• "Becarbon".
• These tablets are prescribed for intestinal spasms. Usually one pill is prescribed twice or thrice a day.
• "Besalol." The tableted medicine is used for gastrointestinal ailments as an antiseptic and antispasmodic. It is often used for poisoning and stool disorders."Belloid".
• Such pills are used to treat functional disorders of the nervous system, allergic pathologies, insomnia, and excessive excitability. The drug is in demand in gynecology for neurogenic cycle disorders. IN

complex therapy

Use in folk medicine

prescribed for endocrine pathologies, heart disease, hyperthyroidism, excessive sweating due to tuberculosis. Candles "Anuzol". Suppositories based on belladonna extract have a pronounced analgesic property. They are prescribed for hemorrhoids. They can reduce the discomfort caused by anal fissures.

• Belladonna suppositories are in demand in obstetrics. Suppositories help soften the cervix and better regulate labor. Thanks to this, the birth process is much easier, given the analgesic effect, and faster, as a result of relaxation of the uterus. Healers claim that belladonna leaves applied to tumors in the mammary glands help reduce the tumor and improve the patient's condition. Healers recommend a tincture of belladonna leaves for internal use in the treatment of oncology (as one of the areas of complex therapy), including ovarian cancer.
• Parkinson's disease. Belladonna decoction helps reduce the symptoms of the disease. After just a few doses, a significant reduction in limb trembling is observed.
• Joint pain.
• To reduce joint discomfort, it is recommended to use a decoction of belladonna roots. This product is rubbed onto painful areas. The decoction can be used to apply compresses.

Prostatitis. For the treatment of such pathology, belladonna suppositories, both pharmaceutical and prepared by healers, can be prescribed. However, doctors say that there are more effective remedies for the treatment of prostatitis than belladonna.