Name: Dioecious step, or bryonia dioecious
Highly poisonous!
Cucurbitaceae – Cucurbitaceae.
Popular names: sacred turnip, dog turnip, damn turnip.
Parts used: root.
Pharmacy name: Bryonia root – Bryoniae radix (formerly: Radix Bryoniae).
Botanical description. A dioecious plant with a thick turnip-like root. The stem, which, with the help of antennae, climbs fences and other supports, can reach 4 m in length. The leaves are five-lobed, heart-shaped. Male flowers are greenish-white, sitting in the leaf axils on long pedicels; female – yellowish-white, their pedicels are shorter. Ripe fruits are orange-red. Blooms from June to August. It occurs on lime-rich clay soils, near roads and fences, in hedges, shrubs, less often on forest edges.
Active ingredients: resin with a strong laxative effect, mixed with several cucurbitacins. The latter is due to a sharp irritating effect on the skin. Bitterness and saponins are of secondary importance.
Healing action and application. First of all, I would like to warn you: the plant is highly poisonous and should not be used by an amateur. And here I am talking about it because, firstly, homeopathic products from bryony are still widely used, and secondly, traditional medicine strongly recommends bryony as an antirheumatic remedy. Thanks to the substances included in the plant, it is a potent laxative; moreover, its reception often causes colicky pains. And although an analgesic effect has been found in gout and rheumatism, the above side effects cannot be ignored.
Use in homeopathy. The homeopathic remedy Bryonia is prepared from both the dioecious foot and the white foot (Bryonia alba L.). Use fresh roots dug up before flowering. In medium dilutions (D 1 -D6) Bryonia is traditionally used against rheumatism and gout, also for muscular pains of various origins. The number of drops and frequency of administration is determined by the doctor.
Application in folk medicine. The following information should not be used for self-treatment! In folk medicine, it is used for gout and rheumatism, gastrointestinal diseases, diseases of the liver and gallbladder, and most importantly – as a radical laxative.
Side effects. A manifestation of poisoning can be severe pain (colic), diarrhea and even intestinal bleeding. Red fruits are also highly poisonous, so they are very dangerous, especially for babies!