Name: Belladonna zvichayna – belladonna common
Common belladonna (Atropa belladonna); beauty, dream book, poison; an ordinary beauty
Beware POISON!
A perennial herbaceous plant of the nightshade family. It has a thick, multi-headed rhizome. The stem is straight, 60-200 cm tall, thick, juicy, forked at the top, glandular and downy. The leaves are short-petioled, ovate or ovate-elliptic, pointed, entire, alternate in the lower part of the stem, on the flowering shoots — close together in pairs, one of them is larger. The flowers are single, large, drooping, brown-purple or red-brown, placed in the axils of the leaves. The fruit is a spherical black berry. Blooms in June – August.
Spread. It occurs in the forests of the Carpathians, in Prykarpattia, Roztochchi-Opilla, in the Crimea. It is grown.
Procurement and storage . Leaves (Folium Belladonnae) and roots (Radix Belladonnae) are harvested for medicinal purposes. Leaves are collected during flowering of the plant. After preliminary drying, it is dried in the attic, under a tent or in dryers at a temperature of 30-40°C. 14-16% of dry raw material is obtained. Roots are dug in autumn or spring. they are washed in cold water, cut into pieces up to 23 cm long (thick ones are split) and dried under a tent or in flooded rooms. The shelf life of dry raw materials of ordinary Belladonna is 2 years.
Chemical composition . All parts of the plant contain tropane alkaloids: atropine, hyoscyamine, scopolamine and others. The maximum content of alkaloids was found in the leaves in the phase of budding and flowering of the plant, in the roots – at the end of the growing season. In addition to alkaloids, methylesculine glycoside is found in the leaves; and scopoletin was found in the leaves and roots.
Pharmacological properties and use. The pharmacological properties of Belladonna are due mainly to the alkaloid atropine. The plant exhibits an antispasmodic and pain-relieving effect, reduces the secretion of salivary, gastric and sweat glands, dilates the pupils of the eyes, paralyzes accommodation, in case of spasms of the bronchi causes their expansion, weakens the peristalsis of the intestines, accelerates the heart rhythm. Atropine is prescribed as an antispasmodic for bronchial asthma, gastric and duodenal ulcers, pylorospasm, chronic hyperacid gastritis, intestinal spasms, and hepatic and renal colic. It is used for bradycardia of vagal origin, atrioventricular block, angina pectoris, and myocardial infarction. Belladonna preparations are recommended for functional disorders of the autonomic nervous system, allergic diseases, insomnia, increased excitability, neurogenic disorder of menstruation, pulmonary tuberculosis to reduce exhausting sweating, hemorrhoids, for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and parkinsonism of various origins. Atropine is also used in ophthalmic practice for treatment and diagnostic purposes (iritis, iridocyclitis, keratitis, uveitis). As an antidote, it is used for poisoning with morphine, carbocholine, muscarine, pilocarpine, proserin, physostiglin and other substances, as well as for mushroom poisoning. In folk medicine, a decoction of the roots was used for gout, rheumatism, neuralgia, as an external pain reliever. enter). As an antidote, it is used for poisoning with morphine, carbocholine, muscarine, pilocarpine, proserin, physostiglin and other substances, as well as for mushroom poisoning. In folk medicine, a decoction of the roots was used for gout, rheumatism, neuralgia, as an external pain reliever. enter). As an antidote, it is used for poisoning with morphine, carbocholine, muscarine, pilocarpine, proserin, physostiglin and other substances, as well as for mushroom poisoning. In folk medicine, a decoction of the roots was used for gout, rheumatism, neuralgia, as an external pain reliever.
Medicinal forms and applications .
Fresh plant juice 5-10 drops 2-3 times a day; leaf powder 0.01-0.02 g 2-3 times a day. From ready-made pharmacy products, the following are used: dry belladonna extract (Extractum Belladonnae siccum) 0.01-0.02 g as an antispasmodic agent; tincture of belladonna (Tinctura Belladonnae) 5-10 drops 2-3 times a day; becarbonum (Becarbonum) 1 tablet 2-3 times a day for intestinal spasms and increased acidity of gastric juice; besalol (Besaloi) 1 tablet 2-3 times a day for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract as an antispasmodic and antiseptic agent; stomach tablets (Tabulettae Stomachicae) one at a time 2-3 times a day for stomach diseases accompanied by pain; Zelenina drops (Guttae Zelenini) 20-25 drops 2-3 times a day for neuroses of the heart accompanied by bradycardia: Beloid (Velioid) 1 dragee 3-6 times a day for several days for functional disorders of the autonomic nervous system with impaired blood circulation, for allergic diseases, insomnia, increased excitability, neurogenic disturbances of menstruation and potency, in complex therapy for endocrine diseases (hyperthyroidism), exhausting sweating in patients with tuberculosis, heart disease; Acliman 1 dragee 2-3 times a day for vegetative dystonia, climacteric disorders; atropine sulfate (Atropini sutfas) is taken orally in the form of powders, pills and solutions – the largest single dose is 0.001 g, daily – 0.003 g; scopolamine hydrobromide (Scopolamini hydrobromidum) 0.00025-0.0005 g 2-3 times a day before meals or subcutaneously 0.5-1 ml of a 0.05% solution 1-2 times a day as a sedative, an active peripheral and central m-cholinelytic agent in psychiatry, in parkinsonism, preparation for anesthesia, seasickness, in ophthalmology and for pupil dilation; Bellasthesin (Bellasthesinum) 1 tablet 2-3 times a day for gastritis, intestinal spasms; Solutan 10-30 drops 3 times a day after meals for bronchial asthma and bronchitis; Bepasalum 1 tablet 2-3 times a day for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract; Bellasponum 1 tablet 2-3 times a day for increased irritability, insomnia, climacteric neuroses, vegetative neuroses and dystonias; Bellataminalum 1 tablet 2-3 times a day for increased irritability, insomnia, climacteric neuroses, neurodermatitis and vegetative dystonias; Belalgin (Belalginum) 1 tablet as an antispasmodic, anacidic and analgesic agent for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, accompanied by increased acidity and spasms of smooth muscles; Belason (Vellason) 3-4 dragees per day with a gradual increase in the dose to 16 dragees per day in parkinsonism as a means that relieves muscle tension, reduces tremors; Corbella (Corbella) 1 tablet at bedtime for parkinsonism; Anusolum (Anusolum) 1 suppository in the rectum at night for hemorrhoids and anal fissures; bethiolum (Bethiolum) 1 suppository in the rectum at night for hemorrhoids and anal fissures; antiasthmatic mixture (Species antiasthmaticae) in the form of cigarettes for bronchial asthma. Belason (Vellason) 3-4 dragees per day with a gradual increase in the dose to 16 dragees per day for parkinsonism as a means that relieves muscle tension and reduces tremors; Corbella (Corbella) 1 tablet at bedtime for parkinsonism; Anusolum (Anusolum) 1 suppository in the rectum at night for hemorrhoids and anal fissures; bethiolum (Bethiolum) 1 suppository in the rectum at night for hemorrhoids and anal fissures; antiasthmatic mixture (Species antiasthmaticae) in the form of cigarettes for bronchial asthma. Belason (Vellason) 3-4 dragees per day with a gradual increase in the dose to 16 dragees per day for parkinsonism as a means that relieves muscle tension and reduces tremors; Corbella (Corbella) 1 tablet at bedtime for parkinsonism; Anusolum (Anusolum) 1 suppository in the rectum at night for hemorrhoids and anal fissures; bethiolum (Bethiolum) 1 suppository in the rectum at night for hemorrhoids and anal fissures; antiasthmatic mixture (Species antiasthmaticae) in the form of cigarettes for bronchial asthma.It is contraindicated to use Belladonna products for pregnant women, nursing mothers, glaucoma and various organic changes in the cardiovascular system.
It should be remembered that the plant is very poisonous, so any use of products from it must be agreed with a doctor – phytotherapist.
Common belladonna is a deadly poisonous plant.
Harvesting, processing, storage and use require the implementation of precautionary measures. At the first signs of poisoning (redness of the face, dizziness, pupil dilation, decreased sweating, increased pulse), a doctor should be called immediately, and the victim should be given first .