Atropa Belladonna
What is belladonna?
Atropa belladonna is commonly known as Deadly Nightshade and “Deadly Nightshade” in English. The name of belladonna means “beautiful lady”. But it also has more sinister names – the killer berry, the sorcerer’s berry, and even the devil’s berry. The belladonna plant is a poisonous perennial herb of the nightshade family, and this family includes tomatoes, potatoes, peppers and eggplant. It is native to Europe, North Africa and West Asia. It is a poisonous plant that has been used medicinally since ancient times.
The name Belladonna means “beautiful woman” in Italian. When women used berry juice in eye drops for the purpose of making the eyes more attractive. The use of deadly nightshade as a poison was known in ancient Rome, when Roman Empress Livia Drucilla used the juice of Atropa belladonna berry to kill her husband, Emperor Augustus. The modern pharmacological study of Atropa belladonna extract was started by the German chemist Friedlib Ferdinand Runge. In 1831, the German pharmacist Heinrich F. G. Maine succeeded in preparing a pure crystalline form of the active substance, baptized atropine.
Although it is widely regarded as an unsafe poison, its leaves and roots are used in medicine. Belladonna, however, is taken orally as a cure, to relieve bronchial convulsions in asthma and whooping cough, as a remedy for cold fever, inflammatory bowel disease, mental disorders, inability to control muscle movement and as an analgesic. In addition, ointments are applied to the skin for belladonna which causes joint pain, pain along the sciatic nerve and general nerve pain.
Why is belladonna poisonous?
Belladonna is one of the most toxic plants known, its use by mouth increases the risk of many clinical conditions such as pregnancy complications, cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disorders and mental illness. All parts of the plant contain tropane alkaloids. The roots of these plants contain up to 1.3%, leaves 1.2%, stalks 0.65%, flowers 0.6%, ripe berries 0.7%, and seeds 0.4% tropane alkaloids. The roots of plants are usually the most toxic part. Belladonna is so poisonous that eating small amounts of its leaves or berries can be deadly to humans, especially children and some animals. Just touching the leaves can irritate your skin. It is not safe when taken orally, it can cause serious poisoning. These toxins include atropine, scopolamine and hyoscyamine and cause hallucinations. All parts of the plant are poisonous. However, the sweet purple-black berry, which is attractive to children, poses a great danger to food. Belladonna is also highly toxic to humans and livestock, causing paralysis and even death. Like many poisonous plants, there are many reasons for using belladonna. The Romans used belladonna as a biological weapon to contaminate the food supplies of their enemies. During World War II, the Germans invented a deadly, odorless nerve gas, and the only antidote to its paralyzing effects was atropine.
Belladonna is good for you
Use in Medical
Belladonna has been used for centuries in herbal remedies for painkillers, muscle relaxants, and anti-inflammatory, and for treating menstrual problems, peptic ulcer disease. From the 1830 Belladonna adopted pure medical use. Chemicals atropine and scopolamine, derived from Bellona. Despite its toxicity, it has important medicinal properties. Atropine and scopolamine have almost the same uses, but atropine is more effective in relieving muscle cramps and controlling heart rate. It is used during eye examinations. Atropine can also be an antidote to pesticides and chemical warfare agents. A source of scopolamine which contains belladonna, and it is effective in reducing the body’s excretion like stomach acid.
These chemical derivatives of phenobarbital, belladonna are used to treat a number of conditions, including:
Annoying stomach problems
Spastic colon
Stomach ulcers
Parkinson’s disease
Diverticulitis
Motion sickness
Excessive urination at night
Pink eyes
Counter over
Belladonna homeopathy
In the practice of homeopathic medicine, the German physician Samuel Hahnemann prescribed belladonna as a topical remedy for inflammation and pain. In 2010 and 2016 , Homeopathic remedies are usually marketed in belladonna tablets, tinctures (liquids), ointments and pump sprays as nutritional supplements.
Belladonna works on every part of the nervous system, working on orgasm, distorted special senses, cramps and pain. It has a marked effect on the vascular system, skin and glands. Belladonna is always associated with hot, red skin, glowing eyes, pulsating carotid, agitated mood, hyperesthesia of all senses, delirium, restless sleep, convulsive movements, aversion to water, dry mouth and throat, nerve pain. Heat, redness, vibration and burning. Great children’s remedy. Epileptic seizures and nausea and vomiting. Scarlet fever and prophylactic. Belladonna stands for the violence and sudden onset of the attack.
Mind:
The patient lives in his own world, obsessed with ghosts and vision, and oblivious to the reality around him. Although the retina is not sensitive to the actual object, a host of visual hallucinations crowd around it and approach it from the inside. He is intensely alive and mad by the flood of thematic visual impressions and fantastic illusions. Hallucinations; Monsters, look at the disgusting face. Delirium; Scary picture; Rage, bite, hurt; The desire to escape. Loss of consciousness. Reluctant to speak. Adversity, with tears. The intensity of all the senses. Variability.
Headaches:
Especially headaches. Suddenly screaming. The pain goes from bad to worse. Colds from haircuts, headaches on the right side and worse when lying down.
Eyes:
Deep tremors in the eyes. Pupils stretch. The eyes feel swollen and stretched, steady, bright. Conjunctivitis red, dry, photophobia. Eye illusion. Swollen eyelids.
Ears:
Pain in the middle of the ear and in the outer ear. Humming in the ears. Sensitive to loud. Very sharp hearing. The pain causes delirium. The baby screams in his sleep.
Nose:
Imaginary smell. Trembling at the tip of the nose. Red and swollen nose. Bleeding through the nose. Mucus mixed with nasal blood.
Throat:
Tonsils become enlarged, throat becomes constricted. Squeezing the throat feeling compressed. The constant tendency to swallow.
Stomach:
Decreased appetite. Adverse reactions to meat and milk. The pain goes to the spine. Nausea and vomiting. Great thirst for cold water. Abdominal cramps. Uncontrolled vomiting.
Stool:
Stool thin, green. Trembling during stool. Pain in the anus. Piles are more sensitive to back pain.
Urine:
Acute urinary tract infection. The sensation of motion in the bladder like worms. Urine is short and dirty.
Male:
The testicles are hard, stretched, swollen. Nocturnal sweating of the genitals. Prostatic fluid flow. Decreased sexual desire.
Female:
Vaginal dryness and increased heat. Pulling around the waist. Menstrual increase, blood bright red, very early, very abundant. Bleeding hot. Pain in the buttocks. Pain from nipple to mastitis, breasts feel heavy, breasts are hard and red. Breast tumors.
Respiratory:
Dryness in the nose, larynx and trachea. Tingling, small, dry cough; Bad at night. Pain in the larynx is felt. Cough, whooping cough, blood with cough. Chest pain when coughing.
Heart:
palpitations in the chest, with shortness of breath. Flutter with minimal exertion. Trembling all over the body. Fast but weak pulse.
Joints pain:
The joints are swollen, red, shiny, radiating red lines. Arthritis pain. Shaking limbs. Convulsions. Pain in the dorsal region: a stiff neck. Swelling of the neck glands. Pressure in the dorsal region is the most painful, including pain in the buttocks and thighs.
Skin:
Dry, hot, swollen and burnt red. The glands on the face are swollen, tender, red. Boil. Acne rosacea. Pale skin.
Fever:
A state of high fever. Burning, intense heat. The feet are ice cold. Only the sweat on the head dries up. There is no thirst with fever.
Sleep:
Restlessness, crying, gnashing of teeth. The blood vessels are kept awake by vibrations. Screams in sleep. Insomnia, including drowsiness.
Is it safe to take Belladonna?
Belladonna should be safe for you if your doctor advises you and you take it as directed. If you are considering using too much, keep in mind that it can be toxic. So, when it comes to fatal nightshade, if it is prescribed by your doctor, you can take it.
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Reference:
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-531/belladonna
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atropa_belladonna
https://www.healthline.com/health/belladonna-dark-past
http://homeoint.org/books/boericmm/b/bell.htm