Benefits and harms of common belladonna. Application, composition, preparation

The name belladonna, which translates as "beautiful woman", is given to the plant for its role in medieval cosmetology. With the help of berry juice, women made their cheeks rosy and their eyes shiny. The belladonna is very poisonous, and its toxins have a narcotic effect. It is characterized not only by euphoria, but also by a paradoxical feeling of lightness in the lower body. The medicinal properties of the culture are due to the content of alkaloids in it.

In ancient times, belladonna was used by healers, sorcerers and witches. According to beliefs, it was thanks to this plant that they could fly. Also, belladonna was a participant in many rituals. External means from it plunged a person into sleep for a day or more.

The generic name Atropa belladonna was given to the plant by Carl Linnaeus. Atropa is the goddess of fate, whose task is to cut the threads of life. And poisons were prepared from the plant, antidotes for which even respected healers could not find.

Botanical characteristic

Today, belladonna is specifically cultivated for medicinal purposes. There are plantations in the Krasnodar and Voronezh regions. The culture is also cultivated in the southern regions of Ukraine. Wild belladonna is extremely rare. Mostly in mountainous and foothill areas - in the Caucasus, Transcaucasia, in the Carpathians, Crimea.

Prefers fertile soil rich in humus. It occurs in oak, hornbeam groves, beech forests. Often chooses illuminated places - clearings, edges, undergrowth. On moist soils near water bodies it grows well, forming thickets. Wild herbs are harvested by traditional healers. You can recognize the plant by morphological characteristics.

• Underground part. It is represented by a fleshy and juicy multi-headed rhizome that grows from the tap root. Numerous fusiform roots grow from the rhizome deep into the soil.
• stems. Cylindrical stems may have a green or brown-purple color. Grow fast. At favorable conditions reach a height of about 2 m. Leafy. Starting from the upper half, they branch three times. Each branch splits into a "fork" or forms a false whorl.
• Leaves. Naked petioles are located in the lower part of the stem alternately. Sheet plates have a solid edge. They are elongated, elliptical in shape, with a pointed end. Color - rich green. They are covered with small glands, thanks to which they exude a pronounced aroma. Above are arranged in pairs. In a pair there is one full-fledged leaf (large), the second is much smaller in size and obovate. The leaves are 11 cm long and 7.5 cm wide.
• Flowers. The belladonna blooms in June. flowers correct form, five-petalled, have a double perianth. The shape is bell-shaped. Solitary in leaf axils. Color - white-brown-violet. The aroma is intoxicating.
• Fruit. Multi-seeded berries form from August. By the size of hearths, belladonna is close to cherry. Green fruits are covered with dark glands. When ripe, they become rich purple, almost black. Their surface is shiny and glossy.

All parts of the plant are poisonous. Fruits are considered especially dangerous. Belladonna is a perennial herbaceous plant. In the wild, it grows in one place for a long time, cultivated - it is used for harvesting raw materials for only five to six years.

Procurement of raw materials

Harvesting starts in June. At this time, pharmacopoeial medicinal raw materials - leaves are collected.

• Collection. Large and well-developed leaves are plucked from the stems by hand. Cut off only the lower part, before branching. Upper - harvested at the end of flowering.
• Training. The raw materials are sorted out for dried, discolored, damaged leaf plates.
• Drying. Dry quickly using a dryer. Raw materials are laid out in a thin layer. Temperature regime - 40ºС.

The second type of raw material is belladonna grass. It is used to obtain the alkaloid atropine and the preparation of galenic dosage forms from the plant.

• Collection. The grass is mowed at the time of fruit formation. This is done with sickles or hand scythes, retreating from the soil by about 10 cm.
• Training. The stems are sorted out, spoiled ones are thrown away. Scissors cut them into pieces up to 4 cm long.
• Drying. Dry the raw materials in dryers, observing a reduced temperature regime. In the process, the succulent stems are often stirred.

The roots are also used to obtain medicines. They are dug up after the aerial part dies off. Washed from the soil, crushed into pieces up to 20 cm long. If the rhizomes are too thick, they are split into pieces. Dry also at low temperatures or in vivo, previously withered.

Store raw materials in a tightly sealed glass or porcelain container, out of the reach of children, separately from other blanks. Dried aerial parts can be used for two years, roots - three years.

Compound

The main pharmacologically active component is considered to be the alkaloid atropine. It was because of him that the plant began to be cultivated - the substance is actively used in the pharmaceutical industry in many countries. Atropine belongs to the M-anticholinergics. His actions:

• relaxes smooth muscles;
• reduces the activity of endocrine glands;
• stimulates the respiratory center;
• increases myocardial contractility.

Due to the ability to expand the pupil, it is often used in ophthalmology for a thorough study of the condition of the fundus.

However, belladonna also contains other alkaloids. This is due to an extensive list of popular indications for the use of the plant. The composition includes:

• scopolamine;
• hyoscine;
• hyoscyamine;
• apoatropine;
• belladonin;
• kuskggrin.

The highest concentrations of alkaloids were noted in the composition of plant roots - up to 4%. In leaves and stems - up to 1.2% and up to 0.9%, respectively. In the fruits -
less than 1%, but their toxicity is due to toxins from other groups of chemicals.

Leaves are often used as medicinal plant materials. In addition to alkaloids, they are rich in volatile compounds, flavonoids, and organic acids.

Due to the complex composition, the culture exhibits the following pharmacological effects:

• antispasmodic;
• tonic;
• expectorant;
• anti-asthmatic;
• anesthetic;
• hyposecretory;
• cardioprotective.

The properties of belladonna are valued by homeopaths. The plant is used to prepare medicines for internal pain, mastitis, gout, Parkinson's disease, bronchial asthma, and neurological disorders.

Diseases for which it helps

Even experienced phytotherapists treat the culture with caution - they carefully select the dose, observe the technique of preparing medicines. Traditional healers resort to the help of belladonna only as a last resort. Reasons for using the herb may include the following conditions.

• Malignant lesions of the body. It is believed that the external use of grass leaves in crushed form helps to get rid of tumors in the mammary glands, eliminate ulcers. skin. Inside, belladonna is recommended for a wide variety of localizations of oncology - from lesions of the esophagus to ovarian cancer.
• Parkinson's disease. As a medicine, herbalists recommend taking a decoction. Within a few days, the remedy reduces the severity of tremor and the inconvenience associated with it, normalizes sleep and improves the psycho-emotional state of the patient.
• Joint pains. Rubbing and compresses help to alleviate discomfort with arthritis, arthrosis, gout, dislocations, bruises, closed fractures, sciatica, myositis. Rubbing with a plant and compresses with extracts are considered equally effective.
• Diseases of the prostate. The practice of treating prostatitis with belladonna suppositories does not scientific justification, however, the remedy is still recommended by herbalists and traditional healers. Doctors say that the anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties of belladonna are not active enough to reduce symptoms or eliminate the causes of the disease.

In traditional medicine, the scope of the remedy is also numerous. Belladonna preparations are prescribed in the following cases.

• Spasms of the airways. Alkaloids eliminate laryngo- and bronchospasms. Aerosol dosage forms are prepared from the plant.
• Spasms of the digestive tract. Painful spasms often occur against the background of enterocolitis, peptic ulcer, gastritis. In this case, the herb not only relieves attacks of colic, but also suppresses the excessive secretion of the glands. Candles eliminate spasms of the rectal sphincter with hemorrhoids, which relieves pain.
• Cardiodiagnosis. The use of drugs from the plant is appropriate in the complex therapy of angina pectoris, bradycardia, atrioventricular blockade (disturbances in the conduction of impulses in the myocardium).
• endocrine disorders. Hyperfunctions of glands are also dangerous, as well as their insufficiency. Most often, belladonna is recommended to suppress the activity of the digestive glands and thyroid gland. In the latter case, the patient's sweating is noticeably reduced.
• Gynecology. Phytomedicines cope with hypertonicity of the myometrium. They can be used during the stimulation of labor to “regulate” the ratio of the phases of contraction and relaxation.
• Neurology. The effectiveness of belladonna against Parkinson's disease has been scientifically proven. Also, the plant is used for paresis accompanying cerebral palsy, depressive mental disorders.

Given the many features of belladonna therapy, a large list of contraindications and side effects, it is forbidden to use it for medicinal purposes without the consent of a specialist. The duration of therapy and dosage should be agreed with the doctor.

There is information about the use of belladonna for weight loss. Scientists refute the possibility of weight loss with the help of grass, but they emphasize the risk of poisoning.

Medications

The belladonna is grown on an industrial scale to obtain dry and thick extracts, from which medicines are then made. Ready-made preparations based on the plant are also sold.

• Pills. For example, "Bekarbon" and "Besalol". They are used for spasms of the gastrointestinal tract, poisoning, stool disorders, pain with ulcers and gastritis. Belloid is also produced - a remedy for heart rhythm failures, nervousness, insomnia, endocrinological pathologies, sweating, neurogenic cycle disorders in women.
• Tincture. Alcohol extract is used to eliminate spasms in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Depending on the condition of the patient, a dose of ten drops to half a teaspoon of tincture can be prescribed up to three times a day.
• Candles. "Beauty extract" and "Anuzol" are prepared using a thick extract of the plant. Used to eliminate the pain syndrome that accompanies hemorrhoids. Sometimes prescribed by gynecologists to speed up and facilitate childbirth - the active substance relaxes the myometrium and helps soften the cervix.

Only a doctor should prescribe these drugs and choose the dosage.

It is undesirable to prepare preparations from prepared belladonna on your own. Due to the high toxicity of the plant, standardized dosage forms should be purchased. Relatively safe external use of extracts, however, even in this case, the penetration of alkaloids into the systemic circulation is not excluded.

Overdose and side effects

Culture will not apply in the following cases:

• childhood;
• pregnancy and lactation;
• risk of bleeding;
• hypertension;
• tachycardia;
• increased intraocular pressure;
• intestinal atony;
• tendency to constipation;
• exhaustion;
• ulcerative colitis.

Treatment with a phytomedicine has several features. Side effects manifested by a feeling of dry mouth, constipation, dizziness, photophobia. Demoiselle preparations should not be given to people working with potentially dangerous machinery. It is undesirable to use in men with prostate adenoma. When treating with a plant, it should be borne in mind that it increases the risk of heat stroke in the warm season. Therefore, the patient needs to drink enough liquid.

• changes in consciousness;
• increased excitability;
• nausea;
• tachycardia;
• hyperthermia;
• hives.

In case of any manifestations of an overdose, an ambulance must be called. The first first aid consists in washing the stomach with plenty of water, setting cleansing enemas.

Despite the toxicity of belladonna, its alkaloids can be used as antidotes: for poisoning with phosphates, narcotic analgesics, antidepressants, poisonous mushrooms.

Ointments and homeopathic remedies are considered the safest culture-based dosage forms. The latter contain herbal extracts in high dilution. Small doses of belladonna poisons have a pronounced therapeutic effect in case of ear and toothache, frequent spasms of the digestive organs, and disorders in the central nervous system. The diluted preparation of Belladonna is used for the preparation of homeopathic medicines with a combined composition.

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Atropa belladonna L.
Taxon: Solanaceae family ( Solanaceae)
Other names: common belladonna, rubuha, sleepy dope, mad berry, mad cherry
English: Belladonna, Atropa, Deadly Nightshade, Death's Herb, Dwale, Witch's Berry

The name "belladonna", which was given to the plant by K. Linnaeus, translated from Italian (« bella donna) means "beautiful woman". It is explained by the fact that the mydriatic effect of the main plant alkaloid atropine was widely used by women of Ancient Rome, and then Italy and Spain to enhance the brilliance of the eyes and dilate the pupils. And if the cheeks were rubbed with the juice of berries, a blush appeared on them.
The Latin name of the plant comes from Greek words « atropos», « atropa"(in a literal translation -" uncompromising, irrevocable "). That was the name of one of the three moira - ancient greek goddesses fate that cut the thread of human life, regardless of age and gender. It is believed that this name indicates the poisonous nature of the plant.

Botanical description

Perennial herbaceous plant 60-130 cm high (up to 2 m). It has a thick, multi-headed rhizome. The stem is green or dirty purple, straight, juicy, forked at the top, glandular-pubescent. Leaves up to 15-20 cm long, short-petiolate, ovate or ovate-elliptic, sharpened, entire, alternate in the lower part of the stem, on flowering shoots - brought together in pairs, one of them is larger. Flowers solitary, large, drooping, located in the leaf axils on glandular-pubescent pedicels. The calyx is five-parted, slightly enlarged near the fruits. Corolla tubular-campanulate, 20-35 mm long, brown-violet or red-brown (rarely yellow), with five short, mostly blunt lobes. Blooms in June-August. The fruit is a spherical two-celled shiny juicy black berry with purple juice.

Geographic distribution

In the wild, belladonna is common in Western and Southern Europe, on the Atlantic coast and in the Mediterranean, in the Balkans, in Asia Minor. It is found from Great Britain to the Eastern Carpathians, from Spain, Yugoslavia, Greece, Romania in the south to Denmark in the north. In addition to Europe, belladonna grows in the Caucasus, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan (up to the Himalayas), North Africa, and is brought to the USA. In Ukraine, in the wild, it is found mainly in the Carpathians (Transcarpathian region), sporadically - in the Carpathian region. It grows in small groups in beech forests, clearings, lawns, clearings, edges, along river banks, among shrubs at an altitude of 300 to 1000 m above sea level. There is also belladonna in the forests of the Podolsk upland of the Crimean mountains. The plant is listed in the Red Book of Ukraine.

Cultivation of belladonna

Due to the fact that the natural resource base is limited, belladonna is cultivated as an industrial crop in many countries of Europe, Asia and America, including Ukraine (in the Crimea) and Russia (in the Krasnodar Territory). Belladonna is a heat-loving plant, and as a perennial crop, it can only be grown in areas with mild winter and permanent snow cover. During snowless winters, it freezes when the temperature drops to 10–15°C below zero. With a sufficient thickness of the snow cover, the plants can withstand temperatures down to -30°C. When grown in the shade, the leaves of belladonna become thin and delicate and contain significantly less alkaloids than the leaves of plants that are cultivated in sunny areas.

Collection and preparation

Leaf is used in medicine Folium Belladonnae) and roots ( Radix Belladonnae) plants. The leaf is harvested during the flowering of the plant. After preliminary wilting, it is dried in the shade or in dryers at a temperature of 30-40°C. The roots are dug up in autumn or spring, washed in cold water, cut into pieces 2-3 cm long (thick ones are split) and dried under a tent or in heated rooms.

Chemical composition

The leaves and other parts of belladonna contain biologically active tropane alkaloids, mainly atropine and hyoscyamine. Atropine and hyoscyamine are esters tropine alcohol and tropic acid. In addition to them, the plant contains hyoscyamine N-oxide, hyoscine (scopolamine), apoatropine (atropamine), belladonin, tropine, chelaradin, traces of nicotine. Hyoscyamine makes up to 83-98% of all belladonna alkaloids. Atropine in belladonna is found in trace amounts, it is formed during the extraction of raw materials from hyoscyamine.
The leaves of belladonna also contain free tropic acid. In addition to tropine derivatives, norpseudotropine alkaloids, calistegins, accumulate in the roots of belladonna vulgaris. The roots of belladonna also contain the pyrrolidine alkaloid kuskggrin (bellaradin). In addition to alkaloids, belladonna roots contain volatile nitrogen-containing compounds in the form of bases (N-methylpyrrolidine, N-methylpyrroline, pyridine, tetramethyldiaminobutane). They are believed to be intermediates in the biosynthesis of tropane alkaloids.
The content of alkaloids in leaves harvested as medicinal raw materials should be at least 0.3%, usually ranging from 0.15 to 1-1.2%. The roots of the plant contain 0.4–1.5% alkaloids, the stem contains 0.05–0.65%, the flowers contain 0.24–0.6%, and not ripe berries- 0.19%, in ripe berries - 0.21–0.7%, in seeds - 0.23–0.33%. The maximum amount of alkaloids in the leaves of belladonna accumulates during the budding and flowering of the plant.
Steroids (β-sitosterol), phenolcarboxylic acids and their derivatives (chlorogenic acid), oxalic and leucatropic acids, flavonoids (7-glucosido-3-rhamnosylglucosides and 7-glucosido-3-rhamnosylglucosides of quercetin and kaempferol, methylkaempferol, 7 -methylquercetin), aliphatic hydrocarbons (n-nonacosan), alcohols, tannin. Steroid glycosides of the spirostane type have been isolated from belladonna seeds.

History of application in medicine

The plant has been known since ancient times. Very little is known about the use of belladonna in medicine in ancient times. Belladonna was known as a poisonous plant, especially in the area of ​​​​its natural distribution. The healing and poisonous properties of belladonna were pointed out by Theophrastus (circa 372-287 BC) and Dioscorides (1st century AD), who called it "Strychnos manicos", which means "crazy plant".
In the ancient Germanic tribes, there were berserk warriors who dressed in bear skins and drank a drink with belladonna growing in beech forests before the battle. Western Europe. The warriors developed a state of intense excitement, and they furiously marched on the enemy.
In the medicine of the eastern countries, belladonna was used as a narcotic along with Indian hemp, and even 2500 years ago.
In one of the scientific treatises, dated 1504, belladonna was called " Solanum mortale", which means "deadly nightshade." First botanical description plants called Solanum mortiferum” appeared in 1542 in the herbalist Leonhard Fuchs (1501–1565). The Polish doctor and botanist Shimon Serensky (Sireniusz, 1541–1611) wrote about her. In the Middle Ages, belladonna juice was often used as. There are cases in history when the Scots destroyed the Danes with the help of belladonna juice. Retreating, they left barrels of beer poisoned with belladonna juice for the invaders. Deciding to celebrate the victory, the Danes drank the trophy drink and fell into a state of deep sleep. The Scots returned and easily dealt with the enemies. In the eighteenth century in Austria cases of belladonna poisoning occurred so frequently that the government was compelled to issue several circulars detailing the plant. Belladonna berries poisoned the soldiers of the Napoleonic army, who in 1813 stood near the German city of Pirna.
Due to its hallucinogenic properties, belladonna, like henbane, was considered magic grass and was part of witchcraft ointments and drinks. Especially popular in Europe in the XIII-XIV centuries. was the "ointment of witches", which was made from the juice of the fruit of belladonna. Women who consider themselves witches drank such a drink or rubbed themselves with ointment, after which they experienced extraordinary sensations (flying, rapid movement in space, visual, olfactory and auditory hallucinations) and were confident in their reality, they believed that they really take part in the Sabbath. Such a reincarnation was masterfully described by M. Bulgakov in the novel The Master and Margarita. The fact that such sensations are the result of the action of belladonna, the German toxicologist Gustav Schenk, who inhaled the smoke of burning seeds of the plant, was convinced from his own experience.
The famous alchemist and physician Paracelsus (1493-1541) believed that belladonna could cause insanity. Nevertheless, already in the Middle Ages, this plant in rather small, almost homeopathic doses began to be used for insomnia, epilepsy, bedwetting, cholera, gout, whooping cough, gastrointestinal diseases, skin and venereal diseases. In 1677, Faber described in detail the use and effect of belladonna, which he called " Solanum furiosum". In the sixteenth century Italian physician and botanist Mattiolli conducted life-threatening experiments with belladonna on criminals. Around the same time, a plant called " Herba Belladonnae"(Bella beauty grass) was used by the women of Venice to enhance the brilliance of the eyes.
In the XVIII century. belladonna was the subject of many scientific treatises, in particular Petrus Darya (1776) and Monch (1789), which indicates an increased interest in the extraordinary properties of this plant. The mydriatic effect of belladonna was described in 1802, but its analgesic properties were only discovered in 1860.
In 1831, Maine, and in 1833 independently of him, Geiger and Hesse isolated hyoscyamine and its isomer atropine from belladonna roots in crystalline form. They were found to be the main active ingredients that determine the pharmacological properties of belladonna. In 1879, atropine was synthesized from atropic acid and tropine. At the end of the nineteenth century. Ladenburg established the structure of atropine and identified it with hyoscyamine.
As a plant recognized by scientific medicine, belladonna was included in the first Russian Pharmacopoeia in 1866.
Back in 1868, Trousseu considered atropine one of the most effective remedies for bronchial asthma. Over time, the arsenal of anti-asthma drugs, in particular bronchodilators, has expanded significantly, and atropine has faded into the background. But in the 70s of the last century, works appeared on the bronchodilatory effect of atropine and its derivatives when administered by inhalation.
At the end of the nineteenth century. Ivan Raev, a resident of the Bulgarian city of Shipki, created a remedy for Parkinson's disease, which caused a real sensation. The Italian Queen Elena had to pay four million lire for the secret of this remedy. This remedy began to treat patients with encephalitis in hospitals. In 25% of cases, patients recovered, in 40% their condition improved markedly. However, this remedy was not widely used, since side effects were noted during its use.
Long before the discovery of atropine, belladonna extract ointments were used for incarcerated hernias.
In the past, in Bohemia, belladonna root was added to beer to give it intoxicating properties, sometimes it was added to vodka. In Australia, belladonna was added to the feed of oxen to give them a smooth coat. Traditional medicine also recommended belladonna for rabies, syphilis, impotence, bronchial asthma, and pulmonary tuberculosis. Used to treat bloody diarrhea alcohol tincture belladonna berries. Fresh juice of the leaves of the plant, diluted with vodka, was recommended for chronic inflammation of the eyes in humans and animals. Applications and poultices of belladonna leaves in folk medicine recommended for infiltrates, for the symptomatic treatment of breast cancer.
Nowadays, in folk medicine, belladonna tincture is used for paralysis with loss of speech, arthritis, radiculitis, rheumatism, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. In France, it is used for neurosis, facial neuralgia, painful tics, epilepsy, constipation, hysteria, chorea, tetanus, stomach pain, intestinal, hepatic and renal colic, enuresis. The root extract is used as an anesthetic for gout, rheumatism, neuralgia, and the fruit tincture is used for dysentery.

Use in medicine

The use of belladonna preparations in medicine is due to the pharmacological properties of its highly active alkaloids, in particular atropine. Use total galenic preparations and preparations containing purified individual chemical compounds isolated from the plant, or in the form of total and complex agents.
Belladonna and atropine preparations are used as parasympatholytic, antispasmodic and for peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, chronic hyperacid gastritis, pylorospasm, for diseases of the biliary tract and gallbladder, for pancreatitis, spastic and ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis, as well as for cholelithiasis and urolithiasis, intestinal colic and other diseases accompanied by spasms of smooth muscles. Since spasms usually lead to pain, atropine, along with antispasmodic, has an analgesic effect.
The priority of introducing atropine into the treatment of gastric diseases belongs to the famous Russian therapist A.P. Voinovich, who back in 1891 reported on positive results treatment of gastric ulcers with atropine. The analgesic effect of atropine is manifested due to the elimination of gastrospasm and inhibition of increased gastric motility. The therapeutic effect in these cases is also a consequence of a decrease in secretion under the influence of atropine. Atropine has not lost its relevance in gastroenterology today. In peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, it should be administered orally in an effective, individually selected dose (until a slight dry mouth appears). Depending on the sensitivity to atropine, the dose may be 6–8–10–12–15 drops of a 0.1% solution per dose 2–3 times a day. Assign 30-40 minutes before meals or an hour after. With an exacerbation of the disease, atropine is first administered subcutaneously.
For pain associated with spasms of smooth muscles, atropine is often administered simultaneously with analgesics (promedol, morphine, etc.).
Belladonna preparations are widely used in the form of ointments and suppositories for spasms of the smooth muscles of the uterus, sphincters and channels of the genitourinary system and as an anesthetic during childbirth, in the postpartum period, with metritis and pelvioperitonitis.
Belladonna preparations and its alkaloids are prescribed for bradycardia of vagal etiology of origin, atrioventricular blockade and angina pectoris. Nevertheless, it should be remembered that under the influence of atropine, the heart rate increases significantly, and a functionally defective conducting system may not be able to cope with the transmission of impulses of an accelerated frequency, then a paradoxical reaction is possible - an increase in the degree of atrioventricular blockade.
Belladonna preparations and its alkaloids are also used in the treatment of bronchial asthma, spastic cough. In this case, they can be administered as a fine aerosol (0.25 ml of a 0.1% solution is inhaled over 2-3 minutes). The anti-asthma effect of belladonna drugs is based on the ability of atropine to eliminate spasm of the smooth muscles of the bronchi and at the same time inhibit the secretion of the bronchial mucosa. The last circumstance has great importance, since attacks of bronchial asthma depend not only on spasm of the muscles of the bronchi, but also on the rapid swelling of the bronchial mucosa, accompanied by vasodilation and thick secretion of mucus. Therefore, atropine is especially effective in non-allergic bronchial obstruction.
In the 50s, a method was proposed for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia with atropine coma. High doses of atropine and atropine-like drugs obviously act on those brain structures that are directly involved in the formation of hallucinatory phenomena. In this case, the main mechanisms of therapeutic action are considered to be vegetative-protective mobilization and a diffuse, massive and prolonged state of protective inhibition. The ability of atropine lumps to eliminate or significantly alleviate hallucinatory symptoms and weaken the phenomena of resistance to neuroleptics made it possible to recommend this method of treatment for implementation in psychiatric practice. However, to date, due to severe toxicity, it has not found wide application in psychiatry.
When administered in small doses, atropine causes a significant autonomic mobilization of protective mechanisms from the side of the central regulation of autonomic functions in the form of shifts towards an increased tone of the sympathetic department of the central nervous system. Protective inhibition was less profound and appeared in the form of somnolence. The use of atropine is effective in the treatment of depressive states of circulatory and involutional origin, resistant to other types of antipsychotic therapy.
In neurological practice, for the treatment of vegetovascular disorders, the vegetotropic preparation "Belloid", which includes the sum of belladonna alkaloids, is widely used. Under its influence, the disturbed balance of the function of both parts of the autonomic nervous system is restored. The high efficiency of this drug in vegetative-vascular disorders in children, especially in sympathetic-adrenal paroxysms, was noted (M. F. Ismagilov and R. I. Alyavetdinov, 1984).
The amount of belladonna alkaloids in the complex preparation "Bellazone" is used for Parkinson's disease and parkinsonism against the background of encephalitis and atherosclerosis. Widespread use in parkinsonism, spastic paresis and paralysis (including cerebral palsy, paralysis against the background of damage to the extrapyramidal system) has found a synthetic analogue of atropine tropacin due to a more active effect on the central cholinergic systems.
Atropine is sometimes prescribed for hypersecretion of the sweat and lacrimal glands.
In ophthalmic practice, atropine (0.5–1% solutions) is used to dilate the pupil for diagnostic purposes (to establish true refraction, study the fundus, etc.), in the treatment of acute inflammatory diseases (iritis, iridocyclitis, keratitis, uveitis) and eye injuries. Atropine-induced relaxation of the eye muscles provides functional rest and helps to eliminate the pathological process. The therapeutic value of pupil dilation in iris disease is that it prevents its fusion with both the posterior surface of the cornea and the anterior surface of the lens.
A clinical study of the specific therapeutic efficacy of soluble therapeutic films containing atropine sulfate in patients with chronic recurrent aphthous stomatitis was carried out. Biomicroscopic studies confirm the clinical efficacy of films with atropine. Already 2 hours after the application of the biofilm, a significant improvement in the functional parameters of microcirculation is manifested.
As an antidote, atropine is prescribed for poisoning with various cholinomimetics (acetylcholine, carbachol, muscarine, etc.) and anticholinesterase agents (prozerin, physostigmine), including organophosphorus compounds (including household insecticides, such as chlorophos) and mushrooms, as well as for poisoning with morphine and others. analgesics, depressants (chloral hydrate). In case of poisoning with cholinomimetic and anticholinesterase substances, a 0.1% solution of atropine is administered intravenously, if necessary, repeatedly. It is proposed to use atropine sulfate also in the form of inhalations. Atropine is often given concomitantly with narcotic analgesics (morphine) to reduce side effects associated with vagus nerve stimulation.
In anesthetic practice, atropine is used for premedication before anesthesia and surgery and during surgery to prevent bronchospasm and laryngospasm, limit the secretion of the salivary and bronchial glands, reduce other reflex reactions and side effects that may occur due to excitation of the vagus nerve.
Atropine is also used in x-ray and endoscopic examination of the gastrointestinal tract, when it becomes necessary to reduce the tone of the stomach and intestines.
In homeopathy, fresh extract of belladonna is used for spasms of blood vessels and muscles, externally and internally - for mastitis, erysipelas, scarlet fever, tonsillitis, respiratory infections, laryngitis, headaches, neuritis of the facial and trigeminal nerves, otitis media, conjunctivitis, rheumatic scleritis, iritis, iridocyclitis , dacryocystitis, optic neuritis, retinitis, gynecological diseases, nephritis, urinary tract diseases, convulsions, chorea, epilepsy, dysentery.
The therapeutic effect of belladonna root extract in African trypanosomiasis is described.
In veterinary medicine, belladonna preparations are used as an anesthetic.

Medications

belladonna tincture(Tinctura Belladonnae)
Prepared from belladonna leaf (1:10) in 40% alcohol, contains 0.027–0.033% alkaloids. Available in dropper bottles of 5 and 10 ml. Assign inside 5-10 drops per reception. Belladonna tincture is included in many other combination forms.

belladonna extract thick(Extractum Belladonnae spissum)
Included in a number of combined dosage forms. Contains 1.4–1.6% alkaloids. Single doses - 0.01–0.02 g.

Dry belladonna extract(Extractum Belladonnae siccum)
In the manufacture of dosage forms, the dry extract is used in double the amount in relation to the thick extract due to the lower content of alkaloids (0.7–0.8%). Maximum doses for adults inside: single - 0.1 g, daily - 0.3 g.

Belladonnysat Burger(Ysatfabrik, Germany)
Fresh belladonna leaf extract, 5 ml (1 scoop) of which contains 0.5 mg of total alkaloids. Used for gastrointestinal spasms, spastic constipation, parkinsonism, vagotonia, hypersecretion, for premedication before anesthesia. Consume 1/4-1 scoop 30 minutes before meals.

Atropine sulfate(Atropini sulfas)
Produced in ampoules and syringe-tubes of 1 ml of a 0.1% solution, in tablets of 0.5 mg, as well as in the form of a powder, 1% eye ointment and eye films in plastic cases of 30 pieces containing atropine sulfate, 1 each, 6 mg in each film.
Assign atropine inside, parenterally and locally (in the form of eye drops). Inside, adults are prescribed in powders, tablets and solutions (0.1%), 0.25-0.5-1 mg per dose 1-2 times a day. Subcutaneously, intramuscularly and intravenously, 0.25–0.5–1 mg (0.25–0.5–1 ml of a 0.1% solution) are administered. Children are prescribed, depending on age, 0.05–0.5 mg per dose. The maximum single dose for adults inside and subcutaneously - 1 mg, daily - 3 mg.

Tablets "Kellathrin"(Tabulettae "Khellatrinum")
Contain 0.02 g of papaverine hydrochloride, 0.02 g of kellin and 0.25 mg of atropine sulfate. They are used as a vasodilator and antispasmodic for spasms of the coronary vessels and abdominal organs, bronchial asthma. Assign 1 tablet 2-3 times a day.

Tablets "Keliverin"(Tabulettae "Khelliverinum")
Contain 0.02 g of papaverine hydrochloride and 0.01 g of kellin. Used as a vasodilator and antispasmodic. Assign 1 tablet 2-3 times a day.

Tablets "Bevisal"(Tabulettae "Bevisalum")
Contain 0.015 g of belladonna extract, 0.25 g of basic bismuth nitrate, 0.25 g of phenyl salicylate. They are used as an antispasmodic, antisecretory, antacid, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and astringent for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (gastritis, peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, enteritis, colitis) and urinary tract (, pyelitis,). Assign 1 tablet 2-4 times a day.

Tablets "Bellalgin"(Tabulettae "Bellalginum")
A complex preparation containing 0.015 g of belladonna extract, 0.25 g of analgin, 0.25 g of anestezin and 0.1 g of sodium bicarbonate. It is prescribed as an antispasmodic, antacid and analgesic, 1 tablet 2-3 times a day, mainly for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, accompanied by high acidity, spasms of smooth muscles, and pain. The maximum single dose for adults is 3 tablets, the maximum daily dose is 10 tablets.

Tablets "Bepasal"(Tabulettae "Bepasalum")
Contains 0.012 g of belladonna extract, 0.3 g of phenyl salicylate and 0.03 g of papaverine hydrochloride. Assign for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, 1 tablet 2-3 times a day.

Tablets "Bellastezin"(Tabulettae "Bellastesinum")
A complex preparation containing 0.015 g of belladonna extract and 0.3 g of anesthesin. Taken as an antispasmodic and analgesic, 1 tablet 2-3 times a day for spasms of the stomach, intestines and other abdominal organs, esophagitis, cholelithiasis.

Candles "Betiol"(Suppository "Bethiolum")
Contain 0.015 g thick belladonna extract and 0.2 g ichthyol. Used for hemorrhoids and anal fissures. Belladonna extract exhibits an antispasmodic effect, reduces intestinal motility, ichthyol has anti-inflammatory and local anesthetic properties. Apply 1 suppository into the rectum 1-3 times a day. If necessary, you can use more often, but not more than 10 suppositories per day. Contraindicated in glaucoma, porstata adenoma.
Side effects: possible thirst, dry mouth, palpitations, mydriasis and temporary visual impairment, psychomotor agitation. The drug should not be used when driving vehicles and performing work that requires special attention and precise coordination of movements.

Candles "Anuzol"(Suppository "Anusolum")
Contains 0.02 g of belladonna extract, 0.1 g of xeroform, 0.05 g of zinc sulfate and 0.12 g of glycerin. Used for hemorrhoids and anal fissures.

Tablets "Corbella"(Tabulettae "Corbella")
Contain dry extract of belladonna root (0.001 g of alkaloids in terms of atropine). It is used for Parkinson's disease and parkinsonism against the background of chronic epidemic encephalitis, atherosclerosis, chronic poisoning manganese and other intoxications, 1 tablet at bedtime with a gradual increase in dose to the most effective for the patient.

Tablets "Urobesal"(Tabulettae "Urobesalum")
Contains 0.015 g of belladonna extract, 0.25 g of phenyl salicylate and 0.25 g of hexamethylentetramine. Take 1-2 tablets 2-3 times a day for cystitis, pyelitis, pyelonephritis, colitis, enterocolitis.

R. V. Kutsik, B. M. Zuzuk, A. T. Nedostup, T. Petsko
Ivano-Frankivsk State Medical Academy

Photos and illustrations

Pharmacotherapeutic group. Antispasmodic, M-anticholinergic agent

plant description

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Rice. 10.4. belladonna common

belladonna leaves- folia belladonnae
belladonna grass- herba belladonnae
belladonna roots- radices belladonnae
- atropa belladonna l.
Sem. Nightshade— solanaceae
Other names:

sleepy fool,
belladonna,
crazy berry,
wild cherry,
krasuha.

perennial herbaceous plant up to 2 m high, with a multi-headed rhizome, from which numerous large branched roots depart.
Stem erect, forked, thick, succulent, sometimes with purple tint, densely glandularly pubescent in upper part.
Leaves dark green, ovoid, entire, pointed at the apex. lower leaves alternate, short-petiolate; upper arranged in pairs, almost opposite, the leaves of each pair are unequal, one of them (outward facing) is 3-4 times larger than the other.
flowers solitary or in pairs, drooping, on short glandular pubescent pedicels, located in the forks of the stem and at the base of the leaves. The flowers are regular, five-membered, with a double perianth. Corolla bell-shaped, brown-violet or dirty purple, 20-30 mm long.
Fetus is a juicy, glossy, purple-black multi-seeded cherry-like berry with purple juice and a remaining calyx.
seeds small, flat, cellular (Fig. 10.4).
The berries and the whole plant are poisonous!
Blossoms in June-August, bears fruit from July.

The composition of belladonna

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The chemical composition of belladonna

All parts of the plant contain tropane alkaloids.

• hyoscyamine and
• scopolamine,

which are esters derived from two amino alcohols of tropine and scopine with tropic acid.

Main alkaloid- active levorotatory hyoscyamine , when isolated from plants, passes into an optically inactive racemate atropine .

The roots contain alkaloid radobelin .

Total content of alkaloids in

• roots - 0.4%,
• leaves - 0.14-1.2%,
• stems - 0.2-0.65%,
• flowers - 0.24-0.6%,
• mature fruits - 0.7%.

In addition to alkaloids, the leaves contain

• steroids,
• phenolic acids and their derivatives,
• flavonoids,
• quercetin derivatives,
• kaempferol,
• oxycoumarins,
• aliphatic alcohols.

Properties and use of belladonna

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Pharmacological properties of belladonna

The pharmacological effects of belladonna total preparations are due mainly to the action of the alkaloids hyoscyamine (atropine) and scopolamine.

belladonna alkaloids have

• central and
• peripheral action.

Atropine- the main representative of a group of substances of plant origin that have the ability to block M-cholinergic receptors of internal organs and the central nervous system.

belladonna preparations and atropine

• stimulate the central nervous system
• activate mental and physical activity,
• increase performance and endurance.

The action of belladonna on the heart is characteristic. It turns off the influence of the vagus nerve on the heart, which leads to

• increased heart rate and
• improve conductivity.

Atropine

• stimulates breathing
• stimulates the respiratory center
• has a bronchodilatory effect
• reduces the secretion of the glandular apparatus of the entire respiratory system.
• Atropine inhibits the motor activity of the gastrointestinal tract and the secretion of almost all glands:
  • salivary,
  • gastrointestinal,
  • pancreas;
• has an antispasmodic effect.
• Atropine dilates the pupil, causes mydriasis and accommodation paralysis;
• tends to increase intraocular pressure.

The use of belladonna

The belladonna leaves are part of anti-asthma collection and are used to prepare tinctures, which are part of a number of complex preparations.

From leaves and grass dry and thick extracts are obtained, which are part of a large number of combined drugs.

belladonna roots are raw materials for the production of alkaloids that are part of complex preparations.

Atropine and other belladonna preparations apply

• with peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum,
• pylorospasm,
• chronic hyperacid gastritis,
• with chronic colitis with pain syndrome,
• with spastic constipation,
• cholecystitis,
• cholangitis and biliary dyskinesia associated with cholelithiasis,
• renal colic as an antispasmodic, analgesic.

The central M-anticholinergic action of atropine is used in psychiatry.,

• where very large doses of atropine are used, causing coma (the so-called atropine-coma therapy).
• It is used in resistant cases of schizophrenia,
• manic-depressive psychosis.

Atropine is used in anesthesiology

• to prevent the side effects of muscle relaxants and narcotic drugs (nausea, vomiting, respiratory disorders),
• to reduce the secretory function of the salivary and bronchial glands.

In ophthalmic practice, atropine is used for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. With an overdose of atropine, toxic effects may develop due to excitation of the central nervous system.

Spreading

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Spreading. It has a disjunctive range, consisting of several fragments located on the territory of Western Ukraine, Crimea and the Caucasus. It grows in mountainous, inaccessible areas for harvesting at an altitude of 200 to 1700 m above sea level. Harvesting of raw materials from wild thickets is currently not carried out. The belladonna was introduced into culture in the Krasnodar Territory (Russia) and in the Crimea (Ukraine).

Habitat. On loose humus soils in mountain broad-leaved (mainly beech) forests, along ravines and river banks, in forest clearings.

Procurement and storage of raw materials

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blank. In belladonna, observing the precautionary measures, three types of raw materials are harvested. The leaves are harvested from the beginning of the budding phase to mass fruiting, from 2 to 5 times during the growing season, depending on the age of the plantation, manually picking. Later, in the fruiting phase, the entire aerial part of the plant is mowed at a height of 10 cm from the ground. Plantations are used for 3-5 years. After the final cleaning of the grass, before the liquidation of the plantation, mechanized cleaning of underground organs is carried out. Cut off small roots, shake off the ground, wash. Large roots are cut lengthwise.

Security measures. The plant is under protection, raw materials are not harvested in nature.

Drying. Raw materials should be dried quickly, in air or heat dryers at a temperature not exceeding 40-45 °C. When harvesting and drying, precautions must be taken.

Standardization. GF XI, no. 2, art. 13 (leaves); FS 42-1104-77 (grass); GF VIII (roots).

Storage. Raw materials are stored according to list B, separately from other raw materials. The leaves are hygroscopic and should be stored in a dry place. Shelf life of leaves and grass is 2 years.

External signs of raw materials

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Leaves. Whole raw material. Whole or partially crushed leaves are elliptical, ovoid or oblong-ovate, pointed at the apex, entire, tapering to the base into a short petiole, thin, up to 20 cm long and up to 10 cm wide. The color of the leaves is green or brownish-green above, below - lighter. The smell is weak, peculiar. Taste is not defined (!). crushed raw materials. leaf pieces various shapes passing through a sieve with holes with a diameter of 7 mm. The color is green or brownish green. The smell is weak, peculiar. Taste is not defined (!). Grass. Whole raw material. A mixture of leafy stems and their pieces up to 25 cm long, up to 2 cm thick, crushed, rarely whole leaves, petioles, buds, flowers and fruits. The smell is weak. Taste is not defined (!). crushed raw materials. Pieces of various shapes ranging in size from 1 to 8 mm. Roots. Separate pieces of roots, cylindrical or split along, 10-20 cm long, 0.6-2 cm thick, longitudinally wrinkled on the outside, grayish-brown in color, rough or granular fracture, slightly yellowish; dusty (starch) when broken. On a cross section (or in a break), a narrow grayish strip of bark and wide whitish wood bounded by a darker cambium line are visible. There is no smell. Taste is not defined. Toxic!

Microscopy of raw materials

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When examining the leaf from the surface, epidermal cells with sinuous side walls and a folded cuticle are visible. The stomata are numerous, surrounded by 3-4 parotid cells, one of which is much smaller than the others (anisocytic type), predominate on the underside of the leaf. The hairs are sparse, capitate and simple. Capitate hairs of two types: with a long multicellular stalk and a unicellular head, with a unicellular stalk and a multicellular (from 4-6 cells) head.

Rice. 10.5. Microscopy of belladonna leaf

Simple hairs 2-3- (rarely 6)-celled, with thin walls. The spongy parenchyma shows oval cells filled with fine crystalline sand of calcium oxalate. At low magnification, they look like dark, almost black spots, at high magnification they are grayish with distinct crystalline granularity. Very rarely, drusen or prismatic calcium oxalate crystals can be seen in the center of a cell with crystalline sand (Fig. 10.5).

Rice. 10.5. Microscopy of belladonna leaf:
A - the epidermis of the upper side;
B - epidermis of the lower side;
B - epidermis above the vein:
1 - hair with a multicellular head;
2 — a hair with a unicellular head;
3 - a simple hair;
4 - cells with crystalline sand of calcium oxalate.

Numerical indicators of raw materials

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Leaves

Whole raw material. The amount of alkaloids, determined titrimetrically, in terms of hyoscyamine is not less than 0.3%; humidity not more than 13%; total ash no more than 15%; ash, insoluble in 10% hydrochloric acid solution, not more than 3%; yellowed, brownish and blackened leaves no more than 4%; other parts of the plant (stems, flowers, fruits) no more than 4%; crushed particles passing through a sieve with holes with a diameter of 3 mm, not more than 4%; organic impurities not more than 0.5%; mineral impurity not more than 0.5%.

crushed raw materials. The amount of alkaloids in terms of hyoscyamine is not less than 0.3%; humidity not more than 13%; total ash no more than 15%; ash, insoluble in 10% hydrochloric acid solution, not more than 3%; yellowed, browned and blackened pieces of leaves no more than 4%; other parts of the plant (pieces of stems, fruits, flowers) no more than 4%; particles that do not pass through a sieve with holes with a diameter of 7 mm, not more than 8%; particles passing through a sieve with holes of 0.5 mm, not more than 10%; organic impurities not more than 0.5%; mineral impurity not more than 0.5%.

Grass

Whole raw material. The amount of alkaloids in terms of hyoscyamine is not less than 0.35%; humidity not more than 13%; leaves not less than 45%, including yellowed, brown or blackened on both sides, not more than 4%; organic impurities not more than 1%; mineral impurity no more than 1%.

crushed raw materials. The amount of alkaloids in terms of hyoscyamine is not less than 0.35%; humidity not more than 13%; pieces of leaves - not less than 45%, including yellowed, browned or blackened on both sides - not more than 4%; particles passing through a sieve with holes of 0.5 mm, not more than 8%; particles larger than 8 mm, not more than 10%; organic impurities not more than 1%; mineral impurity no more than 1%.

Roots

The amount of alkaloids in terms of hyoscyamine is not less than 0.5%; humidity not more than 13%; total ash no more than 6%; roots darkened in a fracture, no more than 3%; crushed roots less than 1 cm long, not more than 3%; organic impurities not more than 0.5%; mineral impurity no more than 1%.

belladonna medicines

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1. The leaves are part of the anti-asthma collection.
2. Atropine sulfate, powder (substance); solution for injection 0.1%; tablets of 0.0005 g; 1% eye ointment; eye films containing 1.6 g of atropine sulfate. M-anticholinergic agent.
3. Tincture of belladonna (tincture (1:10) in 40% ethyl alcohol from the leaves). M-anticholinergic, antispasmodic.
4. Belladonna tincture is part of combined medicines (gastric drops, Zelenin drops, Valocormid, etc.).
5. belladonna extracts are thick and dry (obtained from leaves and herbs). Used for the preparation of dosage forms and various combined preparations (tablets "Bekarbon", "Besalol", "Bellalgin", "Bellastezin", "Teofedrin", "Bepasal", "Urobesal", candles "Anuzol", "Betiol", pepper plaster and etc.).
6. Alkaloids from belladonna roots are part of combined medicines (Bellataminal, Solutan, Belloid, etc.).

Description of the belladonna plant.

Perennial herbaceous plant of the nightshade family. The stems are powerful, branched, up to 0.5-2 m high with dense dark green foliage. The leaves are ovate or elliptical, large, up to 22 long and 11 cm wide, and small, 7.5 long and 3.5 cm wide. Flowers solitary, drooping, rather large, located in the axils of the leaves. Corolla brown-violet, bell-shaped, up to 20-33 mm long and 12-20 mm wide. The fruit is a multi-seeded, shiny, black, juicy berry with purple juice, resembling a cherry in appearance and size. Belladonna blooms in the second half of summer.

Where does the belladonna plant grow?

The belladonna is distributed mainly in the mountain broad-leaved forests of the Crimea, the Caucasus and Upper Transnistria. Belladonna is common in the Carpathians and their spurs, in Western Ukraine to Lvov, in some places in Moldova and in the mountainous forest regions of Crimea. In the Caucasus, belladonna is found in the middle part of the mountains in Transcaucasia and in the North Caucasus, in the Krasnodar Territory, less often in more eastern regions. At present, large industrial plantations of belladonna have been established, mainly in the Krasnodar Territory and the Voronezh Region.

Collection of the medicinal plant belladonna.

The plant for medicinal purposes is harvested 3-4 times during the summer.
Dried leaves and roots of belladonna are used as medicinal raw materials. The leaves are green or brownish-green, lighter below, brittle, with a slight narcotic odor. The wild belladonna leaf is harvested by hand. At the beginning of flowering, the lower leaves are cut off before the branching of the stem, at the end of flowering, from the grown branches, and, finally, at the beginning of seed formation, the plant is mowed at a height of 10 cm from the ground. As the shoots grow, the leaves are harvested one or two more times, depending on the weather. The cut grass is cut into pieces up to 4 cm long, then dried.
The culture is stopped after 5-6 years. After the last mowing in autumn, the roots are dug up, washed, cut into pieces 10-20 cm long, often splitting them lengthwise, and dried.
Leaves and grass should be dried quickly, in dryers at 40 ° C, the roots can also be dried in the air. In leaf veins, alkaloids accumulate in more than in the pulp, therefore, when powdering the leaves, the veins cannot be discarded, although they are crushed much more difficult; the entire leaf without residue should be powdered.

Belladonna plant properties.

The generic name Atropa is given by the name of the goddess Atropa, who, according to ancient Roman myth, can cut the thread of human life at any moment. The species name belladonna also indicates the properties of this plant, but already completely different. It comes from the Italian words bella - "beautiful" and donna - "woman". In the old days, the juice of this plant was allowed into the eyes of women, which made the pupil dilate and the eyes acquired a special shine, and rubbed their cheeks with red juice.
Belladonna preparations are used as a persistent antispasmodic in diseases associated with spastic conditions, in particular with gastric and duodenal ulcers, pylorospasms, chronic hyperacid gastritis, pancreatitis, chronic colitis with pain syndrome, bronchial asthma, cholecystitis, concomitant cholelithiasis, renal colic . Belladonna preparations are also used as an antidote for poisoning with morphine and mushrooms. Belladonna root in the form of a wine decoction or in tablets called "Corbella" is used for shaking paralysis (Parkinson's disease). Leaves and herbs are used to make tincture, thick and dry extracts, which are part of numerous recipes for external and internal use. Belladonna extract is included, for example, in Besalol tablets. Belladonna leaf powder is found in Asthmatol, an anti-asthma smoking drug.
As a bronchodilator, atropine is used in aerosol form. The action in this case develops within 3-5 minutes.
Belladonna tincture is used as an antispastic agent, more often in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Assign inside at a dose of 5-10 drops per reception 2-3 times a day. Higher doses for adults: single 0.5 ml (23 drops).
Belladonna extract: maximum doses for adults, single 0.1 g, daily 0.3 g.

In the recent past, belladonna was used as a drink, along with henbane and later dope, it was one of the components of the famous "sorcerer's ointment", the toxic elements of which penetrate the body through the pores of the skin.

Belladonna use in folk medicine.

The herb and roots of the plant are widely used in both folk and scientific medicine for many diseases as an antispasmodic and analgesic. Belladonna preparations bring relief from gastric ulcer and spastic conditions of the gastrointestinal tract, gastritis with high acidity. They are prescribed for bronchial asthma, kidney stones and gallbladder, autonomic dystonia and vasoneurosis, in the treatment of parkinsonism.

The use of the belladonna plant in Parkinson's disease.

The Bulgarian healer Ivan Raev offers the following recipe for treating the disease: mix 30 g of crushed dry belladonna roots with a coffee cup of activated charcoal, pour 3 glasses of dry white wine and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, then strain. Take 1 teaspoon 3 times daily before meals for 3 consecutive days. 3 hours after the decoction, eat ground nutmeg on the tip of a knife and chew calamus root.

The use of the belladonna plant in bronchial asthma.

Take belladonna powder on the tip of a knife 2-3 times a day.

Belladonna plant contraindications.

Belladonna is contraindicated in organic changes in the cardiovascular system, but at the same time it helps to cope with bradycardia - slow heart activity. It is clear that you can not use it for tachycardia and arrhythmias. Belladonna treats some eye diseases, but with glaucoma it is categorically contraindicated.
Belladonna is a highly poisonous plant. All parts of belladonna are extremely toxic: ten to twenty of its black, shiny berries, about the size of a small cherry, are enough to be fatal. Death can occur even from a few berries eaten: motor excitation, delirium, convulsions appear. But here's the paradox: in case of poisoning with morphine and poisonous mushrooms, belladonna is used as an antidote.

Belladonna preparations are contraindicated during pregnancy.

This plant is known by various names - for some it is belladonna or belladonna, for others it is wolfberry or crazy cherry. But whatever you call it, the essence remains the same - it is a dangerous, but at the same time healing herb. Let's figure out what belladonna is ordinary.

general information

This is a perennial plant, reaching a height of 2 meters. Most often, the powerful roots of belladonna and its leaves are used for medicinal purposes, less often the stem. The most poisonous part of the plant is its berries. The photo clearly shows what the fruits of belladonna look like. These are glossy black balls, sweetish in taste. Only 2-3 berries can be a lethal dose for humans, but birds eat them without fear.

Belladonna grass blooms in the first year of life in August, and in subsequent years - from late spring to early autumn. Fruiting from July to September.

The name belladonna came from this plant thanks to Carl Linnaeus. In the Middle Ages, women instilled belladonna tincture into their eyes, because of which they shone more, and their eyes became more expressive. This technique was used as decoration. That is why Carl Linnaeus decided to associate the name of the plant with the phrase "bella donna", which means "beautiful woman" in translation. Krasavka is a name closer to the Russian language.

Origin and distribution

Historians found the first mention of this plant in documents dating back to the 4th-3rd centuries BC. In the old days, tumors and ulcers were treated with belladonna tinctures, not forgetting also the hallucinogenic properties of the plant. Very effective poisons from this plant were also popular.

Now belladonna grows in many European countries, and in Russia - only in the Caucasus and Crimea. But belladonna is the basis for many popular medicines, for which natural raw materials are not enough. Therefore, the plant is artificially grown in many regions - in Europe, Africa, America, Asia and Krasnodar Territory RF. Belladonna grass is thermophilic, so certain conditions are necessary for its cultivation. With proper care, the harvest of leaves is carried out 3-4 times a year.

The photo shows belladonna, the flower of which has already blossomed. They usually have a brown or dirty purple hue. The flowers of this plant are usually not used to create medicines.

medicinal properties

Belladonna is widely used for medicinal purposes. It owes its healing properties primarily to the alkaloids that make up the composition, and specifically to atropine. Under its action, the activity of transmission of nerve impulses weakens, which, accordingly, reduces pain. In addition, it reduces the tone of the smooth muscles of human organs.

The property, marked by medieval beauties, is still used today. Eye drops, which include atropine, contribute to the expansion of the pupil. This effect is familiar to everyone who has undergone a comprehensive examination by an ophthalmologist.

The main ones on the human body are listed:

1. Stimulates the respiratory system.
2. Increases the number of heartbeats per minute.
3. It inhibits the functions of various glands, reducing the secretion of saliva, sweat and gastric juice.
4. Increases nervous excitability. Overdose can lead to convulsions.

Despite the abundance healing properties, do not forget that belladonna is deadly in large doses.

What diseases does it fight?

The scope of belladonna in medicine is very wide. Therefore, all its actions against various diseases are best given in the form of a list:

1. Relieves spasms in the respiratory system in bronchial asthma.
2. Increases heart contractions in pathologies of the circulatory system (angina pectoris, bradycardia).
3. It has an antispasmodic effect in digestive diseases (gastritis, ulcers, pancreatitis, colic and colitis).
4. Reduces the activity of sweat and lacrimal glands with their increased secretion.
5. It is used to withdraw from depressive conditions, reduce the symptoms of Parkinson's disease and cerebral palsy.
6. Atropine films are used to combat chronic aphthous stomatitis;
7. It is an antidote for antidepressants,
8. It is used to prepare for anesthesia or surgery as a substance that reduces spasm of the larynx and bronchi and reduces the activity of the glands.

Belladonna extract is also used in homeopathy and is included in medicines to combat insomnia, motion sickness and Meniere's disease.

Medical preparations

Belladonna herb is not included in the composition of medicinal fees, since, with uncontrolled intake, it is a substance dangerous to human health. However, there is a large number of pharmaceutical preparations with belladonna:

1. Belladonna tincture, used as an antispasmodic and means to increase the heart rate with a low pulse.
2. Medicines for the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract - Becarbon, Bepasal, Besalol, Bellastezin, Gastric tablets.
3. From bronchitis and asthma - "Solutan".
4. From hemorrhoids and cracks in the anus - rectal suppositories "Betiol" and "Anuzol".
5. In neurology, "Bellataminal" is used.
6. With intoxication, encephalitis and parkinsonism - "Corbell".
7. Atropine sulfate - has a wide spectrum of action.

Although most of these drugs can be purchased without a prescription, it is recommended that you consult your doctor before using them.

Belladonna: instructions for creating tincture and decoction

Despite the fact that there are a large number of drugs based on belladonna, some people prefer to prepare infusions at home. It is not recommended to do this, since it is easy to make a mistake and get serious poisoning.

Below are the recipes for those who still dare:

1. 5 grams of crushed plant root put in enamelware, add 100 ml of white wine and a little animal charcoal (0.09 grams). Boil for 10 minutes, then leave for 2 hours. Strain. The resulting decoction should be taken by adults 1 teaspoon per day, gradually increasing the dose to two. Store no more than 2 weeks in a dark cool place.
2. Mix belladonna leaves with alcohol (40%) in proportions of 1:10. Let it brew. Take 5-10 drops for adults, 1-5 drops for children (1 drop per 10 kg of weight).

Despite the fact that the recipes are still given, it is strongly not recommended to use tinctures on your own, especially in the case of children.

Belladonna: application without consequences

In addition to the obvious lack of belladonna - a poisonous component - it is also worth noting some restrictions in taking drugs with it. strictly contraindicated in pregnant and lactating women, as well as those who have individual intolerance or hypersensitivity to any elements of the drug. Therefore, the medication is started with minimal doses to prevent overdose.

You can not use drugs that include belladonna grass, people with serious diseases of the cardiovascular system, with glaucoma, exhaustion and some kidney diseases. In addition, during the period of use of such drugs, it is not recommended to drive and engage in activities that require increased concentration and clarity of vision.

Poisoning

Intoxication can occur due to an overdose of preparations based on belladonna, when eating the plant itself or infusions prepared incorrectly at home. Most problems can cause berries, photos of which are given at the beginning of the article.

The main signs of poisoning:

1. Dryness in the nose and mouth.
2. Redness of the skin of the face.
3. Dilated pupils and blurred vision.
4. Headaches.
5. Impaired coordination.
6. and hallucinations.
7. Diarrhea and nausea, turning into vomiting.
8. Violation of urination and defecation.

At the next stage, the work of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems is disrupted, convulsions appear. If the patient is not treated in time, serious poisoning can lead to loss of consciousness and death. When the above signs appear, you need to urgently call an ambulance, wash the patient's stomach and give activated charcoal.

There are many in nature medicinal plants, but one of the most useful and dangerous is belladonna. Its flower is not so beautiful as to decorate the house, but belladonna-based medicines can help overcome many diseases.