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Nature's Pharmacy: Ancient Knowledge, Modern Medicine
Deadly Nightshade
Atropa belladonna
Name, Habitat and Appearance
Deadly nightshade is a poisonous plant of the Solanaceae family, which also includes the common potato, tomato, tobacco and chili pepper. This herbaceous perennial grows from a creeping rootstock to a height of five feet, producing bell-like purplish-red flowers and black berries containing a purple juice. Deadly Nightshade has gone by many names, including belladonna which is Latin for "beautiful lady." Other names given to this plant include: Devil's Cherries, Naughty Man's Cherries, Devil's Herb, Great Morel, and Dwayberry. In the days of Chaucer, it was known as Dwale, probably derived from the Scandinavian word dool, which means to delay or sleep. Others believe dwale is derived from the French word deuil, which means grief, a reference to its fatal properties. Its scientific name, atropain, refers to one of the Greek Fates, Atropos, who held the shears which cut the thread of human life--yet another reference to its deadly, poisonous nature. Every part of the plant contains chemicals called Alkaloids, and should not be handled if there are any cuts or abrasions on the hands. The root is the most poisonous, leaves and flowers less so, and the berries least of all. However, the cherry sized berries are most often responsible for poisoning in humans, especially children. The leaves and roots contain Atropine which has wide ranging medicinal effects and uses in proper doses. In greater quantities, atropine can cause death.
Legends and Folklore
Deadly nightshade's poisonous nature is well known and has been employed throughout the centuries. Legends say that the plant belongs to the devil who tends it in his leisure and can only be diverted from its care on one night in the year, on Walpurgis, the witches' sabbath. The name may also refer to an old superstition that claims that the plant can take on the form of an enchantress of great beauty whom it is dangerous to look upon.
In History of Scotland (1582), Buchanan relates the tale of Macbeth poisoning an army of invading Danes with a liquor containing deadly nightshade. It was given to the Danes during a truce, so they did not suspect poison. The invaders drank deeply and were easily overpowered and murdered in their sleep by the Scots.
History
Deadly nightshade is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa; cultivated in central Europe, England, the United States, and northern India; naturalized in the eastern United States and can be found in meadows, forests and waste lands. In centuries past, Italian women used small amounts of plant juice as a cosmetic to dilate (widen) the pupils of their eyes. This gave the eyes greater brilliancy and was considered a sign of beauty. Scopolamine was added to morphine in 1902 to cause a trance-like state called "twilight sleep" to lessen the pain and the mortality of childbirth. This chemical was also the infamous "truth serum" once used in so many legal battles and court cases. This hypnotic "serum" may still be used in some countries for "brain-washing."
Historical Uses
- To lessen irritability and pain
- Plaster or liniment for neuralgia, gout, rheumatism and sciatica
- To check excessive sweating and secretions
- To allay inflammation
- To treat corns and bunions
- Plasters for injuries, sprains and cardiac region pain
- To allay cardiac palpitation
- To protect from infection of scarlet fever
- In cases of circulatory collapse from acute diseases
Warnings
All parts are very poisonous and should be used only under medical supervision.
Current Medical Uses
Deadly nightshade contains the psychoactive alkaloids atropine, scopolamine and hyoscyamine. Atropine is used to treat asthma, bradycardia (slow heart beat), gastric ulcers, hay fever and the tremors and paralysis of Parkinson's disease. Atropine is also synthetically manufactured for the following medicinal purposes:
- To inhibit or diminish the secretion of bodily fluids during surgery. Administered prior to anaesthetic.
- Sometimes used to paralyze the focusing mechanism in children's eyes in preparation for surgery.
- Used in nasal decongestants.
- As an antispasmodic in treating spasmodic asthma and hyperacidity.
- As a muscle relaxant to relieve some gastrointestinal contractions and intestinal colic.
- In 1967, atropine was a major factor in saving lives in Tijuana, Mexico, when many people were poisoned by ingesting bread exposed to the deadly insecticide, parathion.
- Given in large doses to children for whooping cough and false croup.
During World War II, the Germans invented a type of nerve gas that was odorless, colorless and very deadly. The only antidote to prevent the paralyzing effect of this gas was atropine. Luckily the German gas was never used in combat.
- Effective in treating acute sore throats and relieving local inflammation and congestion.
The derivatives Scopolamine, and hyoscyamine are used in a number of antispasmodics that treat intestinal disorders like diarrhea, irritable colon and peptic ulcers.
The photograph of Nightshade used in the exhibit.
Click here for more great sites on nightshade.
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