Black nightshade is a grassy annual that is found almost throughout Eurasia. Many people think that this is a useless and poisonous weed, but in fact, it has strong healing properties.
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Nightshade black: plant description
The people call the black nightshade plant differently - funnel, bzdnik, late ... Science, however, christened this herbaceous plant Solanum nigrum and assigned it to the nightshade family.
Nightshade has its own distinctive features, by which it is very easy to recognize:
- oval leaves with a serrated edge;
- straight branchy stem;
- miniature snow-white flowers collected in umbrellas;
- spherical fruits of black or dark purple color, resembling blueberries.
It blooms in the second half of summer, the fruits ripen in August and early autumn. Often it can be found on the banks of water bodies, landfills, vegetable gardens, ravines, roadsides.
The benefits of the body for the human body
The benefits and harms of this herb have long been debated by scientists. Although nightshade and recognized as a useful medicinal plant, but still you need to use it very carefully.
In moderate amounts, it has a beneficial effect on the body:
- lowers blood pressure;
- dilates blood vessels;
- removes inflammation;
- removes excess fluid;
- normalizes the functioning of the nervous system;
- improves eyesight;
- relieves parasites;
- removes insomnia.
The late is used externally to quickly eliminate itching, redness, purulent skin lesions.
Poison and healing properties of the late
Many do not know whether the nightshade is poisonous or not. The unripe fruits do contain the poisonous substance corned beef, but they are not present in ripe berries.It goes into other forms and loses its toxicity.
But in the composition of nightshade there are a lot of useful substances:
- tannins;
- carotene;
- vitamin C;
- glycosides;
- vitamin C.
The plant has strong wound healing, anti-inflammatory, analgesic properties.
This makes it possible to use it for the treatment of such diseases:
- atherosclerosis;
- fever;
- neuroses of various kinds;
- rheumatism;
- gastritis and other gastrointestinal diseases;
- epilepsy;
- hysteria;
- cystitis;
- scrofula;
- hemorrhoids;
- sinusitis and rhinitis;
- diarrhea;
- bronchial asthma;
- hypertension;
- headache.
Externally, drugs based on nightshade are used to treat skin rashes, pustular skin diseases, boils, and lichens.
Funnel in folk medicine
In folk medicine, this plant has been used for a very long time. Hippocrates wrote about its properties. In official medicine, the medicinal properties of this plant are not documented, but this does not prevent traditional healers from actively using it to treat various diseases in the form of decoctions, infusions, juice and ointments. For medicinal purposes, grass is harvested together with leaves in the second half of summer, and berries at the end of summer.
The most common recipes for traditional medicine:
- Gastrointestinal diseases. Need to take 2 tsp. leaves, pour 300 ml of boiling water, insist for 2 hours. Drink 1 tbsp. l 1/3 hour before meals.
- Rheumatism. For 1 tsp. inflorescences take 200 ml of boiling water, leave for 2 hours, take 1 tbsp. l before main meals.
- Atherosclerosis, hypertension. It is enough to eat 5-6 ripe berries every day.
- Asthma, headaches. To prepare the broth, you need to take 1 tsp. dry raw materials per 200 ml of hot water. Boil ¼ h over low heat. Cool the cooled broth and dilute with boiled water.
- Weakened immunity. Pour a handful of berries with alcohol, insist 4 - 5 days and take 20 drops, diluting them in a glass of water.
- Angina, laryngitis. Need 3 tbsp. l diluted fresh juice in 100 ml of warm water, insist for 30 minutes and gargle.
- Pustular skin diseases. In such cases, compresses from strained infusion of leaves are very useful. 4 tbsp. l pour 1 liter of boiled water and insist for at least 3.5 hours
Juice of ripe berries is used to improve vision in old age, as well as to eliminate insomnia. It can also be buried in the sinuses with sinusitis and rhinitis.
Particularly useful is nightshade for women. It normalizes the cycle, has a beneficial effect on the body with both scarce and heavy bleeding.
Culinary Application
Ripe berries are often used as food. They make jams, jams, jelly, compotes. Sweet blanks are then used as a filling for various pies. Black nightshade berry has a specific smell, which can be removed by dousing it with boiling water. The scalded fruits are then used for their intended purpose.
Making jelly from berries is very simple. Fruits should be grated through a fine sieve, pour boiling water, bring to a boil, strain, add starch and cook until thickened.
In the Caucasus, young leaves are even used as an ingredient for salads.
Possible harm from black nightshade
Of the contraindications, the following should be mentioned:
- diarrhea;
- hypotension;
- severe pancreatic disease;
- liver disease
- pregnancy and lactation;
- childhood.
Long-term consumption of berries in large quantities can cause dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, heaviness in the head, and even cramping.
Signs of plant poisoning
Mild poisoning is accompanied by sore throat, nausea and diarrhea.
In severe cases, a person complains of the following symptoms:
- severe vomiting
- frequent and loose stools;
- severe weakness and dizziness;
- heart rate increase;
- profuse wet cough;
- decreased visual acuity;
- dilated pupils;
- speech impairment;
- dyspnea;
- cramps.
It is even possible death from cardiac arrest or breathing.
Signs of late poisoning resemble poisoning with bleached or green potatoes. The patient may even lose consciousness. The victim urgently needs to be taken to a medical institution, where he will be washed his stomach and prescribed the necessary drugs. If there is no way to show the patient to the doctor, you need to rinse his stomach with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Most often poisoning is received by children who eat attractive-looking immature berries of bright scarlet color. Therefore, if there are kids in the house, it is definitely not worth leaving the nightshade bushes on the site.
In no case should you eat unripe berries as food or medicine. All parts of the plant, except ripe berries, are toxic. Corned beef can cause severe poisoning, while it does not collapse even with prolonged heat treatment.
Solanum can be treated only after prior consultation with a phytotherapist and only under its supervision.