Egyptian Belena

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Egyptian henbane (Latin Hyoscyamus muticus) - a perennial herbaceous succulent plant or shrub from the genus Belena (Latin Hyoscyamus) of the Solanaceae family (Latin Solanaceae). All parts of the plant contain toxic substances, which in large quantities can lead to fatal results for humans, and in dosage quantities are used by the pharmaceutical industry for the production of a number of drugs. The homeland of Egyptian Belena is considered to be the desert regions of North Africa, including Egypt. Raw materials harvested in a number of countries in which Egyptian belena grows are exported mainly to Germany, where the pharmaceutical industry produces drugs that are sold all over the world.

Description

Egyptian henbane is a perennial succulent succulent herb, glabrous or pubescent, or a shrub that grows to a height of one and a half meters under favorable conditions. Strong stems of the plant in the upper part are highly branched. The succulent leaves in the lower part of the plant are wide, from ovoid to rectangular, wedge-shaped or truncated, as a rule, with several large teeth. The upper leaves are narrower, lanceolate, often whole.

The flowers form picturesque dense inflorescences. The corolla of the flower is colored white or green and is additionally enhanced with juicy purple-violet strokes, which give the flower and the whole plant a spectacularly noble appearance. However, behind the external beauty and seeming nobility hides a very toxic plant that can destroy a person.

The culmination of the growing season is the capsule fruit.

The healing abilities of the plant

The healing abilities of Egyptian henbane are due to the high content in the leaves of the plant of a toxic alkaloid called "scopolamine", using small doses of which, pharmacists prepare drugs that reduce the feeling of nausea that occurs during sea rolling or during postoperative recovery.

Scopolamine in its effect on the human body is close to "atropine". Like the latter, it causes dilation of the pupils, which is required for fundus examinations or eye surgeries. In addition, scopolamine relaxes smooth muscles, accelerates heartbeats, and is able to have a hypnotic effect.

Egyptian belena is actively harvested in the wild, where it grows in deserts, in rocky places, on plains, in the so-called "wadis" - dry river beds, periodically filled with water (for example, in the case of occasional rains), which revives the local vegetation. peace. Also, the plant is specially bred on plantations in a number of countries, for example, in Egypt, India, Pakistan, exporting the collected raw materials mainly to Germany, where medicines for the whole planet are prepared from it. Harvesting is carried out approximately three weeks after the beginning of flowering, when the fruits of the belena begin to ripen. During this period, the concentration of alkaloids required by pharmacists in the leaves is the highest. In smaller quantities, alkaloids are present in the stems and roots of the plant. For medicinal purposes, Egyptian henbane seed oil is also of interest.

People use the ability of a plant in small doses to cause an intoxicating state in a person in the following way: intoxicating drinks are prepared from fried seeds, the leaves are used instead of smoking tobacco. This "smoking" relieves asthma attacks. Leaves poultices relieve pain.

However, the uncontrolled use of the leaves of the plant can lead to death in case of overdose. Such properties of Egyptian belena were used in ancient Rome, eliminating their rivals with the help of poison.

Therefore, it is not worthwhile to self-medicate using Egyptian Belena herb. It is much more efficient to purchase German medicines.