Autumn crocus is a very poisonous plant. Therefore, its use is advised only according to medical prescription. However, autumn crocus is the only effective herb against gout diseases.
Occurrence and cultivation of meadow saffron
The plant sprouts perennially and can survive harsh winters very well due to its strongly formed bulb. The scientific name for the autumn crocus is Colchicum autumnale. It belongs to the plant family of the timulae, also called Colchicaceae. Autumn crocus is native to the whole of Central Europe. It prefers meadows and pastures as its habitat. The plant sprouts perennially and can survive hard winters very well due to its strongly formed bulb. In spring the plant grows elliptical pointed leaves directly from the bulb. Visually, they are easily confused with the leaves of wild garlic or lily of the valley. In autumn, when there is hardly anything left of the leaves, the meadow saffron blooms. Now it is confusingly similar to the crocus. The flowering period is between August and November. The flowers themselves are pink to purple in color and have a cup-like shape. Numerous seeds emerge from this flower by the following summer, sealed in a capsule. Autumn crocus contains the cytotoxin colchicine, as well as other alkaloids, oils, proteins and tannins.
Effect and application
Autumn crocus is highly toxic and should not be collected, grown or used by itself. Since it looks confusingly similar to wild garlic, poisoning often occurs in the spring. Only in finished preparations or homeopathically should be used. In folk medicine, tinctures of meadow saffron were mixed and used for gouty diseases. However, since the active ingredient content in these tinctures is subject to wide fluctuations, parts of meadow saffron should not be used in this way. Dangerous poisoning may occur. Finished preparations are usually obtained from the tuber of meadow saffron. In the manufacture of these preparations, standardized production guarantees compliance with limit values. The active ingredient is the toxic alkaloid colchicine. An undiluted solution from meadow saffron would only help against gout and the acute pain associated with it. During an attack of gout, there are large quantities of white blood cells in the affected tissue. Their proliferation can be inhibited by the cytotoxin colchicine, which also has an anti-inflammatory effect. Specifically, colchicine is a mitotic poison, which means that it inhibits cell nucleus division at a certain stage of cell proliferation, the mitotic phase. When the cells can no longer divide, the cell dies. However, permanent treatment is not possible with autumn crocus. To improve gout in the longer term, the elevated uric acid levels in the blood must be lowered. In the short term, colchicine can also prevent the phagocytes from taking up uric acid crystals. This is because the lactic acid secreted during this process increases the acidic environment in the blood and promotes the formation of further uric acid. The poison of meadow saffron can interrupt this cycle and thus stop the inflammatory process. Autumn crocus can also be used to treat neuralgia, rheumatic complaints and certain forms of leukemia as well as skin cancer. It is important to have specific dosage instructions from a specialist. Unauthorized dosage can quickly lead to poisoning. In this case, the cytotoxin colchicine paralyzes the capillary vessels, resulting in a hemorrhage with subsequent severe bleeding. Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, severe and usually bloody diarrhea, and colic in conjunction with a strong feeling of thirst. As a consequence, affected persons suffer severe anxiety, dizziness up to delirium and a collapse of cardiac activity. Severe poisoning usually leads to death. The cytotoxin of meadow saffron has only a narrow therapeutic range, thus the degree between efficacy and poisoning is very narrow. The higher the prescribed dose, the more frequent and severe the side effects may be. Thus, it is also possible that if the dosage is too strong, the patient will only feel the side effects of the poison and the actual effect will be absent.
Significance for health, treatment and prevention.
Autumn crocus is a poisonous plant and at the same time a recognized medicinal plant. It is successfully used in both traditional and alternative medicine.Treatment of gout patients with products of autumn crocus has a long tradition in medicine. Already in ancient times, the effect of the plant on gout sufferers was known. However, meadow saffron was rather used as a murder or suicide poison, because its effect was fast and strong. Seeds, tubers and leaves of the plant, which blooms in autumn, are available for treatment. Products made from the seeds of meadow saffron are no longer used today because their toxin content was too high and the risk of poisoning the patient was too great. However, finished products from the tubers and leaves are produced and prescribed. The active ingredient is the alkaloid colchicine. Tablets or drops are made from it. Nevertheless, with permanent treatment there is a risk of undesirable side effects. In naturopathy, autumn crocus is used homeopathically potentized. Here, however, the poison of meadow saffron can be very effective. In addition, there is no danger of poisoning when administered homeopathically. The poison is diluted too much. According to the similarity rule, it helps against all health problems that would also be associated with poisoning. These include: Vomiting, diarrhea and intestinal inflammation, stomach inflammation, heart problems, head neuralgia, rheumatism and irritable cough. Ideally, pregnancy nausea in the first trimester can also be treated with the homeopathic remedy, as it has no side effects. It can be administered from the potency D4. A strong hypersensitivity to food odors and a feeling of nausea at the sight of food, which often even triggers retching, speak in favor of prescribing Colchicum.
