Latin name: Solanum DulcamaraGenus: Bittersweet nightshade family, poisonous! common names: Glossy berry, gingwort, red dogberry, devil’s clawPlant description: Tendrilous, woody below, herbaceous above. Stem marrow-filled, leaves ovate to heart-shaped.
Violet flowers with yellow stamens from June to August. The ripe, intensely red berries are ovate. Likes to grow in damp, shady places. Closely related to belladonna, datura and henbane, but not quite as poisonous as these. Nevertheless, self-treatment is not recommended.
Medicinally used plant parts
The upper parts of the stem
Ingredients
Glycosides, bitter substances, saponins, steroid alkaloids, tannins.
Healing effect and use of bittersweet
In folk medicine, bittersweet is considered a so-called “blood cleansing agent” for rheumatic diseases and skin diseases, for fever, pneumonia, jaundice and venereal diseases.
Application in homeopathy
The homeopathic remedy is called Dulcamara and is used for joint and muscle rheumatism as a result of colds, bladder catarrh and gastroenteritis with cramps. Commonly used D2,3,4.
Bittersweet preparation
Because of its toxicity, the layman should not use bittersweet.
Side effect
Symptoms of agitation, speech disorders, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, cramps, difficulty swallowing.
