Black Henbane: Applications, Treatments, Health Benefits

Black henbane belongs to the nightshade family. It reaches a height of growth of 30 to 80 cm. The herb occasionally grows taller than 1.5 meters. Henbane has been used to treat pain since ancient times.

Occurrence and cultivation of black henbane.

Henbane has been used to treat pain since ancient times. Black henbane, also called Hyoscyamus niger, is sticky-haired and shaggy. The foliage is tapered, oval, and bight-coarsely toothed. The flowers appear in the leaf axils no earlier than May. Their petals are partially fused together. The fruit capsules appear from August and contain up to 200 small seeds. When fresh, the leaves, just like the entire plant, have a repugnant, strong and numbing odor, as well as a faintly bitter, insipid taste. When dried, the leaves shrink a lot due to their soft texture. They also change their gray-greenish color to brownish-green. Likewise, as their odor weakens a bit, they become somewhat unrecognizable. Their most important constituent is the crystallizable alkaloid, hyoscyamine. The black henbane is widespread in Europe, North Africa as well as in parts of Asia. However, populations are sporadic, with the species being rather rare in Europe. Suitable sites include fresh, well-drained, nutritious, nitrogenous sandy or loamy soils. It grows preferentially on roadsides and field margins, walls, but also on fallow land. All parts of the plant are poisonous, with the highest concentration of active ingredient found in the roots and seeds.

Effect and application

Black henbane has been used to treat pain since ancient times, whether in Egypt, Babylon or Persia. For internal use, the seeds were used, and for external use, the fresh leaves were used to relieve pain. Henbane also served as a narcotic during surgical procedures. The whole constituents can be used, for example, as essence, oil, extract and plaster. The leaves can also be boiled for tea. The effect can be best dosed individually if the leaves and seeds are smoked. Taking them raw is not advisable, because too high doses can sometimes lead to death. Therefore, doses should always be very low, as the alkaloid content of the plants is difficult to estimate. Leaves and seeds of black henbane are valued as a strong narcotic, analgesic and antispasmodic. The herb also has sedative, diuretic and blood purifying effects. The poisonous henbane may only be used in the form of prescribed ready-to-use medicines as well as in homeopathic preparation. Depending on the plant, the active ingredient content varies. Tolerance is different for all people. Leaves weighing over 0.5 grams are toxic. Visual sensory illusions are possible with over 1 milligram of active ingredient content. Therefore, self-experimentation with black henbane is strongly discouraged, because overdose can lead to death resulting from respiratory paralysis. Symptoms of poisoning include redness of the skin, dry mouth, drowsiness, restlessness, hallucinations (sensory illusions), confusion, dilation of the pupils, unconsciousness, cardiac arrhythmias, comatose states, and death from respiratory paralysis.

Health significance, treatment, and prevention.

Hyoscyamus niger belongs to the popular naturopathic medicines of herbal origin. For this, the source substance is provided by the black henbane. As is the case with all plants of the nightshade family, this herb also contains toxic active ingredients, including atropine and the alkaloids scopolamine and hyoscyamine. Black henbane has been used as a poisonous and medicinal plant since ancient times. The herb is also used for ritual purposes and cultic practices. It is one of the world’s oldest narcoticas and acts as a sedative and as a remedy for insomnia. Nowadays, homeopathy uses henbane primarily for restlessness and anxiety. Meanwhile, mainly the individual substances are processed into standardized finished medicines, for example, scopolamine against nausea or vomiting, as an antidote for poisoning with insecticides and for anesthesia preparation. It is also used for respiratory diseases, eye inflammations, earaches and to relieve cramps.Mainly the leaves of the herb are arranged as one of the most important remedies for numerous painful and spasmodic ailments, for example, nervous fever, epilepsy, stomach cramp, cough, hysteria, rheumatisms, inflammatory diseases such as pneumonia, fractures that are pinched, and painful ailments of the genital and urinary organs. The henbane is firmly established in Chinese medicine to treat cough attacks. Since the complete medicinal plant is very poisonous, its use is limited. In terms of application, the leaves and the seeds, which are found in the fruits, are used from the plant. Nowadays, the active ingredient of black henbane is used, for example, in a ready-made medicine, which is used for eye examination. These eye drops cause the pupils to dilate. The henbane is also found in ointments used to treat scars. Due to the toxicity of henbane, it requires a prescription as a medication. People suffering from diseases of the heart should avoid black henbane at all costs. Pregnant women, lactating women and children should also refrain from consuming it completely because of its toxic ingredients.