Nightshade - general description
Nightshade (Solánum nígrum) is an annual herbaceous plant whose height usually does not exceed a meter. The stem of the nightshade is straight. The leaves are heart-shaped, equipped with cuttings. Flowering plants occur in July-August in small white flowers in the shape of an asterisk. And in August-September, black fruits are already formed, the size of a medium pea.
Hippocrates also mentions the medicinal properties of nightshade. In addition, the berries of this plant are eaten. As a filling in pies they are used in Siberia, in the Urals. Siberians cook jam from the nightshade berries and jam. For the preparation of delicacies, only ripe berries are used. In the Caucasus, the leaves of black nightshade go for food. Once upon a time, nightshade berries were used as a dye. According to some reports, the plant prevents the appearance of the Colorado potato beetle.
Nightshade - types and places of growth
The genus nightshade contains more than 900 different species of plants that prefer a temperate and warm climate. It includes crops (tomato, potato, eggplant), and medicinal (black nightshade, for example).
Black nightshade grows throughout Eurasia. In Russia, nightshade is growing everywhere. Actually, nightshade is considered a weed, but very useful. It usually grows along roadsides, fields. You can meet the nightshade on wastelands, along the shores of various reservoirs, and even in small bushes.
Nightshade - healing properties
Nightshade is able to have a calming effect on the patient’s nervous system. Solanum preparations are used by folk medicine to relieve spasms of various origins, with hypertension, headaches and atherosclerosis, hysteria, neurosis and epilepsy, rheumatic and gouty pains. Nightshade is used for colds and fever, for pain in the ears, for dyspepsia, pyelitis and cystitis. Outwardly, preparations from nightshade are used to treat lichen, boils and scrofula, ulcers and festering wounds.
Nightshade - dosage forms
For the preparation of various dosage forms, young shoots of nightshade with leaves, as well as ripe berries, are used.
Leaves and shoots of plants are harvested throughout the summer season. They dry them in the fresh air, having covered them with sunshades from canopies. The raw materials must be decomposed in layers of 3-5 cm so that it does not begin to rot. Dried and nightshade flowers.
In order for the berries to be suitable for use, it is necessary to wait for their full ripening. Therefore, they are harvested in late autumn. They can be dried in the sun and in dryers at 40 to 60 ° C.
Use fresh juice of nightshade berries stored in the refrigerator. From solanum they prepare: infusions of flowers, berries, leaves, tinctures from fresh shoots with flowers, decoctions of herbs with flowers and leaves, compresses and lotions based on the infusion of leaves or berries, a bath from the infusion of the tops of the plant and ointment from the leaves.
Nightshade - recipes
Fresh nightshade juice will help with sore throats. In 100 ml of cooled boiled water add 3 tbsp. juice. With a solution, gargle up to 6 times a day.
A wide spectrum of action in the infusion of nightshade flowers. It helps with severe coughing. After a course of treatment, sputum begins to recede and the patient's condition eases. The same infusion has a diuretic property and helps with rheumatism. For infusion, 1 tsp. flowers pour 250 ml of boiling water, stand for 2 hours. According to 1 tbsp. l drink 4 times a day.
We prepare vodka tincture from shoots with flowers. She should lubricate hemorrhoids and purulent abscesses. To prepare tinctures, grind and mix 20 g of fresh shoots with 200 ml of vodka. For two weeks, insist the mixture in a dark place, shaking regularly. Strain and squeeze the tincture. This tincture and drink 10-30 drops, diluting them with a quarter glass of water, three times a day before meals.
Nightshade - contraindications
Unripe fruits contain strong poison - corned beef, which is destroyed when the berries ripen. But ripe fruits, as well as leaves, should be used very carefully. For children, pregnant and lactating women, nightshade preparations are contraindicated.
There may be individual intolerance to the plant.
Comments
little bitterness. We were also told that they are poisonous, but only green. They are green not tasty. I have a nightshade bush growing in the garden. And the berries are ripe. So I wanted to know their medicinal properties. Now I know.
