There are plants that have acquired so many myths, it is difficult to determine their true value. It is to such concerns hemlock plants - one of the most poisonous plants, which would still used in traditional medicine in many countries as a medicinal plant.

What is and where hemlock grows

Hemlock spotted - a perennial herb of the family umbrella with high (up to 1 m or more) stems, covered with brownish-purple spots. Leaves compound, twice or three times pinnate, dissected. The flowers are small, white, gathered in complex umbrellas. Fruit - dvusemyanka without spout, with wavy edges, if the fruit is grind, it gives off an unpleasant smell of a mouse.

Hemlock spotted growing in central Russia, the Caucasus, Western Siberia, often forming thickets whole. It is a widespread plant that grows in the temperate zone, it grows almost everywhere, loves river valleys, weedy places, blooms in June and July, the fruits ripen in September. Hemlock spotted very similar to parsley Parsley Health and Beauty   and wild carrot, which is the cause of permanent poisoning by this plant.

Action on the human body

All parts of the plant (but mostly in fruits and seeds) contains five poisonous alkaloid (biologically active substances that can have on the human body strong impact), of which the most important alkaloid Konin.

Coniine - a poison that has nerve. When injected into the human body coniine rapidly absorbed into the blood, it affects the central nervous system (at first exciting, then depressing) and causes paralysis of the endings of sensory and motor nerves. Because the body coniine excreted in the urine and partly in expired air.

The juice of hemlock was used in ancient times to enforce the death penalty. According to legend, this is how Socrates was poisoned - in ancient Greece used for this purpose hemlock juice - one of the species of hemlock.

Symptoms of poisoning and first aid

Unfortunately, such cases are, as this poisonous plant is similar to a number of edible. Often poisoning get kids playing with hemlock. Symptoms of poisoning: headache, dizziness Dizziness - if the ground is slipping from under his feet , Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, salivation, cold sweat, visual disturbances (vibrations of objects in front of the eyes, blurred objects) and hearing. The face is pale, swallowing difficult, slow pulse first, and then a rapid, irregular, pupils contracted, there jerking of muscles that go into spasm expressed. Grows from the bottom up loss of sensation and motor activity: the paralysis begins with a stop, rises to the diaphragm, causing her paralysis, the person stops breathing. The legs are heavy, there is a fever throughout the body, creeping sensation in the feet, unsteadiness of gait. Mild cases of poisoning may confine disorder of the digestive system, while heavy on the forefront paralysis and respiratory failure.

The diagnosis of poisoning is confirmed by laboratory tests: the detection in the vomit of the affected pieces of hemlock and spotted horse meat.

First aid for poisoning spotted hemlock is gastric lavage pink solution of potassium permanganate (to make sure that the solution did not contain crystals of potassium permanganate, it needs to make a first concentrated solution, and then add it to the water), and then give the victim a saline laxative and activated carbon Activated carbon - old but indispensable   (20 tablets) which precipitates on the surface poison. At the hospital intravenously injected large amounts of fluids with diuretics (forced diuresis). It held also struggle with seizures, respiratory failure and cardiac arrhythmias. In severe cases, a blood purification method hemosorption and ventilation.

Application of hemlock in folk medicine

In Russia, hemlock spotted as a medicinal plant is not registered, use it for therapeutic purposes is prohibited.

However, until now it is believed that the plant has immunostimulant, analgesic, anticonvulsant, sedative, antispasmodic (relieves muscle spasm of the internal organs and blood vessels), and anti-inflammatory action. In folk medicine used to treat hemlock malignancies. This plant mentioned in the works of Avicenna. Old Russian healers treated with hemlock ulcers and skin cancer Skin cancer - a full recovery possible .

Use a poisonous plant with curative intent can only herbalist with extensive experience and knowledge passed down from generation to generation, as the slightest excess of the dose of the drug received fraught with fatal complications.

The appearance and properties of hemlock spotted need to know everything, but not to be treated, but in order not to confuse it with useful plants.

Galina Romanenko

Honeysuckle - a type of ornamental plants, which is characterized by ruggedness and frost. Despite the fact that the chemical composition of honeysuckle has not been studied in folk medicine and its use as a medicinal plant, but it should be done with caution and on doctor's orders.

The botanical characteristics

Honeysuckle is an ornamental shrub up to 2, 5 meters, which shearing takes the desired shape and is often used as a hedge. Honeysuckle leaves arranged on short stalks are rounded oblong shape, length from 2, 5 to 8 cm and a width of not more than 4 cm, gray-green color. The flowers are double, pink-red hues with a whisk. Flowering time - May-June. The fruits are round, yellow-red-orange, no more than a centimeter long, ripen in July-September, not edible, contain a number of toxic substances.

It grows in the wild honeysuckle in central Russia, Western Siberia. The plant is unpretentious, frost, but loves the sun, growing on the sunny slopes of hills, forest glades, river valleys, among other forest shrubs.

Beneficial features

The composition of many medicinal plants is insufficiently studied or not studied at all. Such plants are, and honeysuckle. In the bark of this plant contains saponins, alkaloids, coumarins, bioflavonoids (eg rutin), ascorbic acid, tannins, higher aliphatic carbohydrates. The flowers contain essential oils Essential oils and conception: can help the roses?   and a simple sugar (sucrose, glucose Glucose: The energy source , Fructose), the fruit - higher aliphatic hydrocarbons.

With the aim of drug used mainly honeysuckle bark, infusions and decoctions of which have antibacterial properties. A decoction of the bark honeysuckle also contributes to the normalization of thyroid function The thyroid gland - is responsible for your hormones . Suppresses the livelihoods of some simple infusion of branches and leaves of this plant, it is used topically for the treatment of trichomoniasis. Honeysuckle also has antiviral properties.

In the country honeysuckle will help get rid of the weed - during flowering essential oils contained in the flowers, inhibits their growth. At the same time, this plant stimulates the growth of these trees, like oak and poplar.

Application

Since fruits honeysuckle have toxic properties of a drug to not apply. As an antiseptic, this plant is used mainly externally with pustular skin eruptions, microbial eczema, festering sores and wounds.

Decoctions of bark and branches of the honeysuckle is used for rinsing the mouth with stomatitis, inflammatory diseases of the gums (gingivitis), dental caries More about caries - take care of your teeth until it's too late As well as the appearance of halitosis. The same decoction can gargle purulent tonsillitis and pharyngitis during bacterial or viral origin.

It is believed that the bark decoction honeysuckle help with goiter. For this purpose, it is administered orally and use topically, as a lotion.

In cardiovascular diseases mainly used to strengthen the ability of the plant walls of blood vessels - it contains ascorbic acid, rutin - a substance which actively affects the permeability of blood vessels, particularly in capillary permeability. The strengthening capillary walls helps them improve blood circulation and reduce swelling.

How to prepare a decoction of the bark of honeysuckle

In the cortex, honeysuckle least contain essential oils that have toxic properties. Prepare the broth can be as follows: the bark is separated from the trunk bush, dried, pulverized. A teaspoon of raw materials pour a glass of hot water, bring to a boil, boil for five minutes, insist hour, strain, squeeze, made up with boiled water to the original level and the inside of the boat dining room three times a day. This broth can be taken with goiter and to strengthen the blood vessels.

From the bark decoction honeysuckle can make compresses with goiter, and apply it topically to treat skin diseases, wounds and ulcers. It is also used for douching with trichomoniasis.

When using a drug to honeysuckle should be remembered that it is a poisonous plant, especially its poisonous fruit. Therefore, it is better to use topically. If there is a need to use honeysuckle inside, it is best to coordinate this with the doctor.

Galina Romanenko