Introduction:

Belladonna (Atropa belladonna) is a branching herbaceous perennial plant often growing as a sub shrub from a fleshy rootstock. Commonly known as Belladonna and Deadly-Nightshade, it is a toxic plant in the nightshade family Solanaceae, which also includes tomatoes, potatoes, and egg plant. The foliage and berries are extremely toxic when ingested. The toxin present in the leaves and berries include atropine, scopolamine, which cause delirium and hallucinations, and are also used as pharmaceutical anticholinergics. Plants of belladonna can reach a height up to 1.5 meters and have ovate leaves up to 15 cm long. The plants have bell shaped flowers, dull purple tinged yellow-green towards the base and are faintly scented. The fruits are berries, which are green, ripening to a shiny black, beautiful, sweet but toxic enough for human beings.  Belladonna is native to Europe, North Africa and Western Asia but often found in the valleys of Himalaya in Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh. Atropa Belladonna is sometimes confused with the much less poisonous black nightshade (Solanum nigrum), belonging to a different genus within Solanaceae. The berries of black nightshade are spherical, have a dull luster, and grow in clusters, whereas the berries of deadly nightshade are much glossier, twice as large, somewhat flattened and are borne singly. Another distinction is that black nightshade flowers are not tubular but white and star-shaped, bearing a central cone of yellow anthers.

Description:

Belladonna is in the nightshade family which it shares with potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, jimsonweed, tobacco, wolfberry, and chili peppers. Apart from Belladonna and Deadly Nightshade it has many popular names such as Divale, Dwale, Banewort, Devil’s Berry, Death Cherry, Beautiful Death, devil’s Herb, Great Morel and Dway Berry. Belladonna is formed by two Italian words ‘Bella’ means beautiful and ‘Donna’ means lady; perhaps the name had been given due to its cosmetic properties, to beautify pallid skin or more probably due to its usage to increase the pupil size in women. Belladonna plant has a long history in European literatures as a medicine, cosmetic and poison. Many written and printed materials are available about the medicinal uses of Belladonna for the treatment of wounds, gout and sleeplessness. Literatures in Europe and Western Asia have many stories in which women used the juice of the berries of Belladonna in eye drops intended to dilate the pupils and make the eyes more seductive. A Roman story is very famous in which Roman empress Livia Drusilla used the juice of berries of Belladonna to kill her husband, the emperor Augustus. Belladonna plants are often found in shady and moist locations of hill and mountain areas of North Indian Himalayan valleys and widely used by Ayurvedic practitioners and pharmacy companies. Cultivation of Belladonna is legal in some countries of Europe, Brazil, USA and Pakistan but some countries in Eastern and Southern Asia require Pharmaceutical license for its cultivation. Ayurvedic/Homeopathic pharmacies in India cultivate Belladonna plants in their Ayurvedic/Homeopathic gardens after taking clearance from health and environment ministry. Allopath has only one approved prescription drug containing belladonna alkaloid atropine, but Ayurveda and Homeopath have many medicines containing the extracts of Belladonna.

Uses:

The usage of Belladonna can be classified into three different groups: 1. Medicinal Use, 2. Cosmetic Use and 3. Use as Poison.

Medicinal Uses: Some of the components of Belladonna such as atropine have been accepted as medicinal constituents in drugs like Donnatal is a prescription pharmaceutical containing natural belladonna alkaloids in a specific fixed ratio with Phenobarbital to provide peripheral anticholinergics or antispasmodic action and mild sedation. Donnatal is prescribed to the patients of irritable colon, spastic colon, mucous colitis and acute enter colitis. Belladonna has been used in herbal medicine for centuries as a pain reliever, muscle relaxing supplement, anti inflammatory agent and to treat menstrual problems in women, peptic ulcer, histaminic reactions, and motion sickness. In Homeopathic practices Belladonna was prescribed by German physician Samuel Hahnemann as a topical medication for inflammation and pain. Later on Belladonna was introduced in Homeopath as medicine for upset stomach and excessive flatulence. Belladonna has been used occasionally as recreational drugs in North America and Brazil because of the vivid hallucination and delirium it produces. In some parts of USA, Belladonna is marketed as a dietary supplement, typically as an atropine ingredient in over-the-counter cold medicine products.

Cosmetic Uses: Belladonna has been made from two Italian words ‘Bella’ means beautiful and ‘Donna’ means women, the name of the plant says everything about its relation with beauty and of course with women. Drops prepared from Belladonna plant were used by European women and West Asian women to dilate the pupil of eyes to look attractive and seductive. Belladonna drops mixed with rose water are being applied to oily skin to beautify the skin particularly in faces. Pimples and wrinkles are also being treated by the extracts of Belladonna berries in African countries and Brazil.

Poison: History of Rome has many evidences of using Belladonna as poison to kill someone by oral ingestion, also using alkaloids to make poisonous arrows for hunting and battles. Many stories in historical literature of Europe are filled with the use of Belladonna as poison to kill many big personalities by their relatives and sometimes by their opponents. Many plays were written and staged in public where the poisonous properties of Belladonna had been highlighted in many countries of Europe. Poisonous property of Belladonna has given birth to production of many germicides, pesticides, antibacterial medicines and antimicrobial lotions/ointments.

Precautions:

Using Belladonna extracts or drugs containing Belladonna are not safe for pregnant women, infants and children below 12. Overdose of the medicines or extracts of this herb may be toxic and may cause seizures, difficulty in breathing, lethargy, excessive sleeping, muscle weakness, skin flushing and agitation. Regular use of recreational drugs containing this herb or overdose of such drugs may cause memory loss and severe confusion.

FAQs:

1. What is Belladonna?

Belladonna or Atropa belladonna is a perennial herbaceous plant of nightshade family.

2. Why is Belladonna considered deadly?

Belladonna contains many toxic compounds including atropine, scopolamine and hyoscyamine, causing damage to many vital organs if taken overdose.

3. Is Belladonna used for any medicinal purpose?

Yes, despite its toxic nature few drugs in Allopath, some medicines in Homeopath and many medicines in Ayurveda are serving ill people.

4. Can Belladonna be used for recreational purposes?

No, this is not safe, but some tribes in African countries and Brazil do so.

5. Can Belladonna be found in wild?

Yes, Belladonna plants are found in the hills and mountain forests of North-East.

6. Is Belladonna legal?

Cultivation and stocking Belladonna is not legal without prior permission.

7. What to do if someone ingests Belladonna accidently?

Immediate consultation of medical authority is wisdom.

8. Are there any natural alternative of Belladonna?

Yes, there are many alternatives of Belladonna but they should be suggested by medical practitioners.