Botanical
name – Datura stramonium
Local names: Devils trumpet
Arab ataa(Kalenjin)
Datura
is a genus of nine species of poisonous vespertine flowering plants which
belongs to the family Solanaceae, meaning that it belongs to the same family as
Solanum nigrum
(sucha/managu). They are commonly known as daturas, but also known as devil's
trumpets. Datura is a bushy plant growing up to one meter in height, has white
flowers and egg shaped fruits covered
with prickles .
All
Datura plants contain tropane alkaloids such as scopolamine, hyoscyamine, and
atropine, primarily in their seeds and flowers. Because of the presence of
these substances, Datura has been used for centuries in some cultures as a
poison- Wikipedia
The
dried leaves, top portion of the flower and seeds of the plant constitutes
a highly potent medicine.
Smoking
of Datura seeds as a treatment for asthma was known as early as during the
Vedic period. The medicinal properties of the plant is attributed to the presence
of alkaloids in its seeds, with the cultivated Datura producing more alkaloids
in dried seeds and fruits. Examples of the alkaloids present in the plant
includes deploid I and tetraploid ii - (research on this!) .
Healing powers
In
the British and the United states pharmacopoeia, the dried leaves and seeds are
used as antispasmodic under critical conditions of asthma and whooping cough.
Datura achieves this by counteracting spasmodic disorders and induces deep
sleep.
Asthma
Datura
is extremely useful in asthma, when the smoke from the leaves is inhaled. The leaves are rolled into
cigarettes and can be smoked to relieve asthmatic attacks.
Malaria
Datura
fruit is a specific remedy for phlegmatic and bilious types of malarial fever.
A desired quantity of the fruit should be placed in an earthen pot and covered
with a plaster composed of cloth and clay . The preparation should be parched
in 10 to 12 grams of cow dung cakes.
When the fire gets extinguished and the
pot is cold, the fruit is removed and crushed into a powder and stored for
phlial use in malarial fever.
Heart
disorders
Datura
is a good remedy for heart disorders and can relieve cardiac pains, distress
palpitation and aortic disorders.
Earache
The
leaves of the herb can be used to treat earache. About 125gm of grams of the juice of Datura leaves
and sesame oil should be boiled in a tin vessel gentle fire. When half of the
juice has evaporated, seven leaves of gigantic swallow wort should be put in
after smearing them with oil and sprinkling with powdered salt. Boil the leaves
until the start to char . Filter the oil with a coarse cloth and preserve in a
cloth and preserve in a bottle. A few drops of this ointment in the ear can
cure earache and suppurative conditions of the ear.
Impotency
Awesome Datura can be used in the treatment of impotency! seeds of
15 ripe fruits should be extracted and boiled in 8 kilograms of cow’s milk on
gentle fire. This milk should then be made into a curd in the normal way and
and churned the following morning to extract the butter, which is then stored
in a wide-mouthed bottle. The butter extracted is massaged every morning and
evening on the penis and the spine to elicit the desired effect. Oral
formulation can also be prepare by using four grains with betel leaves.
Baldness
A
preparation made from Datura seeds with other ingredients is useful in patchy
baldness. A paste prepared from Datura seeds, liquorice, saffron and milk cream
is heated in coconut oil thoroughly till the solid mass converts to a charred
powder. The oil can be applied on the bald patches and has the power to
stimulate hair growth. Since Datura is poisonous, ensure to wash your hands
after handling the oil. Do not use the mixture on scalp of children.
Breast
milk secretion
In
case of demise of newly born baby, accumulation of milk in the breasts of the
mother poses a serious problem, i.e. severe pain. Warmed eaves of Datura tied
on the breasts helps dry the milk without any pain. Only two to three
applications will bring the desired results.
The
Zuni once used Datura as an analgesic, to render patients unconscious while
broken bones were set.The Chinese also used it in this manner, as a form of
anesthesia during surgery__wikipedia
Precautions:
The
usual dose of Datura is about two decigrams. In large doses, it may lead to
dilation of pupils, and dryness of the mouth and throat.
As
per Wikipedia, Datura intoxication typically produces delirium (as contrasted
to hallucination), hyperthermia, tachycardia, bizarre behavior, and severe
mydriasis with resultant painful photophobia that can last several days.
Pronounced amnesia is another commonly reported effect.The onset of symptoms
generally occurs around 30 to 60 minutes after ingesting the herb. These
symptoms generally last from 24 to 48 hours, but have been reported in some
cases to last as long as two weeks.
Also,
as with other cases of anticholinergic poisoning, intravenous physostigmine can
be administered in severe cases as an antidote.
Refference books:
-A field guide to medicinal plants and herbs of eastern and central america (peterson)
-Selected medicinal plants of Chittagong hills tract (IUCN) -international unit
for
conservation of nature.
-Wikipedia.
