Datura (devils trumpet) treats from Impotency to Baldness!

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.