Belladonna

Other Names: Atropa belladonna, Atropa acuminata, Baccifère, Belladona, Belladone, Belle-Dame, Belle-Galante, Bouton Noir, Cerise du Diable, Cerise Enragée, Cerise d’Espagne, Deadly Nightshade, Devil's Cherries, Devil's Herb, Divale, Dwale, Dwayberry, Grande Morelle, Great Morel, Guigne de la Côte, Herbe à la Mort, Herbe du Diable, Indian Belladonna, Morelle Furieuse, Naughty Man's Cherries, Poison Black Cherries, Suchi.
Belladonna is a plant. The leaf and root are used to make medicine. The name “belladonna” means “beautiful lady,” and was chosen because of a risky practice in Italy. The belladonna berry juice was used historically in Italy to enlarge the pupils of women, giving them a striking appearance. This was not a good idea, because belladonna can be poisonous.

Special Precautions of Belladonna

• Belladonna is UNSAFE when taken by mouth. It contains chemicals that can be toxic. Side effects can include dry mouth, enlarged pupils, blurred vision, red dry skin, fever, fast heartbeat, inability to urinate or sweat, hallucinations, spasms, mental problems, convulsions, and coma.
• Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Belladonna is UNSAFE when taken by mouth during pregnancy. Belladonna contains potentially toxic chemicals and has been linked to reports of serious side effects. *Belladonna is also UNSAFE during breast-feeding. It can reduce milk production and also passes into breast milk.
• Congestive heart failure (CHF): Belladonna might cause rapid heartbeat (tachycardia) and might make CHF worse.
• Constipation: Belladonna might make constipation worse.
• Down syndrome: People with Down syndrome might be extra-sensitive to the potentially toxic chemicals in belladonna and their harmful effects.
• Esophageal reflux: Belladonna might make esophageal reflux worse.
• Fever: Belladonna might increase the risk of overheating in people with fever.
• Stomach ulcers: Belladonna might make stomach ulcers worse.
• Gastrointestinal (GI) tract infections: Belladonna might slow emptying of the intestine, causing retention of bacteria and viruses that can cause infection.
• Gastrointestinal (GI) tract blockage: Belladonna might make obstructive GI tract diseases (including atony, paralytic ileus, and stenosis) worse.
• Hiatal hernia: Belladonna might make hiatal hernia worse.
• Narrow-angle glaucoma: Belladonna might make narrow-angle glaucoma worse.
• Rapid heartbeat (tachycardia): Belladonna might make rapid heartbeat worse.
• Ulcerative colitis: Belladonna might promote complications of ulcerative colitis.
• Difficulty urinating (urinary retention): Belladonna might make this urinary retention worse.
• Drying medications (Anticholinergic drugs) interacts with Belladonna.

The benefits of Belladonna are

Before the Middle Ages, Belladonna was taken as an anesthetic for surgery. Today, though widely regarded as unsafe, belladonna is used as a sedative, to stop bronchial spasms in asthma and whooping cough , and as a cold and hay fever remedy. It is also used for Parkinson's disease, colic, motion sickness, and as a painkiller. Belladonna is used in ointments that are applied to the skin for joint pain (rheumatism), leg pain caused by a disc in the backbone pushing on the sciatic nerve (sciatica), and nerve pain (neuralgia). Belladonna is also used in plasters (medicine-filled gauze applied to the skin) for treating psychiatric disorders, a behavior disorder called hyperkinesis, excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis), and bronchial asthma. Rectally, belladonna is used in hemorrhoid suppositories. Belladonna has chemicals that can block functions of the body's nervous system. Some of the bodily functions regulated by the nervous system include salivation, sweating, pupil size, urination, digestive functions, and others. Uses :

• Asthma.
• Whooping cough.
• Colds.
• Hay fever.
• Parkinson's disease.
• Motion sickness.
• Arthritis -like pain.
• Nerve problems.
• Hemorrhoids.
• Spasms and colic-like pain in the stomach and bile ducts.