Adam's head plant. Magic herbs in Rus'. Mandrake officinalis: contraindication for use

Here is another mythical plant of Russian healers. But if the fern flower is a myth in pure form, then Adam’s head was in the stock of every self-respecting doctor. The trouble is different parts Russia imagined this plant in its own way.

Symbolically, “Adam’s head” is a skull and crossbones, a symbol of death. And a flower with that name was supposed to remind herbalists of this well-known image. But with a certain amount of imagination, the skull can be seen in very different colors.

Therefore, in the history of Russian herbal medicine there have been several contenders for the title of “Adam’s head”.

Lady's slipper.

This "Adam's head" settled in Siberia. Now a rare plant, listed in the Red Book. Since ancient times it has been used in Tibetan medicine, and from there it came to Siberian herbalists.

Look how similar this strangely shaped flower really is to a bare skull!

Cornflower rough.

This plant is familiar to us. You can meet him in any meadow. Indeed, at first there is a bare head on a strong fluffy stem, one might say that it looks like a skull. But then that skull sprouts gorgeous purple hair!

It was used not for magical, but for the most urgent purposes. Solved liver and kidney problems.

Bought.

A beautiful plant with white oblong bell-shaped flowers. How they reminded our herbalists of “Adam’s head” is unknown!

But a plant with serious medicinal properties. Its roots were used as an anti-inflammatory and hemostatic agent. And also when coughing.

And its black-blue berries, reminiscent of blueberries, are very poisonous. Maybe that’s why the kupena was considered the mythical “Adam’s head.”

Mandrake.

This plant is rarely found in our middle lane. More often in the southern regions. From time immemorial there has been a very respectful attitude towards this plant. It has amazing roots that resemble a human figure. The plant is generally poisonous, but has been used in folk medicine along with belladonna and dope.

And finally Mordovnik

Very beautiful blue flower, reminiscent of a skull except for its round shape. But again, it contains a lot of both dangerous and medically valuable components.

What was so interesting about the “Adam’s head” for healers, no matter how it looked in different areas?

Since all these “Adam’s heads” are poisonous to one degree or another, they had to be collected skillfully. Sign yourself with the cross and say three hundred prayers, starting with Our Father.

But with the mandrake everything was very difficult. This plant screamed when it was dug up, and this voice destroyed the herbalists. This means that it was possible to collect mandrake roots only by inserting wax plugs into the ears!

It was necessary for hunters and everyone who dealt with firearms. The smoke from the smoldering dried flowers of this plant was used to smoke guns and cartridges on Maundy Thursday. Holy Week so that there are no misfires or mistakes. But before Maundy Thursday hide this grass from prying eyes.

Infusions of “Adam’s head” also helped with damage. The intoxicating substances contained in these plants, indeed, in a certain proportion, could help with neuropsychiatric diseases.

An infusion of the herb was also given to women in labor, apparently as a mild anesthesia.

And the claims of herbalists that with the help of this herb you can see demons in the air are quite understandable. First, drink the infusion, but be sure to blessed water so that demons don't take over. And then wear this grass on yourself for forty days.

Well then! It may very well be so. I wonder how many hunters there were to admire the demons?

They also put this grass in the base of the water mill so that it would not be destroyed! This property is explainable if we remember that water mill for our ancestors it was originally a witchcraft place. What evil spirit is spinning the wheel? It would be necessary to get in touch with her using a witchcraft plant.

So the properties of this plant are the most magical. The main thing is not to make a mistake in the proportions!

Mandrake or Adam's head has long been considered the Queen of all herbs. Ancient beliefs claim that this particular herb can help a person in search of treasure. Mandragora was also used in magical rituals when it came to finding out the future.

Mandrake has many names. And everyone knows it by their own. Some people know it as the Cuckoo's Tears, some as the Umbilical, others as the Male Root or the Witch's Flower. This herb is also called Sleepy and even Devil’s herb. We deliberately wrote other names of Mandrake with a capital letter in order to visually distinguish them from the general text.

It is worth saying that in many ancient treatises the above grass is always depicted in the same way. This is a female or male figurine, where the legs look like roots, and the head of the figurine is crowned with a bunch of leaves that literally grew from the head.

Mandrake: magical properties of the herb

The one who doubts magical properties Ah Adam's root, having come into contact with this herb, very quickly begins to understand how much he was mistaken. After all, this herb really holds quite a lot of secrets. Despite the fact that progress has long stepped forward, we know nothing about those things that are at arm's length from us. What's the point of flying into space if we don't even know anything about such little things as herbalism?!

Mandrake has quite wide range applications specifically in magic. Through it the Devil was once summoned, it was very widely used in matters of protecting the home, everything related to money or love affairs - in the same way could not do without Mandrake.

Hunters, going for prey, fumigated themselves and their weapons with this herb. It was noticed that after this ritual, there are practically no mistakes. Is this a coincidence? A pattern? What do you think?

Mandrake: time and place of collection

It is worth saying right away that Mandrake for a pagan is not just a grass, it is also the personification of the holiday. If we talk about the magic of Wicca, then we are talking about the holiday of Samhain. But let's return to the issue of collecting grass. Finding Adam's head is not so easy. A magician, sorcerer or witch, having discovered the place where such grass grows, carefully hid it from everyone. Mandrake gathered exclusively on Midsummer's Day (if you remember, this is the twenty-fourth of June, the old style, of course). The collection was carried out secretly, without any kind of assistants or witnesses. The collected grass was dried at home, away from prying eyes.

Direct collection of Mandrake is not just about finding a bush, plucking leaves or uprooting grass. No, no and no again! Collecting grass is a whole ritual. Otherwise, nothing meaningful will come out of the collected raw materials, i.e. It will be impossible to perform rituals with such “plucked” grass.

Mandrake: root digging ritual

Old herbal books contain a whole ritual that tells how to collect Mandrake. Of course, it would be great to read the original source, you will agree, it is very interesting and useful, and it would be even cooler to undergo training from those ancestors who mastered the science of magic with perfection. We can only be content with those crumbs of knowledge that miraculously survived and have survived to this day.

So, ancient sources say that Mandrake gathers with prayer on its lips. It is clear that this is a later, so to speak, Christian version. The pagan version is of a slightly different kind, yes, the grass is collected and at the same time the one who collects the Mandrake addresses it with words. This is the key.

One of the ancient philosophers who lived in the three hundredth year BC (his name is Theophrastus) wrote that Mandrake can only be dug with an assistant. He cited a whole ritual where it was necessary to outline a circle so that the grass was in the center of it. Moreover, this circle was drawn with a sword (certainly only with her!), which until now had never been removed from its sheath. It is clear that it is not so easy for us living today to get a sword.

As soon as the circle was drawn with such a sword, the first person turned his face towards the west, and the second began to dig up (if they came for a root) the root of the plant. He did this with words of tenderness and even love. It seems to us that the key here is the appeal to Mandrake. After all, if we talk about the worldview of a pagan, then everything around him is alive, everything requires attention and affection. And since you have come and are interfering in the world of plants, then at least be kind, come not like a barbarian, but with a request for help, with words of gratitude. And then the plant will give everything that is so asked and expected from it. This “secret” applies not only to the collection of Mandrake, but also to the collection of any other plant, herb, mushroom or berry. For everything around us is alive.

The resulting Mandrake root had to be properly preserved, otherwise all efforts were reduced to zero. So, store it in a scarlet or cotton rag white. Every new moon, the root was taken out and washed with red wine. Of course, not what they sell in stores today.

Mandrake: applications in folk medicine

The roots of the above herbs were used to treat many ailments, including: various gastrointestinal ailments, neuralgic pain, gland hardening, joint and muscle pain, swelling and even tumors.

Most often, Mandrake root was used, infused with moonshine (vodka, alcohol). The root was finely cut or grated, after which it was poured with moonshine (one to four) and put away in a dark place for a couple of weeks. When the specified period had passed, the tincture was taken out, filtered and used as medicine. Taking three to ten drops at a time (depending on the severity of the patient). The tincture helped cope with both pain and lack of sleep, and was excellent in fighting gout.

In addition, grated Mandrake root was mixed with fat, for example, badger fat. After which they rubbed it on the sore spots.

Mandrake: protector from evil spells

Since ancient times it has been known that Adam's head is truly a magical plant. It can protect against evil spells, which has been proven many times. At the root of the Mandrake, a certain kind of energy is collected, which is quite powerful.

Very often, some kind of sign or design was applied to the dug up root, for example, they cut out a person who needed to either be protected from witchcraft, or, on the contrary, tied to oneself. However, the root without any signs was also no less effective.

The root of Adam's head or Mandrake is the real embodiment of an energy shield through which evil cannot seep through. Evil eyes and damage, curses and drying, shortening and other destructive messages can crumble like ashes if a person is protected by the root of a wonderful herb.

Mandrake is very effective in matters love magic, conceiving children, increasing potency, it copes well (if in small doses) with such unpleasant things as despondency, depression, low tone; in more serious cases, through this root they successfully fight (as already mentioned) with insomnia.

It has also long been noted that Mandrake has a special ability to influence a person’s financial situation. If he carries the root with him, then his business very quickly begins to go uphill, and his money doubles. If you have this rare and incredibly valuable root in your home, you should not be afraid of a number of troubles, because the herb can protect you from poverty and worthlessness, from thieves and other misfortunes. A house where such a root exists, love does not bypass the fifth road, but, on the contrary, strives precisely to this place.

Practitioners of destructive magic, using the magical root of Mandrake, knew how and are able to take away beauty and youth from the victim, and can also make the victim lose his mind.

Once upon a time (and perhaps even now) the roots of Mandrake, we repeat, were actively used in love magic. A man was bewitched with a woman's spine, and a young lady with a man's spine. Yes, by the way, this herb is, so to speak, heterosexual. There are males and there are females. Speaking about Adam’s head, every time it seems that it is not just alive, but is something between a plant and an animal, a kind of transitional and rather intelligent form of life.

Probably due to this feeling, it has long been said that when a root is dug up, it begins to scream wildly. This sound can even make you deaf. Once upon a time there were special people who did nothing but collect Mandrake root. They were called rhizotomists. In a sense, this was their profession. They knew anything and everything about this plant and they could find him even underground.

Among the widely used traditional medicine natural remedies special attention attracts mandrake officinalis, related to

Legends of the Mandrake

A distinctive feature of this perennial herbaceous plant, called "male root", "cuckoo boots", "Adam's head", "raccoon berries", is a thick, straight root resembling human figure, which has become the subject of many superstitions, fictions and legends. One of them says that the medicinal mandrake, when dug out of the ground, emits a scream that can drive a person crazy or kill him. Therefore in ancient times To obtain the “witch flower” (as the mandrake was popularly called), a special protective ritual was used. Only a knowledgeable person could dig up a plant. He did not do this with his own hands (so as not to accept death from the plant), but tied a hungry dog to it, and threw a bone at a distance from it. The animal reached for food with all its might and thus pulled the magical root out of the ground, after which it died.

This magical root

The root of the plant was extracted for various magical rituals, was considered a very strong amulet and was most valued if it most accurately conveyed the shape of a person’s body, especially with a difference in gender: female and male. It is believed that men should be treated with male mandrake, and women with female mandrake.

Herbalists used the crushed root of the plant to treat carbuncles, sore joints, and elephantiasis. Shamans used the hallucinogenic properties of mandrake for astral travel to another world.

Description of the plant

Mandrake officinalis (photo can be seen in the article) in natural conditions found in Central Asia, the Himalayas, the Mediterranean, Transcaucasia, the Middle and Near East.

Prefers well-drained sandy and loamy soils. Loves plenty of sun and can also grow in partial shade. It is characterized by a long (about 1 meter) root, which helps the plant survive long dry periods. At temperatures below -15 o C it dies. The plant has no stem or is very short. The leaves are large (about 80 cm in length), have an oval or lanceolate shape, are collected in a basal rosette, and are characterized by a sharp unpleasant smell.

The flowers are solitary, consisting of a large 5-lobed calyx and a bell-shaped 5-lobed corolla. At the beginning of flowering (in May) they are characterized by a light green color, which becomes purple closer to autumn. The fruit looks like a large orange or yellow berry, is characterized by a pleasant fruity aroma and looks like a small apple or physalis. It tastes like a tomato.

Chemical composition

Traditional medicine has been able to identify beneficial properties for the body in the poisonous mandrake and uses all parts of the plant in its recipes. The root and fruit contain psychoactive, highly toxic alkaloids:

Mandrake officinalis (the photo conveys the modest attractiveness of the plant) is characterized by a calming, analgesic, chologenic, and hypnotic effect. In terms of pharmacological properties, the plant is close to belladonna, dope, and henbane.

The alkaloids included in its composition suppress the functionality of the central nervous system, therefore the plant is characterized by a hypnotic effect.

Medicinal properties of the root

Mandrake root was used to relieve toothache, treat hemorrhoids and complications arising during labor. It was ground to a powder and added to beer. The same drink was recommended for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Mandrake root boiled in milk helped as a poultice for non-healing chronic ulcers.

Freshly squeezed root juice helps relieve pain from rheumatism and gout. The great Avicenna recommended it as an effective remedy for removing freckles and treating bruises. “Tears of the mandrake” were mixed into a glass of wine and given as an anesthetic during surgical operations. In combination with honey and milk in crushed form, the root of the plant was applied externally to tumors, swollen places, and compacted glands. In dried form, it was used for gastrointestinal diseases, as well as joint and muscle pain.

Since ancient times, aphrodisiac properties have been attributed to the plant: a handful of crushed root was added to a bottle of wine. The drink was infused for a week. To improve the taste, 2-3 cinnamon sticks and a tablespoon of saffron were added to it. It was also believed that medicinal mandrake, the benefits of which were proven by scientific luminaries of antiquity, helps with infertility and inhibits the growth of cancer cells.

Mandrake treatment methods

Headaches, ulcers, open wounds, liver and spleen diseases were cured with a medicine that included dried mandrake fruits, opium poppy, cyperus flowers, common harmala and cinnamon, previously ground into powder and combined in equal parts.

A decoction of mandrake was used for painful manifestations in the limbs, sacral area, and also for the treatment of feverish conditions. Leaves of the plant in fresh helped with toothache. To do this, they had to be chewed thoroughly. The smoke from burning the leaves of the plant helped in treating coughs and headaches.

In small doses, mandrake officinalis helps with phobias, melancholy and depression. Homer also described in his works that the smoke from the burning roots of the plant was used to fumigate epileptics. To quickly fall asleep, it was enough to hold a mandrake apple in your hand before going to bed or drink a glass of wine containing one pinch of dried mandrake root, ivy, henbane and licorice powder.

Mandrake against diseases

In ancient times, mandrake officinalis, the description of which was well known to ancient healers, was considered universal medicine and helped in the treatment:

depressive states,
abscesses,
inflammation of the eyes,
tumors,
gout,
skin inflammations,
hemorrhoids,
impotence,
headaches,
seizures,
snake bites,
food poisoning,
calluses,
worms,
speech loss,
open wounds and so on.

Mandrake was also used to normalize the menstrual cycle.

Mandrake officinalis: the effect of the plant

In modern medicine, root extract is included in painkillers, sleeping pills and antispasmodic drugs. Mandrake officinalis, the use of which was widely in demand several centuries ago, helps with disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, pain of various nature, in the treatment of vitiligo and other skin pathologies. The leaves of the plant have a cooling effect, so an extract based on them is added to gels and ointments to treat external wounds.

Today in folk medicine, mandrake is prepared without the use of mystical rituals. The roots are dug up by hand in late August - early September, after the mandrake has flowered. The alkaloids contained in its composition have been well studied by modern medicine and are used narrowly to reduce internal secretion, acidity, intestinal and gastric activity, as well as relieve spasms.

It is better to collect the leaves of the plant before the fruits ripen. It is recommended to dry the raw materials in a well-ventilated place, away from direct sun rays. In its finished form, it can be used for smoking instead of ordinary tobacco, as part of smoking mixtures, or as incense and incense.

Tincture and ointment recipe

To prepare the tincture, you need to pour the peeled and crushed root of the plant with alcohol in a ratio of 1 to 4. Let it brew for 15 days. In its finished form, the drug is recommended to be taken for insomnia, gout and rheumatism, 3-8 drops diluted with water.

To prepare a medicinal ointment based on mandrake, you need to combine the plant tincture with internal fat in a ratio of 1 to 5 and apply it externally to relieve pain.

To treat bruises and injuries, it is effective to use lotions made from fresh juice mixed with water in a ratio of 1 to 5. Or you can use an alcohol tincture diluted with water at a ratio of 1 to 10.

Mandrake officinalis: contraindication for use

Mandrake is very poisonous. The main damage to the brain is caused by the substance scopolamine. Its uncontrolled independent use can lead to brain disorders, hallucinations, memory loss, comatose state, respiratory arrest and death. Signs of mandrake poisoning are nausea, vomiting, feeling of drowsiness, staggering when walking, dilated pupils, dry mouth, and attacks of suffocation. Pregnant women, nursing mothers and children should not consume mandrake.

Fresh fruits of the plant contain a small amount of alkaloids, so their consumption does not pose any health hazard.

Modern medicine can offer a wide range of drugs with similar effects that are safer for health. Therefore, when choosing between drugs based on mandrake or other drugs with a corresponding therapeutic effect, it is better to prefer the second option.

Signs associated with mandrake

It has been known since ancient times that mandrake officinalis, the properties of which have found their main application in the medical field, helps in conducting financial transactions, therefore knowledgeable people used it as a talisman. This was especially true for illegal, underground transactions, which protected them from detection. If the root is placed in the same place with money, then its amount will double.

The root of the plant is capable of giving its owner prosperity, power, wealth, provided that the owner will never part with it: neither at night nor during the day. Using mandrake as a home talisman requires special treatment. The figurine must be dressed in clothes and kept at home in a secret place, away from prying eyes. During home meals, you should seat the little man in a place of honor, treat him first, and then yourself. On Saturdays it is recommended to bathe the talisman in wine, and on the first day new moon dress in new clothes. It is believed that mandrake officinalis can help in the search for treasure and can predict the future.

There was a belief that if you sanctify the root of Adam's head, collected on the day of Ivan Kupala, with water, and put it on or under the altar in the church, and after forty days you take it for yourself, you can see evil spirits, in order, for example, to steal the invisibility cap from the devil, as they believed in the Vologda province. It was believed that if you give an infusion of this herb to a person to drink, it will “convict” “which person is corrupt and who spoils.”

It was also believed that Adam's head heals wounds, facilitates childbirth, strengthens mill dams and inspires courage. In the Perm province, it, together with Peter's cross, was sewn into an amulet, which was hung around the neck of a cow to protect against the plague. In the Nizhny Novgorod province, Adam's head and Peter's cross were sewn into a shirt at the seams or the cross was trimmed to protect themselves from illness. Hunters fumigated Adam's head, collected on the day of Midsummer and kept until Maundy Thursday, bullets and snares.

Adam's head in different regions described differently, accordingly it is identified as:

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Notes

Excerpt characterizing Adam's head (plant)

“Yes, that’s so,” Prince Vasily continued impatiently, rubbing his bald head and again angrily pulling the table pushed aside towards him, “but finally... finally the thing is, you yourself know that last winter the count wrote a will, according to which he owned the entire estate.” , in addition to the direct heirs and us, he gave it to Pierre.
“You never know how many wills he wrote!” – the princess said calmly. “But he couldn’t bequeath to Pierre.” Pierre is illegal.
“Ma chere,” said Prince Vasily suddenly, pressing the table to himself, perking up and starting to speak quickly, “but what if the letter is written to the sovereign, and the count asks to adopt Pierre?” You see, according to the Count’s merits, his request will be respected...
The princess smiled the way people smile who think they know the matter more than those they are talking to.
“I’ll tell you more,” Prince Vasily continued, grabbing her hand, “the letter was written, although not sent, and the sovereign knew about it.” The only question is whether it is destroyed or not. If not, then how soon will it all be over,” Prince Vasily sighed, making it clear that he meant by the words everything will end, “and the count’s papers will be opened, the will with the letter will be handed over to the sovereign, and his request will probably be respected. Pierre, as a legitimate son, will receive everything.
– What about our unit? - asked the princess, smiling ironically, as if anything but this could happen.
- Mais, ma pauvre Catiche, c "est clair, comme le jour. [But, my dear Catiche, it is clear as day.] He alone is the rightful heir of everything, and you will not get any of this. You should know, my dear, were the will and the letter written, and were they destroyed? And if for some reason they were forgotten, then you should know where they are and find them, because...
- This was all that was missing! – the princess interrupted him, smiling sardonically and without changing the expression of her eyes. – I am a woman; according to you, we are all stupid; but I know so well that an illegitimate son cannot inherit... Un batard, [Illegitimate,] - she added, hoping with this translation to finally show the prince his groundlessness.
- Don’t you understand, finally, Katish! You are so smart: how do you not understand - if the count wrote a letter to the sovereign in which he asks him to recognize his son as legitimate, it means that Pierre will no longer be Pierre, but Count Bezukhoy, and then he will receive everything in his will? And if the will and the letter are not destroyed, then you will have nothing left except the consolation that you were virtuous et tout ce qui s"en suit [and everything that follows from here]. This is true.
– I know that the will has been written; but I also know that it is invalid, and you seem to consider me a complete fool, mon cousin,” said the princess with the expression with which women speak when they believe that they have said something witty and insulting.
“You are my dear Princess Katerina Semyonovna,” Prince Vasily spoke impatiently. “I came to you not to pick a fight with you, but to talk about your own interests as with my dear, good, kind, true relative.” I’m telling you for the tenth time that if a letter to the sovereign and a will in favor of Pierre are in the count’s papers, then you, my dear, and your sisters, are not the heir. If you don’t believe me, then trust people who know: I just spoke with Dmitry Onufriich (he was the house’s lawyer), he said the same thing.

Other plant names:

Adam's head, cuckoo boots, love apples, male root, umbilical cord, hollow, sleeping potion, creek grass, pine cone, devil's apples.

Brief description of mandrake officinalis:

Mandrake officinalis (Adam's head) - This perennial, related to belladonna. Mandrake is able to withstand long-term summer drought, leaving on the surface of the earth only a rosette of leaves that rise to great heights. Its root, which goes down to a depth of 2 m, is dark brown on the outside and white on the inside; it miraculously bifurcates, becoming like a human torso.

On each side of the “torso” there is one side root, reminiscent of arms. Mandrake is a stemless plant with large oval leaves collected in a basal rosette, up to 1.6 m in diameter. Mandrake officinalis flowers have purple and appear in autumn, while wild flowers appear in spring and have a light greenish tint. The fruits resemble small yellow apples and emit a sweet and delicate smell. It was the fruits of this plant that the Egyptians considered a means of arousing sensuality, and this knowledge, in turn, was passed on to them from the Arabs, who called these fruits “devil’s apples” because of the stimulating dreams they caused. Spring mandrake (Mandragora vernalis) is considered a male species and grows in more northern regions. The male mandrake also differs from the female, or medicinal, mandrake in having a thicker root - whitish in color both outside and inside; a more pronounced unpleasant, stupefying, stimulating odor that spreads from the leaves and flowers of the plant; finally, its fruits are much larger than those of the female mandrake. However, both plant species are equally hermaphrodite. The plant has a strong and unpleasant odor. Its berries glow at dawn due to the presence of phosphorus in them.

The signs by which it was necessary to look for a mandrake were known and described by Dioscorides. In the 18th century, Carl Linnaeus met her and named her healing mandrake. Other botanists later described two of its species - autumn and spring. Both species are very similar to belladonna. At the mandrake autumn flowers purple, the spring one is light green, and the leaves, unlike belladonna, are not on the stem, but grow from the base of the root.

But the mandrake disappeared, and there was a period when they could not find it. Unexpectedly, in 1902, the search led to success. On the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, an almost ancient mandrake was discovered - its closest relative - Carniolian scopolia, then in the Himalayas they found light yellow scopolia. In China, back in 1872, Przhevalsky described Tangut scopolia.

Places of growth:

A species of medicinal mandrake grows in Southern Europe and, especially abundantly, in Calabria and Sicily. With great difficulty we managed to find the magic mandrake. Two of its types - medicinal and autumn - grow in Southern Europe and the Middle East. They are very difficult to find because the above-ground part withers quickly. Mandrake also grows in Turkmenistan. In spring, clusters of edible, melon-smelling orange fruits ripen.

Preparation of mandrake:

The root of the plant is used for medicinal purposes. Paracelsus talked about a peculiar way of tearing a plant out of the ground. In his opinion, this can only be done in the evening, leaning towards the setting sun, turning your face away from the plant. They are collected on the day of Kupala and stored secretly until Maundy Thursday. It was believed that if you fumigate a gun with mandrake on this day, the hunt would be successful.

Chemical composition of mandrake officinalis:

A chemical study of mandrake roots revealed the presence of alkaloids atropine, hyoscyamine and scopolamine and others, among which is mandrake, characteristic only of this plant.

Roots, fruits and seeds contain alkaloids: atropine, hyoscyamine, mandrake, scopolamine, etc.

All these active ingredients form the basis of the chemical composition of mandrake officinalis (Adam's head).

Pharmacological properties of mandrake officinalis:

The pharmacological properties of mandrake are determined by its chemical composition. Mandrake has analgesic, sedative, hypnotic, cholagonic, narcotic and such strong anesthetic properties that a person under its influence seems to be dead.

Probably mandrake excites sensuality; the visions, hallucinations and delusions it causes can lead to dementia, which was once noticed by Hippocrates. The Assyrians used it as a sleeping pill and pain reliever. Hippocrates specified that in small doses it is effective means from fear and depression. In larger quantities, it causes strange sensory impressions close to hallucinations. In even larger doses, mandrake has a sedative and hypnotic effect and, finally, causes deep sleep, accompanied by complete insensibility. Homer mentioned that epileptics were treated by inhaling mandrake vapor. In terms of pharmacological activity, mandrake root extracts are close to belladonna, henbane, and datura. The roots are used to prepare analgesics and antispasmodics for gastrointestinal diseases, as well as for muscle, joint and neuralgic pain.

Mandrake thins mucus.

Use of mandrake in medicine, treatment with mandrake:

Plants have been known since the time of Dioscorides. Ointments and drinks were made from the roots for special rituals, just as belladonna and henbane were used in the Middle Ages. In the Middle Ages, mandrake was used in syrups and other preparations taken against insomnia and various kinds pain. In order to quickly fall asleep, it was enough to hold a mandrake apple in your hand before going to bed. The rhizome peel and juice mixed with cognac were given to patients before surgery as anesthesia.

In the Middle Ages, the doctrine of similarity was in use. In accordance with it, people believed, for example, that walnut kernels, reminiscent of the hemispheres of the brain, could be treated headache. Therefore, the mandrake root, which resembles a man, was considered a remedy for all diseases in the world. They also used it to make love potions and remedies that supposedly made it easy to find treasures. And not a single self-respecting sorcerer showed himself in public without a magical root. Mandrake has long been used in folk medicine. The ancient Greek naturalist and philosopher, one of the first botanists, Theophrastus wrote about its hypnotic effect, warning that in large doses, drugs from mandrake can lead to death. It is now known that mandrake, like many nightshades, contains toxic substances that cause hallucinations.

It was believed that this plant could cure all ailments - from madness to insomnia. Its “apples” (orange fruits) were believed to increase sexual desire and help with infertility.

Saint Abbess Hildegard (1098–1178), who lived in the Rupertsberg monastery near Bingen, built at her own expense, was famous as a prophetess. Hildegarde recommended immediately placing the dug root in spring water, then “all anger and the opposite will disappear from it.” She prescribed the use of the corresponding parts of the root figurine for diseases various parts body: for a headache – “head”, for a sore throat – “neck”, etc.

And if “... someone is in a bad mood and does not find peace for himself due to sadness and sadness, let him put a mandrake in his bed so that the plant warms up from his sweat.”

As a hallucinogen, mandrake was used in tea (in very small doses) - because it has enormous power as a mystical herb that causes visions and contributes to their manifestation in reality.

Dosage forms, route of administration and doses of mandrake officinalis preparations:

Effective products are made from mandrake root. medicines and forms used in the treatment of many diseases. Let's look at the main ones.

In small doses, mandrake is used as an antidepressant, and in larger doses it has a sedative and hypnotic effect.

Mandrake root tincture:

Mandrake root tincture: infuse the crushed root in alcohol in a ratio of 1:4 for 15 days, strain. Take 3–10 drops as an analgesic and hypnotic for rheumatism and gout. Mandrake tincture is included in medications against vitiligo and air sickness.

Mandrake root oil:

Mandrake root oil: mix interior fat with mandrake tincture in a ratio of 1:5. Use as an external pain reliever for rheumatism and gout.

Ground Mandrake Plant:

Crushed fresh mandrake plant along with milk and honey is used in the form of dressings as a softening agent for glandular compactions, tumors and edema.

Mandrake officinalis contraindications:

Mandrake is very poisonous plant. Signs of poisoning are: nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness (feeling of “wooliness”), drowsiness, hallucinations. There is a possibility of falling into a comatose sleep.

A little history:

Mandrake is a symbol of the Great Mother, the giver of life. Emblem of Circe. In European symbolism, the mandrake represents conception and fertility, and also has magical powers. Spell plant. Mandrake was compared to the spirit of the dead. First of all, this is evidenced by its ancient Latin name - Atropa, which then passed on to henbane, which was characterized by somewhat similar properties. For many millennia and until recently, mandrake was considered a primarily sacred plant. The magical properties of the mandrake root, which resembles a human figurine, were greatly valued in the Middle Ages. Then they believed that he bestows youth and health, beauty and love, happiness and wealth. The stronger and more incomprehensible the plant acted, the more magical properties were attributed to it, the more legends arose about it. In this regard, perhaps no plant is as “lucky” as the mandrake. Too much fame turned out to be sad for her: two types of mandrake, especially valued, almost disappeared from the face of the earth.

There are many legends about the origin of mandrake and its properties. The ancient Arabs and Germans believed in mandrake, demonic spirits that resembled small, beardless men that lived in these plants. IN Ancient Greece mandrake was called the plant of Circe, the witch goddess, who prepared juice from the root and used it to turn Odysseus’s companions into pigs. They say that medieval witches collected roots at night under the gallows on which unrepentant criminals, vicious from birth, died. It was implied that the root grows from the place where the sperm and the decaying body of the criminal seep. Mandrake has a reputation for enhancing love and fertility, known as love apples. In the Book of Genesis, barren Rachel, the wife of Jacob (Israel), ate mandrake roots and conceived Joseph. Mandrake is given to women to give birth to as many sons as possible; Arab men wear mandrake roots as amulets to enhance their masculinity. From legends it is known that the mandrake shrinks when a person approaches. Touching her could be fatal. In order to obtain mandrake root, the method described by Theophrastus (372–287 BC) was used.

Mandrake can only be pulled out in the evening. First of all, the healer must bend towards the setting sun and pay homage to the deities of hell. After this, with an iron sword that has never been used, it is necessary to draw three magic circles around the mandrake stem, turning away the face in order to avoid ominous emanations that penetrate the body, swelling it (if precautions are not taken and the body is not lubricated with vegetable oil). Then it is best not to participate in tearing out the plant, but to tie the dog to the plant and throw it a piece of meat that it would not be able to reach. By reaching for the meat, the dog will pull the root out of the ground, taking on all the negative energy. A mandrake pulled out by the roots screams and oozes blood, and the one who pulls it out dies in agony. They also believe that the root can predict the future: it shakes its head in response to questions asked.

The legend that the mandrake grows from the seed of hanged murderers illustrates the transition from the idea that a human-shaped plant could bring magical benefits, to the idea that it represents demonic forces.

In everyday symbolism, the mandrake represented the negative and petty aspects of the soul.

Mandrake was attributed too much power, and at the end of the 16th century it disappeared from pharmacies and from the European market, persecuted by collectors and traders of its roots.

The stories about her, however, did not stop. On the contrary, there are more of them. And since it is very difficult to find a mandrake, they began to replace it with various fakes. Figures similar to little men were cut out of the roots of bryonia, ginseng, ginger, belladonna and other plants, barley or millet grains were inserted into their “heads” and buried in wet sand.

The grains sprouted, the “head” of the man became covered with “hair”.

The figurines were washed in wine, dressed up like dolls, and sold for a lot of money, assuring that they helped lift the veil of the future, bring happiness, increase wealth, and bewitch lovers. Here is what Papus wrote about the mandrake in “Black and White Magic”: One of the 12 Rosicrucian plants. Unfavorable. Capable of causing madness if not corrected by the sun, in which case it makes a good narcotic. Used by the Germans to depict household gods - Alruns. Sorcerers used it to go to the Sabbath. According to popular belief, the mandrake was used as a “doll” in voodoo witchcraft; witches could cast a spell by representing the “figure” of the one against whom they directed their magic. In the place where the witch damaged the mandrake, the person will inevitably be injured. In Germany, peasants made eyes for their mandrakes from millet grains and treated them very kindly: they bathed them, dressed them, carefully wrapped them at night, sometimes putting them in a coffin. They did all this to be able to consult with the mandrake on important issues.

In France, these plants were considered close to the elves and were called the hand of glory. They were often hidden in secret cabinets, since possessing a mandrake was dangerous - its owner could be persecuted for witchcraft.

Mandrake root is a powerful thickener of the astral plane. His characteristic human form indicates special qualities and outstanding energy. This form served as the basis for the crazy theories of some magicians who wanted to find an elixir of life in it or make fake teraphim (fortune-telling devices).