Mandrake
Mandrake is a poisonous low plant with a thick root. In the past the herb has been closely associated with witchcraft. Mandrake has been used to cure illnesses, however, nowadays it doesn't have much medical use.
Mandrake plant.
Mandrake plants belong to the nightshades family. The nightshades or the belladonna (beautiful Italian girl) are well known for their potent toxicities. In the years past, Italian girls used to apply mascara made from the night shade tree. The nightshade made them look pretty but induced delirium and hallucinations.
For centuries the Mandrake plant has been thought to have healing properties. Research over the past 50 years has shown that the mandrake plants contain a variety of agents such as alkaloids and hyoscyamine. These chemicals when purified lead to the production of atropine and scopolamine- both of which are presently used in medicine under a physicians' guidance.
Scopolamine is frequently used in the treatment of motion sickness and atropine is used to dilate the pupil and increase the heart rate when an individual's heart stops. Neither drug is taken by mouth. Scopolamine is applied as a patch and atropine is only administered as an intravenous in a hospital setting.
When the root/plant is crushed and ingested, it can cause a variety of central nervous system side effects including confusion, delirium or even death.
The plants have a long history of being used in rituals and religious ceremonies. The plant has roots which resemble human figures giving it mythological powers. The superstitious beliefs about the plants magical powers led to their wide use for many centuries in Europe and South America. The roots of the plants were used to treat pain, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, pain and infertility.
There is variety of other chemicals found in the root of the mandrake plant. These chemicals have a variety of effects including causing sedation, hypnosis and act as generalized depressants.
At present the use of the mandrake plant to treat any medical illness is not recommended. The roots contain a whole host of toxic products which also make their potential as an recreational herb very small.
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