Content
- The effect of Eisenhut: Medicinal plant and dangerous poison at the same time
- Effects by mere contact
- The use of the iron hat in medicine
- Symptoms of intoxication due to the ingredients of the Eisenhut
- Tips
Eisenhut is used in homeopathy
The effect of Eisenhut: Medicinal plant and dangerous poison at the same time
The medieval physician Paracelus brought it in one of his well-known sayings in a nutshell: many plants can be medicinal plant and poison at the same time, only on the dosage is important. The iron hat is so poisonous that one should leave your own experiments with it as far as possible.
Effects by mere contact
When selecting the location of the Eisenhut in your own garden, not only factors such as soil quality and moisture are relevant. Many gardeners prefer to plant this perennial shrubbery in the middle of perennial beds, making it less likely for unwanted plant contact. After all, the mere touch of the flowers and leaves can lead to health consequences such as an unpleasant burning sensation and numbness in the limbs. Therefore, parts of the poisonous plant were also used in the Middle Ages for the preparation of witches' albums, where the burning sensation on the skin should have felt like the growth of bird feathers. For care measures such as pruning you should wear gloves if possible.
The use of the iron hat in medicine
The iron hat was with its effects probably already scholars in ancient times known, from the Middle Ages, the plants of this genus were also partially used as a remedy and murder venom. Even today, in traditional Chinese medicine as well as in homeopathy, certain types of monkshood are used to treat the following conditions:
Due to the fact that it is one of the most poisonous plants in Europe, medicinal applications should only be carried out with officially certified extracts and pharmaceutical products from the Eisenhut. Already dosages in minimal quantities can lead to severe poisoning or even death in this plant.
Symptoms of intoxication due to the ingredients of the Eisenhut
The accidental consumption of monkshood usually does not go unnoticed, as immediately sets a deafness of the tongue and an unpleasant tingling on the tongue. Depending on the amount of contained alkaloids and alkamines from the plant parts or seeds it sometimes comes to severe convulsions, vomiting and paralysis. With poisoning with Eisenhut it comes regularly to death within approx. Three hours after the contact with the poison, this occurs usually with full consciousness by respiratory paralysis in the area of the upper respiratory organs.
Tips
Although the Eisenhut is to be found in comparatively many private gardens, it comes relatively rarely to serious incidents. If your household and garden but also children or pets are present or regularly visit, so a particularly careful handling of the plants, their seeds or a bouquet of flowers in a vase is advisable.