How the wolfberry bush blooms. What are wolfberries? Consequences for the body
Probably, many Russians have heard of such a peculiar representative of the flora as the wolf's bast plant (poisonous). This perennial shrub, whose height is natural environment usually does not exceed one meter, can be found in forests Russian Federation(Caucasus, Siberia, European part). In landscape gardening areas where best conditions and nothing interferes with growth, the wolf's bast stretches up to two and a half meters.
plant description
The bright red, attractive and appetizing-looking ovoid fruits of the plant, known by other names - the deadly wolf (or in fact, are not at all suitable for savoring, but, on the contrary, are poisonous.
Feels good in a slightly shaded area, but nutrients in the soil should be in sufficient quantity. Depending on the area, flowering occurs either in February-March, or in the period from April to May.
The elongated shape of the berries is a distinctive feature of the wolf's bast shrub. refers to those species whose flowering is ahead of the appearance of leaves. On the still bare twigs in each bosom, where buds were green last year, sometimes three beautiful, pink and fragrant flowers bloom. With their smell, they vaguely resemble hyacinth, and outwardly differ little from lilac branches. The trunk of the shrub is gray-brown.
dangerous berry
There are many substances in the plant, due to which it is extremely poisonous.
If, with the improper use of berries, the surface of the skin has acquired a pronounced red tint, blisters form, or the stomach is upset, then meserine resin is most likely to blame. And the appearance of bleeding is provoked by daphrin glycoside. Therefore, we can safely say that the wolf's bast is a deadly poisonous plant.
Therefore, before starting treatment with drugs based on wolf's bast, it is necessary to consult a doctor. In addition to the substances described above, berries are rich in essential oils and coccognin, and also contain fat. The bark that covers the trunk of the shrub contains wax and resins. Both fruits and bark are rich in dyes.
Wolf's bast is a poisonous plant, but despite this, it is often used in traditional medicine.
Therapeutic effect
It is believed that various preparations can be prepared from the plant, which have a laxative and analgesic effect. They can be used to treat epilepsy and insomnia.
The therapeutic effect is usually achieved if the amount of plant components in the preparation is negligible, that is, it is taken in homeopathic doses. Moreover, it is necessary to be careful and follow the instructions of a specialist. The wolf's bast plant (poisonous) is suitable for preparing an infusion, which, when applied externally, greatly alleviates the condition with neuralgia (including the sciatic nerve) and sciatica. This method of treatment is effective in case of edema. A tincture that is taken orally will help with flare-ups of dysentery or jaundice, expel colds and angina.
Secrets of traditional medicine
Medicines, where the wolf's bast plant (poisonous) is the main component, can fight leukemia and some oncological diseases. Traditional medicine advises preparing decoctions and decoctions from the bark of this berry as preparations. With their help, the condition is much improved in the case when there is a malignant tumor of the uterus, in the oral cavity, esophagus or larynx.
There is an opinion that the use ripe berries in compliance with the required dosage, it can even overcome sarcoma. Thanks to successful combination chemical substances in the wolfberry you can talk about treating them severe cough and partial relief of symptoms in tuberculosis.
In folk medicine, other poisonous plants are also used: lily of the valley, Wolf's bast is especially dangerous, so inexperienced healers should not experiment with such raw materials.
Rheumatism
To relieve the discomfort caused by rheumatism, it is advisable to make a tincture from the dry bark of a shrub. It is quite easy to prepare: glass jar place the bark and pour vodka in an amount of 0.5 liters. In two weeks, the miracle cure will be ready. A sign of this will be a yellow-green tincture. The effect of its application with the help of thorough rubbing will be much greater with the parallel use of tea oil.
Poisonous plants should be used with caution. The wolf's bast, the description of which is given above, is no exception.
Soothing toothache
When a tooth (or teeth) hurts, it is just right to remember the existence of a wolf's bast. From the flowers of the wolfberry, you need to prepare a decoction. Pour 20 milliliters of water, preheated to boiling point, into a container with two grams of flowers. Further, the components are brought to readiness by holding the container over the fire for 20 minutes, after which the contents are filtered, and the remaining cake is squeezed out. Final stage consists in adding boiling water in such an amount that the total volume of the drug is 250 milliliters. The decoction is taken in the morning, lunch and evening time in a precisely measured dose with a pipette - five drops of decoction.
Toothache can also be relieved by powdered flowers. It is applied and rubbed into the gum with a disturbing tooth. Suitable, slightly heated boiled water, rinse your mouth. Not everyone can properly prepare a wolf's bast (poisonous) plant. That is why doctors are wary of folk recipes in which it is a component.
And plant science does not have such a thing as "wolf"; in fact, it is a collective name for a number of berries, which are distinguished by toxic properties. These include:
- belladonna,
- dereza,
- wolfberry,
- raven eye,
- brittle buckthorn,
- snowman.
The berries look like shrubs, up to 1.5 meters high with rare and round berries of a bright red hue, sometimes of blue color. In the toxicological departments of hospitals, you can often see photos of these plants, because they serve common cause poisoning.
Daphne
This very poisonous plant is found quite often in forests. middle lane. All parts of it are poisonous, and the berries and leaves contain a high concentration of toxic substances.
Many also call the berries "wolf's bast."
Berries have a pronounced spicy taste, so even without knowing that this is a dangerous berry, it is unlikely that a person will be able to eat it in large quantities. Although, on the other hand, even 10 pieces can cause death, it all depends on the human body.
Symptoms of poisoning appear quickly, they are next character:
- vomit,
- burning sensation in the mouth,
- nausea,
- convulsions,
weakness and even loss of consciousness.
First aid for poisoning
A person who has eaten the fruits of the wolfberry must be given first aid. Gastric lavage is usually done with activated carbon or other sorbents remove toxins. In stationary conditions, a course of therapy is carried out aimed at restoring the natural biochemical composition of the blood.
Skin lesions can be caused by contact with wolfberry leaves and bark. In this case, blisters, redness appear on the surface, peeling begins quickly.
It will be possible to wash the affected areas of the skin with a solution of potassium permanganate. Further treatment will be prescribed by a dermatologist.
Hazardous Ingredients
If we consider the composition of wolf berries, then the main substance there will be meserine. This substance is very toxic, causes irritation of the mucous membrane and skin. Other components of the wolfberry cause severe bleeding, so in the villages, healers gave a decoction of berries to women who wanted to terminate a pregnancy ... often at the cost of their own lives.
Wolfberry is included in some medicines as an assistant in the treatment of the kidneys, immune and nervous systems. But it is worth remembering that for medicine it undergoes a series of treatments and loses its poisonous properties.
For modern residents of the metropolis, a walk through the forest is an incomparable relaxation and joy. Fresh air, the tart smell of sun-warmed leaves creates a special mood, restores energy and vitality.
And it’s also so interesting to arrange a “silent hunt” for mushrooms and berries! With mushrooms, everything is more or less clear: we are regularly informed and reminded of dangerous species. But with berries it is more difficult. They all seem harmless, and at first glance it is very difficult to distinguish poisonous berries. Therefore, very often in the summer you can read in the news about poisoning with compote from or severe intestinal disorders after eating fresh.
Let's see what poisonous and inedible berries is in our lane.
Wolfberry (wolfberry)
This low shrub, which blooms with white or light pink flowers, similar to lilacs. The fruits appear directly on the stem, ripen in July. Outwardly, the wolfberry is very attractive: bright red, shiny, juicy. Children are drawn to try these beautiful fruits. It is not difficult, because the shrub is grown as ornamental plant around houses, in city parks and gardens.
However, the wolfberry is entirely poisonous - both the leaves, the bark, and the fruits are dangerous because they contain the toxic substance daphne. If you touch the bark or rub the leaves, red, itchy spots and blisters can appear on the skin. In more severe injuries, necrosis of individual skin areas occurs.
Wolfberry also leads to severe food poisoning - for this it is enough to eat only a dozen fruits. There is a strong secretion of saliva, pain in the stomach, vomiting and convulsions, rises heat. The work of the intestines and kidneys is disturbed. Recovery, even with timely assistance, takes a long time.
Belladonna
This beautiful shrub with dark green leaves that blooms in solitary large purple or purple flowers. The fruits are black, slightly flattened, similar in size and shape to small cherries. The taste is sweet and juicy.
Belladonna berries rank first in terms of toxicity, since they contain three types of poison at once: atropine, scopolamine and hyoscyamine. Even a small amount of fruit can lead to a slow and painful death.
Snowberry
This is an ornamental, extremely frost-resistant plant. It blooms all summer with pink elegant inflorescences, and in September-October it begins to bear fruit with white juicy balls about a centimeter in diameter. Berries adorn the shrub for a very long time - until the middle of winter.
The fruits of the snowberry are highly poisonous and can be fatal.
Buckthorn (magpie berries)
This shrub blooms with small greenish-white flowers, in place of which small berries then appear. Unripe fruits are light red, while mature fruits are black. The use of buckthorn berries is not fatal, but leads to quite severe nausea and vomiting.
raven eye
The low bushes of this plant are found only in the forest, they can be confused with blueberries or blueberries. But it is not difficult to distinguish: the berry grows singly, in the middle of a four-leaf corolla it has a very bad smell. One or two berries are not very dangerous, but large quantity may lead to vomiting and diarrhea.
And buckthorn, and affect only gastrointestinal tract. The well-known honeysuckle also belongs to such toxic, but non-lethal berries.
Adults, as a rule, are careful not to try unfamiliar wild specimens. But children can be tempted by beautiful multi-colored fruits.
What to do if the child managed to taste poisonous berries?
First, you need to induce vomiting as soon as possible. Before that, let the child drink a little weak to oxidize in the stomach.
After the stomach has cleared, it is necessary to drink the child with a mixture of crushed activated carbon and water.
If possible, you need to do an enema to clean the intestines.
If there is inflammation on the skin, then wash the damaged areas with a solution of potassium permanganate.
After providing first aid, be sure to go to the hospital.
Many people like to spend the weekend in nature, walking in the forest, picking mushrooms, berries and herbs. However, if we are often warned about mushrooms and informed about dangerous species, then everything is more difficult with berries. At first glance, beautiful bright fruits seem harmless, and it is very difficult to understand which ones are poisonous. For example, in our forests, a common wolfberry, which can cause not only food poisoning, but also lead to death. Therefore, it would be useful to learn more about this forest plant, its positive and negative qualities.
What is a wolfberry - why is it called that
The popular name "wolf berry" combines a large number of berry bushes And herbaceous plants with fruits black, white, red, orange color. These plants got their name not because they are food for wolves. Just before it was believed that the wolf personifies evil, deceit, meanness, death, and the wolfberry looks harmless, but in fact it has a harmful toxic effect.
Description of poisonous shrubs and plants - fruit color, photo
Throughout the summer, many useful wild berries ripen: strawberries, currants, blueberries, raspberries, lingonberries, bird cherry. Just do not forget that poisonous berries grow next to them, causing acute poisoning. Even if there are not so many of them, everyone needs to know what they look like, especially if you take children into nature. The list of poisonous fruits is:
- belladonna;
- May lily of the valley;
- Boxthorn;
- bittersweet nightshade;
- honeysuckle;
- daphne;
- parthenocissus;
- raven eye;
- calla;
- buckthorn is fragile;
- snowberry.
Wolf's bast or wolfberry - what it looks like
Daphne (wolfberry) - decorative evergreen shrub, the maximum height of which reaches 150 centimeters. The stems of the plant are straight, covered with gray bark, slightly branched. The leaves are oblong, alternate, held on short petioles, have a smooth and hard surface. In spring, the plant is covered with beautiful tubular flowers with four petals. The color of the buds varies from light pink, white to bright pink. By autumn, the flowers ripen into oval, rich red (sometimes yellow) fruits, appearance reminiscent of barberry.
All parts of the shrub (bark, stem, flowers, berries, leaves) have a toxic property. For example, the wet bark of a plant, leaning against the skin, causes severe irritation and pain. When a few drops of wolfberry juice get in, a burn occurs, which is characterized by redness, the appearance of blisters and sores. Berries are considered deadly, 5 pieces of fruit are enough to cause severe poisoning.
Signs of poisoning with the fruits of wolf bast are:
- profuse salivation and problematic swallowing;
- pain in the intestines, accompanied by vomiting with blood impurities;
- burning sensation on the mucous membrane of the oropharynx and mouth;
- diarrhea;
- irritation of the conjunctiva of the eye;
- convulsions, weakness, fainting.
raven eye
It's perennial small plant, not more than 40 cm high. Crow's eye or cross-grass has a long branched root shoot, a straight and smooth stem, crowned with a rosette of four (rarely five) leaves. leaf shape crow's eye- oval or ovoid, pointed at the ends. The leaf arrangement is cruciform. In the center of the pedicel, a greenish-yellow flower blooms in spring. In late July - early August, a round blue-black berry, up to 1 cm in diameter, is formed from the flower, covered with a mucous coating.
A plant with a "crow" berry is often found in coniferous and deciduous forests, where there is a shady place and a lot of moisture. The composition of the plant and its berries includes a deadly poisonous substance - saponin paristifin. Lethal outcome entails a dose of 10 berries. When poisoning with the fruits of the crow's eye, the following symptoms are observed:
- sore throat;
- burning sensation in the mouth;
- nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain;
- dizziness, significant dilation of the pupils;
- strong headache;
- diarrhea;
- interruptions in the heart rhythm;
- heart failure;
- convulsions;
- cessation of breathing, paralysis of the respiratory center.
Honeysuckle
Honeysuckle is a creeping, upright, climbing shrub representing the genus Honeysuckle. The plant can have a height of 60 to 120 centimeters, and some varieties grow up to 5 meters. The length of the leaves of honeysuckle is 2-3 centimeters, located on office petioles, they are oblong, have a bright shade on top, pale below. Honeysuckle flowers, like berries, can be varied - white, yellow, blue, pink. The plant blooms in the second half of May.
In the middle of summer, honeysuckle bears fruit. Berries have different shape, color and taste. There are varieties of fruits sweet, sour, sweet and sour, with bitterness, pineapple or strawberry flavor. Fruit color - dark blue, red, black, orange. The shape of the berry is spherical or oval. The plant is found in forests, it is grown in nurseries, used on summer cottages, vegetable gardens. Not all varieties of honeysuckle berries can be eaten, some of them are poisonous. hallmark edible fruit is the color. They eat only oblong blue and black berries.
Dereza vulgaris (goji) - Chinese berry for weight loss
Goji is a non-poisonous plant native to China, and its berries have beneficial properties and are widely used in medicine. The fruits of common wolfberry are very similar to barberry, have the same shape and color. The berry contains a huge amount useful substances, such as:
- minerals (21 items);
- amino acids;
- fruits contain B vitamins and a lot of vitamin C;
- beta carotene;
- polysaccharides;
- iron;
- calcium;
- phosphorus;
- monosaccharides;
- selenium.
Chinese doctors recommend using goji berries as a multivitamin food supplement. It is believed that wolfberry fruits slow down the aging process, can help in the fight against diseases such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, cancer. Goji berries are added by Chinese nutritionists to the diet for weight loss, as they:
- Promote the production of growth hormone, due to which the body burns fat.
- The berry contains a small amount of carbohydrates and has a low calorie content, therefore it is allowed while following the Dukan diet.
- Dereza fruits prevent the appearance of harmful free radicals, thereby alleviating the stress endured by the body during the diet.
- Fatty acid in the composition of the berries contribute to the acceleration of metabolism, remove toxins.
- The use of wolfberries improves eyesight.
- Helps to eliminate violations of the diuretic system.
It is impossible to guarantee one hundred percent weight loss when eating goji berries. The rate of weight loss depends not only on the fruits, but also on the chosen diet, diet, menu, and individual characteristics of the body. On average, when eating berries, 1-2 kilograms per week are lost. During the diet, in parallel with berries, only healthy food, reduce or completely abandon flour products. affect the rate of weight loss physical exercise and regular long walks fresh air. Dereza fruits are brewed as tea, added to cereals.
Useful properties of wolfberry and its application
Wolfberry is actively used in medicine for the treatment of diseases:
- hearts;
- nervous system;
- kidneys;
- liver;
- immune system;
- eye;
- joints;
- intestinal tract.
In folk medicine, decoctions and tinctures are prepared from wolf berries, which are then used to treat pneumonia, bronchitis, laryngitis, sciatica, paralysis, tonsillitis, tinnitus, and cardiovascular diseases. healing property, as well as toxic, is completely possessed by the whole plant (fruits, root, juice, leaves, stem), which is harvested only in dry weather. Because of the toxicity of official medicine wolf berries are not used. Fruits are added to homeopathic medications for the treatment of skin diseases.
- For the treatment of constipation, not berries are actively used, but the bark of the wolfberry plant. To do this, take dry bark (30 gr.), Finely chop. Pour the resulting mixture with 200 grams of 30% alcohol, let it brew for 10 days. Take tincture 1 teaspoon once a day.
- At hyperacidity gastritis use dereza leaves. Take 10 grams of dried leaves of oregano, plantain, nettle, wolfberry, add half a glass of water, boil for 10 minutes. Ready herbal tincture to drink three times a day after meals, 70 ml.
What to do with symptoms of poisoning by a poisonous plant
If you do not help a person who has been poisoned by wolf berries in time, a fatal outcome is inevitable. Poison properties The plant and its fruits spread throughout the body very quickly. With symptoms of poisoning with berries of any poisonous plant need to urgently call ambulance or take the victim to the nearest hospital. While waiting for the doctor, do the following:
- Try to free your stomach from poisonous berries. Induce vomiting. Do a gastric lavage from the fruit: let the victim drink plenty of water (1-3 liters) with the addition of activated charcoal (4 tablespoons per liter) or potassium permanganate, induce vomiting again so that the remains of the fruit come out. Do the procedure several times.
- If there are medicines, give the patient any cardiac and laxative, because the toxic effect of the fruits of the plant causes cardiac arrest, desiccation of the body and shock.
- When a person has convulsions, after eating the fruits of a poisonous plant, use chloral hydrate or milk, a starch solution.
- After emergency care from poisoning with berries or a plant, put the victim to bed, wrap him in a blanket, cover him with warm heating pads and wait for the doctor.
It just so happened that different concepts are hidden under the term "wolf berries".
1
Firstly, wolf berries are one of the popular names for a shrub called wolf's bast(other names are wolfberry, wolf, daphne). This amazing plant already in the spring, it begins to behave differently from the rest of the "respectable" bushes and trees: leaves first appear on them and only then - flowers. And the wolfberry is first covered with beautiful pink flowers(in April-May), and only then releases "whirlwinds" of narrow ovoid leaves on the tops of the branches.
Bright red berries of a wolf's bast the size of a pea sit directly on branches of 2-3 pieces, like sea buckthorn.
Despite the fact that they look very appetizing, you should never eat them, as they are highly poisonous! However, in the wolfberry, all parts of the plant are poisonous. Even a small drop of plant juice, falling on the skin or mucous membrane of the lips or eyes, causes irritation. If you eat a wolf berry, burning, nausea, vomiting, weakness will begin, convulsions may begin, the temperature will rise ... Therefore, try not to approach this beautiful bush!
"Wolf's bast" ... Why wolf? Probably because among the people wolves have long been the personification of deceit, cruelty and evil. And why bast? But because the bark of the wolf (more precisely, the bast layer under the bark) is very strong. Previously, paper, ropes, ropes were made from it, and even bast shoes were woven. Anyone who has tried to pluck a wolf branch "as a keepsake" knows that it is easy to break it off, but it is already more difficult to tear it off the bush. The reason is a strong bast.
Only after reading these lines, please do not treat this plant as an enemy if you happen to meet it in the forest! Firstly, it is quite rare and is listed in the Red Book. Secondly, the wolf's bast is a wonderful honey plant, and it blooms at a time when there are still very few other flowers. Thirdly, wolf - medicinal plant. Fourth, despite the toxicity, birds for some reason can eat wolf fruits without any harm to themselves, so do not deprive the birds of this source of food.
2
Wolfberries are sometimes called forest honeysuckle. Its berries are very similar to the berries of the wolf's bast:
It can be distinguished from the wolf by two signs: its berries on short pedicels depart from the nodes (that is, from where the leaves leave), and not from the internodes. In addition, honeysuckle berries sit in pairs. They are not poisonous, like the berries of the wolf's bark, but still inedible. You bite the berry - and at first you feel a sweetish taste, but almost immediately you feel a strong bitterness in your mouth, which then does not go away for a long time.
By the way, forest honeysuckle is a close relative of edible honeysuckle. Its blue, with a bluish bloom, berries have a delicate aroma and a bitter-sour taste reminiscent of blueberries, contain many useful substances and are valued as healing. It is bred in gardens.
3.
And, finally, "wolf berries" is a collective vernacular name all berries with black or red berries that are inedible or poisonous. Here are some examples of such plants.
