Henbane black

Witchweed, doll's ear, Hyoscyamus niger

Black henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) is a poisonous plant of the henbane genus within the nightshade family (Solanaceae) and is common in Europe, Asia and Africa. The plant grows up to 50 cm high, ha aent hairy, sticky to the touch stem, 20 cm long leaves and dirty yellowish flowers with dark purple reticulated veins. the fruits, bulbous lidded capsules contain up to 200 gray-brown seeds. Flowering period is from June to October.

Phytopharmacologically used the dried leaves , flower or fruit-bearing branch tips (hyoscyamus leaves/bilsbane leaves - Hyoscyami folium).

Because of the low therapeutic range (strong poisonous effect of tropane alkaloids!) henbane is no longer used today.

HMPC: preparation of a monograph discontinued in 2011.

ESCOP: no monograph

Commission E: monograph in 1988: cramp states in the area of the gastrointestinal tract; currently, according to today's knowledge phytotherapeutically no longer use!

The black henbane can be a one or two year old plant. In biennial plants, only one leaf rosette appears in the first year, the flower itself only in the second year. The flowering period is from June to October. The plant usually reaches a height of 30 to 60 cm, but more rarely it can grow up to 170 cm. The funnel-shaped flower is yellowish white. The fruit of the plant is a bulbous capsule about 1.5 cm long.

Hyoscyamus niger is the parent plant of Hyoscyami folium (positively monographed by Commission E), the henbane leaves.

1. https://arzneipflanzenlexikon.info/bilsenkraut.php