The raven eye plant has different names in the people: a wound-dress, bear berries, raven grass, raven berries, Voronets, cross-grass. It attracts attention with its shiny black berries, which can cause severe poisoning and at the same time have healing properties. Where does the raven eye grow and how is it used in medicine?
Habitat
The raven eye is found in such regions as the middle zone of Russia, Siberia, the Caucasus, Ukraine, Belarus. This plant loves moist soil and is found in shady deciduous, coniferous or mixed forests, on the slopes of ravines, in bushes. On a stem 30 cm high below is a scaly leaf, split in two. On top - another 4 leaves of ovoid-rounded shape with a pointed tip. Because of this, in science, the raven eye is called four-leafed. True, there are plants that have three or even five leaves.
The rhizome of the plant is long and creeping, it can quickly grow to the sides. The plant is perennial, and can multiply by seeds and shoots that grow from rhizomes. Each year, one segment is added to the escape of the raven eye. By counting them, you can determine how old the plant is.
The crow's eye begins to bloom in May. True, it is very difficult to notice its flowers: although they are small, they do not attract attention due to the greenish color. It’s even difficult to tell by their appearance how long the flower bloomed. He always looks the same, both at the beginning and at the end of flowering. The stamens and tepals simply dry out as the pestle turns into a fruit. Big berries are much more striking: in July and August they reach full maturity and are clearly visible against the background of leaves. Looking at these shiny fruits (due to their similarity to the raven’s eye, the plant got its name), I don’t want to believe that the raven eye is a poisonous plant. Nevertheless, this is so: both berries and leaves, once in the body, can cause severe poisoning. It is accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, severe abdominal pain, cramps and impaired cardiac activity up to cardiac arrest.
What does the raven eye treat?
In the Middle Ages, the raven eye was considered a talisman plant. People believed that it could cast a spell on enchanted people, and also protect it from plague and other similar diseases. For this, the berries of the plant were picked and sewn into clothes. But in general, the plants were a little afraid and used not very often.
Nowadays, the plant is used only in traditional medicine and homeopathy. Both leaves and berries are used. Leaves are harvested throughout the summer, and berries are picked in July or August. Dry them quickly in a room that is well ventilated.
In homeopathy, fresh juice in plants treats bronchitis, rheumatism, eye diseases, headaches, and dizziness. In folk medicine, they use grass collected during flowering, which has anesthetic and anti-inflammatory properties.
The infusion of dry shredded leaves can be used for insomnia, convulsive conditions and migraines. Alcohol tincture of fresh leaves and crushed berries (in equal proportions) helps with diseases such as migraine, concussion and bruises of the brain, arachnoiditis, protracted bronchitis, pulmonary tuberculosis. If you decide to harvest this plant for medicinal purposes, make sure that the raw materials and medicines are kept locked up and separate from food. Due to the toxicity of fruits and leaves, the raven eye is not recommended for use without consultation with specialists. For the same reason, the plant does not have much popularity, even in folk medicine, and it is possible to be treated with preparations based on it only in small doses.