Łódź, Botanical Garden

It is native to temperate and subtropical Eurasia, and is now globally distributed as a plant grown mainly for pharmaceutical purposes. Ornamental plant. May be toxic to bees! Herbal plant - this species is the form generally considered best for external use, whilst the white henbane (H. albus) is considered the most appropriate for internal use; it is used extensively as a sedative and pain killer and is specifically used for pain affecting the urinary tract, especially when due to kidney stones, its sedative and antispasmodic effect makes it a valuable treatment for the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, relieving tremor and rigidity during the early stages of the disease; all parts of the plant, but especially the leaves and the seeds, can be used, they are anodyne, antispasmodic, mildly diuretic, hallucinogenic, hypnotic, mydriatic, narcotic and sedative; the plant is used internally in the treatment of asthma, whooping cough, motion sickness, Meniere's syndrome, tremor in senility or paralysis and as a pre-operative medication; henbane reduces mucous secretions, as well as saliva and other digestive juices; externally, it is used as an oil to relieve painful conditions such as neuralgia, dental and rheumatic pains.