Henbane Plant

By Shahid Khan (Pharm-D Awkum)

1. Henbane

2. Henbane, Folia Hyoscyami , Hyoscyamus Scientific Name: Hyoscyamus niger Common Name: Bhang dana , Khurasaniijwain , Ijwain e khurasani , Stinking nightshade. Family: Solanaceae Plant Name :

3. Part Used: Dried leaves and flowering tops. Geographical Source: Occurs throughout Europe, Southern England, Persia and India. It is cultivated in south eastern England, Thuringia, Germany, Russia and Hungary. Plant Description : Erect annual or biennial herb with coarse, hairy stems; leaves are alternate, simple, toothed; flowers are axillary , tubular, greenish yellow or yellowish with purple veins; fruit is a capsule.

4. Description of Part Used: Commercial henbane consists of entangled leaves or leaves and flowering tops including stem, which does not exceed about 5 mm in diameter in dried condition. The drug has a pale grayish green color and is clammy and resinous to the touch Hyoscyamusniger seeds

5. Constituents: Henbane contains hyoscyamine and traces of scopolamine ( hyoscine ); atropine has been reported, but its presence is doubtful. The total alkaloid present is about 0.045 – 0.14% and occasionally up to 0.2 %.Annual henbane contains only about 0.03% of total alkaloid.Henbane seeds contain about 0.05 % of total alkaloid, consisting of hyoscyamine and scopolamine; which are present in the testaonly.In addition the seed contains about 20% of fixed oil.

6. Uses: Henbane is used as a cerebral and spinal sedative; it does not give rise to the excitation caused by belladonna and is therefore used in insomnia when opium cannot be given.It also relieves the griping caused by drastic purgatives.The seeds have been used as a source of the alkaloid hyoscine . Thrown upon hot coals they give off a vapor which is a domestic remedy for toothache, being allowed to enter the mouth for this purpose.The leaves scattered about a house will drive away mice

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