How is Voronets useful?

In shady deciduous forests and deep damp ravines, by the end of summer you can find bushes with tassels of shiny blue-black berries. Before you is a Voronets

In shady deciduous forests and deep damp ravines, by the end of summer you can find bushes with tassels of shiny blue-black berries. The leaves of the plant are similar to the leaves of drupe, but do not rush to pick them up, much less taste the berries. Before you is Voronets, or, as it is popularly called, bear grass. It belongs to the buttercup family and, like almost all of its representatives, is poisonous. Before the fruits ripen, the plant is almost invisible against the background of other lush forest vegetation, and its leaves are easily confused with the leaves of edible plants.

Voronets is a perennial plant with single stems and alternate, double-pinnate leaves. The flowers are small, whitish, collected in a short raceme. The fruits are shiny black berries that ripen in August–September. Sometimes there is a variety of crow with red berries - red-fruited crow, it is also poisonous.

Medicinal properties

Despite its toxicity, black crow is a life-saving remedy in the treatment of many diseases. It has a positive effect on cardiovascular pathologies and has a sedative (calming) effect. In folk medicine, the plant is used to treat rheumatism, hysteria, asthma, toothache, and skin diseases. And according to some herbal researchers, there are many cases of curing inoperable forms of stomach cancer with herbs and crowberry fruits.

For the treatment of rheumatism, hysteria, asthma, toothache

2 tsp. crushed Voronets roots, pour 300 g of boiling water and cook in a water bath for 40 minutes, strain and take 30-50 ml 3-4 times a day after meals. The general course of treatment is no more than three weeks.

For the treatment of skin diseases

Mix 20 g of dry crow fruit powder with 100 g of pork fat and leave for 10 days. Use to lubricate the skin for scabies, eczema, dermatitis, skin tuberculosis, tumors.

Methods of application

Infusion: 2 tsp. herbs or berries, pour 0.5 liters of boiling water, leave in a warm place for 2 hours, strain. Take from 5 to 20 ml 3-4 times a day half an hour after meals.
Tincture: pour dry leaves with 40% alcohol or vodka in a ratio of 1:10, leave in a warm place for 10 days, filter. Take 10 to 20 drops with a quarter glass of boiled water 2-3 times a day, half an hour after meals.

Attention:

Voronets contains alkaloids, which explains its strong irritating effect. If the plant comes into contact with skin, it may cause burns with the formation of blisters. It is especially dangerous if juice gets on the mucous membrane of the mouth and eyes. When swallowing crow berries, poisoning occurs, accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea and inflammation of the intestines. Be careful when collecting raw materials and using them!

Andrey Zalomlenkov, pharmacist-phytologist, Orenburg region, Buguruslan