Crow's eye - medicinal properties and use in medicine. The raven eye is a poisonous plant that is dangerous to health.

The raven eye is a perennial herbaceous plant with a small, even stem. It looks very attractive, in the summer, a blue berry appears inside the four petals, in the fall it ripens and turns black.

Crow's eye is a perennial herbaceous plant

Description and properties of a poisonous plant

A perennial herbaceous plant of the raven eye from the lily family. The raven eye grows up to 50 cm, with an erect stem, the fruit is at the top in four oblong leaves. Flowers solitary, yellowish Green colour with individual petals of 8 perianths. Blooms in summer months, and the fruit ripens closer to autumn.

It is with multiple seeds, the berry in the form of a ball reaches 11 mm. During ripening, it presents the fruit, it appears in the center of the four petals, which is why it is called the raven eye. In the people there are other names for this plant:

  • bearberry;
  • rannik;
  • crow grass;
  • crow;
  • the cross is grass.

Does well in broad-leaved and coniferous forests where marshland and wet soil. It grows among bushes in damp and shady places where the sun rarely penetrates. Such places in the Caucasus and Eastern Siberia, European part of Russia. The raven eye is a poisonous plant, the root system is long and horizontal.

AT winter period the root system remains deep underground. Awakening occurs in March and April when it is cold and subzero temperature. With the first warming, a new sprout sprouts, the raven eye slowly multiplies.

The raven eye does well in swampy areas.

Medicinal properties of a poisonous plant

Different names for a beautiful and poisonous plant. Having healing properties, not everyone dares to apply in medicinal purposes without specific knowledge. There are no official data in traditional medicine to use bearberry. Extremely poisonous in the grass of the crow, the fruit and the rhizome, because it contains saponins and steroids. AT herbaceous plant crow's eye, the study revealed substances such as "flavonoids", and the rhizome has a high content of vitamin C and coumarins.

fruit in traditional medicine used to treat heart disease (arrhythmia, tachycardia). Not all properties have been studied by science, biologists have proven that the fruits are able to heal wounds and relieve spasms, and also act as a diuretic. Alcohol tinctures have the following properties: relieve headaches and dizziness, and a compress will help with its healing properties with laryngitis. They are also used for mental disorders Oh.

There are beliefs that the berries harvested from August 14 to September 9 have the ability to protect against plague and other infectious diseases, for a talisman, beads are knitted from them or sewn into clothes. All tricks medicines should be in homeopathic dosages.

Crow's eye berries are similar to blueberries, but very poisonous.

Symptoms of poisoning, medical assistance

Crow's eye, a plant in which the stem, leaf and root are poisonous. The most dangerous are the fruits, after eating 10 berries, you can get severe poisoning, after which a fatal outcome occurs. Adults and especially children are poisoned by such berries, they look like blueberries. Description of poisoning symptoms:

  • nausea;
  • colic and bloating;
  • convulsions;
  • violation of the heart rhythm system;
  • paralysis.

The presence of symptoms proves poisoning with the raven eye berry. the first medical care carried out promptly, that is, they quickly give adsorbents and wash the stomach from trapped poisons. Anesthesin is administered intravenously, and strophanthin is used to restore the work of the heart.

The raven eye grass has beneficial features, but toxic substances have an advantage over medicinal ones. Treatment based on berries should be carried out only after carefully reading the description in the instructions and under the supervision of the attending physician.

Potions and tinctures prepared at home are used strictly according to the recipe. Not forgetting that the composition contains a poisonous plant. By following safety measures, we protect our health.

Only ardent fans of botany know about a plant called the raven eye. But if you love forest walks and often pick berries, then knowing what the raven eye plant looks like can literally save your life!

The raven eye is poisonous, but looks very similar to blueberries or bilberries. That is why episodes of accidental poisoning are quite common. Be sure to remember character traits plants, so as not to make a fatal mistake.

Basic information about the raven eye

Poisonous medicinal plant interesting name The "crow's eye" cannot be found in an ordinary urban park area. The classic four-leaved subspecies can be seen in the forests of eastern Russia, as well as in the Caucasus and Siberia. Manchurian and six-leafed crow's eye grows only in the regions of Kamchatka and Sakhalin.

Due to the symmetrical arrangement of the leaves, the raven eye is also called the cross-grass. In books with folk recipes Other names can also be found:

  • crow;
  • wolf eyes;
  • single quatrefoil.

If you set out to replenish first aid kit, then it is important to know not only what the raven eye looks like, but also where to look for it.

The undersized plant loves moisture and shade very much, so it can be found in ravines, bushes, on damp rocky slopes. Since the raven eye prefers fertile soil, it grows in deciduous and mixed forests.

What does the raven eye plant look like?

The raven eye has a rather long thin stem (up to 40 cm), on the edge of which there are four oval leaves. Above the leaves, forming the shape of a cross, a peduncle rises with a flower or berry (depending on the season). If you tear a leaf from the stem, then enough bad smell juice. The raven eye blooms in late May, but the flowers usually do not attract the attention of others, as they are pale green in color and resemble a pointed star.

Important information!

The flowers of the quatrefoil are not of any value, as they are not used in traditional medicine recipes.

Even when the pistil turns into a fruit, the stamens and leaves do not fall off. The berry itself, unlike the flower, attracts the attention of both people and birds, as it stands out against a green background with its rich, almost black color. Diameter ripe berries does not exceed one centimeter. Fruit picking is best done towards the end of July - beginning of August. A ripe crow looks like it is offering its berry to beautiful green plate.

It is worth noting that the plant has several stems, but not each blooms. Old crows may not bear fruit at all. By winter, the green part of the plant dies off, and in the spring new stems grow from ground shoots. root system long, creeping, a few millimeters thick. The plant propagates both by seeds and by the growth of rhizomes. At favorable conditions the area of ​​the root system can take several square decimeters.

Interesting fact!

Every year a new segment appears on the plant. By counting the processes, you can find out the age of the crow's eye. This information is valuable for those who prefer to harvest only young herbs.

Distinctive features of the poisonous berry

All lovers should know what a raven eye looks like wild berries. Inexperienced tourists may confuse the poisonous raven with blueberries. Crow's eye berries differ from edible fruits, first of all, in smell. Just rub the plucked fruit in the palm of your hand and sniff it: an unpleasant aroma is unlikely to cause an appetite.

Of course, it is worth paying attention to the accuracy of the fruit. The raven eye grows singly, while there are always several nearby.

What to do if you or your child accidentally ate a crowberry

In fact, one berry will not cause any damage to health. The proven "dangerous" dose is 10 berries. It will not be possible to accidentally eat such an amount, because the taste of the fruit is very unpleasant. If several berries have got into the stomach, then it is necessary to induce vomiting and drink strong black tea.

Effects of the crow's eye on health

Official science does not have enough data on the benefits of black cohosh. However, healers and traditional healers say that the leaves and roots of the plant can be used in such painful conditions as:

  • migraine;
  • ascites;
  • neuralgia;
  • tuberculosis;
  • convulsions.

The berries are used for cardiovascular diseases, as well as to relieve spasms, heal wounds and eliminate inflammation.

  • pregnant women;
  • breastfeeding;
  • children;
  • people with kidney disease.

Quite often there is individual intolerance and accidental poisoning due to incorrectly calculated dosage. Therefore, if after using drugs based on the crow's eye you feel unwell, urgently rinse your stomach and seek qualified medical help.

Folk recipes

Knowing what the raven eye plant looks like, you can try to find it in the forest and use it for medicinal purposes. So, for example, fresh berries can rub wounds, ulcers, pimples and boils. The simplest procedure will significantly speed up healing! If you suffer from cramps, cardiovascular insufficiency, then try making a tincture.

Crow's eye tincture

The recipe is simple: pour 10 fresh voronets berries into 500 ml of high-quality vodka. Leave the liquid container in a dark place for 2-3 weeks. Strain and consume 20 drops of tincture every day. Important: the course of treatment should not exceed three weeks. If the unpleasant symptoms do not disappear, then be sure to take a break for 10 days and repeat the course of treatment again.

Although the raven eye has many useful properties, self-medication is still not worth it. If you exceed the dose, you may experience bradycardia, dizziness, fainting. Be sure to consult with your doctor before taking Crow's Eye products!

Remember, raven eye - poisonous berry. If you have never encountered traditional medicine before, but want to test the properties of the crow on yourself, it is better to order a ready-made tincture from a proven homeopath.

In the forests, on the slopes of ravines and along the banks of rivers, you can meet the crow's eye. This is a plant whose stem is crowned with a rosette of four, less often five leaves. In its center is a greenish flower, and in late summer and autumn - a round, shiny blue-black berry. This berry has a diameter of up to a centimeter, covered with a bluish bloom, and it is because of it that the plant got its name.

This representative of the flora is also known as the crow, bear grass, cross-grass, rannik, etc.

The most common in nature is the four-leafed raven eye. It reaches a height of up to 40 cm, it has a long creeping rhizome and leaves arranged crosswise. A greenish flower forms at the base of the leaves, from which a juicy berry ripens at the end of July. With the onset of frost, the ground part of the plant dies off completely, and in spring new shoots appear from its rhizome.

Plant features

In nature, there are about twenty-six species of this herb. The plant contains the saponin paristifin, which is a deadly poison.. In addition, its berries and leaves contain organic acids, pectin, vitamin C, coumarin, and various saponins and alkaloids in the rhizome.

Since the raven eye contains toxic substances, it is not used in official medical practice. This plant is used in homeopathy and also finds its use in traditional medicine. In the Middle Ages, it was believed that grass had the ability to ward off evil spells, for which it was constantly worn, especially during epidemics.

Despite the fact that the four-leafed raven eye is very poisonous, the active substances contained in it produce a strong therapeutic effect, in particular, they have the following effect on the body:

  • antispasmodic;
  • soothing;
  • heal wounds;
  • anti-inflammatory;
  • improve bowel and kidney function.

This plant is used in the treatment of neuralgia, tuberculosis, heart failure, ascites, laryngitis, mental illness. Crow's eye, and especially fresh juice from it, restores vision, soothes neuralgic pain and migraine (lubricate whiskey), heals wounds.

Tincture for heart failure

Crow's eye can be infused with alcohol or vodka. For heart failure and edema:

  1. 10 berries (dry or fresh) insist in half a liter of vodka for two weeks.
  2. Filter and take 20 drops in water three times a day.

The duration of the course is no more than those weeks, then a break of 10 days is needed. Also, dry grass is used for tincture (4 tablespoons per half liter of vodka, leave for 2 weeks).

For constipation and cramps

For tuberculosis, convulsions, constipation, every 2 hours take a tablespoon of this tincture (recipe above), diluted in a proportion of 2 teaspoons per glass of water.

With a concussion

With a concussion, three times a day, take 5 drops of this tincture (recipe above), diluted in water (course duration - up to two weeks).

What happens if you eat a berry?

Large bright berry crow's eye looks very attractive and resembles blueberries. If such a berry is eaten out of ignorance or by mistake, then abdominal pains, vomiting, and dizziness appear. When the plant is ingested in a large dose, convulsions begin, interruptions in the heart rhythm, and death is possible. When the leaves are ingested, the central nervous system, and the rhizome has an emetic effect.

It is believed that taking one or two berries does not cause dangerous consequences, although individual sensitivity and early age may amend this rule. A dose of 10 berries is considered fatal, although reliable cases of such fatal outcomes have not been recorded..

In case of poisoning, it is necessary to wash the stomach and introduce drugs that regulate the functioning of the heart, for which you should immediately call an ambulance, it is also recommended to keep pieces of ice in your mouth.

When carrying out treatment, it should be remembered that the raven eye requires special care. This plant is contraindicated in children, expectant and nursing mothers, as well as hypertensive patients and persons with hyperexcitability nervous system.

poisonous plant the raven eye, or the common raven eye is well known. Not only people, but also animals try to bypass it. Despite the high toxicity of the plant, it is still used in traditional medicine. Although in traditional pharmacology, the raven eye is considered a poison and is prohibited as a remedy. AT medieval times the raven eye was included in magical plants. It was believed that he could disenchant an enchanted person. It is also known that people carried the berry in their pockets, around their necks, and hid it in their clothes to protect themselves from the pestilence. In the Middle Ages, they were afraid of the crow's eye. There was an opinion that the berry will forever put a person to sleep, one has only to try it.

Plant features

Growth area

The common raven eye takes root well throughout Europe. Less commonly, it can be seen in the southeastern part of Europe, in the Mediterranean, Asia, North America, Western Siberia and Transcaucasia. raven eye loves shady places, moist soil enriched with humus, as well as deciduous and mixed forests, thickets of shrubs, forest-steppes.


Botanical description

What does a raven eye look like? The grass has a horizontal rhizome, the height of the stem is from 10 to 40 cm. The leaves are wide, elliptical in shape with pointed ends, about 10 cm long. At the top of the plant there is a single flower of a greenish hue. Outwardly, the flower is unattractive, consists of four petals and four sepals. The raven eye blooms from May to July. Then, in August, the fruit ripens in the form of a black berry, with a bluish bloom, 1 cm in diameter. It is important to know the description of the crow's eye, be able to distinguish it in nature and show it to children, warning about the toxicity of this plant.

The healing effect of the raven eye

The raven eye has such basic medicinal properties as anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic. Also acts as a wound healing, diuretic, sedative.

  • Chemical composition. Crow's eye berry contains dangerous poisons paristifin and paradin. The roots of the plant are also considered highly poisonous, least of all in the leaves. It is written in herbalists: if a child accidentally eats one or two berries, there will be no poisoning. The danger arises when taking large doses. The crow's eye also contains useful and safe substances: glycosides, alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, saponins, pectins, vitamin C, organic acids.
  • When is it applied? Crow's eye four-leaf effectively treats arrhythmia, tachycardia, headaches, laryngitis, pharyngitis, bronchitis, tuberculosis, neuralgia, hernia, endocrine disorders, edema, excessive sweating, hearing loss, poorly healing wounds. Also, the plant improves appetite, improves intestinal motility, removes drowsiness. Berries are most often used for violations of the heart.
  • Use in homeopathy. If in folk medicine they try to use the raven eye as rarely as possible, then in homeopathy it is an important drug for the treatment of neuralgic tics on the face and eyelids, conjunctivitis, bronchitis, laryngitis, rheumatism, and mental disorders. The drug is prepared from a fresh plant, taken in various dilutions. Treatment is carried out only under the supervision of a homeopathic doctor.

Due to the high toxicity of the crow's eye, treatment under medical supervision and under strict indications is recommended. When poisoning with berries, the following symptoms are observed: vomiting, diarrhea, pain, abdominal cramps, shortness of breath, convulsions, dizziness, confusion. In such a situation, you should immediately call ambulance. The drug is contraindicated in pregnant women, nursing mothers, children under 12 years of age. Also a contraindication is insomnia and high blood pressure.

Preparation of decoctions and tinctures

For the preparation of medicinal tinctures and decoctions, fresh raw materials are most often used. But you can also use dry leaves. Collection medicinal plant carried out during the flowering period, although the flowers of the crow's eye are not of medicinal value. The most commonly used leaves and stem, as they are the least toxic. But it is also possible to use berries. What recipes are most commonly recommended by herbalists?


We emphasize once again: self-treatment with drugs based on the crow's eye is strictly prohibited and dangerously possible overdose.

The raven eye flower is widely used in homeopathy. An extract is made from it for the preparation of herbal preparations. The course of treatment can be long, with homeopathic doses, strict medical supervision. In folk medicine, there are recipes for infusions and decoctions based on the leaves and berries of the plant.

Crow's eye is a genus of annual herbs belonging to the lily family. Represents green plant, consisting of four sepals, four ovate leaves with mesh venation, sometimes three leaves, five, and six are found in the whorl, but such specimens are an infrequent occurrence. From the very center of the plant on a low pedicel (about 40 cm), a single nondescript four-membered flower leaves, from which a fruit is formed in August - a bluish-black berry. The raven eye is poisonous, especially its rhizome and berry.

Crow's eye - types and places of growth

In the world flora, there are about 40 species of crow's eye. It is a plant of moist soils and shady forests. It grows in beech forests, among many flowers, at the foot of slopes and in shrubby thickets. It occurs throughout the range of Siberia, the European part of the Russian Federation, the Caucasus, Central Europe, Asia, Himalayas.

In folk medicine and homeopathy, the raven eye plays a huge role. The three main types most commonly used are:

- four-leafed raven eye;
- the raven eye is incomplete;
- the raven eye is multi-leaved.

Crow's eye - healing properties

As we noted above, the plant is very poisonous, but dried fruits and leaves are widely used in folk medicine in small doses. Crow's eye contains glycosides, steroids, saponins, flavonoids and various vitamins. The composition of the rhizome also includes alkaloids.

Due to a certain number of biologically active substances, the raven eye has a calming, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, wound healing and diuretic effect on the body.

Helps to fight such diseases and troubles as neuralgia, migraine, tuberculosis, ascites, laryngitis, metabolic disorders. It is also used as a means of improving appetite, enhancing bowel function and eliminating tachycardia. Nice results have been achieved in the treatment of seizures, heart failure (as an adjuvant therapy), tremors and concussions.

Crow's eye - dosage forms

As a medicinal raw material, the green part of the plant is used, less often berries. Fresh grass must be collected during flowering. In the vast majority of cases, for the treatment of a particular disease, a tincture is made based on fresh or dried herbs.

Berries rub difficult-to-heal wounds, sores, pimples and boils. And fresh juice in homeopathy treats migraine (rubbing the temples), headache, eye diseases, drowsiness, bronchitis, concussion. Internal application poisonous raven eye requires special care.

Crow's eye - recipe and use of tincture

For tuberculosis, neuroses, convulsions and constipation: for half a liter of good vodka we prepare 50 g of crushed dry, and preferably fresh crow's eye grass, fill it and put it in a dark isolated place for a couple of weeks. Then we filter, add two teaspoons of tincture to a glass of water and take it on the table. spoon every 2-3 hours, regardless of the meal.

With concussion: tincture can be prepared on the basis of dry grass. Four table. spoons of dry extract, pour 500 ml of vodka, put it in a dark place, insist for 7-9 days and use only five drops, diluted in a glass of water, three r. per day for a week or two.

With heart failure (with edema): pour a dozen fresh berries into the floor with liters of good vodka, leave for two weeks in a dry, dark place. Next, do not forget to strain and take twenty drops, diluted in a small amount of water, three r. in a day. The course is three weeks, then you need to take a ten-day break and spend at least 2 more courses.

Crow's eye - contraindications

- pregnancy (all trimesters) and breastfeeding;
- age up to 12 years;
- individual intolerance.

Before using drugs based on the crow's eye, you should consult with a specialist. It is also impossible to exceed the permissible doses, since poisoning with toxic substances causes vomiting, diarrhea, bradycardia, a decline in respiratory and cardiac activity, intestinal colic, dizziness up to loss of consciousness. With the development side effects self-medication is not allowed!