Family Name: Solanaceae
Botanical Name(s): Atropa belladonna
Popular Name(s): Black Cherry, Deadly Nightshade, Poison Black Cherry
Parts Used: Leaves, tops and berries
Habitat: Belladonna is native to Europe, North Africa and Western Asia.
Description: Belladonna is a perennial plant with erect, leafy stem that splits into three branches and attains a height up to 5 feet. Its ovate leaves grow in pairs with uneven sizes and possess dull green colour. The flowers are solitary, bell-shaped and dull brown to dark purple in colour which yield black, shiny berries measuring approximately 1 cm in diameter.
Uses: Belladonna possesses antispasmodic, calmative, diaphoretic and diuretic properties. When applied locally, it lessens irritability and pain and so it is used in neuralgia, gout, rheumatism and sciatica
