Wolf's Bast, Or Common Wolfberry

Wolf's bast, or common wolfberry, is a low shrub that can be found on forest edges, in floodplain forests, on the banks of streams and in hedges. This plant species belongs to the wolfberry family (Thymelaeaceae) and includes several species, including wolf's bast. The shrub usually reaches a height of 50 cm to 1 m, but can sometimes grow up to 2.5 m in favorable conditions.

The bark of the trunk and branches of the wolfberry is gray-brown. Even before the leaves appear, pink or slightly reddish flowers bloom, which have a strong, pleasant smell. The leaves are lanceolate, entire, and the fruits are ovoid and light red. Wolf's bast blooms from February to March (in Russia - in April-May). It prefers shady places and soils rich in nutrients.

Wolf bast contains several active substances, including the glycoside daphnin, the caustic substance dafnetoxin, as well as a number of flavonoids, sitosterin, resins and other substances. Although wolf's bast was used in ancient times as a laxative, its ingestion should be cautioned due to the content of a very poisonous irritant. Wolfsbane based blister can also cause skin irritation and necrosis.

However, in homeopathy, wolf's bast is used in the form of the homeopathic remedy Mezereum, which is prepared from fresh bark collected before flowering. It can be used for various skin diseases, eczema, weeping and scabby rashes, redness of the skin, herpes zoster, as well as trophic ulcers. It is prescribed even for inflammation of the eyes, toothaches and headaches, aching joints, and stomach diseases. However, the highest dose of this drug should be D1, with Dg all further dilutions are used without fear.

Wolf bast is very poisonous. Its berries pose a danger to children in the forest: 10-15 berries can be a lethal dose. On the skin, all parts of the plant cause severe irritation, which can even lead to necrosis. Eating berries leads to severe irritation of the stomach, intestines and kidneys. Diarrhea, vomiting, and fever with all skin rashes are the most common symptoms of wolfsbane poisoning. If you suspect poisoning, you should immediately consult a doctor or call an ambulance.