Medicinal Value of Atropa belladonna L.: A Therapeutic Approach against Various Diseases

Abstract

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), medicinal herbs are utilized by nearly 80% of the world's population for adequate medical care. Herbal treatments have been extensively employed to cure many fatal human diseases. Ethnic medicine is an informal system that includes folk beliefs, skills, techniques, and tactics relating to health care and are passed from generation to generation mainly through oral traditions. Traditional medicine using herbal drugs exists in every part of the world. Of the plants present at higher altitudes, Atropa belladonna is amongst the most effective botanicals. The perennial plant Atropa belladonna flourishes in the upper Himalayan range. The roots and leaves of the plant are used as a sedative, narcotic and anodyne. The current chapter intends to learn about the usage of Atropa belladonna L., as an alternative medicine and its scientific validation through the literature review.<br>