In many literary and film circles, becoming a werewolf is a curse and there are many different interpretations as to how one can break free of their fate. For some, taking plant and herbal remedies is a method of keeping a transformation at bay. In this article, you will learn about wolfsbane (also called monkshood), which has been linked to werewolves in movies and books.
Monkshood is scientifically called Aconitum napellus, but is also known by many other names, such as women’s bane, Devil’s helmet, leopard’s bane, witches’ bane, blue rocket, and of course, the wolfsbane commonly associated with werewolves.
Monkshood is a tall flowering plant that belongs to the same family as buttercups. It grows in mountainous regions of Europe and at times, in gardens in temperate zones. The plant can reach a height between 3 to 5 feet tall. The thin stems become decorated with large serrated leaves that become flanked with spikes of flowers that produce brilliant shades of blue, purple, or gold. Inside, the stamens are an attractive yellow. The rounded shape of the plant resembles a monk’s hood or helmet , thus the reasoning behind some of its alternate names.
With a range of dangerous alkaloids, monkshood is known as one of the most toxic plants in the world. The stems, leaves, flowers and tubers made the plant an ideal choice in killing humans and animals during ancient times when someone was looking for a powerful poison. With a similar shape and flower color, monkshood is often mistaken for blue delphinium. However, all parts of monkshood are toxic. The toxins can also infiltrate the skin. Gardeners must wear gloves when handling the plant. In some countries, the plant is only sold to gardeners that are trained in handling a plant such as monkshood. If sold, it is forbidden to grow where children and animals can come in contact with it.
If you come in contact with the toxins of monkshood, some of the symptoms to expect include flushed skin, sweating, salivating, dizziness, and vomiting. A dose between 5 and 25 milligrams can cause a person to suffer paralysis of the nervous system. Headaches, blurry eyesight and difficulty breathing are other signs that monkshood is working its way into your system. Drinking a lot of water can help flush the toxins out of the body.
When the ancient Romans learned the potency of monkshood, they started to equip their assassins with the poison. For example, Emperor Claudius was killed with the monkshood. In battle, soldiers would sometimes coat their arrows and blades with the sap from the plant. The connection between the poison and werewolves probably date back to medieval times. It was no uncommon to use the poison as a way to kill leopards, mad dogs and wolves. The name wolfsbane started to emerge during these times. Some believed that witches would use the poison to coat their broomsticks as a way to enable them to fly.