What is the origin of the name henbane and when did it first appear in records?
The name henbane dates from AD 1265, when the word bane meant thing that causes death. Other etymologies derive from the Indo-European stem bhelena meaning crazy plant.
Questions about Hyoscyamus niger
Short answers, pulled from the story.
How was Hyoscyamus niger used by ancient Romans and medieval practitioners for medical purposes?
Pliny documented the use of henbane by ancient Romans as being of the nature of wine and therefore offensive to the understanding. Dioscorides recommended it as a sedative and analgesic for pain relief while John Gerard's Herball states that leaves, seeds, and juice cause an unquiet sleep like unto the sleep of drunkenness.
When did Henbane become associated with witchcraft and what specific historical trials involved its use?
Henbane became inseparably associated with witchcraft and malefic practices by the Late Middle Ages. During a Pomeranian witchcraft trial in 1538, a suspected witch confessed she gave a man henbane seeds so he would run around crazy and sexually aroused.
Where were archaeological finds of Hyoscyamus niger discovered and what do they suggest about Viking usage?
Henbane was discovered among imported spices during an underwater archaeological excavation of the royal Danish-Norwegian flagship which sank in 1495 near Ronneby, Sweden. Henbane seeds have been found in a Viking grave near Fyrkat, Denmark, suggesting it may have been used by berserkers to induce rage states used in war.
What are the chemical components of Hyoscyamus niger and how do they affect human consciousness?
Hyoscyamine, scopolamine, and other tropane alkaloids have been found in foliage and seeds of the plant. These alkaloids exert an anticholinergic mechanism which blocks acetylcholine function in the brain resulting in altered consciousness, hallucinogenic experiences, and delirium.