Question about Four O'Clocks, Mirabilis jalapa

I've always known them as pretty flowers that my grandmother grew. Recently, I've been investigation their anti-viral potential. Botany in a Day, and a Native American herbalist who presented in the SWSBM course mentioned that the plant is "fun" according to her... "hyperactivity followed by stupor and relaxation" according to Elpel, if memory serves. I can find nothing online, even on Vaults of Erowid. Does anyone know what part of the plant makes you high, and how it is used? If it can help with pain or sleep, etc, that would be an asset. If there are side effects to it, then I'd like to know what to avoid so it could just be used medicinally.

To be clear, I have never used any drug other than alcohol, that I mostly now make myself from my own fruits. I haven't even been to a doctor for over 35 years.
Having said that , it is the seeds that contain the part that makes you high. When i was very young i was told that the seeds of four o'clocks and morning glories could harm our animals and some people used them to get messed up.
 I would be very careful trying any plant part that I did not have some extensive knowledge on.

Ralph Sluder wrote: To be clear, I have never used any drug other than alcohol, that I mostly now make myself from my own fruits. I haven't even been to a doctor for over 35 years.
Having said that , it is the seeds that contain the part that makes you high. When i was very young i was told that the seeds of four o'clocks and morning glories could harm our animals and some people used them to get messed up.
 I would be very careful trying any plant part that I did not have some extensive knowledge on.

Thanks.  It seems the root and leaves are antiviral and antispasmodic.

I'll never forget the German guy I met, who kind of had spirals for eyes. Poor guy. Some six years earlier, he had been a normal beer-drinking carpenter, until one night one of his friends said "Hey let's have some of this datura. It's all natural, just seeds. Harmless fun!" The next thing he remembers was some months later. He had to relearn everything. For some reason what really sticks in my memory is his description of having to relearn how to tie his shoes. He was functional when I met him, but I don't think he could have worked as a carpenter again.

Please be careful about trying this with four o'clocks.

That said, here's my brand new four o'clock seedling. My first try with six intact seeds in a cup in a warm place, has had no results after 3 weeks. The second time I clipped the ends of the seeds with nail clippers, and got one out of six showing up in a week. My interest is ornamental, and I'm charmed by descriptions of the scent, though I don't remember ever seeing these myself.

Rebecca Norman wrote:I'll never forget the German guy I met, who kind of had spirals for eyes. Poor guy. Some six years earlier, he had been a normal beer-drinking carpenter, until one night one of his friends said "Hey let's have some of this datura. It's all natural, just seeds. Harmless fun!" The next thing he remembers was some months later. He had to relearn everything. For some reason what really sticks in my memory is his description of having to relearn how to tie his shoes. He was functional when I met him, but I don't think he could have worked as a carpenter again.

Please be careful about trying this with four o'clocks.

That said, here's my brand new four o'clock seedling. My first try with six intact seeds in a cup in a warm place, has had no results after 3 weeks. The second time I clipped the ends of the seeds with nail clippers, and got one out of six showing up in a week. My interest is ornamental, and I'm charmed by descriptions of the scent, though I don't remember ever seeing these myself.

Oh, I know datura... Jimson Weed grows all over the place in the Appalachian Mountains!  Every year, high school and college kids wind up dead or insane from misusing that plant... It does have legit uses.  Smoking just a small amount fo the dried leaf can stop an asthma attack with no side affects; it is strongly antispasmodic.  Some in a foot bath can help with neuralgia and sleep.  As I always say though, mis-use can make you "bat crap crazy"!  It also isn't a "hippy trippy" type plant.  Most folks say datura hallucinations are more like nightmares from which you can't awake.  A European cousin of jimson weed, the mandrake was said to scream when it was pulled fromt he ground and kill the person who harvested it... now, that is a scary drug plant!  They were often used by witches to make people believe they had been hexed or put under a spell, also to give a sense of flying.... in a certain way Pau W described graphically in a podcast...

Native American Medicinal Plants: An Ethnobotanical Dictionary by Daniel E. Moerman has something like a dozen entries for Mirabilis but none are jalapa.

It seems to have been used primarily as a root wash or poultice for sores, sprains, swelling, burns, wounds, skin conditions etc.

Roots were chewed by medicine men to induce visions.

Root decoction was used as a vermifuge.

Here's an interesting tidbit, "Powdered root mixed with flour, made into a bread and used to decrease appetite."

"Milk poured over leaves and used as fly poison."

I planted some years ago as a companion plant to something (I forget what now). They make a beautiful perennial ornamental.

Leigh Tate wrote:Native American Medicinal Plants: An Ethnobotanical Dictionary by Daniel E. Moerman has something like a dozen entries for Mirabilis but none are jalapa.

It seems to have been used primarily as a root wash or poultice for sores, sprains, swelling, burns, wounds, skin conditions etc.

Roots were chewed by medicine men to induce visions.

Root decoction was used as a vermifuge.

Here's an interesting tidbit, "Powdered root mixed with flour, made into a bread and used to decrease appetite."

"Milk poured over leaves and used as fly poison."

I planted some years ago as a companion plant to something (I forget what now). They make a beautiful perennial ornamental.

That is very interesting... I'll try tincturing the root so I can control the dose... whatever the active drug part of the plant may just be int he fresh root.

Hello from Italy! I have studied Mirabilis Jalapa for a while as I have it in my garden and decided to try the leaves and roots so me and my husband had our leaves infusions and made capsules from the dried powder roots. It really have a anti viral effect as we got the flu and it lasted for 1 or 2 days with a very low fever while we usually stay sick for at least 1 week with high fever. The root has aphrodisiac effect on my partner, he also noticed his genitals bigger. As he has a bit of asthma,  I can tell you that he breaths much better and felt less pain for his sciatica inflammation. As for me, while I was preparing the root capsules in powder I got some dermatitis on my face and didn't take the risk to orally consume it. I am happy with only the leaves which are very good for intestinal flue, anti-bacterial and constipation, too. This is the way I prepared the drugs:
I dried the roots and then turn it into powder in my blender then I took 250mg capsules and made it ready to be consumed. For the aphrodisiac effect he uses from 4 to 5 capsules a day. As for the leaves, I used it dried in hot water but they can also be used fresh.
Hope this was useful.  Best wishes. CIAO!

Pink Vison wrote:Hello from Italy! I have studied Mirabilis Jalapa for a while as I have it in my garden and decided to try the leaves and roots so me and my husband had our leaves infusions and made capsules from the dried powder roots. It really have a anti viral effect as we got the flu and it lasted for 1 or 2 days with a very low fever while we usually stay sick for at least 1 week with high fever. The root has aphrodisiac effect on my partner, he also noticed his genitals bigger. As he has a bit of asthma,  I can tell you that he breaths much better and felt less pain for his sciatica inflammation. As for me, while I was preparing the root capsules in powder I got some dermatitis on my face and didn't take the risk to orally consume it. I am happy with only the leaves which are very good for intestinal flue, anti-bacterial and constipation, too. This is the way I prepared the drugs:
I dried the roots and then turn it into powder in my blender then I took 250mg capsules and made it ready to be consumed. For the aphrodisiac effect he uses from 4 to 5 capsules a day. As for the leaves, I used it dried in hot water but they can also be used fresh.
Hope this was useful.  Best wishes. CIAO!

I was unaware of the anti-viral effect - very interesting, THANKS!