Mandrake is a plant of the potato family and is one of the most magical plants in the world of the occult. There are many stories about the mandrake - some of them have been lost in time, others have been exaggerated to such a degree that the bits of truth in them are quite small, if there at all.
Mandrake is found in the works of Shakespeare, Harry Potter novels... Hippocrates thought that very small doses of mandrake had healing capabilities, especially for states of fear and depression. According to the ancient Arabs however, the root of this plant was inhabited by demons.
In Egyptian papyri, the mandrake plant was described as having an aphrodisiac ingredient which was used to make love potions. The Roman physician Galen preferred wine made from this plant, because he thought it had the ability to lift one's spirits.
There are many existing rituals that use mandrake. Some of them are for love - according to various sources, the root of the plant is divided into male and female. It is an extremely powerful aphrodisiac; information exists that using mandrake can grant great sexual power - to transform an uninterested person into a passionate lover. If it had a human form - that would make the plant particularly valuable, but finding it in this form is extremely difficult and almost impossible.
Another legend claims that if money is left near the root of the mandrake, the next day it may be doubled. The only condition is that you have to treat the plant particularly well. Some rituals include simply placing mandrake under a pillow, others go a little further - to soak it in different mixtures, then to wrap it in silk fabric of a certain color.
Mandrake grows in the Mediterranean, in the Himalayas, in Asia. It is believed that it can shield against spells and can be used to make various amulets to attract money, prevent trouble, etc. The roots of the plant contain psychoactive alkaloids and overdose of this plant can result in death. It is possible to become poisoned from mandrake, with symptoms being nausea, hallucinations, somnolence.
It may cause memory loss, or falling into a coma. Under no circumstances should you conduct any experiments using the plant.
