The use of medicinal plants in folk medicine. The use of stonecrop in folk medicine: the properties of the herb and its contraindications. Therapeutic features of stonecrop

Traditional medicine - treatment, recipes, herbs.

Traditional medicine is a treatment with herbs, plants, using ancient recipes that have been created over many millennia. Modern clinics, chemical pills, qualified doctors - this was not always the case. Looking back, you can see that just a couple of centuries ago, even the kings were content with the services of healers from the people. And they lived happily ever after! We cough - drink a decoction, pneumonia - that's the ointment is ready, a tooth hurts - put the right herb and that's it.

Traditional medicine is, in fact, many thousands of years old. Since the time of the nomads, people already had sufficient knowledge to treat most of the known diseases. Folk wisdom passed from generation to generation and now you have the opportunity to comprehend knowledge that for a long time was inaccessible to most people.

It is enough to open the page of our website and hundreds of the most diverse, time-tested folk recipes will be at your service. Every minute spent with us is priceless for a person who wants to maintain health.

Folk recipes and methods of treatment have some contraindications. Preferably, before using this or that decoction, herbal tincture, consult your doctor. Perhaps you have an allergy or side effects from eating a certain type of plant. Precaution is never superfluous.

Nowadays, doctors often use their knowledge of traditional medicine and try to advise the patient not on chemical, but on natural methods of treatment. This is especially true for pediatricians. But adults also should not forget about their health. Instead of taking a dozen cough drops, it is better to drink a few cups of tea with raspberries or sea buckthorn.

Traditional medicine exists and will continue to exist. There are no prerequisites for its disappearance. Mankind has always valued natural methods of treatment, as they do not harm, but rather strengthen the body.

Nature has a real treasure in store for us, but not many are able to find it. We invite you to plunge into the world of traditional medicine and find information of interest.

Recipes: herbal treatment

This section contains folk recipes for curing various diseases with the help of medicinal plants. Before using the above recipes of traditional medicine, you should consult with a herbalist or an intelligent healer. Do not forget also that each medicinal plant has contraindications for use and it is very important to familiarize yourself with them before using the recipes given in this section.

Also, before starting treatment, you need to understand that the expected healing effect from taking medicinal herbs does not occur immediately, treatment with folk remedies can take quite a long time. It is very important not to give up treatment and sincerely believe in a successful healing.

Medicinal plants and their use occupies an important niche in the field of medicine and pharmaceuticals. Each medicinal plant has its own unique properties, indications and contraindications. For what purposes, and in what ways can medicinal plants be used?

The properties of medicinal plants are numerous and varied. Each plant element produces special substances that affect the immune, nervous, cardiovascular systems, and also restores the energy balance of a person.

Detailed properties and features of each medicinal plant are studied by such sciences as pharmacology, herbal medicine, and pharmaceuticals. Since ancient times, the effects of medicinal herbs have been studied and put into practice by herbalists, healers, and traditional medicine specialists.

When using medicinal plants in medicine and pharmaceuticals, experts divide them into several main groups, depending on the main active ingredients. Each group is characterized by the presence of certain therapeutic properties:

How useful are these plants?

The use of medicinal plants in the medical and pharmacological field is characterized by a number of undeniable advantages. Unlike most medications, herbal medicines are non-toxic, natural, bioavailable, have a minimum of contraindications and possible adverse reactions.

In addition, doctors point to such beneficial properties of medicinal plants:

Due to its mild effect and the absence of aggressive chemical substances, most medicinal plants can be safely prescribed in the treatment of pregnant and lactating mothers, elderly patients, as well as young children.

What diseases are suitable for the treatment?

The range of use of medicinal plants is very wide. Experts actively use them to combat such diseases:

• violations in the functioning of the respiratory system;
• diseases of a chronic nature, with frequent relapses;
• dermatological diseases;
• disorders in the functioning of the heart and blood vessels;
• pathologies affecting the respiratory system;
• diseases urinary tract;
• nervous diseases;
• disturbances in the functioning of the neuroendocrine system.

In addition, many medicinal plants and medicines based on them are used to strengthen the human immune system.

Methods of using medicinal plants in medicine

Methods of using medicinal plants in the field of medicine and pharmaceuticals are divided into two main categories: internal and external. Medicines based on medicinal plants are taken orally in the form of infusions, decoctions, herbal teas, syrups, extracts and powders.

For the implementation of local treatment by the external method, powders, compresses from infusions and decoctions, as well as ointments from medicinal plants are used.

How are infusions prepared?

Healing infusions from medicinal plants can be used for oral administration, as well as the preparation of compresses and lotions. In order to make an infusion, you will need a spoonful of crushed medicinal herbs (the plant is selected taking into account its properties, depending on the patient's diagnosis and functional purpose) and a glass of clean water.

Infusions are prepared, both cold and hot methods. In the first case, the herbs are poured with cool water, and then infused for 8 hours and filtered with gauze.

With a hot cooking method, vegetable raw materials must be poured with boiling water and boiled for about 15 minutes over low heat. After that, the tincture is cooled and filtered using the same gauze cloth.

Preparation of herbal powders

Herbal powders are suitable for both oral and topical use. To prepare such a powder, first of all, you will need to prepare raw materials - dry the medicinal plant thoroughly.

The method of preparation itself is extremely simple: the plant is carefully ground to a powdery state (this can be done using an ordinary coffee grinder or a special mortar, like real herbalists). The resulting medicine is stored in a dark place, in any container with a tight-fitting lid.

Alcohol tinctures from medicinal plants

Herbal tinctures based on medical alcohol are characterized by a particularly strong effect, and therefore are taken in minimal concentrations agreed with the attending physician. Be sure to dilute alcohol herbal tinctures in clean water!

Raw materials insist on medical alcohol for a period of time from 10 days to 2-3 months. The resulting medicine is stored in a glass bottle, which is recommended to be tightly closed with a lid and placed in a dark place, protected from sunlight. With proper storage, an alcoholic tincture based on medicinal herbs retains its amazing healing properties for several years.

Herbal ointments

Based on medicinal herbs, you can also prepare a healing ointment, which is subsequently used for compresses and therapeutic applications. Experts use both raw and dried herbs as raw materials for ointments.

In order to obtain an ointment, the applied phytoelement is necessarily combined with a substance that has an astringent effect. For these purposes, you can use butter or vegetable oils, lard, petroleum jelly or lanolin.

Note that the shelf life of ointments made on the basis of animal fats is short and can be no more than a few weeks.

Preparation of decoctions

Herbal decoctions are considered one of the most common methods of using medicinal plants. Such funds are absorbed by the body a little longer than infusions, but they have a longer and more pronounced effect.

In addition, herbal decoctions are extremely simple to prepare. You just need to pour a tablespoon of raw materials with a small amount of water, boil, filter and dilute with clean water to the desired volume.

However, phytotherapy experts still do not advise abusing herbal decoctions, since when boiled, some of the active substances of plants are destroyed. The maximum duration of storage of herbal decoctions is two days.

Possible adverse reactions

Despite the fact that herbal medicines are usually very well tolerated by patients, without side effects, in some cases there is still a possibility of the following adverse reactions:

It is worth noting that the above unpleasant symptoms usually manifest themselves when using medicinal plants that have a toxic effect, with their long-term use and non-compliance with the recommended dosage.

How to use medicinal plants correctly?

Experts identify the following rules for the use of medicinal plants, which must be followed in the treatment:

When are medicinal plants contraindicated?

The main contraindication to the use of medicinal plants is the patient's increased tendency to allergic reactions, as well as individual intolerance to certain plant substances. Each individual plant has its own limitations for use.

Contraindications to the use of the most common medicinal plants are as follows:

A preliminary consultation with the attending physician will help to establish the presence or absence of contraindications to the use of a particular medicinal plant, making the therapeutic course extremely effective, and most importantly, completely safe!

The use of medicinal plants in the field of modern medicine and pharmaceutics provides effective treatment for a number of diseases. The advantages of using drugs based on medicinal plants are their safety, mildness of action, almost no contraindications and adverse reactions, along with high rates of effectiveness.

However, with prolonged and uncontrolled use, even natural remedies can cause significant harm to health. Therefore, before the very beginning of treatment with medicinal plants, it is necessary to consult with a specialist and strictly follow his recommendations in the future!

SECTION 1. BASES OF TECHNOLOGY OF GROWING PLANTS AND CARE OF THEM.

TECHNOLOGY OF GROWING MEDICINAL PLANTS

§one. Medicinal plants in folk medicine, their significance.

§ 1.1. Introduction

Thousands of different plants grow on earth. Among them - a large number of drugs. They are found in mountains, forests, steppes, deserts, swamps. Even many edible plants have medicinal properties.

Due to their wide distribution, availability and valuable properties, medicinal plants have been used since ancient times. Already three thousand years ago, many of them were known in China and Egypt. The experience of using them has accumulated over the centuries and led to the creation of traditional medicine.

Knowledge about the properties of medicinal plants and their use was stored in the people's memory, forgotten, restored, replenished with new information and passed on from generation to generation.

In folk medicine there is a lot of imperfect, naive, archaic, but at the same time very valuable, sometimes even completely unknown to scientific medicine. Modern science is studying and testing the centuries-old experience of traditional medicine, replenishing the arsenal of therapeutic agents.

Each medicinal plant has a long way to go before it is used in clinics. Its chemical composition is studied, active substances are determined, the effect of their plant as a whole on the functions of various human organs and systems, the degree of toxicity of individual chemicals and the whole plant is revealed, the main therapeutic effect of the plant and the mechanism of this action are established, finally, the medicinal qualities of the plant are evaluated and its drugs in experimental models of various diseases. And only then, according to a specially drawn up instruction, a new drug is tested in several clinics. With a positive result, the pharmacological committee of the state approves the plant for wide clinical use and distribution among the population, and its medicinal preparations for industrial production. So many plants from traditional medicine pass into scientific. Such valuable medicinal plants as lily of the valley, adonis, gray jaundice and levkoy icterus, immortelle, marsh cudweed, wide-leaved ragwort, blue cyanosis, Chinese magnolia vine and many others have received wide scientific recognition and distribution.

Most of the plants growing in the vast expanses of the territory of the former USSR and our region as a whole are still insufficiently studied. “There are still many secrets,” notes prof. A.F. Hammerman, - they store "medicinal plants, and they promise a lot more to a person in the struggle for his health."

Centuries-old experience of traditional medicine and in the process of a comprehensive study of plants by scientific medicine, effective medicinal plants are being found, new medicinal properties in long-known, but then forgotten plants. In the East, folk wisdom believes that "there is no such plant that would not be medicinal, there is no such disease that could not be cured by a plant."

The path of the formation of traditional medicine was long and winding. It arose from the need to fight human diseases. But in ancient times, the priests tried to wrap people's diseases with religious ideas, proclaiming them "God's punishment." Treatment was accompanied by mystical and ritual actions, spells, incantations and prayers. However, along with the caste-priest medicine, primordially folk medicine continued to exist. It featured " knowledgeable people”- healers, who over time turned into owners of the “secrets” of herbal medicine, passed on these “secrets” only to their children. But they also most often turned herbal medicine into a means of profit.

§ 1.2. Phytotherapy in the period BC

Healers accumulated rational grains in their experience and passed them on from generation to generation. It is not surprising that in Chinese folk medicine, for example, representatives of the most ancient "dynasties" of folk doctors are especially famous.

The first of the well-known works on medicinal plants belongs to Hippocrates, an outstanding physician of Ancient Greece (born around 460 - died in 377 BC) (Figure 1). Hippocrates believed that all parts of them are equally useful and that the whole plant as a whole should be used for treatment. He described over two hundred plants used in medicine of his time.

But only six centuries later, the Roman physician Galen (2nd century AD) showed that medicinal plants are healing precisely because they contain certain active substances. Galen determined how to extract these substances. He used decoctions, infusions, plant juices, powders and pills from them for treatment.

§ 1.3. Phytotherapy in the period of our era

In the 16th century, the physician Paracelsus laid the foundation for the chemical analysis of medicinal plants. Paracelsus (Figure 2), like Galen (Figure 3), believed that their therapeutic effect depends on certain substances, which he tried to obtain in their pure form. But only three centuries later, the active substances were isolated in their pure form.

Archaeological research has brought us information about the thousand-year history of the use of medicinal plants in different countries. In China already in 492-536. n. e. The world's first pharmacology "Ben-cao-u-zin-tso-zhu" was compiled. Information about 500 species of medicinal plants used in India is contained in the book "Yajur Veda" (I century AD) or "Ayur Veda" (modern pronunciation) (Figure 4). The herbalists of the peoples of the eastern countries have come down to us, in which over 12 thousand different medicinal plants are described. And only with the accumulation of experience and study, the number of plants used for medicinal purposes is greatly reduced: only the most useful of them are used.

In Russia, medicinal plants have also been used for a long time. The inhabitants of Ancient Russia widely used herbs to treat various diseases. Witches and healers were engaged in treatment. The learned monks also collected medicinal plants and treated the sick with them. In the cities, special "green shops" began to open, in which they sold herbs and medicines prepared from them. Even then, such well-known plants as horseradish and onions began to be used in folk medicine, and mold - the prototype of penicillin - was used to treat purulent wounds and ulcers.

At the end of the 16th century, numerous hand-written herbals appeared in Russia - "veterograds", representing translations from the Latin and German originals. In the 16th century, a public guide to the use of medicinal plants was compiled in Moscow - “The Herbalist of Local and Local Potions” (Figure 5). Herbalists were used as medical books and were repeatedly copied until the end of the 18th century. During the correspondence, they were supplemented and improved.

The use of medicinal plants began to develop strongly from the middle of the 17th century, when Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich created a special Pharmaceutical Order, which supplied the royal court and the army with medicinal herbs. In the 17th century, an organized collection of herbs and rose hips was already carried out by special expeditions. Rose hips were then highly valued and were given out for treatment to noble people with special permission. The cultivation of medicinal plants also began in the 17th century. By order of Peter I, the first botanical gardens (Figure 7), or pharmacy gardens (Figure 8), were created at pharmacies (in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Astrakhan and other cities) and at military hospitals. Large plantations of medicinal plants were also established, and wild plants were harvested. Under Peter I, the scientific study of the flora of our country began. Special expeditions are sent to various regions of Russia. In 1733, the Academy of Sciences sent a large expedition to the remote regions of Siberia led by Academician I. G. Gmelin (Figure 9), which deeply studied the flora of Siberia and compiled a wonderful work “Flora of Siberia” (Figure 10, 11), which described more thousands of plants. At the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries, the study of Russian medicinal flora was intensified. In the 19th century, books were published in Russia describing domestic medicinal herbs, as well as herbalists telling about their use in folk medicine. In 1878, the Botanical Dictionary was published, compiled by N. I. Annenkov, which describes the medicinal properties of about three and a half thousand plants. The well-known Russian agronomist A. T. Bolotov publishes the journal Economic Store, in which he publishes numerous articles on various medicinal herbs. In 1912, the work of prof. V.K. Varlikha "Russian medicinal plants". Medicinal plants were intensively studied during the First World War, which was associated with the need to create medicines from their own plant materials. It was during this period that VL Komarov (later President of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR) wrote a collection on the collection, drying and cultivation of medicinal plants.

§ 1.3. Phytotherapy during the war

Russian and Soviet scientists have made a great contribution to the science of medicinal plants. They have great merit in the research and study of medicinal herbs, the introduction of plants and preparations made from them into medical practice.

Thus, heart preparations from adonis and lily of the valley, which are currently used all over the world, were introduced into scientific medicine by outstanding clinicians prof. S.P. Botkin (Figure 12) and prof. F. I. Inozemtsev (Figure 13). prof. B.P. Tokin (Figure 14) laid the foundation for the study of phytoncides - biologically active substances that kill or inhibit the growth and development of other organisms, mainly various microbes. The leading place belongs to our country in the study of poisonous alkaloid-containing plants. Academician A.P. Orekhov discovered 65 new alkaloids in various plants. Our pharmaceutical industry has produced such valuable herbal preparations as ephedrine, salsolin, platifillin, adonizide and others.

One of the most important tasks of public health is the creation of diverse, affordable, cheap and highly effective medicines. To do this, in our country there is a wide network of research institutions that study medicinal plants, their medicinal properties and create new drugs. All research is headed by the All-Union Research Institute of Medicinal Plants, founded in 1931. Research is also carried out in a number of other research institutes, botanical gardens and departments of many medical and chemical-pharmaceutical institutes.

In order to find new effective drugs in the country, measures are being taken to study wild plants in the regions of the Caucasus, Crimea, Central Asia, Siberia, Far East.

When conducting expeditions for medicinal plants, animals can help in discovering new plants and drawing attention to them. The well-known valerian plant was discovered with the help of cats. Leuzea, or maral root, which has strong tonic properties, has been eaten by Siberian deer since ancient times to restore strength. Wounded deer eat red cloves, which are known as a folk hemostatic agent. Bitter wormwood is eaten by cattle to get rid of worms, moose for the same purpose eat the leaves of the watch.

In folk medicine, several hundred plants are used, many of which have a pronounced therapeutic effect.

However, out of tens of thousands of plant species, no more than two thousand have been studied. In practical scientific medicine, medicinal plants are still insufficiently used. Many medical professionals are not fully familiar with their valuable properties.

Thanks to the enormous successes of synthetic chemistry, hundreds of new medicinal preparations have been created in our country and abroad, which have been successfully used in medicine for a wide variety of diseases. By chemical synthesis, even such substances were created that were not known in wildlife. There was a belief in the miraculous power of synthetic chemistry. In connection with this, the opinion has spread that the use of medicinal herbs is already a past stage in modern medicine, which is a relic of the distant past.

However, it soon became clear that not always chemically pure synthetic preparations can completely replace medicinal plants and herbal preparations. In the latter, in addition to the main active substances, there are other side substances belonging to various groups of chemical compounds. These substances can significantly enhance or weaken the effect of active active substances. So, pure ascorbic acid cannot completely replace the fruits and rose hip extract, which contains a number of vitamins: A, Br, K, P - and many other valuable substances. In addition, synthetic drugs often cause allergic reactions. In addition, the manufacture of medicinal preparations from plants is more cost-effective and technically less complicated.

Currently, in our country, about 45% of all drugs are made from higher plants, 2% from fungi and bacteria. 80% of drugs used in cardiovascular diseases are of vegetable origin.

The problem of environmental protection is one of the most acute problems of the 20th century, and it also concerns medicinal plants. In the USSR, 40 tons of medicinal raw materials are annually harvested for the pharmaceutical industry from about 200 plant species. But natural resources are not endless. Irrational, unsystematic harvesting of medicinal plants has led to a decrease in their stocks, and sometimes to the complete destruction of certain species in a particular area, especially near cities and large settlements. In this regard, every year the protection of especially valuable medicinal plants, the stocks of which are declining or under threat, is becoming increasingly important. Already about 20 species of medicinal flora are included in the Red Book of the USSR. In the Saratov region, more than 50 species of medicinal plants are rare and endangered. A list of them is given at the end of the book.

In a number of areas of Russia, hundreds of sites with especially valuable endangered species of plants, including medicinal ones, have been declared natural monuments, special botanical reserves have also been created where plowing and drainage are prohibited, and collection is strictly regulated and regulated.

A necessary condition for the conservation and renewal of medicinal plants. is the observance of certain rules for their preparation. These include knowledge of rare and protected plants in the area, keeping at least 20% of the plants in the harvesting area intact, harvesting in the same area no earlier than 3 years later, collecting buds from the trees of those areas where felling is carried out, and a whole a number of other rules.

The richest flora of the USSR, numbering up to 21 thousand plant species, is the main source of obtaining known medicinal plants and finding new ones, but along with this, the stocks of medicinal raw materials are significantly replenished by growing medicinal plants in specialized state farms, as well as in household plots. Published in 1989 in Rosagropromizdat, the book by A. M. Rabinovich "Medicinal plants in the backyard" will help everyone interested in this problem in this. It describes about 600 species of wild and cultivated plants that grow in our country and have medicinal value. A small number of alien plant species have been described that have a strong medicinal effect and are introduced into our culture. The main attention is paid to the use of medicinal plants by folk medicine in our country, primarily Russian, as well as Ukrainian, etc. In a number of cases, the use of plants common in our country is also indicated in foreign folk medicine - German, Chinese and some others.

Much space is given in the book to undeservedly forgotten representatives of the medicinal flora, as well as to those plants that have only relatively recently been placed at the service of scientific medicine. Much attention is also paid to common, well-known, edible fruit and berry and vegetable medicinal plants.

When writing this book, the author used mainly domestic literature, especially the works of prof. D. M. Rossiysky, prof. V.K. Varlikha, prof. A.F. Hammerman, prof. B.P. Tokina, prof. A. D. Turova, SE. Zemlinsky, E. Yu. Shass, M. D. Shupinskaya, G. N. Kadaeva, S. S. Sakhobiddinov, G. E. Kurentsova and others. The author also used some works of foreign authors, as well as: numerous articles published in botanical and medical publications. Used and old Russian herbalists and manuscripts. During numerous botanical excursions and surveys, the author in many regions and districts for a number of years conducted observations and collected information about the use of medicinal plants in folk medicine and met with elderly people - the keepers of the centuries-old experience of folk medicine.

Unfortunately, fewer and fewer people remain - the keepers of folk medical knowledge. To do this, it is necessary to generalize the diverse experience of traditional medicine, to understand a large number of plants used by it, to identify the most effective of them, to give a summary of the diverse medicinal properties of the most valuable plants, to show their use in various diseases, and at least in general terms to report on their geographical distribution, habitat, the degree of knowledge of their chemical composition.

It should be noted that, despite the presence of a significant number of traditional medicine recipes, any book should by no means be considered as a self-medicine, with which you can get rid of serious diseases. Many medicinal herbs have a versatile effect on various functions of the body. In some cases, curing one of the diseases, they can exacerbate the existing other disease. It must be remembered that among medicinal plants there are many potent and poisonous ones. That is why treatment with medicinal plants should take place under constant medical supervision. Long-proven folk remedies can be very effective, but they can also cause significant harm to health if used ineptly. Only a doctor can correctly diagnose, establish the nature of the disease and outline ways to treat it, taking into account all the characteristics of the patient's body. Scientific medicine categorically warns against amateur self-treatment and treatment of relatives and friends. It is permissible to use on your own only commonly used, harmless plants that are sold in pharmacies, and ordinary fruit and vegetable plants. The author expresses his sincere gratitude to Professor Doctor of Medical Sciences P.I. Shamarin, Professor Doctor of Medical Sciences Head. Department of Pharmacology of the Saratov Medical Institute B. G. Volynsky and other comrades for critical comments on the original version of the manuscript during the preparation of the first edition. The author is especially deeply grateful to the doctor V. A. Vakhrameev for valuable advice and great friendly help during the work on the first and second editions of the book. V. A. Vakhrameev wrote part of the section “General information about medicinal plants” - about the terms of traditional medicine.

§2. Types of medicinal plants (calendula, echinacea, foxglove, medicinal chamomile, St. John's wort, succession, larkspur, marigolds, lemon balm, mint).

§ 2.1. Calendula

MARIGOLD MEDICINAL (calendula)

Calendula officinalis L.

Family Compositae - Cotnpositae, oraster - Asteraceae.

Description (see color insert - picture). An annual herbaceous plant with a peculiar smell. Stem erect, branched. The leaves are alternate, oblong, the lower ones narrowed towards the base. Flower baskets are beautiful, bright orange. Marginal flowers in baskets are false-lingual, sterile, have the form of "petals", the middle ones are tubular, forming fruits. The fruits are curved achenes. Height 20-50 cm.

flowering time . June - September.

Spreading . It is bred as an ornamental plant almost throughout the entire territory of the USSR. It is also grown for medicinal purposes.

habitat . Cultivated in parks, gardens, near dwellings, as well as on plantations. medicinal plants.

Applied Part . Reed flowers - "petals" and whole flower baskets. Flowers and baskets are dried and stored in a dark place.

collection time . June - September.

Chemical composition. Flower baskets contain the bitter substance calendine, mucous substances (up to 4%), resins (about 3.44%), malic acid (6.84%), pentadecylic acid and traces of salicylic acid, various carotenoids (about 3%) - carotene , lycopene, violaxanthin, rubixanthin, citraksanthin, flavochrome, flavoxanthin, chrysanthemaxanthin, a small amount of alkaloids, essential oil (about 0.02%) and phytoncides. The essential oil gives the flowers their distinctive scent. The therapeutic effect of marigolds depends in part on the orange pigment carotene (provitamin A). Varieties of marigolds with orange flower baskets contain twice as much carotene as light yellow ones.

Application . Marigolds as a medicinal plant were known in ancient Greece, where they were used for various diseases. Marigolds have long been widely used in folk medicine in various countries.

Flowers reduce and stop inflammatory processes, well heal purulent cuts, wounds and ulcers of the stomach and intestines, dissolve and soften hardened swelling. The flowers also increase the secretion of sweat, urine and bile, regulate menstruation and have astringent, antimicrobial and "blood purifying" effects. It has been experimentally proven that water infusion and alcohol infusion of flower baskets have a calming effect on the nervous system, reduce reflex excitability, lower blood pressure, increase heart activity, slow down the heart rate and have analgesic properties.

In Russian and Ukrainian folk medicine, infusion of flower baskets is used for diseases of the liver, spleen, stomach cramps, stomach and intestinal ulcers, gastritis, rickets, scrofula and various skin diseases.

In Poland, marigold infusion is successfully used for various liver diseases. In German folk medicine, it is used internally for bruises, wounds, ulcers, abscesses, rashes, boils, lichen, inflammation of the veins and as a means of regulating menstruation. German professor G. Madaus considers marigolds to be an excellent treatment for wounds and stomach ulcers.

In Brazil, marigolds serve as an adjunct to cancer treatment. In the past, marigolds were called the "anti-cancer herb" and were used as a therapeutic and preventive anti-cancer agent.

The various effects of marigolds have been clinically tested. In scientific medicine, marigold preparations are taken as a choleretic agent for liver diseases (hepatitis, jaundice, etc.) and as a hemostatic agent for gynecological diseases, menstrual disorders and in the postpartum period. Marigold preparations have recently been widely used for gastric and duodenal ulcers, gastritis and other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, and especially for various heart diseases accompanied by palpitations, shortness of breath, edema, and for hypertension of the first and second stages. In hypertensive patients who took marigold tincture for three weeks or more, their general well-being improved significantly, headaches disappeared, sleep improved, and in some cases blood pressure decreased. Marigolds are used in medicine in many foreign countries as a sedative for insomnia, cardiac arrhythmias and various gastrointestinal diseases. Our pharmaceutical industry produces special "KN" tablets, which consist of marigold "flowers" and nicotinic acid. Tablets "KN" are used for malignant neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract. Tablets increase appetite and improve the general condition of patients. With various cancerous tumors, an aqueous infusion of marigold flowers is also taken as a side remedy.

In folk and scientific medicine, the infusion of "flowers" is widely used as an effective external remedy. The infusion is used in the form of baths, washings, lotions and compresses for burns, frostbite, wounds, long-term non-healing ulcers and fistulas, boils, "hard swelling", various skin rashes and lichen. Marigold tincture quickly eliminates inflammation and purulent discharge in wounds and ulcerative processes and significantly accelerates tissue regeneration and wound healing. The action of marigolds is due to their strong antibiotic properties. E. Yu. Chass advises using alcohol tincture of marigolds, diluted with water, for gargling with follicular sore throat, and lotions for burns. External use of marigold tincture gives good results in diseases of the mouth, throat and eye diseases: barley, conjunctivitis, blepharitis. Good results are obtained by the use of tincture of marigolds in gynecological practice (for ulcers, erosion of the cervix and whites). Noteworthy is the use of ointments from alcohol tincture of marigolds and petroleum jelly for ulcers, wounds and skin diseases.

Mode of application .

1) 2 teaspoons of "flowers" insist 15 minutes in 2 cups of boiling water, strain. Take 2 cups 4 times a day.

2) Moisten gauze with alcoholic tincture of marigolds and apply to the burned area in case of burns.

3) 5 g of crushed "flowers" of marigolds or alcohol tincture of them grind with 25 g of petroleum jelly. Use the ointment for wounds, ulcers, boils.

§2.2. Echinacea

ECHINACEA PURPLE

Echinacea purpurea

Family Aster, or Compositae (Asteraceae).

Description. Echinacea - perennial herbaceous plant from the family 80–120 cm high (Figure 16).Inflorescences - large, purple-violet baskets.

Depending on the climate, it begins to bloom in late May or early July.

Cultivated as an ornamental and medicinal plant.

Its historical homeland is the prairies and sandy banks of the rivers in the east North America, where it has been known to the indigenous inhabitants of the continent since time immemorial.

The echinacea plant is light-loving, winter-hardy, prefers moist fertile soils. Does not require special care. Her vitality is approximately at the level of medicinal chamomile. The plant blooms in the second year of life. Flowering time up to 75 days. Echinacea purpurea reproduces well by seed. Grown through seedlings or by sowing in the ground.

Stems, flowers, leaves of the plant and rhizomes with roots are used as medicinal raw materials.

Collection and preparation Echinacea flower baskets are harvested in July-August, rhizomes with roots - in late autumn. As a medicine, 3-4-year-old roots are needed. They are dug up in spring or autumn, dried in the shade. When collecting herbs, freshly blossomed plants are harvested and also dried in the shade. Echinacea herb can be stored for no more than 6 months. Echinacea tincture is stored from 1 to 5 years in a well-closed bottle, in a cold dark place.

The chemical composition and medicinal properties of echinacea The healing properties of Echinacea purpurea are due to the unique chemical composition of all parts of the plant. Echinacea is rich in essential oil, antioxidants, essential organic acids, it contains vitamins A, C and E. In addition to vitamins, there are also trace elements in the leaves, flowers and roots of Echinacea purpurea. These are iron, calcium, selenium, silicon. This composition of microelements makes it possible for preparations from echinacea to participate in hematopoiesis, the formation of bones, teeth and nail plates, as well as hair. And the microelement selenium today is included in almost all dietary supplements (biologically active additives) as a powerful antioxidant. Together with vitamins C and E, selenium binds free radicals and removes them from the body. Due to this, early cell aging is prevented, as well as the development of malignant neoplasms. This vitamin and mineral composition of echinacea purpurea determines its anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, antimicrobial properties. Polysaccharides, contained in large quantities in the roots of echinacea purpurea, have an immune-stimulating property, activate the production of interferons and help damaged tissues recover faster. According to scientists, taking preparations made from Echinacea purpurea, on average, increases the number of leukocytes in the blood by fifty percent. Along with this, the activity of the protective properties of the liver increases.

Echinacea purpurea uses Echinacea is used for mental depression, phenomena of mental and physical overwork, as well as for infectious diseases: typhoid fever, erysipelas, scarlet fever, gonorrhea, osteomyelitis, cerebrospinal meningitis, lupus, and septic conditions. There are known cases of treatment with echinacea in patients suffering from the discoid form of lupus erythematosus (cutaneous form). It was found that echinacea tincture is effective for the treatment and especially prevention of respiratory and viral diseases (influenza, herpes simplex, SARS, etc.), with many chronic diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, hepatitis, nephritis, etc.), with adnexitis, cystitis, prostatitis , leukopenia caused by radiation or cystostatics, septic processes, eczema, psoriasis, burns, frostbite, trophic ulcers, purulent deep wounds, carbuncles, and also has a certain effect on oncological processes.

Alcohol tincture of echinacea : take raw chopped root or flowers, pour 70% alcohol in a ratio of 1: 4 and insist 1 month or more. Take 0.5-1 teaspoon 3 times a day, and this tincture can also be used externally, for wet compresses for wounds and burns.

There is another recipe for an alcoholic tincture of echinacea, using flowers: cut the flowers of echinacea purple, place in a half-liter jar, with a twist, to the top and pour good vodka, also to the top. Close the lid tightly and set aside to infuse in a dark place for 40 days. Then drain everything and you can use it, 15 drops, 20-30 minutes before meals, diluted in a small amount of water or added to tea.

In some patients with chronic gastritis, pancreatitis, psoriasis and allergic rashes on the skin and mucous membranes, a positive effect of raw echinacea root tincture was noted.

Echinacea is used in different forms. Tea from it helps with flu, colds, inflammation; after serious illnesses, antibiotic treatment, operations; in eczema, ulcers and abscesses. Fresh echinacea flowers (3 pcs.) Or raw materials from its crushed roots and leaves (2 tsp) are poured with boiling water (0.5 l) and infused for 40 minutes.

For the prevention of diseases, they drink a glass a day, if they are already sick - at least 3 glasses a day, in addition to the main treatment. This tea rejuvenates, slows down aging and cleanses the body. A decoction of echinacea is also drunk for flu and colds, but it also has other healing properties: it has a healing effect on edema, headache and joint pain, stomach ulcers; improves vision, stimulates appetite, normalizes blood pressure; has a tonic and tonic effect.

To prepare it, fresh or dry crushed echinacea leaves (1 tsp) are poured into a glass of water and heated in a water bath for about 30 minutes, then infused, filtered, and drunk ⅓ cup 3 times a day, before meals.

Echinacea infusion is especially useful in winter: it protects us from colds, strengthens the immune system, relieves fatigue and stimulates physical activity. Fresh or dry flowers (30 g) are placed in an enameled saucepan, poured with boiling water (0.5 l), covered with a lid and boiled for 10 minutes, and then infused for 4–5 hours in heat so that the concentration of nutrients reaches a maximum. The infusion is filtered, sugar, syrup, honey or berry juice are added to taste; drink 3 times a day, 0.5 cups.

Echinacea purpurea contraindications Echinacea is contraindicated in patients with autoimmune diseases. Echinacea-based drugs should be used with great caution in people who have serious problems associated with connective tissue disease. In severe chronic diseases, the use of drugs that contain the echinacea plant requires mandatory consultation with a qualified medical specialist. The use of the plant should be avoided by patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, with a malignant hematopoietic disease (leukemia), with diseases such as tuberculosis, atherosclerosis.

§2.3. Digitalis

FOXGLOVE Digitalis.

Family yarrow - Scrophulariaceae.

Purple foxglove Digitalis purpurea L.

Digitalis grandiflora Mill.

Description . Digitalis purple (Figure 16) is a biennial herbaceous plant with a fibrous root system. Stems erect, furrowed, grayish, pubescent. The leaves are alternate, dark green, felted below, with strongly protruding veins. Basal leaves in the form of a rosette, the lower stem leaves are petiolate, oblong-ovate, pointed, the upper stem leaves are sessile, ovate-lanceolate. The flowers are large, tubular-campanulate, purple, collected in a dense one-sided brush. The calyx is bell-shaped, five-parted. Four stamens adhering to the corolla. Pistil with upper ovary, long style and bilobed stigma. The fruit is a bivalve pubescent capsule. Height 40-150 cm.

Large-flowered foxglove is a perennial herbaceous plant with a short rhizome and erect, hairy stems. The lower stem leaves are oblong-lanceolate, pointed, pubescent along the veins below. The upper leaves are sessile, oblong-lanceolate. The flowers are gray-yellow, elongated-bell-shaped, with brown veins inside, collected in a one-sided brush. The calyx is five-parted, its lobes are lanceolate, acute, pubescent. Stamens four, pistil with upper ovary. Height 40-120 cm.

flowering time . June August.

Spreading . Digitalis purple is not found in the wild in the USSR, it is cultivated mainly in the North Caucasus. Digitalis large-flowered in the wild is found in the Urals, the North Caucasus and Western Ukraine, cultivated as a medicinal and beautiful ornamental plant.

habitat . Digitalis is cultivated on plantations of medicinal plants and bred in parks, gardens, flower beds.

Applied Part - leaves.

collection time . June August.

Chemical composition . The leaves contain various glucosides of the cardiac group: purpureaglucoside A, purpureaglucoside B, digitoxin, gitoxin, gitaloxin, hytorin, digitalein, digitalin, digiproside and a number of other glucosides; a number of steroidal saponins: digitonin, gitonin, tigonin; flavonoids luteolin and digitolutein, caffeic and other organic acids, choline and other substances. Plants are highly poisonous.

Application Digitalis has long been used in folk medicine as a diuretic. Scientific research revealed the importance of the plant as a potent heart remedy. Foxglove purple was introduced into scientific medicine from folk medicine. Digitalis and its preparations improve the general condition of heart patients, relieve discomfort in the region of the heart, reduce congestion, increase blood flow, slow down the pulse, stop swelling and shortness of breath, and increase urination.

Digitalis is prescribed to regulate the activity of the heart in case of circulatory disorders, with valvular heart disease, atrial fibrillation, congestion, hypertension and as a diuretic for edema. Digitalis is used in medicine as one of the most important potent heart remedies. It is prescribed in the form of powders, tablets, water infusion, alcohol tincture and special neogalenic preparations purified from ballast substances (cordigit, digitozide, digi-purene, digitoxin, gitalene).

Digitalis has a cumulative property. Prolonged use of even small doses of the plant leads to a dangerous accumulation of active principles and to poisoning of the body. Digitalis preparations are contraindicated in case of sudden changes in the heart with degeneration of the heart muscle and severe arteriosclerosis, as well as in endocrites with a tendency to embolism.

The use of foxglove, as a highly poisonous plant, requires great care and mandatory medical supervision.

§2.4. Chamomile officinalis

CHAMOMILE PHARMACY (chamomile officinalis)

Matricaria chamomilla L.

Family

Description . Chamomile (Figure 17) is an annual odorous herbaceous plant with a branched stem. The leaves are doubly pinnatipartite, with narrow linear lobes. Flower baskets are medium-sized, consist of marginal white false-lingual and median yellow tubular flowers. Chamomile differs from odorless chamomile in a strong aromatic odor and a hollow oblong-conical receptacle inside. Height 20-40 cm (see color insert).

flowering time . May - September.

Spreading . It is found in the middle and southern stripes of the former territory of the USSR.

habitat . It grows in gardens, fields, orchards, waste places, near dwellings, along roads, and is also cultivated on plantations of medicinal plants.

Applicable part.

Flower baskets ("flowers").

collection time. May - August.

Chemical composition.

Flower baskets contain bitterness, mucus, gums, proteins, essential oils and other substances. The composition of the essential oil includes chamazulene, cadinene, caprylic, nonylic and isovaleric acids.

Application. The plant is widely used in folk medicine. An aqueous infusion of chamomile is used as a mild laxative, diaphoretic, choleretic, astringent, analgesic, sedative, anti-inflammatory, emollient, carminative for children's gastrointestinal diseases, spasms and pain in the stomach, convulsions, delayed menstruation and women's diseases.

Outwardly, a strong water infusion of baskets is used for baths with rheumatic and gouty lesions of the joints and for washing the face for cosmetic purposes. Chamomile infusion is also used for gargling and washing purulent wounds, ulcers and abscesses. When washing fair hair, chamomile infusion gives them a beautiful golden color.

Mode of application.

1) 1 tablespoon of flower baskets insist in 1 cup boiling water, strain. Take 2 cups warm 3-4 times a day.

2) 15 g of dry flower baskets brew in 1 liter of boiling water, leave for 15 minutes, strain. Take 1 glass before bed.

§ 2.5. St. John's wort

St. John's wort perforated (St. John's wort, St. John's wort)

Hypericum perforatum L.

Family cleavers - ClusFaceae, or St. John's wort - Guttiferae (Hypericaceae).

Folk names Common duravets, hare blood, bloodworm, ailment (most regions of the RSFSR), hare krivtsa (Ukrainian SSR), dzherabay (Kazakh SSR), dazy (Azerbaijan SSR), krazana (Georgian SSR), arev-kurik (Armenian SSR).

Description (see color insert - Figure 18). Herbaceous perennial rhizomatous plant with erect dihedral branched stems. The leaves are opposite, fragrant, oblong-oval, with translucent dotted glands. The flowers are yellow, with a large number of stamens, fused with threads in three bunches. Pistil with three columns and a three-celled upper ovary. The fruit is a three-celled multi-seeded pod. Height 30 - 100 cm.

flowering time . June July.

Spreading . It occurs in the forest, forest-steppe and steppe zones of the European part of the USSR, in the Caucasus, in Western Siberia and in the mountains of Central Asia.

habitat . Grows in forest clearings, shrubs, gardens, dry meadows.

Applied Part . Grass (stems, leaves, flowers) and leaves.

collection time . June July.

Chemical composition . The herb contains the dye hypericin, flavonoids hyperoside, rutin, quercitrin and quercetin, nicotinic acid, peryl alcohol, tannins, a small amount of choline, carotene (up to 55 mg%), vitamins C and PP, traces of alkaloids and phytoncides. St. John's wort, when rubbed, has a peculiar pleasant smell and a slightly astringent bitterish-resinous taste. The plant is poisonous.

Application . The name of the plant comes from the Kazakh "dzherabay", which means "healer of wounds." St. John's wort as a medicinal plant was known in ancient Greece. In Russia, it was used as early as the beginning of the 17th century. Russian folk medicine considers St. John's wort "an herb for ninety-nine diseases" and widely uses it, especially in mixtures of medicinal herbs, to treat many diseases.

The plant is used in folk medicine in many countries.

St. John's wort has astringent, hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiseptic, wound healing, diuretic and choleretic effects.

The plant stimulates appetite, stimulates the excretory activity of various glands, promotes tissue regeneration (recovery), and has a calming effect on the nervous system.

An infusion of herbs is used for women's diseases, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (especially for colitis and various diarrhea), pain in the stomach and intestines, diseases of the liver, heart and bladder, in particular for kidney stones, cystitis and involuntary nocturnal urination in children. The herb is also used as a sedative, analgesic for headaches and other nervous pains.

An infusion of herbs is used as a hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, disinfectant and antihelminthic.

In German folk medicine, an infusion of the plant is taken for various gastrointestinal diseases, dropsy, liver and kidney diseases, rheumatism, hemorrhoids and is used as a sedative for headaches, irritability, restless sleep and nervous convulsions.

Alcohol tincture of the plant in the form of drops is used orally for rheumatic diseases.

Crushed fresh leaves applied to wounds promote their rapid healing. Crushed grass, infused with vegetable oil and mixed with turpentine, rub the joints affected by rheumatism.

Alcohol tincture diluted with water is used to rinse the mouth to eliminate bad smell, clean tincture is used to lubricate the gums to strengthen them.

The plant is part of various medicinal preparations (diuretic, astringent and antirheumatic)

St. John's wort is used in scientific medicine for colitis and nephrolithiasis. Clinical studies have shown a good effect of the ether-alcohol tincture of the plant in acute and chronic colitis.

A new preparation was made from St. John's wort - Imanin for external use in burns (no disfiguring scars remain) and skin diseases, fresh and infected wounds, ulcers, boils, purulent inflammatory processes of the skin and acute rhinitis. Acute rhinitis disappears within a few hours after the use of Imanin.

The internal use of St. John's wort, as a poisonous plant, requires caution; do not take large doses of the plant.

St. John's wort flowers can be used to dye fabrics: an aqueous infusion gives a yellow dye, and a hot one, depending on the concentration, pink and red dyes.

Mode of application.

1) 10 g of dry St. John's wort brew in 1 cup of boiling water, insist. Take 1 tablespoon 2-4 times a day after meals.

2) 15-20 g of dry grass to stand in 1 g of alcohol or vodka. Take 30 drops with water 3 times a day after meals.

3) Fresh leaves of St. John's wort and wild sage (take equally), grind with fresh lard, squeeze through cheesecloth. Store in a sealed jar. Consume asointment for healing wounds and abrasions.

4) 20-30 drops of alcohol on the grass racks add to 1/2 cup of water. Use as a rinse for bad breath.

§2.6. succession

STRETCH THREE-PARTITION

Bidens tripartitus L.

Family Compositae - Compositae, or aster - Asteraceae.

Popular names: scrofulous grass (most regions of the RSFSR), cats (Penza region), prichepa (Ukrainian SSR).

Description (see color insert - Figure 19). Annual herbaceous dark green plant. The leaves are opposite, tripartite, with lanceolate serrate lobes. The flowers are small, yellow, tubular, collected in brown-yellow baskets. The fruits are tenacious oblong achenes. Height 15-100 cm.

flowering time . July August.

Spreading . Found almost throughout the USSR.

habitat . It grows in damp places, in floodplains, near streams and swamps.

Applicable part. Grass (stems, leaves, flowers), leaves, roots.

collection time . Grass and leaves are harvested at the beginning of flowering, roots - in the fall.

Chemical composition. The herb contains tannins, mucus, bitter substances, essential oil, carotene and vitamin C.

Application . The succession is widely used in folk medicine in various countries, being one of the most popular plants. The succession stimulates appetite, enhances and improves digestion, corrects abnormal metabolism in skin diseases, increases the excretion of urine and sweat, stops bleeding, and has a calming effect on the nervous system.

The plant also somewhat lowers blood pressure, increases the amplitude of heart contractions and has an emollient and anti-inflammatory effect.

A decoction of the herb is used to increase appetite, improve digestion, for colds, coughs, diseases of the liver and spleen, gout, arthritis and rickets. The main one is the use of string as an effective internal and at the same time external antiscrofulous agent. A decoction of the herb is drunk while bathing, washing, compresses with scrofula, exudative diathesis and various skin diseases, rashes, acne, boils, etc.

A decoction of the root has an antitoxic effect and is used in folk medicine of Central Asia for scorpion stings. The crushed leaves of the string as an external remedy are used for snake bites.

Pounded leaves, applied to wounds and ulcers, cleanses: they are pus-free, dry and promote faster healing.

In scientific medicine, a series is used. in children's diseases: various diathesis, accompanied by urticarial rash, scrofula, head seborrhea (dandruff) and milk scab.

Depending on the mordant, various fabric dyes can be obtained from leaves and flower baskets: cream, orange-yellow and brown.

Mode of application.

Infuse 2 tablespoons of herbs for 12 hours in 1/2 liter of boiling water in a warm oven, strain. Take 1/2 cup 3 times a day.

§2.7. Larkspur

larkspur field

Delphinium consolida L.

Family ranunculaceae - Ranunculaceae.

Description . An annual weed plant (Figure 20). The leaves are divided into small linear lobes. The flowers are beautiful, irregular, blue-violet, with a long spur. Height 25-60 cm.

Bloom time. July - September.

Spreading . It is found in the European part of the USSR, in the Caucasus, in Siberia.

habitat . Grows along roadsides, in fields like a weed.

Applicable part. Flowers and grass (stems, leaves, flowers).

collection time . July - September.

Chemical composition . Larkspur contains a number of alkaloids (delphelin, delatin, delsin, etc.), aconitic acid and glucosides. The plant is poisonous.

Application . An infusion of flowers is used for intestinal disorders.

The internal use of field larkspur, as a poisonous plant, requires caution.

§3. Medicinal plants of Donbass

Table 1

MEDICINAL PLANTS CULTIVATED IN DONBASS

Aloe tree

Anise ordinary

Aralia Manchurian

Astragalus Woollyflowered

Barberry common

Periwinkle

grapes cultivated,

Angelica officinalis

Jaundice spreading

Moldavian snakehead,

Hyssop officinalis

Kalanchoe pinnate

Viburnum ordinary,

garden cabbage,

Potato

horse chestnut

coriander seed,

Catnip

Common corn

Flax seed

Schisandra chinensis

Onion

Onion garlic

Lovage officinalis

Raspberry ordinary

Madder dye

Carrots

Peppermint

Soapweed officinalis

foxglove woolly

marigold medicinal

Sea buckthorn

Oats

walnut,

Hazelnut

Parsley garden

sunflower annual

Tangut rhubarb

garden radish

Rhodiola rosea

pharmaceutical camomile

Mountain ash

Rowan chokeberry,

cyanosis blue

Black currant

Sophora japonica

Cumin ordinary

Pumpkin ordinary

fragrant dill,

Dill pharmacy

horseradish

Salvia officinalis

Clary sage

Shandra vulgaris

Baikal skullcap

Echinacea purpurea

Exercise.

studying various sources literature or Internet sources, fill in the table (use the name of the plants from the previous table)

table 2

Characteristics of medicinal plants in terms of flowering, height, size and color of flowers

§4 Conditions for growing medicinal plants

Plants containing pharmacologically active substances and having one or another therapeutic effect on the body are calledmedicinal plants . There are about 500 thousand species of herbs and plants in the world, but only about 5% of them have been more or less studied for pharmacological activity and are medicinal plants.

Our territory has a huge wealth and diversity of plant species. Only higher plants are described over 21 thousand. Of these, a little more than 200 species of medicinal herbs and plants are collected and grown annually for medical purposes.

There is a huge reserve of yet unexplored new medicinal plants and herbs and preparations from them. In the recognition of new therapeutic agents, the rich experience of traditional medicine is often of great importance.

Chemical compounds isolated from medicinal plants often serve as a model for the industrial synthesis of similar or even more effective drugs. Basically, medicinal herbs and plants are a source of initial medicinal plant materials for the isolation of active substances, as well as intermediate products for the synthesis of such effective agents, corticosteroids, sex hormones, etc.

Currently, more than 30% of medicines are prepared by the medical industry from medicinal plant materials obtained from medicinal herbs and plants. On the basis of medicinal plants, about 80% of drugs used in cardiovascular diseases and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are produced. However, the need for medicinal plant materials of many species is not yet fully satisfied.

Many research institutions in the country are engaged in the study of medicinal plants, including the All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Medicinal Plants (VILAR), pharmaceutical and medical institutes, etc. Important research is also being carried out in other countries. Russian scientists have conducted numerous studies in this regard. As a result of the work of Russian scientists, maps of the distribution of medicinal plants, atlases, and reference books were compiled. Inventory medicinal plants and herbs made it possible to take into account raw materials and organize their rational use both on a national scale and in individual regions.

Particular attention is paid to environmental issues, that is, the confinement of medicinal herbs and medicinal plants to certain phytocenoses, their role in the formation of natural and historical landscapes is taken into account. This makes it possible to determine more effective measures for the protection of natural reserves, to develop the scientific basis for the exploitation of natural thickets.

The site offered to you contains biomedical descriptions of important medicinal herbs and plants, basic information about biologically active substances, general information about their use in scientific and traditional medicine; poisonous properties possessed by some medicinal herbs are noted.

Growing medicinal herbs and medicinal plants in home gardens will be useful not only for replenishing home first-aid kits, but will also provide all possible assistance in solving the problems of fully providing the country with medicinal plant materials and preserving the environment.

The most popular raw materials are St. (cones) of hops, aconite tubers, hemlock, fern rhizomes, flax seeds, etc.

Successful cultivation of medicinal plants requires the same conditions as for other crops, i.e. growing in areas with appropriate weather and soil conditions where there are optimal opportunities to meet the heat, moisture and soil requirements of the respective plant species. All these conditions must be carefully observed, especially when growing those plant species whose natural habitats are located outside the area in which they are to be bred. The fact is that when growing medicinal plants that are not typical for a given region, they may not contain some substances necessary for the manufacture of the corresponding medicine. That is why one should strictly adhere to the agricultural technology of growing each type of medicinal plant.

Valerian officinalis . At the end of the summer period or at the very beginning of autumn, try to walk through the wet and swampy places of forest edges and glades and collect the seeds of valerian officinalis, and plant them in the ground in early November, you can do this in the spring. Sow seeds with a distance of 45 cm between rows in well and deeply cultivated soil to a depth of 1 cm (compost is desirable, and if the earth is acidic, then lime). Takes out valerian officinalis and slight shading. Although it prefers moist soil in nature, it was believed in the old days that the best roots can be collected from dry high places. From time to time it is useful to plant wild valerian between the bushes. To make the rhizomes more powerful, cut off the flower-bearing stems that appear in summer. In the second year, valerian rhizomes can be dug up. Leave the best plants for seeds, water them abundantly and fertilize thoroughly. Rhizomes grown in the garden reach a length of 15 cm (in the wild - 5 cm).

Marshmallow officinalis . The soil for planting should be fertile, sandy or clay. For planting, it is better to use seeds 2-3 years old; before planting, it is advisable to soak in water for 3-5 days. In the autumn, 5-6 kg per 1 square meter is brought in for digging. m of rotted manure or compost, in early spring the plot is loosened with a hoe by 4-5 cm, and seeds are sown in furrows to a depth of 2-3 cm with a distance between rows of 45-60 cm. Already in the first year with favorable conditions you can get a good harvest of roots.

Elecampane high . Elecampane seeds are sown in well-fertilized and dug-up soil in early spring or late autumn to a depth of 2-3 cm with a row spacing of 60 cm. About a hundred seeds are sown per 1 meter of beds. Elecampane can also be propagated by segments of rhizomes or seedlings can be grown from seeds, then planted in well-fertilized soil. Blooms from late June to September. The rhizome is harvested in October in the second year after planting.

Melilot officinalis . The soil for its cultivation should be fertilized with phosphate and potash fertilizers. It grows on any soil, does not like acidic and waterlogged soil, tolerates drought well. Seeds are sown early in spring to a depth of 2-3 cm with a distance between rows of 45 cm. It will take about 200 seeds per 1 m of the bed. Blooms from June to October. Gathering leaves and flowers.

Oregano . Since it has been growing in one place for several years, the soil must be well fertilized (5 kg of manure and 30 g of superphosphate per 1 sq. M). Grows in sunny places. Seeds are sown in May to a depth of 1 cm with a row spacing of 45 cm. The soil is well leveled after sowing and watered. When propagated by rhizomes, oregano is transplanted in early spring or September. In the first year, the plants do not bear fruit. The herb is used for medicinal purposes.

St. John's wort pierced . St. John's wort, a light-loving plant, tolerates cold well; in one place it can grow up to 10 years. Therefore, the soil must be well fertilized (5-7 kg of manure will be required per 1 sq. M). It is better to sow the plant before winter 1-2 weeks before frost. St. John's wort is sown superficially with row spacing of 45 cm. 1500 seeds (0.15 g) are sown per 1 m of beds. The beds periodically need to be weeded, the aisles need to be loosened. St. John's wort is harvested during flowering, cutting off the upper part of the stems with leaves and flowers.

pharmaceutical camomile . Chamomile can be sown in the spring, when the snow melts, winter sowing can be done a few days before frost, but it is better to sow in the first decade of August. Seeds are sown with incorporation during winter and autumn sowing to a depth of 1-1.5 cm, with late sowing - 0.5 cm. Chamomile inflorescences are harvested during flowering - from July to September.

Salvia officinalis . He loves light and warmth, tolerates drought well, but freezes in cold winters, does not like excess moisture. Sage is sown with germinated seeds in early spring to a depth of 3-4 cm with a distance between rows of 46-60 cm and a sowing rate of 0.8 g/sq. m. Crops are loosened, weeded, moderately watered. Sage blooms in June-July. Collected for medicinal purposes leaves with the tops of the stems during flowering.

§5. Equipment for harvesting plants. Terms of procurement, storage methods

The good quality of medicinal plant raw materials depends on compliance with the terms of harvesting plants, the correct collection technology and drying regime. When harvesting plants, it is necessary to take into account the biological characteristics of medicinal plants, the dynamics of the accumulation of active substances, the influence of the characteristics of the collection on the state of thickets.

Harvesting of plants (PRS) consists of the following stages: collection of raw materials, primary processing, drying, bringing raw materials to a standard state, packaging, labeling, transportation, storage.

Harvesting of medicinal herbs for wild-growing medicinal plants is a system of organizational, technological and economic measures that ensure the production of high-quality raw materials that meet the requirements of regulatory documentation (RD).

Instructions for the procurement of raw materials have been developed for all types of medicinal herbs of official wild medicinal plants. The instructions have the force of law and are binding on all procurement organizations and assemblers.

These instructions state:

Areas for collecting raw materials;

Terms and methods of collection;

Features of primary processing of raw materials;

Drying modes;

Requirements for the quality of raw materials;

Terms and conditions of its validity.

Collection should be carried out after special training of collectors, drawing up an agreement and issuing a certificate for the right to collect.

In the case of collecting rare and other protected species, a license is issued for the right to partial and limited collection, which is regulated by the instruction “Regulations on the collector of medicinal raw materials”.

It must be remembered that some types of medicinal plants can cause allergic reactions, cause dermatitis, inflammation of the mucous membranes of the eyes, nasopharynx. When collecting poisonous and potent plants, you need to remember about precautions, do not involve children in the collection of this raw material, and when using equipment, you must follow safety precautions.

The process of collecting medicinal plant materials is not complicated, but requires specific knowledge:

Plant habitats;

The state of the raw material base;

Chemical variability within the range and in ontogeny;

The influence of harvesting methods on the renewability of the species, i.e. a rational mode of exploitation of thickets must be observed.

Medicinal raw materials are harvested only from healthy, well-developed plants not damaged by insects or microorganisms. The cleanliness of the collection is one of the main requirements of the harvest.

Plants growing along highways with heavy traffic (near industrial enterprises) can accumulate various toxicants (heavy metals, benzopyrene, etc.) in significant amounts. Therefore, it is not recommended to collect raw materials near large industrial enterprises and on roadsides with heavy traffic (closer than 100 m from the roadside), as well as within the territory of large cities, along polluted ditches, reservoirs, etc.

The timing of the harvesting of medicinal plants depends on the formation and accumulation of active substances in it, as well as its maximum phytomass. Each type of raw material has its own calendar terms and collection features. In addition, there are general rules and methods for individual morphological groups, developed on the basis of long experience.

§5.1. Sources of obtaining medicinal plant materials

Now, according to regulatory documentation, about 240 plant species are used for medical purposes, of which about 130 are processed by the chemical and pharmaceutical industry, and about 90 types of medicinal plants after primary processing, drying, grinding, packaging, enter pharmacies as a finished drug.

Tens of thousands of tons of medicinal plant raw materials (MPR) are harvested annually. The need for PM is met by wild-growing raw materials - more than 150 species and more than 50 species cultivated in specialized farms, as well as imported raw materials.

The main sources of meeting the demand for PM:

Harvesting of wild-growing PM - 62%.

Industrial cultivation in specialized / agro-industrial complex / farms - more than 50 species.

Receipt of imported raw materials that do not grow in our country / rauwolfia, chilibukha seed, strophanthus, cocoa butter, senna leaf, spices, etc.

Culture of isolated tissues and cells on nutrient media.

Harvesting of wild-growing VP is carried out on a contractual basis, taking into account the availability of highly productive thickets and the needs of processing enterprises and pharmacies under control local branches for the protection of nature.

Harvesting of wild-growing VP carried out by the following organizations:

1. Tsentrosoyuz of the Russian Federation is the main supplier that attracts the local population to harvesting through an extensive network of consumer societies, it is the main supplier of wild-growing VP.

2. The Federal Forestry Service - organizes harvesting through regional departments, forestries, forestries, timber industry enterprises - kidneys, bark, berries, chaga herbs, and also uses plantations - pine, sea buckthorn, eleeotherokkok).

3. RO "Pharmacy" - procured through a network of rural pharmacies, which are accepted from the population on a contractual basis. They harvest a large assortment, but in small quantities, some cultivate chamomile, calendula, St. John's wort, dog rose.

4. Heads of hunting under the ministry Agriculture through hunting societies. Food and fish industry enterprises (seaweed), agricultural cooperatives (corn stigmas, weeds), etc. actively participate in the procurement of raw materials.

Procurement of cultivated plants - this is the most promising and reliable source, which in the future will become the main one to meet the growing demand for the production of medicines and dietary supplements. Such plants are introduced into the culture that are not found in the wild on the territory of our country, plants with a limited range, a small resource base or endangered ones.

Growing LR in specialized farms has a number of advantages:

when growing, it is possible to conduct breeding work (varieties with higher yields);

the possibility of using agrotechnical and agrochemical methods to increase productivity and obtain medicinal products with a high content of biologically active substances;

it is possible to mechanize all work on sowing, care and harvesting of raw materials;

the ability to improve the quality of raw materials due to modern dryers and shops for the primary processing of raw materials;

labor for harvesting VP on plantations is more productive, yields are stable and less dependent on natural conditions, and the quality of raw materials is high.

Another source of MPC is the culture of isolated cells and tissues of medicinal plants.

On a nutrient medium under certain conditions, young, fast-growing pieces of plant tissue are grown, which are capable of synthesizing biologically active substances characteristic of this plant species. These substances accumulate in the nutrient medium and in the calus mass resulting from the growth of plant tissues.

Raw materials are used for the production of preparations from snake rauwolfia, rhubarb, ginseng, Indian dope, foxglove, scopolia.

PMR not grown and not cultivated - imported from abroad: rauwolfia, cocoa butter, strophanthus seed, chilibuha, spices, senna leaf. Our country exports: buckthorn bark, alder seedlings, lingonberries, cranberries, mountain ash, primrose leaves, linden flowers, etc.

The bark and fruits of the viburnum are harvested from the common viburnum Viburnum opulus L. Fresh viburnum fruits are harvested from the common viburnum and viburnum Sargent V.sargentii Koehne, fam. Honeysuckle - Caprifoliaceae, wild or cultivated shrubs or small trees. Viburnum Sargent grows in the Far East.

§5.2. Characteristics of the collection of various raw materials of some plants

Collection of viburnum . The bark is harvested in early spring during sap vision before bud break, when it is easily detached. When collecting on the trunk and branches, semicircular cuts 20-25 cm long and two longitudinal cuts are made. The resulting strip of bark is separated from the trunk towards the lower incision. The fruits are harvested in the period of full ripening, breaking off or cutting off the shields with the fruits.

Ring cuts should not be made, as this leads to the death of the plant!

Drying of the collected bark of viburnum is carried out after preliminary drying in the air, in dryers at a temperature of 50-600C or under sheds in the air.

Fruits of viburnum are dried under sheds or in attics by hanging "twigs" with fruits in bundles, or in dryers at a temperature of 60-800C. After drying, the fruits are freed from the stalks.

The fruits of viburnum are easily identified by the following diagnostic features: rounded, flattened on both sides, dark red. The pulp contains one flat, heart-shaped bone. The taste is unique.

The fruits of viburnum are fresh, rounded with an inconspicuous remnant of the style and sepals and a depression at the place where the peduncle is torn off.

Viburnum bark is tubular, grooved or flat pieces about 2 mm thick. The outer surface is wrinkled, brownish-gray or greenish-gray with small lenticels, the inner surface is smooth, light or brownish-yellow with small reddish spots.

The fruits are burnt, unripe, other parts of the viburnum (stalks, twigs, seeds, leaves). Defects in fresh fruits: fruits are blackened, unripe, affected by pests, other parts of viburnum (stalks, twigs, leaves).

Viburnum bark defects: pieces of bark less than 1 cm long, pieces of bark darkened on the inside, with remnants of wood, twigs.

nettle collection . Nettle leaves are harvested from stinging nettle - Urtica dioica, fam. Nettle - Urticaceae, a perennial herbaceous plant.

Nettle leaves are harvested during the flowering period. To this end, nettle stalks are cut or mowed, dried in the shade and then the leaves are cut off. To protect hands from burns, the collection of nettles should be done in canvas mittens.

As morphologically similar plants with harvested species of nettle, there are yasnotka and stinging nettle. The first species belongs to the family of yasnotkovye and differs from nettles in large two-lipped white-pink flowers (about 2 cm in diameter) and the absence of pungency. A fairly reliable distinguishing feature of the burning from the official species is the size of the spikelet inflorescences: in the dioecious spikelet, the leaf petiole is longer, and in the burning, it is shorter. In addition, k. zhguchaya is an annual plant and its underground organs are represented by a small root, and in k. dioecious and k. narrow-leaved - by a long horizontal rhizome with roots.

Nettle reproduces predominantly vegetatively, therefore, when harvesting nettles, the plants are not pulled out entirely, some of the plants in the thickets are left untouched.

Drying of raw materials is carried out only in the shade under sheds, in attics or in dryers at a temperature of 40-500C.

acceptance. Nettle leaves are easy to identify by the following features: thin leaves are dark green, crumble easily, the surface is rough-hairy, especially a lot of hairs along the veins.

Nettle leaf defects: browned and blackened leaves, the presence of other parts of the plant, crushing.

Collection of calamus rhizomes produce from common calamus Acorus calamus L., fam. aroid Araceae, a wild-growing perennial herbaceous plant that forms thickets along the banks of reservoirs with stagnant water.

Calamus rhizomes are harvested in autumn during a period of low water level in reservoirs, digging with pitchforks, shovels, pulling with rakes or hooks. The rhizomes are cleaned from the ground, washed, cut off the aerial parts, dried for several days, cut into pieces from 2 to 30 cm long, and also longitudinally.

Morphologically similar plants: calamus is very similar in leaves to cattail (Typha L.) and iris (Iris L.). it can be distinguished from morphologically similar plants by the characteristic smell of rhizomes and leaves. In addition, calamus leaves have a protruding central vein, as well as a characteristic inflorescence - a cylindrical cob, sitting in the middle part of the flower-bearing stem and located at an angle to it.

When harvesting, it must be remembered that calamus reproduces exclusively vegetatively, therefore, small rhizomes with aerial parts are left to restore thickets. Re-harvesting is possible in 5-8 years.

Drying calamus rhizomes. Drying of calamus rhizomes is carried out in a well-ventilated room or in dryers at a temperature not exceeding 400C. After drying, the rhizomes are cleaned of adventitious roots.

The authenticity of calamus rhizomes is determined primarily by a strong specific smell and the presence of scars from dead leaves on one side of the rhizome and small round marks from the roots on the other side.

Defects of medicinal raw materials. Defects in calamus rhizomes: rhizomes turned brown at a break; rhizomes, poorly cleaned of roots and leaf debris.

Collection of valerian rhizomes . Rhizomes with valerian roots are harvested from numerous wild-growing, but more often cultivated species of valerian, united by the common name "valerian officinalis" Valeriana officinalis L.s.l., perennial herbaceous plants of this family. valerian - Valerianaceae.

Raw valerian can be harvested in early spring or autumn. September is the best time to collect. Rhizomes with roots are dug up, shaken off the ground, the aerial parts are cut off and washed thoroughly.

Drying rhizomes with valerian roots. Rhizomes with roots are dried under sheds, scattering in a thin layer, for 2 days, and then dried in dryers at a temperature of 35-400C.

Authenticity is easy to establish by a strong "valerian" smell and characteristic cord-like roots extending from a hollow rhizome. Often the roots are separated from the rhizome. The color of the roots and rhizomes is yellowish-brown.

Permissible impurities in raw materials: other parts of valerian (remnants of stems and leaves), old dead rhizomes.

Sea buckthorn fruits are harvested from the widely cultivated shrub Hippophae rhamnoides, fam. suckers - Elaeagnaceae.

Collection of sea buckthorn fruits . Sea buckthorn fruits are harvested during the ripening period, when they acquire their characteristic color, are elastic and do not crush when plucked. The collection is carried out by picking the fruits manually or by sniffing with special wire tweezers. For industrial purposes, sea buckthorn fruits are harvested during the onset of frost (mainly in Altai). For this purpose, the fruits are harvested by shaking them off the branches with light blows of mallets. Fruits require immediate processing after harvest or must be kept frozen until processing begins.

When harvesting, breaking of branches and other damage to bushes is not allowed, especially damage to annual shoots of sea buckthorn, on which the next year's harvest is formed!

Defects in sea buckthorn fruits: unripe fruits, fruits damaged by pests; branches and other plant parts. The presence of foreign water and signs of fermentation is not allowed.

§6. poisonous flower plants

About three hundred species of poisonous plants grow in Ukraine. Many of them are well known, while others keep their secrets. And revealing them only to folk healers and molfars - Hutsul magicians. Often poisonous flowers (on the territory of Ukraine) are used in healing and magic. And this is not only the case in our country. For example, in New Guinea, warriors eat murab leaves before a battle. This deprives them of fear, and they go ahead. Berserkers, the most desperate Viking warriors, did the same. Before the battle, they drank a fly agaric tincture, which is why they did not know fear and did not feel pain. But the most exotic use is for the poisonous Tangin nut, one fruit of which is enough to kill 20 people. On the island of Madagascar there is a nationality that, with its help, finds criminals. If there are several suspects, the elder invites them to eat a piece of walnut. Whoever died is guilty, and whoever survived is justified.

The most common poisonous plant in our country is the caustic ranunculus (Ranúnculus ácri) s) - a harmless-looking herbaceous plant, bright yellow flowers. It contains protoanemonin, a volatile compound that irritates all mucous membranes and human skin. At the same time, the names of poisonous plants (which grow in Ukraine), as a rule, are included in the list of medicinal herbs. Buttercup is caustic, for example, in folk medicine it is used in the treatment of: burns; boils; wounds; headache; tuberculosis; rheumatism.

Among the most poisonous and common plants in our country, hogweed should be called. This is really a monster with a height of more than 2.5 meters. And it is so poisonous that even an accidental touch can cause a painful chemical burn on the skin and tissue necrosis. The juice of the plant, which has fallen on the face, causes blindness.

Poisonous plants of Ukraine are diverse, among them there are both trees and herbs. Each of them is completely poisonous or only certain parts accumulate toxins. By the way, many habitues of our gardens are poisonous plants of Ukraine - photos of some of them will surprise you. It:

apple, peach, apricot, plum and cherry, the seeds and seeds of the fruits of which contain cyanogenic glycoside;

tomato and potatoes, the greens of which accumulate solanine;

cassava and rhubarb, in the tubers and leaves of which there are many glycosides and oxalic acid.

Poisonous plants of Ukraine are found not only in gardens, but also in forests, mountains, steppes and swamps. The list of poisonous plants in different regions is not the same. So, poisonous plants of the Odessa region are found even on the streets and in the parks of Odessa-mother. Among them:

Castor oil or castor tree;

wolfberry laurel;

toxicodendron or lacquer tree;

anagyroleaf bean or "golden rain"

§7. General characteristics of traditional local wild shrubs (viburnum, lilac, jasmine)

VIRGIN ORDINARY

Viburnum opulus I..

honeysuckle family - Carrifoliaceae.

Description . Shrub with brownish-gray fissured bark. The leaves are opposite, three to five lobed. The flowers are white, with a five-toothed calyx and five incised. fused corolla. There are five stamens, a pistil with a lower ovary and a three-parted stigma. The flowers are collected in flat semi-umbrellas. The fruit is an ovoid-spherical red drupe with a bitter taste. Height 1.5-3 m (see color insert).

flowering time . May June

Spreading . It occurs in the forest and forest-steppe zones of the European part of the USSR and Siberia and in the mountain forest regions of the Caucasus, Crimea and eastern Kazakhstan.

habitat . It grows in mixed and deciduous forests, mainly along edges, clearings, clearings, thickets of shrubs, river and lake banks. As an ornamental plant, it is bred in parks and gardens.

Applied Part . Bark, flowers and fruits ("berries").

collection time . The bark is harvested in spring in April, flowers - in May - June, fruits - in September - October.

Chemical composition . The bark contains bitter glucoside vi-burnin, tannins, flobafen, phytosterol, phytosterolin, myricyl alcohol, resin (up to 6.5%) and organic acids - formic, acetic, isovaleric, capric, caprylic, butyric, linoleic, cerotinic, palmitic. The composition of the fruits includes sugars, tannins (about 3%), organic acids (up to 3%) - isovaleric, acetic and vitamin C.

Application . Viburnum bark, flowers and fruits are widely used in folk medicine in various countries. A decoction of the bark reduces and stops various internal bleeding, especially uterine, increases the tone of the uterus, constricts blood vessels and has antispasmodic, anticonvulsant and sedative effects. The fruits affect the activity of the heart, increasing the contraction of its muscles, and have diuretic, choleretic, anti-inflammatory and wound healing properties.

A decoction of the bark is taken for colds, coughs, suffocation, scrofula in children and as a "hemostatic agent for various internal bleeding, especially in gynecological practice. In folk medicine, a decoction of viburnum bark is used as an anti-spasmodic and sedative for hysteria and convulsions.

A decoction of viburnum "berries" with honey, taken warm, gives good results. in persistent catarrhal coughs, catarrhal fevers, diarrhoea, dropsy, and especially in persistent hoarseness. An infusion or decoction of "berries" is used orally and for peptic ulcers of the stomach, intestines, as well as for boils, carbuncles, eczema and various ulcers. The juice of the "berries" of viburnum with honey in folk medicine was taken in the past for cancer. The juice of "berries" with honey is also used for liver diseases and jaundice.

"Berries" of viburnum are part of vitamin collections.

A decoction of young shoots is drunk with running scrofula, and a decoction of "seeds" for dyspepsia (indigestion) and as a diaphoretic.

An infusion of flowers, an infusion of "berries" and leaves is used to gargle with sore throats.

The juice of "berries" is a good cosmetic remedy for the destruction of blackheads on the face.

Mode of application .

1) Boil 10 g of viburnum bark in 1 glass of water, leave for 2 hours, strain. Take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.

2) 1 tablespoon of "berries" of viburnum insist 2 hours in 1 glass of boiling water, strain. Take 2 tablespoons 3-4 times a day before meals.

lilac

Syringa vulgaris L.

Olive family - Oleaceae.

Description . Shrub with heart-shaped leaves and lilac small fragrant flowers collected in pyramidal panicles. Height 2-8 m.

flowering time . May.

Spreading . It is found in a significant part of the USSR, widely cultivated as an ornamental plant.

habitat . Cultivated in parks, gardens, front gardens, found wild in bushes.

Applied Part . Flowers and leaves.

collection time . May.

Chemical composition . Flowers contain essential oil and glucoside syringin. The plant is poisonous.

Application . Lilac flowers have diaphoretic, antimalarial and analgesic effects. Leaves contribute to the maturation of abscesses and cleansing them from pus

An infusion of flowers is used for whooping cough and kidney diseases, and mixed with linden flowers - as a diaphoretic and antimalarial agent.

Lilac leaves are part of the main mixture of herbs used in folk medicine to treat pulmonary tuberculosis.

Crushed lilac leaves are applied to wounds to heal them, and an ointment from the flowers is used for rubbing in rheumatism.

The internal use of lilac, as a poisonous plant, requires caution.

Mode of application .

1) Take equal parts of lilac flowers and yarrow flower baskets, add a small amount of tansy flower baskets. Infuse 2 teaspoons of the mixture for 3-4 hours in 1 cup of boiling water in a closed vessel, strain. Take half a glass on an empty stomach for colds and a few hours before an attack of malaria.

2) Mix and grind 2 tablespoons of flowers with 2 tablespoons of fresh butter or vaseline.

Ointment to use for rubbing in rheumatism.

3) 3 tablespoons of flowers to thaw for 3-4 days in 1/2 cup of sunflower oil. Use for rubbing.

Medicinal herbs are one of the most widely available folk remedies. Possessing a wide and mild effect on the body, all healing herbs and names that will help to cure many diseases without resorting to the use of chemicals that have many unwanted side effects.

A relatively small set of medicinal herbs allows you to prepare medicinal preparations used for a variety of diseases. For example, eye herbs such as eyebright and dandelion are widely recognized as some of the best herbs for the eyes.

Since time immemorial, people studying the properties of plants, used medicinal preparations, decoctions for healing. And today, folk, as well as scientific medicine, widely use natural resources, such as medicinal herbs, to heal many ailments.

Barberry

Carnation

St. John's wort

strawberries

The bark of the tree is used. Shows antiviral action. In practice, it is used as an anti-febrile and analgesic.

Cardamom

cilantro (coriander)

Ancient herbalists, medical books and records of healers provide an opportunity to discover long-forgotten compositions, formulations, prescriptions for medicinal herbs and remedies. The study of ancient books will provide an opportunity to get acquainted with the technologies and recipes for the preparation of medicines, which can be useful in our time, will open up an idea of ​​​​pharmacy and the level of development of medicine in the past.

Amazing feelings can be experienced by a modern reader of ancient herbalists. On the one hand, you understand the imperfection and naivety of methods and methods of treatment, a poor assortment of medicines, and on the other hand, you see the originality of technology and recipes, you regain forgotten medicinal recipes and substances. You are amazed at the persistence of healers and pharmacists of those years, who managed with this simple arsenal to successfully deal with various ailments, and sometimes work miracles.

Herbalists of medicinal plants.

Mint

The healing properties of mint have been known to people since ancient times. And despite the abundance of various medicines, this plant has not lost its popularity so far.

The main therapeutic component in the composition of mint is menthol (essential little mint), which has anesthetic, antispasmodic, antiseptic, vasodilating properties.
Thanks to menthol, mint extract is used to treat headaches, angina pectoris, and atherosclerosis. The antiseptic properties of menthol are used during epidemics of viral diseases, with colds, sore throats, and inflammation of the gums.

Mint tea is a choleretic agent, relieves meroism, colic and pain in the intestines. Mint decoctions speed up digestion, prevent fermentation and putrefaction in the stomach. A strong mint infusion helps to cope with intestinal disorders.
Mint is an excellent remedy for insomnia and other nervous disorders, it helps to get rid of nausea.

Today, mint is actively used not only in folk medicine, but also in traditional medicine. She also found application in other areas of life - cosmetology, household chemicals.

Collection of raw materials

Mint is harvested in late July - early August, when it blooms. It is necessary to collect the stems in dry weather, waiting for the dew to dry. For the preparation of preparations, shoots with young flowers or only leaves of the plant are used.

The collected plants are dried in a ventilated area, where there is no direct sunlight. During drying, the raw material must be periodically stirred, while trying not to break it. Dried mint should be stored in cotton bags or in a closed jar.

Peppermint medicines

Mint decoction helps with many health problems: nausea, stomach and hepatic colic, motion sickness, vasospasm, menopause. It is prepared as follows: pour a tablespoon of chopped dried mint with a glass of boiling water, let it brew for one hour. Strain the finished broth and take one tablespoon 5-6 times a day.

For the intestines, stomach and appetite improvement, such a decoction will be useful: pour 50 g of mint raw material into 1 liter of water and boil for 15 minutes. It should be taken 30 minutes before meals for half a cup.
You can prepare an alcohol tincture, which is recommended to be taken externally for rubbing and inside to improve immunity and metabolic processes, 30 drops per day. To prepare the tincture, mix mint and alcohol (vodka) in a ratio of 1:5, respectively, and let it brew for two weeks.

We grow ourselves

It is best to propagate mint vegetatively using cuttings or rhizomes. Cuttings are planted in the summer, first they are rooted in the sand, and then placed in a permanent place. Rhizomes from old bushes are divided and planted in spring or early autumn according to a 50x20 cm scheme.
Mint can also be propagated by seeds, but they are very small, so they are not buried in the soil, but simply pressed into it. For seed propagation, it is better to use the seedling method.

Caring for mint is not difficult. You just need to regularly weed it, loosen it 2-3 times per season. And in order to obtain a lush green mass, it is recommended to make a strong pruning in the spring as it grows, then the mint will bush well.

Note!

Exclude the use of drugs with mint should be people with low blood pressure, varicose veins. Mint can also cause heartburn.

Calendula officinalis

Calendula, or marigold, grows in many garden plots. These yellow flowers have been known to us since childhood. But they are not only decoratively attractive, but also medicinal, and can be of great benefit to our body.

What is rich

Calendula has a rich set of nutrients and trace elements. It contains essential oils, which give the inherent aroma of the plant and make the petals slightly sticky. In addition, the flowers contain vitamin C, trace elements and tannins.

Due to its composition, this plant has a choleretic property and cleanses the liver, slows down the growth of tumors, reduces swelling of various origins, helps women during menopause, promotes wound healing. Calendula is a natural antiseptic and immunostimulant.

Procurement of raw materials

Inflorescences are harvested immediately from the moment of flowering, at least twice a week. It is better to cut baskets on warm sunny days.

It is important to pluck the inflorescences at the very base or with the remainder of the peduncle 3 cm long, otherwise there is a chance of damaging the bottom of the inflorescence, which may crumble when dried.

How and what to treat

A decoction of calendula can be taken in the treatment of diseases of the stomach, liver, gargle with sore throat or inhalation and breathe over the steam. It can also be taken for gynecological diseases (douching).

A decoction is prepared as follows: pour one tablespoon of flowers into 0.5 liters of boiling water and boil in a water bath for 10 minutes. After that, let the broth brew for 20 minutes and strain.
You need to take the medicine in a warm form, half a cup three times a day. The finished broth can be stored in the refrigerator for two days.

From calendula flowers, you can prepare an ointment that has healing properties, it is good to smear cracks on the lips, heels, and also to treat wounds, abrasions, bruises and bruises.

To prepare the ointment, take 100 g of calendula flowers and mix them with 200 g of unsalted chiseled bacon, put in a water bath, then simmer for five minutes over low heat, stirring with a wooden stick. Store the finished chilled ointment in the refrigerator in a closed glass container.
- I have a cataract. For its treatment, I prepare an infusion of calendula: three teaspoons of dried crushed flowers are poured into a thermos of 0.5 liters of boiling water and insisted for 1-2 hours, then filtered. I drink an infusion of half a cup four times a day, I also rub my eyes with it - the summer resident Maria Kozlova shared the recipe.

Carefully

Preparations based on calendula are contraindicated in people with allergies to it and individual intolerance, pregnant women, hypertensive patients (calendula lowers blood pressure).
You can not take calendula together with drugs that have sedative properties, as this plant itself is a powerful sedative. Side effect with prolonged treatment with calendula - urticaria.

cultivation

Calendula tolerates transplanting well even during flowering. It is cold-resistant, withstands frosts down to minus 5 degrees. Can grow on any soil, prefers sunny areas.
Seeds can be sown directly into the ground in early spring (April-May) or before winter (October). With winter sowing, calendula gives earlier shoots, and flowering occurs much earlier. Seeds are sown to a depth of 2-4 cm. Seedlings appear after 7-10 days, after a couple of weeks they must be thinned out, leaving a distance between plants of 15-20 cm.

yarrow

Bloodwort officinalis - so in the old days they called yarrow, which was famous for its ability to stop bleeding. But besides this property, he has a lot of others.
The plant contains a large amount of tannins, which give the herb bactericidal, anti-inflammatory and astringent properties. It allows you to soothe and tone irritated skin.

Yarrow, thanks to the vitamin K contained in it, helps strengthen capillaries, increases blood clotting and, as already mentioned, has a hemostatic effect. The bitterness inherent in the plant enhances bile secretion and improves appetite.

In large quantities, yarrow contains carotene, which removes toxins from the body and strengthens the immune system.

Decoctions, teas and tinctures from this plant reduce blood pressure, reduce allergies, improve digestion, accelerate the absorption of substances, and also help with flatulence, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, flu, colds, reduced liver function.

In yarrow, the entire aerial part is used as a medicinal raw material during its flowering period. Since the leaves and flowers have different healing properties, they are used for various purposes. Inflorescences are devoid of hemostatic properties, but have an antispasmodic effect.

Harvesting is carried out from the beginning to the middle of flowering plants (June-August). The tops of stems 15 cm long are cut off, leaves are cut off on the lower, thick part of the stem. When harvesting flowers, only inflorescences with peduncles are cut so that the length of the peduncles does not exceed 4 cm.

The raw materials are dried under sheds, in attics or in dryers at a temperature of no more than 40-45 degrees, laying out in a thin layer and periodically turning over.

The use of yarrow

Usually, yarrow is used in conjunction with other plants as part of medicinal preparations. But it can also be used separately.

An infusion of this plant is taken in the presence of bleeding, gastritis and ulcers (increases the acidity of the stomach), diathesis, indigestion, neurasthenia, urinary incontinence. It can also be used externally for washing bleeding wounds, cuts, ulcers, boils. This infusion can be used for hemorrhoids by making enemas out of it. With bleeding gums, it is recommended to rinse the mouth with it.

The infusion is prepared in this way: pour one tablespoon of grass with two cups of boiling water, close the lid, let it brew for half an hour, strain. Take 0.5 cup three times a day 30 minutes before meals.

be careful

Yarrow is a poisonous plant. It can be taken orally only if the dosage is strictly observed. After prolonged or too intense use, the plant can cause skin rashes and dizziness.

Yarrow can cause a delay in menstruation. It is forbidden to take it to pregnant women, people prone to thrombophlebitis. The plant should be used very carefully in the presence of allergies.

Yarrow in the beds

Sowing seeds is carried out in winter or before winter. Since the seeds are small, they are not embedded in the soil, but simply sprinkled with a thin layer of earth. Yarrow grows best in sunny areas.

Valerian

"Healthy grass" - this is how the name of valerian is translated from Latin. After all, even our great-grandfathers noted the healing and even magical properties of this plant.

Note!

Valerian has practically no contraindications, but its long-term use can cause an overdose. It is manifested by nausea, agitation, headache, indigestion. Therefore, it is impossible to take valerian preparations for more than 1.5-2 months.

The uniqueness of the plant

Our ancestors used a decoction of valerian roots as a means to uplift the mood and calm the soul.

In XY!!! Century valerian was recognized by official medicine and included it in the list of medicinal herbs. To date, the study of the medicinal properties of the plant has not been stopped, and it is surprising that it is still possible to discover all the new secrets of this herb.

The composition of valerian is unique, it has no analogues among other medicinal herbs. Its roots contain about a hundred individual substances, including essential oils, acids, alcohols, alkaloids, tannins, organic acids, glycosides, vitamins (A, B, C) and other substances previously unknown to science.

Due to such a diverse composition, valerian affects various areas. human body. Medicinal properties are manifested in the following:

Depression of the central nervous system, lowering the thresholds of excitability;
- reduction of muscle spasms;
- regulation of the activity of the cardiovascular system;
- improvement of blood circulation processes;
- strengthening of bile secretion processes;
- increased secretion of the gastrointestinal tract;
- relief of headaches and migraines;
- increased blood pressure;
- normalization of the heart rhythm;
- help with insomnia.

The use of valerian

Valerian root will help get rid of migraines. To do this, pour a tablespoon of chopped dry rhizomes with a glass of cold boiled water and let it brew for 12 hours. It is not necessary to boil or heat the tincture. Strain the finished tincture and take one tablespoon three times a day before meals.

Valerian is used for various ailments. To do this, I take a bath with such a decoction: I pour one glass of grass with a liter of boiling water, cook over low heat for five minutes, then wrap it up and let it stand for another five minutes, filter it and add it to the bath. Take a bath for 20 minutes. This procedure helps to calm the nerves, relieve excitement, fall asleep sooner, restore heart rate, increase blood pressure, - writes Albina Sizova, a summer resident from Barnaul.

From insomnia, this decoction will help: pour a tablespoon of crushed root with a glass of boiling water, boil for 15 minutes on low heat, let it brew for 10 minutes, strain. Adults take a tablespoon three times a day, children - a teaspoon three times a day.

Valerian root tincture in red wine helps with glaucoma and blurred vision. To do this, pour 50 g of powder from the root of the plant into 1 liter of red grape wine, let it brew for 15 days, then strain. It should be taken one tablespoon three times a day before meals.

Growing in the garden

Valerian does not impose special requirements on the soil and place of growth. It can be sown early in spring, summer or before winter (October - early November). Sowing is carried out in rows (the row spacing is 45-70 cm), the seeds are planted to a depth of 1 cm. During spring sowing, seedlings appear in 15-20 days.

Valerian rhizomes are most often used as medicinal raw materials. They are dug up in September - October or early spring on plantations of the second year of life until greenery grows back.
The dug out roots are dried in shaded ventilated rooms, spreading them out in a layer of 5-7 cm. The finished raw material is brown on the outside, whitish on the inside, it has a strong smell and a sweet-bitter taste. Store rhizomes in bags in dry, ventilated areas.

St. John's wort

Grass from 99 diseases.
So they say about St. John's wort, which has long been recognized by both folk and official medicine. Not a single complex healing collection can do without this plant. Why was he so loved? Let's find out.

It's all about composition

Indeed, St. John's wort has an incredibly rich composition. It contains many micro and macro elements. Trace elements include manganese, copper, zinc, cobalt, molybdenum, chromium, aluminum, selenium, nickel, strontium, cadmium, lead and boron. Macronutrients include calcium, potassium, magnesium and iron.

The flavonoids included in the composition give the plant an antispasmodic property, which facilitates the secretion of bile, prevents it from stagnation, helps relieve colon spasm, improves urination, and strengthens the walls of capillaries.

Astringents have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. St. John's wort helps to avoid the development of dental caries due to the molybdenum contained in it. Also, this plant is a powerful natural antidepressant, as it contains hypericin, which increases the level of serotonin in the central nervous system.

Thus, St.

How to be treated

Usually, for medicinal purposes, St. John's wort is used in two forms, as an alcohol tincture and as a decoction.

To prepare a decoction, take one tablespoon of chopped St. John's wort and pour it with a glass of water. The mixture should be boiled for 15 minutes, then cool the broth and strain. You need to drink this dose during the day in several doses.

The decoction has antibacterial and antiseptic properties. Therefore, it is good for them to rinse their mouth with various stomatitis, gingivitis, gum disease, and also gargle with sore throat.
To prepare an alcohol tincture, take four tablespoons of St. John's wort and pour 100 ml of alcohol, let it brew for 10 days in a dark place. Take this remedy three times a day, 15 drops. The tincture aids in the secretion of bile and in the treatment of disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. It can also be diluted with water (50 drops per glass of water) and rinse the throat and mouth with the resulting solution.

Take with caution

St. John's wort is contraindicated in people with high blood pressure and pregnant women. You can not take St. John's wort for a long time and exceed the recommended dosage, this can lead to pain and spasms in the intestines.

In men, when using St. John's wort for more than three weeks, temporary impotence may develop, which will pass after the drugs are removed from the body.

It is worth noting that preparations from this herb increase the sensitivity of the skin to ultraviolet rays, so you should not take its decoctions if you are going to sunbathe.

Cultivation and collection

St. John's wort prefers soils rich in organic fertilizers. In one place it is grown for 3-5 years.

It is easiest to sow St. John's wort before winter, lightly sprinkling the seeds with earth. The row spacing is 45 cm. In the first year, seedlings develop slowly, so you should pay attention to Special attention weed control.

Harvesting of raw materials is carried out during the period of active flowering (June - August). St. John's wort shoots are cut 15-30 cm long in dry weather so that there is no dew on them.

When harvesting St. John's wort, avoid roads and roadways, as this plant is able to accumulate cadmium in itself, which causes serious harm to the body.

St. John's wort is dried in the shade in well-ventilated areas. It should be stored in places protected from the sun, because this herb contains substances that break down in the light. The shelf life of raw materials is three years.

succession

A succession is an annual herbaceous plant with more than 200 species, widely used for medicinal purposes. Branches, tops of stems and leaves are used as medicinal raw materials. Where and how exactly to apply them, now we will find out.

What is the strength

The healing properties of the series owe to its composition, which includes essential oil, vitamins A and C, mucous, tannins and bitter substances, as well as a large number of trace elements (zinc, iron, potassium, copper, sulfur, magnesium, calcium, aluminum, nickel, boron and etc).

This composition allows the series to have a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin and assist in the treatment of many skin diseases and problems associated with it. So, the sequence dries and heals various wounds on the skin, has an anti-inflammatory and soothing effect.
Also, the series is able to positively affect the entire human body. It has diuretic and diaphoretic properties, improves digestion, normalizes metabolism in the body, lowers blood pressure, fresh grass helps with snake bites, liver and spleen diseases, diabetes, bronchitis, psoriasis and many other diseases.

For home treatment

You can improve the condition of the skin, get rid of itching and redness by taking baths with a string - shares Ksenia Petrovna Likhacheva from Novosibirsk. -To do this, pour two tablespoons of a string of 250 ml of boiling water and boil everything in a water bath for about 10 minutes. Cool the resulting infusion, strain and add to a warm bath. You need to take such a bath for 20 minutes, after it you do not need to rinse. For medical purposes, 10-12 procedures will be enough.

For the treatment of arthritis, it is recommended to pour one tablespoon of chopped string with one glass of boiling water, let it brew for 30-40 minutes. You need to take the infusion one tablespoon 4-5 times a day. The same infusion can be rubbed on sore joints.

Long-term drinking of tea from the series (brewed without dosage) helps to cure gout. A slurry of fresh leaves, applied to ulcers and wounds, promotes their cleansing of pus, drying and rapid healing.

The string is also taken together with other medicinal plants, for example, for the treatment of diathesis in children, string, mullein flowers and violets can be mixed in equal proportions. Take two teaspoons of the collection, put in a thermos and pour 100 ml of boiling water, let it brew overnight. In the morning, strain the tincture and take 25 ml four times a day.

Although the series is a harmless herb, you should not abuse its use. Too frequent use can lead to increased nervous excitability, impaired stool and reduced pressure. And too frequent bathing with a succession causes dry skin.

Procurement of raw materials

The tops of the stems and lateral branches up to 15 cm long and all pouring should be harvested during the budding period (first half of June), and during the flowering period, only leaves and side shoots without fruit-bearing baskets are harvested.

Harvested plants are dried in a room with good ventilation, spreading out in a thin layer. Raw materials do not lose their medicinal properties within two years.

We grow ourselves

It is best to place a series on a personal plot in low places.
The plant can be sown in two terms: before winter with dry seeds to a depth of 1 cm or early in spring stratified to a depth of 2-3 cm. The row spacing is 45 cm.

Ginseng

This is the name in the East of Rhodiola rosea, known in our country under the name "golden root", which she received because of the roots of a bronze hue. This plant is credited with truly magical powers.

The plant is a mystery

The composition of Rhodiola rosea is incredibly rich. It contains various vitamins, minerals, active substances, but until now, scientists around the world have not been able to determine the reason for the amazing benefits that the plant has. But one thing is known that there is no better remedy for fatigue and loss of strength. The golden root is a source of life and energy. Preparations based on a miracle plant literally revive a completely tired and exhausted person, activate the work of all his organs, including stimulating mental activity.

In addition to giving energy, Rhodiola rosea has a host of other beneficial properties. It facilitates well-being with vegetative-vascular dystonia, normalizes blood pressure, is an excellent tool for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, and improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Golden root is recommended for physical and nervous exhaustion, stress, during periods of intense mental work, hypotension, periodontal disease, bacterial and infectious diseases of the oral cavity, anemia, diabetes, gout, male impotence and other health problems.

Tibetan ginseng has tonic, stimulating, antiviral, antiallergic, hemostatic and wound healing properties. It is also an excellent natural antioxidant.

Home doctor

Tincture of the golden root on alcohol will help to increase vitality and add vigor. To prepare it, take 100 g of crushed roots of Rhodiola rosea and fill them with 1 liter of vodka (alcohol). You need to insist in a cool dark place for 2 weeks, shaking the mixture every 3-4 days. Strain the finished tincture.

Take the medicine should be 3 times a day, one teaspoon. If during the treatment period the sleep became restless and there were problems with falling asleep, the evening intake should be removed, in special cases, the daily use of the tincture will also have to be abandoned.
The same tincture can be used to treat ENT diseases, diluting it with water 1:5. The resulting solution should be gargled 4-5 times a day.

To restore potency, they drink tea from the golden root. To do this, take one teaspoon of root powder and pour boiling water, boil for 15 minutes and let it brew for half an hour. Mint, honey, sugar, lemon can be added to the broth to taste, and also diluted with boiled water to a pleasant concentration. Such tea is useful for all people for the general improvement of the body.

Do no harm

Before using preparations based on the golden root, you should consult a doctor, as they have contraindications.

So, Rhodiola rosea should not be used by pregnant and lactating women, children under 12 years old, people with high blood pressure, emotional arousal and high body temperature.

With prolonged use of Tibetan ginseng or its overdose, side symptoms may appear: headache, insomnia, increased irritability, pain in the heart area.

Procurement of raw materials

The golden root for medicinal purposes is dug up in August - September. It is washed, the rotten parts and brown cork are separated, cut across into pieces 10 cm long and dried in an oven at a temperature of 50 - 60 degrees, but in no case in the sun.

Leaves are harvested in May - June. Dry them in a well-ventilated area, spreading them out in a thin layer.

Growing in the garden

Rhodiola rosea grows beautifully in the garden, so it is not necessary to go to "distant lands" for it.

Rhodiola can be propagated by seeds and division of rhizomes. Seeds are sown in late autumn or winter in boxes with nutritious soil. There must be a drainage layer at the bottom of the box. Seeds are evenly distributed throughout the soil and covered with sand from above with a layer of 2 mm. The box is covered with foil and taken out to the balcony (garden).

In March, the crops must be brought into the house and placed on a sunny windowsill. After a few days, shoots will appear, now the film can be removed. When the seedlings have two true leaves, they will need to be picked in separate containers. In May, seedlings are planted in a permanent place in the garden.

By dividing the rhizomes, plants that are at least two years old can be propagated. Their rhizomes are divided into two parts (cuts are treated with ash) and planted in prepared holes filled with humus. Rhizomes are covered with compost or humus, but at the same time, renewal buds should be on the surface. After weak watering, the plantings need to be mulched with peat.

Eleutherococcus

Eleutherococcus is often called "Siberian ginseng" because its composition is very similar to that of ginseng. Let's find out what this thorny shrub is useful for.

medicinal properties

This plant contains glycosides, resins, fatty oils, gums, vitamins and other biologically active substances.

Preparations based on Eleutherococcus stimulate the central nervous system, they are prescribed for physical and mental overwork, as they have tonic properties, increase endurance and performance. The effectiveness of this plant in psychological disorders has been proven.

Eleutherococcus is also able to reduce blood sugar, and its regular use reduces the risk of cancer to almost zero. This plant also soothes irritated tired eyes, sharpens hearing and vision.

Preparations from Eleutherococcus help to increase the body's resistance to various adverse factors (infections, poisoning, radiation). They can be used to increase appetite, improve metabolism, to quickly heal various wounds on the skin, to raise blood pressure, in the initial stages of atherosclerosis, vegetovascular neurosis, and they also improve lung function.

Eleutherococcus is contraindicated for people with high blood pressure, with impaired cardiac activity, with severe atherosclerosis, insomnia, increased nervous excitability, during acute infectious diseases, with myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular pathology, pregnant and lactating women, as well as children under 12 years old.
It is also worth noting that Eleutherococcus can increase body weight, cause irritability, disrupt menstrual cycle. Therefore, before self-medicating, be sure to consult a doctor.

Preparations from Eleutherococcus

Eleutherococcus can be taken in various forms: tincture, decoction, extract, tea, and even honey.
To prepare the tincture, take 50 g of finely chopped roots and pour them with 500 ml of vodka, let it brew for seven days, periodically shaking the mixture well. This tincture can increase sexual function if taken 40 drops per day. And to improve hearing, drink 15 drops at least twice a day, the course of treatment lasts at least three weeks. If necessary, treatment can be resumed after a week break. The same tincture is indicated for the treatment of neuroses, various respiratory diseases, and a mild stage of atherosclerosis. It should be taken one teaspoon three times a day.

For the prevention of infectious diseases, normalization of blood pressure and as an increase in tone, I take Eleutherococcus extract (I buy it at a pharmacy), about 40 drops 15 minutes before meals three times a day, - Stepan Arkadyevich, a gardener from Zarinsk, Altai Territory, shares. - You need to be treated with such a remedy for three months: you take one month, you rest for one month, and so three times.
In the treatment of colds, tea from the roots and leaves of Eleutherococcus will be indispensable. For one glass of boiling water or ordinary tea, you need to take one teaspoon of the mixture of raw materials and let it brew for 10-15 minutes in a tightly closed container. Drink this drink in the morning on an empty stomach. Also, this drink is a good antipyretic, tonic and sedative.

cultivation

In the natural conditions of Russia, this plant is not widespread, but it is very unpretentious, therefore it grows well in garden plots.

Eleutherococcus is shade tolerant. It is best propagated by layering or root shoots. You can transplant to a permanent place both in autumn and early spring. In the first year of cultivation, seedlings need light shading and protection from winter cold.

When propagated by seeds, they must be stratified for 4-5 months, and in the spring they are sown to a depth of 2-3 cm. Seedlings appear in the second and even third year.

The roots for medicinal purposes are dug up in May, before the leaves appear, but it is better in October, since it is at this time that the content of biologically active substances reaches its maximum.

sweet clover

Even the bees know about the benefits of this plant, because it is not for nothing that they collect nectar from the flowers of the tributary. Honey, like the plant itself, has a beneficial effect on the human body and helps to cope with many ailments.

Beneficial features

Sweet clover contains many useful substances, due to which it is actively used in folk medicine. Sweet clover grass contains coumarin, lactone, coumaric acid, resinous substances, essential oils, tannins, vitamin C, carotene, sugars, proteins and other useful substances.
Coumarin, which is part of the composition, increases blood pressure, increases the quantitative content of leukocytes in the blood, and normalizes blood circulation in the abdominal cavity.

Preparations based on sweet clover have analgesic, wound healing, antiseptic, expectorant, anticonvulsant, laxative properties.

Sweet clover is used to treat convulsions, thrombosis of coronary vessels, angina pectoris, gynecological diseases, hypertension, atherosclerosis, hemorrhoids, venous varicose veins, flatulence, diseases of the upper respiratory tract.

Sweet clover was widely used as an infusion or decoction for taking baths, preparing compresses and ointments for the treatment of furunculosis, abscesses, bruises and sprains. The dry crushed grass of the plant helps with skin diseases, cracked nipples, inflammation of the eyelids, and even mastitis can be cured with it.

Sweet clover treatment

As a medicinal purpose, decoctions, infusions, ointments are prepared from sweet clover, tea is brewed. Here are some recipes for using this plant.

To prepare a soothing infusion, take two teaspoons of crushed sweet clover powder and add two tablespoons of water to it, let it steep for two hours and take 70 ml five times a day.

To relieve a headache, fill a half-liter jar with a third of sweet clover grass and fill to the top with vodka, leave for two weeks in a dark place, periodically shake off all the contents. Ready tincture must be filtered. If you moisten your fingers in it and rub it with whiskey tincture, then your head will stop hurting.

For people suffering from flatulence, you can prepare such a decoction: pour 15 g of dry sweet clover roots into 200 ml of boiling water and put on fire for 10 minutes. After the broth, cool and strain. For treatment, take this remedy one tablespoon three times a day.

You can cure abscesses, boils, skin irritations with the following infusion: pour 30 g of sweet clover grass with a glass of boiling water, leave for 30 minutes. Strained infusion is taken as lotions, compresses and added for taking a bath.

Beware of poison!

Be sure to consult your doctor before using preparations based on sweet clover, as this plant is poisonous! Only a doctor can give you precise recommendations for the use of this plant.

How to grow

Sweet clover is not picky about soil conditions, it is drought-resistant, so it does not need constant watering.

Seeds that are just ripe or unripe are considered viable. During storage, the shell of the seeds becomes denser, therefore, before sowing, they must be scarified (break their shell).
The seeding rate is 200 pieces per 1 m². The distance between the seeds is about 3 cm.

Sweet clover blooms in the second year of life. During the flowering period, you need to start cleaning and harvesting medicinal raw materials. For these purposes, the tops of the plant and side shoots are cut off, thick coarse branches are discarded. Cut raw materials are dried under a canopy or in a shed, tying the grass into bunches.
Dried raw materials must be threshed and passed through a wire sieve. For medicinal purposes, flowers, leaves, fruits and small stems are used.

Chamomile

Who among us has not guessed on daisies? Perhaps, everyone was doing this, but meanwhile, chamomile can be useful not only for these purposes, because it is also a medicinal plant.

The main thing is not to confuse

Chamomile officinalis (pharmacy) can easily be confused with field or dog chamomile. Pharmacy chamomile is a branchy plant, up to 30-40 cm high, growing along roads, on grassy slopes, in rye crops. Its important distinguishing feature is the hollow bottom of the basket, curved in the form of a skittle, its leaves are small, similar to dill.

In field and dog chamomile, the bottom of the basket is flat, dense, these plants have an unpleasant odor, which differs sharply from the smell of medicinal chamomile.

world healer

Medicinal properties of chamomile are known all over the world. Flowers (baskets) are used as medicinal raw materials. They are harvested during flowering from June to the end of August. You can also use the whole plant to make baths. The collected grass should be dried in the shade.

Chamomile is one of those plants that have a beneficial effect on the entire body, so it should be in every home, especially if it has small children or the elderly.
Chamomile contains essential oils, glycosides, flavonoids, organic acids, bitterness, mucus and other bioactive substances that give the plant anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic and carminative properties.

Chamomile is considered one of the the best means for the treatment of acute and chronic inflammation of the gastric mucosa, which can not only relieve symptoms, but also heal the disease. The anti-inflammatory property of chamomile is actively used to treat colitis, inflammation caused by chronic constipation with colic.

This herb improves the digestion process, promotes gas discharge during flatulence, and sometimes helps with allergic diseases.

Chamomile is indicated for liver failure and some female diseases, for colds, tonsillitis, gastritis, tea with this herb helps with insomnia.

Chamomile can be used not only inside, but also externally in the form of baths, lotions for inflammatory diseases skin, hemorrhoids.

But one should not get too carried away with the treatment of chamomile, since in case of an overdose, depression of the central nervous system, headache and weakness are possible. Chamomile preparations should not be used for anacid gastritis, a tendency to diarrhea and individual intolerance.

How to be treated

Infusion of chamomile can cure the entire gastrointestinal tract. To prepare it, take a tablespoon of dried chamomile flowers and pour them with a glass of boiling water, let it brew for several hours. Strained infusion drink warm 3-4 times a day for half a cup. The same infusion helps with inflammation of the gallbladder, liver and kidneys, with colitis, flatulence.
For external use, chamomile infusion is prepared in this way: 2-3 tablespoons of raw materials are poured with a glass of boiling water and infused for one hour in a well-closed container, then filtered. It is used for hemorrhoids in the form of lotions, for douching with gynecological diseases, as well as for baths with various skin irritations.

Chamomile is also used for cosmetic purposes to strengthen and grow hair, get rid of dandruff. To do this, four tablespoons of dried flowers are poured into 1.5 liters of boiling water and boiled over low heat for 5 minutes, filtered. Rinse your hair with this decoction after shampooing.

Cultivation of chamomile

Chamomile is sown in late August - early September to a depth of 0.5 cm. The row spacing is 45-60 cm. Seeds germinate at a temperature of about five degrees. Since the seeds are very small, it is better to mix them with dry sand 1:50 and scatter them evenly. Approximately 1 g of seeds is consumed per 4-5 m². After sowing the beds, mulch with dry soil or humus.

Chamomile prefers to grow in well-lit places with soil rich in organic fertilizers.

Celandine

It's easy to guess that we are talking about the celandine, because its name speaks for itself. Even our ancestors used this plant to cleanse the body both from the outside and from the inside. It is used to treat many skin and internal diseases in our time.

Indications for use

The composition of celandine includes a large number of alkaloids, carotene, essential oils, vitamins A and C, malic, citric and succinic acids, sponins and other substances. Due to its composition, this plant has anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties, prevents the development of allergies and tumors. It also has an expectorant and diuretic effect, prevents sclerosis.

Celandine is recommended for use in neurosis, paralysis, pancreatic diseases, as in small doses it slows down cardiac activity, lowers blood pressure, and has a calming effect on the nervous system.

But it is very dangerous to use celandine inside, since the whole plant is poisonous, it is necessary to strictly observe the dosage. Celandine has properties to burn and irritate the gastric mucosa. Also, you should not use it for low blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases, pregnant and lactating women, children, people with epilepsy and mental disorders.

Therefore, in folk medicine, its external use has taken root more.
The ability of celandine to remove warts, calluses and dark spots on the skin is well known. It also helps with complex skin diseases: skin tuberculosis, lupus, scabies. Promotes the speedy healing of wounds.

Collection rules

Grass and roots are used as medicinal raw materials in celandine. The aerial part is harvested during the flowering period in dry weather, breaking off the branches at a height of 10-15 cm. The roots are harvested in autumn or early spring before the stems grow. When harvesting, remember that the plant can burn your hands, so protect them with gloves and put on a wet gauze bandage on your face.

Dry the collected celandine under awnings in well-ventilated areas. The plant retains its medicinal properties for three years. It is recommended to store raw materials in boxes or paper bags in a dry, cool and well-ventilated area.

Celandine treatment

With gastrointestinal diseases, you can drink a salt infusion of celandine. To prepare it, take two tablespoons of dry grass and pour 1 liter of boiling water over them, boil for several minutes, then cool, filter and add one tablespoon of salt. The finished solution is diluted with 1 liter of cold boiled water. It should be drunk for 1-2 months, half a glass twice a day.

A decoction of celandine and chamomile can be gargled with sore throat, passed through the nose with polyps. To prepare it, take one tablespoon of raw chamomile and celandine and pour a glass of boiling water, boil for five minutes, cool and strain.

The same decoction can be used to make compresses, lotions, baths for paralysis, gout, rheumatism, arthritis, douche for cervical erosion, prostatitis.

To get celandine juice, pass the plant through a meat grinder, squeeze it through cheesecloth and pour it into a bottle with an airtight cork. Within 10-15 days, gas should be periodically released from the bottle, when the gas stops emitting, the juice is ready for use. They are smeared with various spots on the skin, scrofula, lichen, ulcers, warts from healthy tissue to the diseased, narrowing the circle.

Growing in the garden

Celandine seeds are harvested in June - July and immediately sown in the right place. But the seedlings will bloom only after 2-3 years. Sow with a row spacing of 40-45 cm.
Under the celandine, damp or damp places should be allocated, which during the day are practically not illuminated by the sun. Young shoots of celandine should be protected from weeds, as they can clog immature plants.

Coltsfoot

Because of the biologically active substances that make up the mother - and - stepmother, this plant has long and reliably entered the list of one of the most popular herbal remedies. How it can help us, let's find out.

Extensive list

This graceful plant relieves inflammation, has antibacterial and disinfecting properties, helps in the fight against coughs, removing phlegm, and relieves spasms.

That is why mother - and - stepmother has been used for centuries to treat the upper respiratory tract. Broths from this plant successfully cure bronchitis, laryngitis, tracheitis, pneumonia, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, relieve bronchial asthma. Herbal preparations thin sputum and remove it from the body, relieve inflammation of the mucous membrane, reduce swelling, and fight bacteria and infections.

In addition, the anti-inflammatory and bactericidal properties of coltsfoot have been used to treat diseases of the kidneys and genitourinary system. The plant also has a positive effect on the work of the gastrointestinal tract (accelerates the digestibility of food, relieves constipation, colitis, flatulence). Mother-and-stepmother-based drugs lower blood pressure and are used to prevent and treat atherosclerosis.

The tannins that make up the plant have hemostatic properties. And in combination, with anti-inflammatory and bactericidal properties, they can heal wounds. Decoctions help with bleeding gums, stomatitis, sore throat.

Baths with infusion mother - and - stepmothers help in the treatment of ulcers, abscesses, acne, bedsores, calluses, dermatitis and other skin problems.

In folk medicine, cases of the use of smoke from the leaves of the mother - and - stepmother are known to relieve toothache and asthma attacks.

Fresh leaves of the plant can also be useful. For example, a mother-and-stepmother's leaf applied to the forehead lowers the temperature, and pounded into a mushy state relieves itching from insect bites and helps get rid of calluses. The juice of the leaves can be instilled into the nose to treat a runny nose. By the way, these are the only cases when mother-and-stepmother can be taken by pregnant women, in other dosage forms it can harm the fetus and even provoke an abortion!

Preparations based on this herb are contraindicated in people with cirrhosis, as well as in chronic alcohol use. You can not treat the mother - and - stepmother of children under 12 years old.

Procurement of raw materials

In folk medicine, coltsfoot flowers and leaves are used for medicinal purposes. Prepare and store them separately.

Shelf life of leaves - three years, flowers - two years. Store raw materials in closed containers.
Flowers should be collected at the very beginning of their flowering in the morning, it is important that they dry from dew. The collected raw materials are dried at a temperature of 50-60 degrees in the oven.

Leaves are harvested at the end of May. At the same time, the youngest leaves should not be collected, and leaves with red patches should also be skipped. Leaves should be dried in a dry place with good ventilation.

Preparation of medicines

With a prolonged cough, hoarse voice, bronchitis, laryngitis and bronchial asthma, traditional healers recommend preparing an aqueous infusion: pour two tablespoons of crushed leaves with a glass of boiling water, close tightly and heat in a water bath for 15 minutes. After let it brew in the heat for about an hour, strain and bring the infusion to a full glass of boiled water. You need to take it before meals, one tablespoon every three hours in a warm form. The duration of treatment should not exceed two weeks.

The same decoction can be used externally as a lotion for inflammation of the veins, tumors, ulcers. They also rinse their throats and oral cavity during inflammatory processes.

For diseases of the stomach, intestines, bladder and kidneys, I brew one tablespoon of mother-and-stepmother flowers with 1 liter of boiling water, let it brew for several hours. The drug is taken half a cup four times a day. It helps me very well, - shared Olga Kuznetsova, Belovo, Kemerovo region, in her letter.

With shingles, a compress is made from the leaves of the plant: five tablespoons of herbs are brewed in a glass of boiling water, let it brew for 30 minutes, squeezed and spread on gauze. The compress is applied to the sore spot twice a day for two hours, and also for the whole night.

Freshly squeezed coltsfoot leaf juice will help to cope with spring beriberi. The collected leaves are washed well and doused with boiling water, then crushed in a meat grinder and squeezed out the juice through gauze. The resulting juice should be diluted with water 1:1 and boiled for three minutes. It is recommended to take it one tablespoon three times a day after meals for a week.

cultivation

Mother - and - stepmother outwardly give the impression of a fragile and delicate plant, meanwhile it is very unpretentious and grows almost everywhere. But she still has preferences - good lighting and clay soil.

There is no special need to grow it in the garden, and it is not safe, since the grass is capable of “capturing the territory”, planting it in your garden, it will not be easy to evict it from it.
But if you dare to grow this albeit medicinal weed in your garden, then you will have to sow it only once, then the plant will propagate by self-sowing. The plant can be propagated by division at any time from spring to autumn.

According to the magazine "Dachniy diary"

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