The loosestrife or ordinary is a plant that in the people has a different name - "plakun-grass". Many legends are associated with him. In the old days, he was even credited with witchcraft properties. But in fact, plakun-grass is one of the most useful medicinal plants.
Interestingly, its botanical name, Lythrum, is not of Latin, but of Greek origin, and can be translated as "coagulated spilled blood." This is no coincidence: since ancient times, people have known about its hemostatic ability.
Description
This herb grows throughout Europe and Asia, as well as North Africa and eastern Australia. It can be found in damp places - on the shore of a reservoir or on the outskirts of a swamp. Derbennik loves moist fertile soil and sunny areas.
Plakun-grass is a very beautiful plant that is also grown for decorative purposes. Usually it is a rather large shrub, with a straight tetrahedral stem, the average length of which is about 1 m. Although there are also specimens up to 2 m high.
The loosestrife blooms at the end of June. Then inflorescences appear on it in the form of spikes, which consist of a large number of small purple flowers. They are shaped like stars. There are varieties with pink flowers. The diameter of each such star does not exceed 1 cm. The flowering of plakun-grass can continue until the end of summer. In August, it looks especially spectacular, since the rest of the plants have faded by this time. The description of the loosestrife would be incomplete without mentioning that it is a good honey plant. And it gives honey a beautiful dark shade, fragrant, with a pleasant, albeit tart taste. In addition to bees, weeping grass attracts a large number of butterflies.
Another variety of this plant is found in the garden - the rod-shaped loosestrife. It grows more often in the southern regions, but it can also be grown in the middle lane, although it is less frost-resistant. In its appearance and properties, it differs little from the loose-leaved variety. The only difference is that the bushes of this plant are smaller, and the flowers are brighter and can be not only purple and pink of all shades, but also white.
The roots of the loosestrife are thick, woody. The leaves are elongated, about 10 cm long. The fruits are oblong capsules 3-4 mm long, containing many small seeds.
Beneficial features
In the old days, it was believed that the root of the plant has magical properties. It supposedly had to be dug up on the night of Ivan Kupala. Then, in combination with a fern flower, he was supposed to indicate a gap-grass (and with its help it was possible to find treasures). But it was necessary to extract the plant only with bare hands, removing all iron from oneself.
Today loosestrife is considered a very useful medicinal herb. It is used not only in folk, but also in scientific medicine. It is used as a wound healing agent, as well as in the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and the endocrine system. In addition, it helps with epilepsy, and this is a scientifically proven fact.
Plakun-grass contains tannins, valuable essential oil, flavonoids with anti-inflammatory properties, glucose, starch, pectin, vitamins, and other useful substances.
Derbennik is used in folk medicine in different countries. In Tibet, it is believed that it helps with nervous diseases. In France and Bulgaria, traditional healers believe that the herb is useful for gastrointestinal disorders, as it has astringent and antiseptic properties. In Switzerland, it is believed that the infusion of flowers helps in the treatment of eczema and dermatological diseases. In such cases, the agent is used externally. It can also be drunk instead of tea, if necessary to stop the bleeding. In addition, it has a tonic effect.
In folk medicine, both the roots and leaves of the plant are used. Moreover, they are credited with a variety of medicinal properties. Some of them have been scientifically proven. So, a decoction of the plant really helps with wounds in the mouth or flux, and the infusion stops bleeding. But the effectiveness of loosestrife-based products for snake bites or rabid animals has not been proven.
Procurement of raw materials
For brewing teas, preparing decoctions, infusions and other medicinal products from the plant, raw materials collected during the mass flowering of loosestrife, that is, in the second half of July, are suitable. Cut off the upper part of the loosestrife, leaving stems up to 60 cm long.
Harvesting of roots is carried out in early autumn. They are dug up, shaken off the ground, cut into pieces 5-7 cm long.
The raw materials are dried, spread out in a thin layer in the attic or under a canopy, crushed and then stored in paper bags (but not longer than 2 years).
Application recipes
In the folk medicine of Belarus, a recipe for a decoction of loosestrife is widespread, which is used as a means to stop uterine bleeding. It is prepared as follows:
- 1. 1 st. l. vegetable raw materials (it is better to take a root, but grass is also suitable) is poured with a glass of boiling water.
- 2. Boil the mixture over low heat for 10-15 minutes.
- 3. Cool and filter.
Drink a decoction in a warm form, 50 ml 3 times a day. It is also used as a diuretic, as well as bathing physically weak, emaciated children.
For the treatment of epilepsy, a vodka tincture is made from loosestrife:
- 1. 50 g of crushed plant roots are poured into 0.5 liters of vodka.
- 2. Infuse the mixture for 10 days in a dry, dark place, periodically shaking the container.
In Russia, the infusion of loosestrife is popular. It is prepared like tea:
- 1. Pour 1 tbsp. l. raw materials with a glass of boiling water.
- 2. Infuse the drink for 30 minutes.
Drink an infusion of 50 ml half an hour before meals.
You can simply add dry leaves and inflorescences to regular tea. The loosestrife will give it a pleasant, slightly tart taste and aroma, but most importantly, it will make it really useful. It also helps with headaches, colds, and diarrhea. Some healers advise pregnant women to take it for toxicosis, but during this period, especially in the early stages, in no case should you drink herbal or any other remedies without consulting a doctor.
An infusion of flowers also has similar healing properties. Prepare it like this:
- 1. 1 st. l. raw materials are poured with a glass of boiled water.
- 2. Put the container with the mixture on the fire and bring to a boil.
- 3. Leave on low heat for 5 minutes, and then insist for another hour.
- 4. After that, the infusion is filtered - and it is ready for use.
Dosage - no more than 1 tbsp. l. before meals three times a day.
A decoction of the roots and leaves can also be used externally. Compresses are made from it and added to baths. The former will be effective for ulcers, purulent wounds and even panaritiums, while the latter will have a tonic and restorative effect. Fresh leaves of the plant can also be applied to wounds and bruises, kneading them so that they release the juice.
Contraindications
Means based on loosestrife have contraindications.
They cannot be used:
- 1. With high rates of blood clotting, a tendency to form blood clots.
- 2. People suffering from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, which are characterized by atonic constipation (for this reason, elderly people should not drink its infusions and decoctions).
Plakun-grass or loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) is a herbaceous plant of the perennial genus, it has a long and straight stem up to 120 cm high. The leaves of this plant are elongated and pointed towards the tips. Leaves grow in bunches of three. Plakun flowers are small, mostly 6 petals, beautiful bright red or crimson flowers, they grow along the entire stem in the form of an ear. The fruit of the flower has an ovary resembling a box, where the seeds are placed. Plakun blooms in mid-July, and the fruits begin to appear in the month of August.
This plant can be found in almost all areas of the European part of Russia, in Belarus and Ukraine. Because this plant prefers more moisture and a lot of light, it may be seen near water bodies, in a swamp, next to lakes and ditches. Plakun can grow on the same soil for many years and is not afraid of winter frosts. In Russia, about 15 species of plakun-grass are counted. Drops of juice drip onto the ground from narrow leaves of grass, as if the Mother of God cannot calm down from grief, and the grass is crying with her. When Jesus Christ was being crucified, the Holy Mother of God, weeping, rushed to the Jordan River, shedding tears on this grass. Since then, transparent droplets have been dripping from long spike-shaped panicles of crimson flowers.
Harvesting and storage of plakun-grass
It is most favorable to collect raw materials of Plakun-grass during its flowering (second half of July) on the holiday of Ivan Kupala, immediately at dawn. The upper part of the plant is cut off and dried in a darkened room (possibly in attics). The plant needs to be spread out in a thin layer or suspended from the ceiling with not very large brooms. After drying, the raw materials are kneaded into dust and stored in paper bags. The roots of these plants can be dug out of the ground by the end of September or the beginning of October.
Application in everyday life
All varieties of loosestrife are attractive to bees and butterflies. He is an excellent honey plant. Looseberry honey is dark amber, very fragrant, with a spicy tart aftertaste. In warm weather, loosestrife flowers produce nectar throughout the day, and 100 flowers of the plant produce nectar per day containing 18 mg of sugar.
Juices from fresh grass Plakun-grass is used to impregnate fishing nets to prevent them from rotting.
The roots of the plant are used for tanning and dyeing leather brown.
Flowers can be used by confectioners as a natural food coloring for their products.
It is recommended to cut a cross from plakun-grass and wear it around the neck. The fact is that crosses have been a powerful symbol of strength since ancient times. And if any plant endowed with magical power is clothed in the shape of a cross, its protective ability increases several times.
The composition and medicinal properties of plakun-grass
- The roots of the plant have a large amount of saponin and 9% of such useful tannins. From that part of Plakun, which is located above the ground, essential oils, resins, many types of acids and 1.5% tannins are extracted. The loosestrife leaves are very rich in vitamin C and phenolcarboxylic acid. The flowers also contain C vitamins, 10% tannins, flavonoid 3,5-diglucoside myricitin, 3-cyanidin monogalactoside.
- Preparations using Plakun-grass have a wound healing, analgesic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and astringent effect. Decoctions from this plant have a strong diuretic effect - they are used during swelling and kidney disease.
- This tool is indispensable for poisoning food organs and hangovers.
- The strongest anti-inflammatory and binding action helps in the treatment of diseases of the digestive tract: diarrhea, dysentery, gastritis of the stomach and intestines. This remedy is excellent for colds, fever and diseases of the reproductive system.
- Raw Plakun-herbs are used to treat severe pain in the head, venereal problems and toxicosis during pregnancy.
The use of plakun-grass in folk medicine
The plant is widely used in folk medicine. It has astringent, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, analgesic, anticonvulsant, hemostatic, tonic and tonic effect.
Infusion of herb loosestrife for disorders of the nervous system
One spoonful of finely gutted grass is steamed with 2 cups of boiled water, then infused for 4 hours and filtered through marlichka.
Drinking a similar decoction is worth 4 times a day before meals, 75 ml each.
Tincture from the root of Plakun-grass during an exacerbation of hemorrhoids
In a glass of water, pour 1 tsp, crushed root of plants. Boil for 5 minutes, after this process you need to let stand for 1 hour.
Take a decoction of 50 g three times a day before meals.
Infusion of loosestrife flowers for migraine, diarrhea and stomach pain
Close a tablespoon of dried and gutted flowers with 1 cup of water, boil for exactly 5 minutes, after which it is infused for 1 hour and filtered.
You need to take tincture 1-2 teaspoon 3 times a day before meals.
- In 200 g of water, you need to brew half a teaspoon of dried and chopped grass. Leave for 4 hours and strain. Take this decoction, should be 50 ml 3 times a day before meals. After 2 weeks of taking the medicinal decoction, you can increase its saturation to 2 tablespoons per 1 glass of water.
- Alcohol tincture - to prepare a tincture, you need to take 50 g of dry grass and pour 0.5 liters of vodka or diluted alcohol. The infusion should be kept for 2 weeks. Take 30 drops 3 times a day before meals. The course of treatment lasts 4 months.
Cover 2 tablespoons of herbs with 1 liter of water and boil in a water bath for 15 minutes. Then the broth is cooled and filtered. Take 3 times a day before meals, 1 glass.
Tincture of loosestrife herb for eczema, purulent wounds and other skin diseases
Two tablespoons of dry chopped herbs are poured with a glass of boiling water and infused for 30 minutes, strain. Take 4-5 times a day before meals for 75 g.
Tea from loosestrife tea with high fatigue, weakened mental and physical ability
Brew a few pinches of chopped herbs with boiling water and drink as much tea as you like. Be healthy.
Contraindications for use
A tincture prepared from the raw materials of Plakun-grass will not be useful for taking in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, especially with senile constipation.
Since the plant significantly constricts blood vessels, while taking formulations from medicinal herbs, you should carefully monitor the pressure.
nmedicine.info
Plakun (grass) - description, useful properties, application
Plakun is a perennial herbaceous plant species, has an erect tetrahedral stem that can reach a height of up to 150 cm. The leaves of the plakuna are lanceolate, green in summer and red in autumn.
Description of the plakuna
The plant likes to grow in sunny places with moist soil. It begins to bloom in the middle of summer, its flowers are bright in color, so bees and butterflies like to pollinate them.
Plakuna flowers are very beautiful, pink, lilac inflorescences settle on a straight tall stem, which can be used for decorative purposes.
Especially useful is honey, which is collected from the plakuna, it is amber in color and has a specific taste. At the end of summer, the fruits are ready - an oblong round box, in which there is a large number of small seeds.
One of the most common species is the willow plakun, it belongs to a perennial plant species, has a straight dark green stem, can reach a height of up to 100 cm. It is distinguished by opposite leaves, which are elongated and pointed. Small flowers may be collected in spiky panicles. The fruits of the plakuna are boxes of a bivalve character. This species begins to bloom at the beginning of summer or at the end. You can meet him in Belarus, Ukraine, Russia. Medicines are used by folk healers. With the help of the willow plakuna, you can strengthen, tone up the body, stop the inflammatory process, heal wounds, get rid of pain, this is one of the best astringents, hemostatic agents. On the basis of it, infusions, decoctions are prepared, they treat enterocolitis, chronic colitis, stop bleeding, it alleviates symptoms in various diseases of the nervous system, typhoid, epileptic seizures. Also in the form of lotions, ointments and poultices, it is recommended to apply externally, in cases of varicose veins, various forms of sexually transmitted diseases. In ancient times, with the help of this type of grass, snake bites and rabies were treated.
Useful properties of plakuna
The plant has a rich composition - tannin, phenylcarboxylic acid, essential oil, resin, vitamins, flavonoids, it also contains a large number of alkaloids. Plakuna root is rich in substances such as saponins, flowers in anthocyanins.
For medicinal purposes, flowers, roots and leaves are used. Grass is harvested before it begins to bloom, the roots must be harvested in the fall. It is important to dry all collected raw materials in a well-ventilated room, the storage place should be dark and dry.
The use of plakuna
With the help of this type of plant, you can stop extensive bleeding, relieve inflammation, this remedy perfectly tones the entire body. An infusion based on flowers is used to treat dysentery and diarrhea. A decoction, infusion with the addition of plakuna leaves will help relieve the symptoms that are characteristic of epilepsy, relieve disorders of the nervous system, cure rheumatism, gastrointestinal diseases, hemorrhoids. In dry form, the plakun is used to eat insomnia for a long time.
It is especially good to treat with a decoction of plakuna uterine bleeding, enteritis, gastritis, and colds. The plant will effectively cure diseases of the heart, blood vessels, cleanse the skin of dermatitis, eczema. In order for the wounds to heal quickly and painlessly, you need to make a fresh gruel based on the grass, then apply it to the affected area. If a strong fever disturbs, the person will weaken, you need to take herbal tea.
Plakun has a beneficial effect on the brain, if bitten by a dangerous encephalitis tick, with the help of a plant, you can get rid of puffiness. To prepare an infusion based on plakuna, you will need dry grass - 10 grams, a glass of boiling water, insist everything for up to 4 hours, strain. Take orally three times a day.
Due to the fact that the composition of the flowers of the plakuna includes substances such as carotene, pectin, you can use them to make tea, with the help of it you can cure headaches. Infusions, decoctions based on flowers should be used for gastric ulcers, problems with the intestines. In cooking, some use them as a dye.
The root, color, seeds, leaves of the plakuna are used for the inflammatory process in the upper respiratory tract, convulsive condition, severe headaches, toxicosis during pregnancy. With the help of infusions with the use of the aerial part, you can cure hemorrhoids, stomach, intestines, prostatitis, epilepsy, rheumatism, get rid of increased irritability.
The composition of the plant includes a large amount of polyphenols, which are useful for venous diseases, tannin, with which heavy metals can be removed from the human body.
Contraindications to the use of plakuna
Please note that this type of plant is not toxic. But it is not recommended to use it if a person has high blood clotting, he is prone to the formation of blood clots. Caution in the use of the drug should be applied to those who have problems with the stomach, intestines, often worried about atonic constipation. Medicines based on plakuna have a vasoconstrictive effect, it is forbidden to use it for those who suffer from hypertension, if a person takes them, it is necessary to constantly monitor their pressure. In no case should you use funds with a plakun during pregnancy, during lactation.
Thus, plakun is one of the best antiseptic, tonic, hemostatic, wound healing, soothing, anti-inflammatory drugs. With it, you can heal almost the entire body. But when using it, it is very important to take into account medical recommendations, all contraindications and side effects.
medportal.su
Plakun
The second name of the grass is loosestrife loosestrife. This is a perennial plant with a straight stem, growing up to 120 centimeters. Its leaves are pointed at the tips. They grow in bunches, three in each. The flowers are small, bright red, growing in spikes along the entire stem. The fruit of the plant is a box with seeds. The loosestrife blooms in July. In August, its fruits appear. You can meet a medicinal plant in Ukraine, Belarus, the European part of Russia. It loves moist soil, light, and is not afraid of frost.
Today there are 15 species of plakun-grass.
Juice is always dripping from its flowers, as if the grass is crying. Hence the name of the plant. On this occasion, there is a legend saying that these are the tears of the Virgin. She wept when Jesus Christ was crucified. From grief, tears dripped on this grass, which grew near the Jordan River. Since then, it has been called plakun-grass.
Collect raw materials during flowering, in the second half of July. They do this in the morning dawn, cutting off the upper part of the plant and drying it in a dark room or in the attic. You can hang bunches of related branches. After complete drying, the medicinal raw materials are completely crushed and transferred to paper bags.
As for the preparation of the roots of the plakuna, they are dug by the end of September. Cut into pieces, dried in electric dryers, stored in paper containers. The shelf life of medicinal raw materials of loosestrife is 24 months.
Application in everyday life
All types of plakun-grass are attractive to bees. The plant is an excellent honey plant. It produces fragrant dark amber honey with a tart aftertaste.
Fresh grass juice is used to impregnate fishing tackle. This protects them from damage and decay. Roots of plakuna - a means for tanning leather. They are used to dye fabrics brown.
The flowers of the plant are used in the confectionery industry.
Composition and medicinal properties
The roots are rich in saponins, tannins. Essential oils, acids, resins, tannins are extracted from the aerial part of the herb. The leaves are rich in ascorbic acid, flavonoids.
Preparations based on plakun-grass have wound healing, analgesic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory properties. Decoctions of the plant produce a diuretic effect. They are used for kidney diseases.
Plakun is used in the treatment of food poisoning. Its anti-inflammatory properties help in the treatment of diseases of the digestive tract, in particular diarrhea, gastritis, dysentery. Plakun-grass is used for the treatment of diseases of the genitourinary system, headaches, sexually transmitted diseases, toxicosis of pregnant women.
The use of plakun-grass in traditional medicine: recipes
The plant has long been used by folk healers, who have accumulated extensive experience in its use in the treatment of various ailments. Take advantage of the best of the plakun-based recipes:
- Infusion for disorders of the nervous system. Grind a teaspoon of grass, pour 400 grams of boiling water, leave for 2 hours, strain, consume 70 grams 4 times a day at the beginning of a meal.
- An infusion of the roots of the plakun-grass for the treatment of hemorrhoids. It is necessary to boil a teaspoon of the roots of the plant in a glass of water for five minutes. The liquid is infused for an hour, filtered, consumed 50 grams three times a day 40 minutes before each meal.
- Infusion of loosestrife flowers for diarrhea and pain in the stomach. A tablespoon of dried flowers must be boiled for 2-3 minutes in a glass of water, insisted for 60 minutes, filtered, drink a tablespoon 3-4 times a day between meals.
- A decoction of plakun-grass for uterine bleeding. In a glass of water, you need to brew a teaspoon of chopped dry grass. It is necessary to take the infusion after insisting for an hour and filtering 50 grams at the beginning of each meal.
vsegdazdorov.net
The use of loosestrife in folk medicine: medicinal properties and contraindications
In recent years, traditional medicine has become increasingly popular. Many people today refuse chemical preparations, preferring herbs. Indeed, some plants not only are not inferior to traditional drugs, but also have a greater therapeutic effect.
These include loosestrife (or plakun-grass), the healing properties of which allow you to get rid of many ailments.
The chemical composition of the loosestrife
The loosestrife is valued for its chemical composition, which includes many substances useful for the human body. So, plakun-grass contains:
All these components reinforce each other's actions, which ensures the maximum therapeutic effect of loosestrife. Did you know? The loosestrife got its second name due to the fact that on the back of the leaves it has depressions to remove excess moisture. And sometimes it seems like the grass is crying.
Medicinal properties of loosestrife
Grass loosestrife, due to its unique composition, has the following useful properties:
- painkillers;
- anti-inflammatory;
- antibacterial;
- sweatshops;
- hemostatic;
- diuretic;
- wound healing;
- tonic;
- astringents.
Important! The healing properties of loosestrife are recognized only by traditional healers. Official medicine does not consider this plant medicinal and does not include plakun-grass in the register of medicinal herbs.
Collection, preparation and storage of medicinal raw materials
The loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), the description of the useful properties of which can be listed for a very long time, is a perennial plant. It can grow anywhere, but prefers moist places and sunny glades. It blooms in June, and the fruits ripen in late summer.
For the preparation of decoctions and tinctures, all parts of the loosestrife are used:
- roots;
- leaflets;
- seeds;
- flowers.
Store dry material in linen bags in a dark, dry place for no longer than two years. Herbalists also use fresh loosestrife grass. Did you know? Only once, on Ivan Kupala, it is possible to harvest both the tops and the roots of the described grass at the same time.
The use of loosestrife in folk medicine: home remedies
Plakun-grass has found wide application in alternative medicine. Infusions and decoctions are prepared from various parts of this plant. The loosestrife helps with rheumatism, inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa, tonsillitis, nervous and venereal diseases. Children who are prone to overexcitation are bathed in baths with a decoction of plakun grass.
Did you know? Since ancient times, loosestrife has been used as an antidote for the bites of snakes and animals infected with rabies.
Dry herb infusion
When taken systematically, an infusion of dry herbs helps to reduce the size of hernias. To prepare it, take 60 g of loosestrife, pour 0.5 liters of boiling water and stand for four hours. Before taking, filter and drink 50 ml three times a day. You can add infusion to the bath. 
With insomnia, nervous disorders and depression, dry plakun-grass is placed under the pillow.
The botanists called him a loosestrife. loosestrife willow ( Lythrum salicaria) is a representative of the Derbennikov family.
This is a very beautiful perennial plant with a height of 50-100 cm, but larger specimens are also found, reaching a height of 150 cm.
The stem is straight, tetrahedral, the leaves are lanceolate with a heart-shaped base, sessile, opposite, sometimes collected in whorls of 3, the root is thick, woody.
The flowers are collected in long spike-shaped panicles of pink-lilac color, the fruit is an elongated-oval bivalve box. Blooms in June-August.
On the reverse side of the loosestrife leaves there are stomata through which excess moisture is removed from the plant, transparent drops resemble tears, it seems as if the plant is crying - hence its other name - plakun-grass.
And since the leaves of the loosestrife look like willow leaves, the plant received the specific name "willow".
Plakun-grass: legendary plant
The loosestrife is very widely distributed. It is found throughout the territory of Ukraine, in the European part of Russia, Europe, the Caucasus, in the temperate zone of Asia.
It grows singly and in thickets on the banks of rivers, lakes, ponds, swamps, in damp places, ditches and ravines.
When we see thickets of flowering loosestrife in the meadows, we involuntarily admire the fabulous beauty of this place. Flowers, like torches, burn with a cold flame.
No wonder there is a legend that this plant grew from the tears of the Most Holy Theotokos shed during the agony of Jesus Christ. Therefore, in the "Pigeon Book" it is said about him: "plakun-grass is the mother of all herbs."
What kind of care is needed for plakun-grass?
The plant is moisture-loving. For abundant flowering, he needs sunny places or partial shade and nutritious, moist soil.
It has several garden forms with flowers of different shades of raspberry and pink. The loosestrife grows actively, forming loose curtains.
Winters without shelter.
Our advice:
In autumn, the stems should be cut short, and in spring the soil around the plant should be mulched.
How to propagate loosestrife?
Propagated by seeds and division of the bush. It can do without division and transplantation for several years.
When propagated by seeds, they are sown for seedlings in May, bloom in the same year.
Where is the best place to plant climbing grass?
The loosestrife is very decorative, it is planted near water bodies, on lawns, in discounts and mixborders.
When planted away from water in dry times, the plant needs watering.
The magical properties of plakun-grass
In ancient times, the plant was credited with mysterious magical powers. On the plakun-grass, healers and sorcerers conspired against evil spirits.
The root of plakun-grass was used for amulets, including cross-vest.
The use of plakun-grass in folk medicine
Grass (stems, leaves, flowers) and loosestrife rhizome are used for medicinal purposes.
Our advice:
Grass is harvested during flowering, and rhizomes - in the fall. The tops of the stems with flowers are cut with scissors and dried under a canopy in the open air.
Pounded fresh leaves are used to stop bleeding and in the treatment of wounds.
Healing properties of infusions and decoctions of plakun-grass
- infusions and decoctions of herbs are used for food poisoning, dysentery, diarrhea, chronic intestinal catarrh, as an analgesic for pain in the stomach and hemostatic for any bleeding, and they also wash wounds and ulcers with them;
- decoction is used for bathing young children, for convulsions, uterine bleeding, as a diuretic, sometimes taken orally for colds and nervous diseases;
- they drink a decoction or eat a root with bread, sour milk when bitten by rabid animals, when bitten by a snake;
- tincture of roots on vodka is drunk with stomach pains, colds, headaches;
- used for lotions for bruises;
- a decoction of the whole herb is drunk with noise in the head, epilepsy;
- herbal tea is effective for general weakness of the body and a painful feverish condition.
In the past, a decoction of plakuna, which has tannic properties, was used to impregnate fishing nets, which, after tanning, became strong and durable, the intense pink color of the flowers was used in the confectionery industry, and young shoots and leaves were used as an edible vegetable.
Contraindications
- The plant is non-toxic, but with great care should be used for gastrointestinal diseases with atonic, especially senile constipation.
- A contraindication may be high blood clotting and a tendency to thrombosis.
- With hypertension, you need to monitor the pressure, since loosestrife contributes to vasoconstriction.
The loosestrife is not included in the state pharmacopoeia, and there is no information about its use in official medicine.
Alexey KULIK
© Magazine "Ogorodnik"
Photo: depositphotos.com
“... Speak, calculate, what kind of magical herbs are there? Speak, wizard! - ... There are all sorts of herbs. There is thorn-grass, going to Petrov post. You smoke an arrow with it, you will not miss. There is tirlich grass, it grows on Bald Mountain near Kyiv. Whoever wears it on himself, there will be no royal wrath for ever. There is also a plakun-grass, if you cut a cross out of the root and hang it around your neck, everyone will be afraid of you like fire! There is a pigeon marsh; if you want to go after a bear, drink a boil of stuffed cabbage, and no bear will touch you. There is rhubarb-grass; when you start pulling it out of the ground, it groans and roars like a man, but if you put it on yourself, you will never drown in water.
- Are there no others?
- How not to be, father, there is also a kochedyzhnik, or a fern; Whoever manages to pluck its flower owns all the treasures. There is Ivan da Marya; who knows how to take it on, he will run away from the best horse on the first nag.
- Do you know such grass that a young woman will fall in love with a hateful one? The miller hesitated.
- I don’t know, father, don’t be angry, dear, God knows, I don’t know!
- And one to overcome your love, don't you know?
- And I don’t know such, father; but there is a gap-grass: when you touch it to the lock, or to the iron door, it will tear to pieces!
- Get lost with your herbs! - Vyazemsky said angrily and fixed his gloomy gaze on the miller.
A. K. Tolstoy. "Prince Silver"
Legends about good and evil plants came to us from hoary antiquity. How many legends, songs and stories about them! Good herbs were affectionately called grass-ant, silk grass, and evil ones were called dashing, fierce roots, demonic poisons. Healing plants were especially revered, with the help of which they healed from various ailments and ailments. Healers were considered special people, sorcerers who knew secrets that were inaccessible to ordinary people and could communicate with "strangers". The sorcerers-healers kept their medical secrets tightly, by word of mouth they passed on their knowledge only to trusted persons, dedicating them to the secrets of communication with otherworldly forces, which, supposedly, helped them in the treatment with herbs.
Narrations about nine magical herbs have survived to this day, with the help of which miracles can be performed. These are plakun-grass, flowering fern, gap-grass, tirlich, overpowered-grass, Adam's head, orlikhin, cover and nechuy-wind.
Plakun-grass has long enjoyed respect and fear in all villages. It was believed that this herb has amazing power: it leads to the humility of unclean spirits, casts out sorcerers and kikimors, makes demons and demons cry. Wizards collect plakun-grass on Midsummer's Day at dawn and only with their hands, without using any tools. It was important to find the root and flowers. The one who finds the grass must cast a spell: "Cryer, cryer! You cried for a long time and a lot, but you cried a little, do not roll your tears across the open field, do not carry your howl across the blue sea. Be afraid of evil demons, old witches. And they will not let you subjugation, drown them in tears, and run away from your disgrace, shut them up in the pits of the underworld. Be my word strong and firm. Age of ages!
The modern name of plakun-grass loosestrife willow. It grows along the banks of rivers and lakes and has no special medicinal properties. But in the beliefs, plakun-grass is the mother of all herbs. Healers made powders and tinctures from it, which helped with many diseases. They even took grass for melancholy and depression, in modern terms. And it did help! An old herbalist says: "Plakun-grass of goodness, keep it clean, give it to the cattle that are spinning or that the guys are not sleeping, put it in their heads, and cut out a cross from it and carry it very good with you."
Fern or Perunov fireflower perhaps the most famous plant, shrouded in secrets and legends. In Russia, medicinal plants were always collected on the day of Agrafena-bathing (July 6, according to a new style), when hot weather sets in. The soothsayers called this day "Agrofeny - evil roots", since these roots were used to make potent drugs, from which the sick often died. Healers revered this day also because it was followed by the feast of Ivan Kupala - the time of collecting magical herbs. Midsummer Night is special, only at midnight the most incredible miracles happen. Sorcerers and fortune tellers at that time collected many different wonderful herbs. But the most important miracle is the flowering of the fern or Perun's fireflower.
It happens like this. First, a holy light rises between the leaves. It moves, jumps and even chirps. At midnight, the fern bud opens with a crack and a fiery flower appears, which illuminates everything around. At the same time, thunder is heard and the earth trembles.
The one who was lucky enough to find and pick a flower should run home without looking back, despite the fact that devils and demons pursue him with howling and whooping. If you turn around, you'll be lost. Demons will catch up, dragged into the swamp and drowned there. The one who overcame all adversity and safely carried the flower to the house will have all the secrets and charms. Fern, according to popular belief, is very useful for those who want to be smart, rich and lucky. The owner of a flower can quickly find treasures with its help, become invisible, have power over devils and brownies. Belief in the miraculous power of the fern is still alive, especially in rural areas.
gap-grass is said to be extremely rare. Thieves and treasure hunters have always dreamed of her, because she has the ability to break locks and bars of prisons, to break any locks. They called her both a horse and a jumper-grass, as if a flower jumps and jumps on Midsummer Night.
It was said that in the old days robbers buried their treasures underground and locked them with huge iron locks, and threw the keys into the rivers. Even the one who found such a treasure could not open it, as the treasures were guarded by an unclean force that did not allow them to cope with iron locks. And only the owner of the gap-grass can unlock the charmed treasures.
It is believed that the gap-grass was called ordinary balsam, but this is not entirely correct, since not every balsam that grows in nature will be the same gap-grass.
Finding a gap-grass is difficult, but you can do it by accident. If you mow the grass on Midsummer Night and the scythe breaks, it means that you have stumbled upon a gap-grass. But there is another way to find grass. To do this, they look for the turtle's nest and wait for the turtle to leave the nest and crawl to the side. Immediately, without hesitation, the nest is fenced with iron nails, hammering them into the ground so that the turtle cannot enter its dwelling. Then you have to hide and wait. When the turtle returns and sees that the nest is closed, then it leaves for a while, and then comes back. You can see bits of grass in her mouth. The turtle comes up to the iron fence, touches it with grass, and a miracle happens. All iron nails break and fly away. Thus, the passage becomes free. Now you need to take the grass from the turtle and quickly run away from this place. And then everyone uses the gap-grass at their discretion, and the properties of the grass are only valid for one season. Next year, fresh grass should be found again.
The spirits of the night produced a miraculous gap-grass. Its power destroys the strongest iron. Touching it to the sword will break it into pieces. She hides from the human eye in the depths of impenetrable forests: she is always guarded by two snakes, which alternate day and night.
N.I. Lazhechnikov "Basurman"
The ancient Slavs had a myth associated with gap-grass. According to him, the young warrior, lagging behind his rati, walked tired along the edge of the forest. It was autumn outside. Suddenly, the young man's attention was attracted by the hiss of many snakes that crawled towards the mountain, took a blade of grass on their tongue, touched the rock with it - it opened and crawled inside. Then the surprised warrior also plucked this blade of grass. He felt a sharp pain in his finger, but endured and touched the stone. The rock parted, and the young man was inside the cave. There was gold and silver everywhere, jewels sparkled. In the very center of the cave stood a golden throne, on which a huge snake sat. Around her, curled up in balls, the snakes were sound asleep. Then the young man began to walk around the cave, putting aside his sword, bow and shield, touching gold ingots, pouring coins and precious stones, completely forgetting about time. Suddenly he heard that the snakes woke up and started talking. They asked each other: "Isn't it time for us?" Then the main snake said: "Now is the time!"– slipped off the throne, and everyone crawled out of the cave. The warrior, afraid that he would remain here forever, rushed after them. As soon as he had time to jump out, he was taken aback by surprise - spring was on the edge. The young man realized that he had spent the whole winter inside the cave and began to scold himself for not taking any coins, gold, or stones with him, and even leaving his weapons there. Frustrated, he wandered along the edge of the forest and suddenly saw a crowd of horsemen galloping towards him, raising their swords over the young man's head. He had only to put his hands forward, and suddenly a flame burst out of his finger, which hit the enemy. The rider fell to the ground without breathing. The rest, seeing this outcome of events, were frightened, turned their horses around and rushed away.
The young warrior guessed that he hit the enemy with the very finger that cut himself on a blade of grass. It was then that the young man realized that he had taken away the most important treasure that made him invincible.
Overcome-grass was respected and revered by the people. She has the gift to protect people on the road from various troubles and satanic slanders. They carried it around like an amulet. Before the road they always said: "I'm riding in an open field, and in an open field grass-grass grows. Grass-overcome! I didn't water you, I didn't give birth to you, mother-cheese earth gave birth to you, simple-haired girls watered you, women - cigarettes. Overcome you evil people "Don't think badly of us, don't think badly. Drive away the sorcerer, the sneak-taker. Overcome the high mountains, low valleys, blue lakes, steep banks, dark forests. I'll hide you, overpowered grass, at the zealous heart, all the way and all over the road."
Odolen-grass is a water lily, a water lily. She also had another name - a mermaid flower.
Witch doctors used this plant as a remedy for toothache and to calm the nerves. It was believed that if you give the root of the grass to your enemy, then he will not be able to do anything against you. And if the shepherd chews on such a root, then his flock will never be lost and will find the shepherd itself in case of his disappearance or absence. Young guys in the village, when they went on a date with a girl, always took with them grass that gave them great masculine strength and the ability to charm their beloved.
"King of all herbs" - so respectfully called a plant called Adam's head or mandrake, as it was called in Western Europe. They told that "whoever wants to see a heretic or the devil, take the root of the mandrake, sanctify it and put it on the throne in the temple. After forty days, take it and carry it with you - you will recognize water and air demons. And when someone is injured, put it on the wound, and immediately everything will heal" .
Hunters believed in the magical effect of Adam's head in Russia. Before going to the forest to hunt, it was supposed to fumigate hunting equipment with the leaves of the plant, and it gained strength and luck. And on this day the hunting was always good, especially for wild ducks.
According to popular beliefs, you need to look for the mandrake with extreme caution. It was necessary to turn your face to the west, outline three times with a knife the place where you are looking for a plant. Then tie Adam's head to the tail of a black dog and force him to pull out the root. At the same time, at the moment of pulling out, a terrible scream was heard. If you try to pull out the plant yourself without a dog, then death is inevitable.
Tirlich or Witch's Potion- This is a herb that is considered demonic. On the eve of the holiday of Ivan Kupala, witches and sorceresses go to the Bald Mountains to collect tirlich grass. The juice is squeezed out of the grass, with which the witches lubricate their hands and feet. It helps with enchantment. Whoever is completely rubbed with grass becomes a werewolf and can turn into anyone. If a simple peasant finds this herb and does the same, he will be able to communicate with witches and ghouls. Knowing this, the sorceresses try to protect those places where the tirlich grows from ordinary people, in every possible way leading them astray.
Centaury, or Tirlich
Grass Cover collected by magicians at the end of summer. It is used against wedding slander. When the bride is brought from the church to the house, then the healer puts a cover under the threshold of the house of the newlyweds. The bride, having learned about this, must jump over the threshold at the entrance to the house. If she accidentally steps on the grass, then all the malicious slander of the sorcerers will fall on the girl.
The covering grass was also called wolf-killer, omeg, bleck, tar, underripe, penny chistyak, sheep's fleece, black potion, one-month-old. Scientifically, it is a woolly-mouthed wrestler from the buttercup family.
Pro nechuy-grass They say that you need to tear it only with your mouth. Only then does it transfer the ability to stop the wind and catch fish without rods and nets.
Nechuy-grass, nechuy-wind, or immortelle
Thistle, according to the peasants, drives away devils and all evil spirits in general. If you are being pursued by devils, then you must stand among the thistles and throw cones of this grass at the demons. All sorcerers and demons will immediately disappear. And if you bend the thistle to the ground, while saying: "Drive the worms from my cattle - I'll let you go," the attack from the cattle will come down.
From time immemorial, there has been a belief that if someone wants to be safe on the road, then stock up for this wax flasks in which the thistle was boiled. In the Great Russian provinces, old women-transitioners work as wax women, who went all the ways and paths from the Moscow River to the Jordan. To perform the ceremony, the thistle is first placed for seven days and nights under the pillow. No one should see or touch him. On the eighth night, the last one at Christmas time, they bring thistles to the old woman-adapter. She cooks it, with special rituals, with wax and palm. Boiled wax wax is sewn into the palm.
Tales of the Russian people collected by Ivan Petrovich Sakharov
Nettle, according to popular tradition, has the ability to determine whether the patient will live or die. To do this, put nettles in the fresh urine of the patient and let stand for a while. If, after a day, the nettle dries up, shrinks and loses color, then the patient will die. When the nettle remains green and does not lose freshness, then recovery will soon come. And nettle is also used for aches, rheumatism and colds.
love apples- through them you can get the love of the desired girl. To do this, you need to cut the apple in half, put a note with the name of your beloved in the middle and put it in the sun. As the apple dries up, the girlfriend will also suffer. When the apple is completely dry, the girl herself will come running to her admirer.
Petunia is a well-known garden plant. He was credited with the ability to protect a person from intoxication. If you are going to a feast or an important meeting where you need to drink a lot, but at the same time keep a clear head, then only petunia will help here. It is necessary to take two tablespoons of the powder of this herb an hour before drinking and drink it with a spoonful of olive oil. Now you can safely drink as much as you like and remain completely sober.
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In ancient Slavic legends, miraculous properties were attributed to many herbs. The most “important” were considered “plakun-grass”, “gap-grass” and, of course, a fern flower (Perunov or fire-color).
Tears of a mother and sadness of the earth
They rose from the earth like a plakunu-flower.
Silently tears pour over the arable land
Over dashing misfortune over yesterday.
There is a grass named Plakun, grows near rivers and lakes, high in hemp, the color of crimson ... Its flowers are like a torch, and in the morning it cries with bright tears.
Tall, slender, beautiful, with willow-like leaves. They have stomata that secrete excess water in high humidity. The grass is crying! This property of the plant was the reason for its deification. Plakun not only cries, but also makes evil spirits cry.
Plakun mother of all herbs - they say about him wild cornflower, and oak forest, and coastline, and bloodweed, and willow-grass. He opens access to the cursed treasure, overcomes evil spirits, makes evil spirits cry. Gather plakun-grass at the morning dawn on Midsummer's Day. And no metal! As you dig, take off everything iron from yourself, otherwise the root will not be given to your hands and you will not have the strength. We dug with a special bone stick.
And when you start digging, say: "Cryer! Plakun! You cried for a long time and a lot, but you cried a little, do not roll your tears across the open field, do not carry your howl across the blue sea. Be afraid of evil demons, semi-demons, old Kyiv witches. And they won’t give you submission, drown them in tears, but they will run away from your disgrace, shut them up in the pits of the underworld. May my word be with you firmly and firmly. A century of a century!
Not a single healer went to the field and forest for herbs without a talisman from the root of the plakuna around his neck. Not a single treasure hunter went out without him, because he might not have returned, because he did not have protection from evil spirits guarding treasures.
The mother of all herbs, she saved the ancient Slavs not only from the bite of snakes and rabid animals, but also from the machinations of kikimor, goblin and other evil spirits. The root was especially valued.
loosestrife loosestrife, plakun-grass - a perennial herbaceous plant with a thick, woody root. Stem 50-150 cm tall, erect, as opposite, or in whorls of 3, less often 4, the upper ones are alternate; all leaves are sessile, almost heart-shaped at the base, and pointed at the top. The flowers are crimson, on pedicels, collected in whorls at the top of the stem and lateral branches in long discontinuous racemose-spike inflorescences. The fruit is an oval box, 1.5-2 times shorter than the calyx. It blooms in July-August.
The Old Russian "derba", which gave the name to the plant, denotes a damp deposit covered with moss. So it is: loosestrife loosestrife prefers moist, but bright places. Most often it can be found along the banks of water bodies or in swampy meadows, among shrubs, in damp forests and on their edges, in crops on drained peat bogs. It occurs quite often, in places it forms thickets.
Distributed in the European part, Siberia, the Far East, Central Asia.
In the people, loosestrife is called plakun-grass. And there is an explanation for that. The plant is characterized by unusual behavior: during a period of heavy dew or rain, large drops collect on the tips of the leaves, which then drain like tears. So it seems that a flower is crying and cannot calm down.
Preparation and collection.
The aerial part of the plant should be harvested before the flowering of the plant, and the roots - in the fall. But there is a special day when it is allowed to do both - on Ivan Kupala in the morning dawn.
However, since the root is mainly harvested, when planning large harvests, it is necessary to take measures to preserve the natural thickets, as well as to cultivate this plant. All parts of the loosestrife are used for medicinal purposes. The roots are carefully dug up, and the tops of the stems with flowers are cut off with scissors.
Raw materials are dried in the attic, spread out in a thin layer or hung in small bundles, crushed and stored in paper bags.
Useful properties of loosestrife.
The loosestrife contains flavonoids, polyfinol, glucosides, tannins (tannins), phenolcarboxylic acids, essential oil, and vitamins. In the roots there are tannins and saponins, in the seeds - an alkaloid, glycoside lytrarin; in the grass - the glycoside salikarin, traces of essential oil, resin, tannins, but in smaller quantities than in the roots; flowers contain flavones and anthocyanins.
Looseberry has an antiseptic, hemostatic, tonic, wound healing, anti-inflammatory and soothing effect. If you fill the pillow with the leaves and flowers of the plant, then the dream will be deep and calm.
The use of loosestrife
For medicinal purposes, leaves, roots, seeds and flowers of loosestrife are used.
It is used for colds, general weakness, diseases of the nervous system and gastrointestinal tract, for bleeding, ulcers, indigestion, noise in the head, epilepsy. For this, decoctions, infusions and tea are used. Dry inflorescences and leaves are added to herbal teas. The loosestrife gives them a pleasant astringent (tea) taste.
The polyphenols contained in the plant help in the treatment of venous insufficiency, tannins weaken the action of alkaloids and salts of heavy metals, temporarily precipitating and binding them. Further medical intervention is required to completely remove the formed poisonous sediment.
A decoction of the roots is good for diseases of the upper respiratory tract, convulsions, headaches and toxicosis in pregnant women.
An aqueous decoction is drunk for stomach pains, female diseases, uterine bleeding, as a diuretic, for diseases caused by weight lifting; bathe emaciated children in a decoction; they drink a decoction or eat a root with bread, sour milk when bitten by rabid animals and snakes;
Infusions from the aerial part improve the patient's condition in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, prostatitis, hemorrhoids, rheumatism, epilepsy, nervousness.
Infusions can also be used externally for varicose ulcers and eczema, bruises and wounds. Tea from the roots and flowers of loosestrife relieves headaches.
Decoction loosestrife: 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh grass is required to pour a glass of boiled water and put on a "steam bath" for 10-15 minutes. The mixture should be infused for 45 minutes and only after that the broth is filtered. A decoction is taken in a warm form, 1/4 cup (50 mg) 3 times a day.
Another decoction recipe: 1 tbsp. l. Pour 200 ml of fresh loosestrife herb with water, bring to a boil, let stand for 15 minutes, strain, take 1/4 cup 3 times a day. Helps with uterine bleeding, fibroids.
Infusion: 2-3 tablespoons of dry chopped loosestrife grass is poured with a glass of boiling water, insisted for four hours and filtered. The resulting infusion is consumed 50 mg (1/4 cup) 3 times a day. Helps with colds, prostatitis, colitis.
The use of loosestrife in folk medicine.
Looseberry acts astringently and anti-inflammatory in diarrhea, dysentery, chronic catarrh of the stomach and intestines. In medical practice, it is used as an astringent. The gruel from the fresh plant is used as a poultice for bleeding wounds.
In folk medicine, the root is also used, in its absence, grass is used. tincture of roots on vodka is drunk with stomach pains, colds, headaches; make lotions for bruises, drink a decoction of the whole herb with a noise in the head; epilepsy.
Like every remedy, loosestrife has its contraindications. It can not be used in patients with increased blood clotting, it is contraindicated in atherosclerosis and a tendency to thrombosis. With great care and only after consulting a doctor, you can use the plant for hypertensive patients, since the herb leads to vasoconstriction. As a result, the pressure may rise even more. (c)
