This plant, which has a peculiar intoxicating smell and quite attractive appearance, although it is not included in the number of medicines of our official medicine, has long been known in Russia to herbalists and folk healers.
The initial letter is medicinal (otherwise medicinal purse, pharmacy purse, medicinal stachis lat. Betonica officinalis; synonym Stachys officinalis) Is a perennial herb of the Lamb family (Lamiaceae). The plant is 30-100 cm high. It has one or more erect, tetrahedral stems covered with hairs. On each stem, only two pairs of opposite, oblong-cordate leaves grow. Basal leaves are collected in a rosette.
The flowers of the medicinal letter are rather large, bisexual, irregular in shape, red, pink or white, collected in whorls in the axils of the upper stalked leaves. Blooms from June to September. The smell of the plant is very strong, peculiar, intoxicating, the taste is unpleasant, salty-bitter. The fruit is a prefabricated nutlet, consists of 4 triangular, oblong, convex outside, smooth brown single-seeded nuts, lying at the bottom of the calyx. Ripens from August to September. The letter reproduces mainly by seeds, less often - vegetatively, does not form thickets.
The plant is widespread in the European part of Russia, in the Crimea, in the Caucasus, in the mountains of Central Asia, in the Mediterranean, in the Balkans, in the Tien Shan, Pamirs and in Western Siberia.
The initial letter can most often be found on dry, slightly acidic, fresh sandy loam and loamy soils in coniferous and mixed forests, on dry fields, near roads through thickets, among bushes, she likes to settle both on clearings and on the slopes of hills.
Medicinal properties of chitosene
The medicinal letter contains resinous, tannins, bitter substances, proteins, stachydrin, turicin, choline, organic acids, saponins, carotenoids, essential oil, flavone vitamins K and C, glycosides, calcium salts, alkaloids, anthocyanins.
In some European countries (for example, France and Germany), Chisinau officinalis is considered an official medicinal plant. In Russia, it is not used in official medicine, but it is widely used in traditional medicine.
Preparations from the roots of the drop cap are used internally as a laxative or emetic.
Decoctions and teas from the leaves are used for increased nervous activity, dizziness, headaches, migraines, and constipation.
Preparations based on the drop cap are used for cystitis, colitis, gastrointestinal tract disorders, liver and kidney diseases, as well as for heavy uterine and pulmonary bleeding.
It is believed that it helps to normalize metabolism, helps with atherosclerosis and hypertension.
A decoction of herbs in the form of baths and lotions is used in the treatment of long non-healing purulent wounds, with varicose veins with trophic ulcers, in the presence of bedsores and severe sweating of the legs.
Preparation of medicinal raw materials
As a medicinal raw material, drop caps (stems, leaves, flowers) are most often harvested, less often roots and rhizomes. The collection is carried out during flowering in clear dry weather, after the dew has left. The grass is cut along with the basal leaves, 10% of the plants are left for seeding the soil.
The cut grass is placed loosely in baskets or bags. Before drying, the raw materials are sorted out, removing yellowed or spoiled leaves and stems. Drying is carried out in the shade under a canopy on the street or in a well-ventilated room, spread out in a thin layer or tied and hung in loose bundles. The stems of the finished properly dried raw material should break easily. The dried herb of the purée has an unpleasant, as if rancid, odor and a very unpleasant, slightly "scratching" bitter taste. Raw materials are stored for 2 years in a dry place.
Roots and rhizomes are harvested in early spring or after ripening in late autumn.Dried similarly to grass. Store for 3 years.
Plants of the Lamiaceae family are often quite similar to each other, therefore, when collecting them for medicinal purposes, extreme care must be taken and pay attention to even small distinguishing features so as not to confuse them. If you have even the slightest doubt, it is better not to take the plant!
Preparation of medicinal drugs
There are quite a few methods for preparing medicinal drugs from the medicinal letter. Medicines from this plant are prepared in water, alcohol, milk; and are used both in pure form and together with honey and other medicinal herbs.
To prepare a medicinal infusion, take 1 tablespoon of herbs, pour 2 cups of boiling water, leave for 2 hours, filter and drink half a glass 4 times a day 30 minutes before meals.
Healing tea from the herb of the purifier for disorders and gastrointestinal diseases, asthma, cough with abundant mucous sputum is prepared as follows: 1 teaspoon "with a slide" of dried herb pour 250 ml of boiling water, leave for 20 minutes. Strain, use tea for rinsing or drink 1 cup 1-3 times a day. You can add honey to the tea to improve the taste.
To prepare the infusion for the bath, steamed 0.5 liters of boiling water, 500 g of dried herbs, boiled for 10 minutes, poured into the bath and mixed well. Baths are taken no longer than 15 minutes every other day, a total of 8-10 procedures are carried out.
Medical baths for sweating feet with grass are prepared as follows: 25 g of grass is infused in 2.5 liters of boiling water for 30 minutes. Then the solution is poured into a basin with warm water and the legs are kept in it for 15-20 minutes.
Well-crushed dried leaves of the purebacea medicinal are used in the form of a snuff powder for chronic rhinitis and sinusitis, as well as for chronic headache.
It is necessary to use funds from the drop cap very carefully, not exceeding the permissible dosage, because the plant contains alkaloids and glycosides. Before starting use, in any case, it is imperative to consult with your doctor.
Other advantages of a drop cap
- The medicinal letter is a good honey plant.
- The aerial part of this plant is used as one of the aromatic ingredients in the manufacture of some spirits.
- Dry grass of the drop cap is also popularly used as a remedy for rodents. In addition, the letter is decorative and suitable for decorating lawns.
- It is believed that one of their names - initial letter - this plant got due to the fact that once very, very long ago, printers cut letters from its parts for printing.
Based on materials from the newspaper "Ural Gardener"
