Tansy in folk medicine is valued for its medicinal properties. But this plant is used with caution, because it contains a toxic substance thujone. In the nineteenth century the great popularity had absinthe - an alcoholic drink with extract of wormwood, thujone-rich. Today absinthe contains thujone at times less and is not allowed in all countries. Moreover, in some countries banned such herbs like tansy and wormwood, thujone containing a large quantity.

Medicinal plant tansy

Tansy (wild pock) - is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Asteraceae family. Tansy grows throughout our country, mostly in the woods, forest, fields and in the lower reaches of the mountains. It can often be seen in the settlements on vacant lots near the landfill, as well as in the ravines and on the edges of roads.

Medicinal raw materials are tansy flowers that appear in June - August. The flowers are yellow, tubular, with a pleasant smell of camphor particular, are collected in baskets. Rip them without stalks immediately after they were dismissed. Dried in the shade under the eaves.

What are the ingredients of tansy

Tansy contains essential oil Essential oils and conception: can help the roses? , Which is composed of beta and alpha-thujone, tuyol, camphor, borneol, pinene. Additionally composed tansy flowers include flavonoids, bitterness, tannins, organic acids, ascorbic acid. Also found traces of terpenes and alkaloids.

Medicinal properties of tansy

Medicinal plant tansy has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, diaphoretic, analgesic, antitumor, anthelmintic and choleretic properties. It also stimulates the secretion of gastric juice and increases smooth muscle tone of the gastrointestinal tract. It may also increase the tone of smooth muscles of the uterus.

Preparations medicines based on tansy flowers contribute to high blood pressure and slow the heart rate, excite the central nervous system.

As used in folk medicine Tansy

The most common tansy is used as a sedative against ascarids and pinworms. For this purpose, take the infusion of tansy flowers, which is prepared as follows: take a tablespoon of dry powdered flowers of tansy, put in an enamel bowl, pour a glass of hot boiled water, close lid and heated in boiling water bath Sauna and health: the benefits and harms of bath procedures   for 15 minutes, then remove from heat, cool at room temperature for 45 minutes, drain, squeeze and bring the volume of the resulting infusion to the original level of boiled water; you need to take an infusion of half a cup twice a day for 15 minutes before meals for three days (before the application of the present stir recommended), and then take a laxative; if necessary, welcome the infusion of tansy can be repeated after 1-2 weeks.

The prepared infusion can be administered in diseases of the biliary tract as a choleretic, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory agent. In this case, it is taken as the inside but to a much lesser dosage 1-2 tablespoons 2-3 times a day 15 minutes before meal.

Sometimes, the infusion of tansy is used in gastritis with decreased secretion of gastric juice. Assuming it is necessary, just as in cholecystitis. Good infusion of tansy helps with chronic colitis, accompanied by intestinal, flatulence and persistent constipation.

For colds infusion of tansy take as an antipyretic, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory agent. 1-2 tablespoons of the infusion of tansy can be added to rather weak hot tea with honey.

Sometimes infusion of tansy Tansy: sunny chamomile sister   They include in the comprehensive treatment of patients with cancer.

Do tansy side effects and contraindications for admission

Tansy is used in folk medicine in the recommended dosage strictly, so the side effects does not, except, of course, allergic reactions. But tansy pregnant women may cause fetal death and miscarriage.

With prolonged use at high doses may cause complications in the central nervous system in the form of nervous exhaustion, convulsions and hallucinations. In case of overdose may also cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Contraindicated medication based on tansy in cholelithiasis, pregnancy, breast- Breastfeeding - a personal choice   chest and for children under 18 years.

How else can use tansy

Tansy - a great tool for combating moths, flies and fleas. Previously it was used for the preservation of perishable products such as meat, shifting the last flowers of tansy.

Tansy is used in folk medicine is widely, but it must be taken with care and better prescription.

Galina Romanenko

As a medicinal plant comfrey is known for a very long time. Its root contains a lot of biologically active substances that activate protection and restoration of the organism. It has long been a decoction of comfrey root treated wounds and fractures, as it has great healing effect. However, comfrey is also a poisonous plant, so it is not recommended to be taken orally.

The biological characteristics of comfrey

Comfrey (larkspur) - is a perennial herb of the family Boraginaceae. In our country there are more than 15 species of comfrey, but the healing properties are more pronounced in comfrey.

Comfrey has a thick vertical root branched with numerous lateral roots. The roots of the black-brown outside, white inside, contain mucus. The whole plant is covered with stiff hairs. Stem erect, thick, strong, up to a meter tall, highly branched. Leaves rigid, large, ovate-lanceolate, long-acuminate at the top, bottom - dlinnochereshkovye, middle and upper - sessile. The inflorescences are numerous, many-flowered, flowers are five-membered hanging. Calyx deeply incised, half shorter than the corolla. Corolla tubular, campanulate advanced top, purple-violet or dirty-pink, rarely - white or yellowish. The fruits of up to 6 mm, black smooth shiny nuts. It blooms from May to July, fruits in July - August.

Growing medicinal comfrey on wet or fresh meadows, along ditches, along the banks of water bodies in humid deciduous forests, fertile and moist soil. Found in the European part of our country, in the North Caucasus, in Western Siberia.

Medicinal raw material is rhizomes and roots. They are collected in autumn, washed free of the ground, cut into pieces and dried in air. The dried roots of comfrey have black-brown surface with deep elongated grooves. They are very hard, horny, have a smooth whitish break, with mucus and sweet astringent taste, and odorless.

The chemical composition of comfrey root

The root of comfrey contains:

• Alkaloids - natural azotsoderdaschie compounds having a different structure - allantoin - has expectorant and analgesic effect, but the alkaloid tsinoglossin has a paralyzing effect on the central nervous system, so drugs from comfrey quite poisonous;
• mucus - colloidal substance swellable in water; mucus possess soothing, enveloping, expectorant, antitussive and analgesic properties;
• tannins - organic compounds of different chemical structure, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and astringent;
• tar - thick, sticky liquid with a characteristic odor, have a pronounced anti-bacterial and protivognilosnoe action;
• pectins - like mucus, but contained in the cell walls, swells in water to form colloidal solutions; have a soothing, enveloping, expectorant, antitussive and analgesic.

The comfrey root are contained as mineral salts, organic acids, traces of essential oil Essential oils and conception: can help the roses? Choline, sugars and starch.

Comfrey influence on the human body

Comfrey has a protective, anti-inflammatory, astringent and healing action.

Raw materials used in folk medicine for:

• respiratory diseases, chronic cough, tuberculosis Tuberculosis - a full recovery is not guaranteed   light - as a coating, emollient and expectorant;
• gastritis, gastric ulcer Gastric ulcer - such dangerous snacks   and duodenal ulcers, colitis, severe diarrhea Diarrhea (diarrhea) - a familiar nuisance   - As an astringent and anti-inflammatory agent;
• topically to prepare poultices for hard healing wounds, ulcers and burns - as a healing and styptic.

How to prepare medicine from comfrey home

Despite the fact that comfrey is used in folk medicine as externally, and for ingestion, the official medicine recommends it only topically to treat wounds, ulcers and burns, as well as bleeding.

Comfrey for external application may be prepared in the following manner:

• Comfrey ointment: fresh or dry steamed comfrey mince, mixed with pork fat at the rate of 1: 1 (for example, 2 tablespoons minced root mix with 2 tablespoons of unsalted pork fat) and applied to bruises and thrombophlebitis;
• infusion of comfrey root for external use: 2 tablespoons dried minced raw pour a glass of boiling water and infuse it in a thermos for 4 hours, strain, wring out and used for poultices;
• in fractures of the bone at the fracture site to apply compresses of fresh comfrey root.

Remember comfrey quite toxic, and it is better to use only externally.

Galina Romanenko