About 190 species of perennial herbaceous plant found throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Honeysuckle is most common in East Asia - China, Korea and Japan. In Russia, it grows in the wild, fourteen species of honeysuckle; it also grown in gardens as an ornamental and medicinal plants.

The height of the bush honeysuckle can reach six meters in warm climates. It blooms quite large flowers of various shades (depending on species), have a pleasant scent. Honeysuckle prefers partial shade or sunny places, and well-moistened soil. It blooms in May or early summer and autumn berries appear on it, as a rule, blue or black.

Honeysuckle and its health benefits

But the beauty - not the most remarkable thing in the honeysuckle. It has long been used as a medicament. Honeysuckle is rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium; its berries, and flowers and leaves are edible. In Asian countries, all parts of the plant for several thousand years are used in medicine. Besides the already mentioned substances, honeysuckle contain elaidic acid, salicylic acid, inositol, linoleic acid, magnesium, tannin, zinc, luteolin, myristic acid and tannins.

It has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, tonic, antispasmodic, diuretic, and antipyretic properties. It is also used for high blood pressure.

A decoction of honeysuckle stalks can be used inside for the treatment of acute rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritis - debunking myths about the disease Mumps and hepatitis.

Stems are harvested in autumn and winter, and zasushivat before use. A decoction of the flowers and stems is used as a cure for diseases of the upper respiratory tract infections (including pneumonia) and dysentery. Infusion of buds of honeysuckle is effective against a number of diseases, including syphilis skin rashes, tumors, bacterial dysentery, colds and enteritis (inflammation of the small intestine). Honeysuckle flower extract has been successfully used to lower cholesterol in the blood, as well as to combat some viruses - so far only in the experiment. For external use it helps to cope with a rash, inflammation, and small ulcers on the skin.

Flowers are collected early in the morning until they closed and zasushivat.

Honeysuckle in Chinese medicine

In traditional Chinese medicine Traditional Chinese medicine and treatment for problem skin   Honeysuckle is also used together with other herbs. For example, in conjunction with the decoction chrysanthemum it lowers blood pressure, a skullcap - normalizes the body temperature, and with primrose and devyasilom acts as an expectorant. Because of salicylic acid, a substance used to produce aspirin, honeysuckle helps to relieve headaches, pain in the joints Joint pain - how to understand what is going on? And reduces fever. It can be used as a mild laxative, as well as mouthwash for sore throats and ulcers in the mouth.

European honeysuckle (L. periclymenum) previously widely used in the treatment of asthma, micturition disorders, and even in obstetrics. Today in medicine most commonly used Japanese honeysuckle (L. Japonica). Its first mention in the paper sources refers to 659 BC - one of the Chinese doctors at the time described the honeysuckle as a remedy for fever and removing toxins from the body.

Many modern scholars have concluded that the Japanese honeysuckle is really an effective way to cleanse the blood, as well as for the treatment of certain acute infectious diseases. This plant is found in many food additives Food additives - basic classification ; its flowers, leaves and bark in the dried form are sold in pharmacies.

Side effects

In general, it is safe, but she may have side effects. In particular, despite the fact that the honeysuckle is used to treat skin diseases, she can cause skin rash. We know of several cases of poisoning of children, take a decoction of honeysuckle. Among the symptoms of poisoning - upset stomach and muscle cramps. Therefore, before taking honeysuckle it is recommended to consult a doctor. In addition, start taking better with small doses.

Honeysuckle Perfoliate - a variety of honeysuckle, referring to the winding vines. The main purpose of the plant - to be an ornament of the garden. But in addition to the decorative properties Perfoliate Honeysuckle and has healing properties, which are used in traditional medicine.

The botanical characteristics

Honeysuckle Perfoliate (fragrant honeysuckle, honeysuckle goat, variskuda) - a climbing shrub up to 4-6 meters. Young shoots without leaves, light green, on the sunny side - a red-purple. The leaves are opposite, thick, leathery, rounded-oblong, dark-green, blue-gray below, color remain until late autumn. In June, the plant blooms - yellow and white inside and outside the red-purple flowers gathered in bunches, and emit a peculiar, very pleasant smell, which is amplified in the evening. Berries appear in late August, has an orange-red color, few seeds inside and decorated with wonderful curling vine.

Honeysuckle Perfoliate Motherland - Southern Europe. In our country, in the wild it can be found in the North Caucasus. It grows on the edges of forests among the bushes on the banks of streams along the mountain gorges. As ornamental shrub honeysuckle Perfoliate grown in gardens, parks and squares of central Russia. This plant are more suitable for solar well-moistened soil surface, but it is unpretentious, can grow and develop in the shade, as well as to carry small frost. To Perfoliate Honeysuckle had decorative appearance, it mows, giving the desired shape.

Beneficial features

The chemical composition of honeysuckle Perfoliate has not been studied, it is known only that the flowers contain essential oil Essential oils and conception: can help the roses? That determines many of its medicinal properties. But traditional medicine empirically determined that this plant has antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, expectorant and antispasmodic properties, promote healing of wounds.

As a medicinal plant used the tops of the plants (stems, leaves and flowers), which are collected in June, during the flowering period. Raw material is dried, crushed and used for the preparation of infusions and decoctions for indoor and outdoor use.

Which diseases helps Perfoliate Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle Perfoliate has antispasmodic - removes spasms of smooth muscles of internal organs. It is used in spastic pain in the stomach Pain in the stomach when the body asks for help   and intestines - the elimination of spasm leads to the elimination of pain, so it is believed that this plant has analgesic properties.

The combination of antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties of this plant allows for the treatment of infectious and inflammatory diseases of the urinary tract, such as acute and chronic cystitis Chronic cystitis: a correct diagnosis - the main .

Applied drugs honeysuckle Perfoliate and externally. Thus, infusion of flowers is used to treat conjunctivitis, for gargling in purulent tonsillitis. Pounded fresh leaves applied to wounds to promote healing, and the juice of the plant treat skin diseases Skin diseases - what to do when violated the basic functions of the skin . Juice of leaves also treat precancerous skin conditions, such as ulcers, are prone to degenerate into cancer. A decoction of honeysuckle stalks Perfoliate used to treat baldness.

How to make drugs from honeysuckle Perfoliate at home

At home, you can prepare infusions and decoctions of honeysuckle Perfoliate for indoor and outdoor use:

• infusion of stems and leaves for oral administration: the dry stalks and leaves of honeysuckle Perfoliate grind, take a teaspoon of prepared raw pour 1, 5 cups of boiling water, leave for half an hour, drain, squeeze and take a tablespoon three times a day for chronic cystitis ;
• the infusion of the flowers for the reception inside: a teaspoon of dried flowers honeysuckle Perfoliate pour a glass of boiling water, leave for half an hour, drain, squeeze and take a tablespoon three times a day with pain in stomach;
• decoction of the leaves to rinse the throat: dry leaves honeysuckle Perfoliate grind, take a tablespoon of prepared raw material, pour a glass of hot water, bring to a boil, boil for five minutes, leave for an hour, strain, wring out and apply for gargling and mouth with angina , pharyngitis, stomatitis, gingivitis; with hair loss decoction is used as a compress on the scalp.

Honeysuckle Perfoliate - is one of the most beautiful ornamental plants, and that has some medicinal properties. But given that the chemical composition of this plant is poorly understood, it should be used with caution, and after consulting a doctor.

Galina Romanenko