The botanical characteristics immortelle

Everlasting Sand - is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Asteraceae family. Its height reaches several tens of centimeters, trunk and leaves are covered with a thick grayish hairs covering it like felt. Basal leaves oblong, oval. The hairs, densely covering the entire plant, do not let him die in the absence of moisture.

Flower baskets about 0, 5 cm in diameter, yellow in color, on the tops collected in inflorescence. It blooms all summer until early autumn. As a medicinal raw material harvested blooming blossoms with a weak pleasant smell.

It grows in dry sandy soils, is not afraid of drought. Sometimes there is light coniferous forests, meadows, which forms thickets. Main place of growth - the middle part of Russia, Siberia and the Caucasus.

The chemical composition of immortelle and harvesting of medicinal raw materials

Helichrysum flowers contain essential oil Essential oils and conception: can help the roses?   (namely it gives flowers scent), flavonoids, stearin, pigments and tannins, bitterness, resins, ascorbic acid and carotene (provitamin A), vitamin K, minerals and trace elements.

Collection of raw materials is carried out in dry weather. The flowers are harvested in early flowering, before the disclosure of the side baskets. The flowers are small (up to cm) sections of stalk neatly cut with a knife, taking care not to damage the whole plant. Then the flowers are put in the basket, trying not to crush them. The collected materials are dried in a well ventilated cool (heat from the raw material deteriorates) room, spreading a thin layer.

Medicinal properties of immortelle and its application in medicine

Preparations medicines based on immortelle has a calming and antispasmodic properties, that is, they take a spasm of smooth muscles of internal organs. This mainly affects the gastrointestinal tract and biliary tract. Removing smooth muscle spasm in this region leads to pain relief and the free movement of food and bile. Furthermore, Helichrysum stimulates the production of gastric juice, pancreatic juice Diabetes and pancreas - the things you need to know   and bile (at the same time changing its composition - reduced concentration of bile acids, increases the concentration of bilirubin), has anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties, improves metabolism.

In medicine, a decoction of flowers of immortelle used in the treatment of various diseases of the gallbladder and biliary tract (as antispasmodic and cholagogue). At the same time as a result of increased secretion of bile, changing its chemical composition and spasmolysis with biliary tract are washed out sand and small stones in calculous (with a tendency to the formation of stones) cholecystitis.

In diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract Helichrysum is used as a diuretic and anti-bacterial agent in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract - as a stimulant and antispasmodic separation of digestive juices. In patients with reduced nausea, bloating (flatulence), pain. Immortelle also improves peristalsis, contributing to the promotion of the stool. Therefore, it is recommended to take constipation.

Helichrysum ability to improve metabolic processes used in the treatment of patients with atherosclerosis Atherosclerosis - a chronic disease of the arteries   - Under the influence of the drugs immortelle course reduces the amount of "bad" (the ability to be deposited in the walls of blood vessels) cholesterol in the blood while increasing the amount of "good" cholesterol, has been actively involved in all biochemical processes in the human body.

Finally, drugs immortelle have glistognnymi properties, so they are used to remove worms from the body. A plant in the presence of vitamin K and can use it as a hemostat.

Since weak everlasting has toxic properties and can accumulate in the body, his admission courses should not last more than three months.

How to make drugs from immortelle at home

The home of Helichrysum can prepare the infusion: tablespoon dried minced raw pour a glass of boiling water, leave for 15 minutes, cool 45 minutes, strain and take on a tablespoon 3 times a day for 30 minutes before eating.

The pharmacy you can buy the drug Flamini who take in diseases of the gall bladder Gall bladder: structure and function   and biliary tract.

Immortelle - one of the most well-known and time-tested drugs.

Galina Romanenko

How does where grown as collected and stored basil

In our country the most common use basil or sweet (aka Regan) - Aromatic much branched annual plant of the family grubotsvetnyh. The root of the Basilica of branching, is superficial. The stems have a tetrahedral shape and height up to 60 cm. Leaves - about 5 cm long, oblong-ovate, with a few teeth, rough, spotted greenish-purple. The flowers are small, white, pink or purple on the tips of the stems are gathered in the brush. The fruit is divided into four brown nut which after maturation are separated from one another.

Basil in our country is the vegetable crops, it is cultivated in the Caucasus in southern Russia. In central Russia, it is grown in greenhouses or on the southern slopes of a small hill. In the wild basil is native to South-East Asia, Central America and Africa.

The harvest is collected during flowering in dry weather, cutting off the stems under the leaf growth. The grass is dried or used fresh. After that basil grows again and removed a second crop in the fall.

Dried basil in the shade, in places with good air circulation, at a temperature no higher than 35 ° C, laying a thin layer. Properly dried basil retains its natural color. Dried stems should have a good break, leaves and flowers - easily pulverized. Dried basil stored in glass, hermetically sealed container.

Another way to long-term storage of basil - salting, where the well preserved all its useful properties: the clippings are washed, obsushivayut and cut into small pieces, then put in sterile jars, pouring salt (per tablespoon of salt to five tablespoons of chopped herbs ).

The chemical composition of basil

The chemical composition of the basilica is insufficiently studied. The stems and leaves of the plant contain essential oil of basil, glycosides, saponins, tannins, minerals, vitamins (vitamin C, rutin, carotene - of which the body produces vitamin A), volatile, simple sugars. The fruit also contains large amounts of vegetable oils.

Essential oil of basil accounts for almost all of its beneficial properties. It contains eugenol (fragrance), methyl chavicol (as fragrance, which in large quantities is carcinogenic), linalool (a perfume with the scent of lily of the valley, camphor (a substance that can stimulate the heart and restore breathing) and some other substances.

The use of basil in cooking

Since basil is very pleasant spicy smell and not less pleasant, slightly salty taste of a cooling, it is widely used in cooking and food industries, adding as a condiment in salads and dressings for meat dishes, in soups and many other dishes. Pounded into powder dry basil leaves have a pleasant sour taste, they are often added together with other spices to various marinades, especially basil "loves" tomatoes. Basil seeds in some countries are used for flavoring beverages are added to meat and fish dishes. In the meat industry basil used for cooking sausages and canned goods.

Basil gets new flavor in combination with other herbs. For example, a mixture of basil, rosemary has a peppery smell thyme - enhances the sharpness of dishes. Originally combined with basil and other herbs, such as parsley Parsley Health and Beauty , Coriander, mint Mint and its useful properties: aromatic freshness .

Basil is a source of essential oils Essential oils and conception: can help the roses?   and camphor. The essential oil is used in perfumery and food industries, of camphor prepare drugs.

Basil as a drug

Basil has antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic (relieves muscle spasm of the internal organs and blood vessels), carminative (reduces the amount of gas in the intestines), wound healing and tonic properties.

The herb basil is a valuable source of vitamins C, P (they strengthen the walls of blood vessels), and carotene - of which the body is formed vitamin A, which affects the skin and its appendages (hair and nails).

Basil contains camphor the drug, so it is used as an aphrodisiac Aphrodisiacs: Do they help?   the oppression of the central nervous system, especially the oppression of the respiratory and circulatory centers. He also has a tonic effect on the whole body, so is used for general weakness after recovering from a serious illness.

Since basil and has anti-inflammatory properties, traditional medicine recommends it for inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, intestinal dysbiosis, inflammation of the urinary tract.

Outwardly basil is used as a tincture for rinsing in diseases of the mouth and throat, lotions for the treatment of wounds. Infusions basil is also added to the bath.

Infusion of basil: tablespoons chopped dried herb pour a cup of boiling water, to insist 30 minutes, strain and drink a third cup three times a day.

Herbs basil has a wonderful taste and medicinal properties.

Galina Romanenko