The weed that grows wildly in summer cottages is destroyed mercilessly by some gardeners, while others carefully set aside significant islands of free land under white-headed bushes. Why is this happening? The common gout from the "umbrella" family is really capable of annoying the zealous owner by capturing huge areas of fertile land in a short time. However, if most gardeners knew about the unique beneficial properties of this annoying herb, it could be found much more often in cultivated areas as an honorary neighbor of vegetable beds.
Description of the plant
Translated from Latin, common goutweed ("aegopodium") means "goat's hoof", but the Russian-speaking population has other interesting names for the same plant - kupyr, kerbel, yaglitsa, dedilnik. To harass thickets of kupyr is a troublesome business, because the root system of this amazing herbaceous plant is a fertile network that spreads tangled lashes far and wide, constantly releasing young shoots.
Description of common goutweed can be found not only in all manuals on traditional medicine and herbal medicine, but also in some culinary sources, and even as part of dietary complexes for weight loss. Why does this herb deserve such attention? The appearance of the kupyr is impressive - a long, up to 1 meter, hollow stem, either smooth or covered with a soft edge, all from the roots to the top, seated with pointed leaves. From below, at the root and from the top, the leaves are small in size, and reach a maximum length of about 25-30 cm at the third quarter of the stem height.
The common gout is blooming (photo below) very violently, small, made up of 15 rays and topped with a scattering of white flowers with umbrellas connected into large inflorescences. Flowering in goutweed begins in mid-June and ends with fruit formation at the end of July, and only the central umbrella in each inflorescence has the ability to form a fruit. Closer to September, the fruit is considered ripe.
Composition of goutweed
The chemical composition of common goutweed is expressed by a formula that is quite close in characteristics to human blood plasma, so an allergic reaction to the plant is very rare. Scientists have not yet provided exhaustive information about the composition of plant matter, therefore, the list does not contain the actual, but the identified chemical composition, which includes elements such as:
- vitamin C (at least 100 mg per 100 g of plant mass), vitamin A (nearly 8 mg);
- protein compounds;
- carbs;
- fiber;
- coumarins;
- useful micro and macronutrients: potassium, calcium, iron, cob alt, magnesium, manganese, zinc;
- choline;
- malic and citric acids;
- flavonoids: diglycoside, kaempferol, quertecin.
In addition to the above active substances, which are present in all parts of the plant, the chemical composition of the rhizome of common goutweed is supplemented with a high content of essential oils, starches and resins.
Useful properties of goutweed
Useful properties of goutweed herb in treatment (the photo is available in the article) are characterized by decongestant, intoxication, restorative, anti-inflammatory and mild diuretic effects. The plant is harvested in early July, before the formation of fruits begins - during this period, all parts of the umbrella have a maximum concentration of valuable elements.
Preparations prepared from the raw material - leaves, stem, flowers and rhizomes of the plant are used in home treatment for:
- anemia;
- puffiness;
- increased blood clotting and related pathologies;
- toxic poisoning;
- violation of intestinal motility;
- pathological tissue growth (oncology);
- spasm of cerebral vessels;
- lung diseases;
- cold;
- rheumatic and arthritic inflammations;
- fungi;
- neuroses.
Added to salads or vegetarian soups young, Maycommon goutweed leaves will help to cope with spring beriberi and contribute to the seasonal adaptation of the body. It is useful to chew green grass in stressful situations - on the eve of an important event or, if necessary, maintain clarity of mind for a long time. For pain in the muscles or inflammation of the joints, it is recommended to grind the "medium" leaves of common goutweed (the photo is presented in the article) and apply a juicy gruel to the sore spot.
Contraindications and special notes
Both the benefits and harms of goutweed for humans depend on several factors: the individual sensitivity of the body to the active elements that make up the herb, the time of collection and the conditions for harvesting the plant, as well as the area where the collection was carried out. So it was noticed that the kupir, dug out near a busy highway, in a landfill or near industrial enterprises, a priori included in its chemical formula all the harmful substances of the growing environment. No benefit can be expected from a medicine made from such a plant.
Eat the plant should be, starting with small portions and observing the reaction of the body. Symptoms of intolerance, when observed, it is necessary to refuse treatment or nutrition with poultice:
- hyperemia on the skin, red spots, rash accompanied by itching;
- headache, dizziness, fainting;
- vomiting, nausea, bad taste in mouth, severe heartburn;
- abdominal pain, diarrhea or difficulty defecation.
It is not recommended to use the plant for the first timeduring menstruation, during pregnancy and lactation. For people who visit a solarium or often sunbathe on the beach, goutweed grass should not be used for treatment or as a meal on the eve of a day scheduled for a cosmetic procedure for getting an intense tan or sunbathing. This is due to the property of the plant to increase the sensitivity of the skin to the irritating effects of ultraviolet radiation.
Patients with a stomach ulcer or gastritis of 2, 3 degrees should not eat the seeds and fruits of common goutweed, especially for people with an increased acidic background of the digestive system.
Harvesting useful grass
If the plant is planned to be used as a whole, then the collection is arranged in two stages - in early July, most of the leaves are cut off and part of the stem is cut off, and in late October-November, they dig a rhizome out of the ground. Drying is carried out in any convenient way - if there is free space, the crushed parts of the plant (greens and root separately) are poured in a thin layer on metal or wooden (not plywood) shields and exposed to the sun. In the same way, the healing herb is dried in a ventilated attic.
Will not lose its beneficial properties common goutweed and artificial heat treatment. It is better not to close the oven door in which the raw materials will be dried completely, and the temperature indicator should be kept at around 30-35 ° С.
It is pointless to harvest too large volumes of grass for personal needs, since the medicinal properties of common goutweed are depersonalized by the end of the first year of storage.
Kupyr with neuralgia
One of the most common methods of using goutweed for neurological disorders, to improve memory and relieve hyperexcitability, is to carry a special aromatic sachet with grass seeds. Carrying a saving bag with well-dried seeds from the fruits of the plant sewn into it is useful for people who are quickly irritated, prone to panic attacks, tearfulness. In anticipation of an attack, it is enough to bring a little sachet mashed in your fingers to your face and take a few deep breaths to feel peace.
With frequent migraines, the smoke of set fire to goutweed seeds helps. A large pinch of raw materials is laid out in a small faience or clay container and a smoldering splinter is immersed in it. Leaning over an impromptu aroma lamp, you need to inhale the smoke emitted by the seeds for 2-3 minutes, and from time to time stir them with a splinter.
Baths with a decoction of butcher's eggs relieve the feeling of fatigue and at the same time adjust the body to a he althy sleep. To prepare a soothing composition, you need to pour half a glass of chopped goutweed rhizomes into a liter container of boiling water and hold the saucepan on low heat for another 7-10 minutes. Strained hot broth is poured into the bath and relax with pleasure for 15-20 minutes.
Treatment of joint diseases
With rheumatism and arthrosis, home treatment with gout should act in combination with drug treatment and be carried out in two directions- relief of pathology from the inside and elimination of visible symptoms from the outside. For this, two means are prepared and taken simultaneously - an aqueous or alcoholic infusion and a “live” mass for a compress. In winter, when it is impossible to get fresh herbs, compresses are replaced with rubbing, using a classic alcohol tincture as a warming preparation:
- freshly cut leaves of common goutweed are finely cut with a knife and mixed in a ratio of 1:1 with dried herbs of marsh cinquefoil;
- 2/3 cups of herbal gruel are put into a dark glass bottle and half a liter of vodka or alcohol diluted to 40% alcohol is poured there;
- the bottle is closed with a cork, shaken several times and put away for three weeks in a secluded place inaccessible to light, after which it is filtered.
Ready-made tincture, in the amount of 2 teaspoons, is added to water (a third of a glass), stirred and drunk in small sips. It should be used three times a day, half an hour before meals. If the tincture is used for rubbing, then you need to do this at night and immediately go to bed.
Another option is an infusion. It is prepared like this:
- 4 teaspoons of chopped fresh or dry herb goutweed (see photo above), brewed with 250 ml of boiling water;
- a container with a herbal mixture is placed in a water bath and kept under a lid for 10 minutes at a slow boil;
- the resulting broth is cooled, filtered, and the remaining swollen grass is squeezed through cheesecloth into a strained liquid;
- infusion is brought to the full volume of a glass of boiled water.
Drink the medicine gradually, taking several sips throughout the day.
Compresses from the gruel of fresh leaves and the stem part of the plant can be applied to the sore spot as many times a day as you like and even leave them all night.
Cardiovascular disease treatment
As a prevention of atherosclerosis, herbalists recommend drinking freshly extracted juice from the green part of the plant. A two-week course is carried out once a year in May, before the grass begins to bloom, and in the cold season, an infusion on a dry mixture of herbs purchased separately at a pharmacy and taken in a 1: 1 ratio is indispensable. You will need: gout, three-leaf watch, lemon balm, red-fruited mountain ash. Every evening, a new portion of the infusion is prepared for the next day:
- a full teaspoon of herbal mixture is brewed with a glass of boiling water;
- the saucepan is put on a small fire and kept for 5 minutes at a slow boil;
- after two hours of infusion, the broth is filtered and cleaned until the morning.
The resulting product is divided into three servings and drunk at regular intervals throughout the day. The infusion cleanses blood vessels well, breaks down cholesterol deposits and maintains vascular tone.
Treatment of the gastrointestinal tract
With a critical degree of exhaustion and loss of appetite, it is necessary to restore normal bowel function, and gain weight as soon as possible to optimal values. A herbal thickening balm prepared in this way will help in this:
- 5 full teaspoons of dried goutweed seeds put inplate and pour freshly squeezed lemon juice on top;
- when the seeds swell and dry slightly, they are ground to a fine powder;
- a small pinch of black s alt is mixed into the vegetable powder;
- The crumbly mass is transferred to a small, hermetically sealed container and stored at room temperature.
Take the drug in a small spoon 2 r / day, drinking it with plenty of water. The course continues until all the medicine has been used.
Water infusion to remove toxins is used as a prophylaxis of intestinal peristalsis disorders before fasting days or in case of chronic constipation. For its preparation 1, 5 tbsp. spoons of finely chopped leaves of goutweed are poured with 2 cups of boiling water and infused for 2 hours, after which they are filtered through gauze. Drink the infusion in a short course, starting from 1 tbsp. spoons three times a day before meals on the first day, then on the second day, doubling the dosage. This is followed by a 5-day break, after which the course is repeated.
Treatment of colds
A simple decoction of dried herbs can be drunk throughout the epidemiological period or preventive courses in autumn and spring. If the first signs of the disease appear - sore throat, cough, runny nose, it is recommended not to stop at one recipe for the preparation of a remedy, but to approach therapy from several sides.
For gargling and washing the nose, use the usual drinking decoction of goutweed with a pinchtable s alt, which is completely dissolved in a warm liquid, and then proceed to the procedure. If the throat is blocked, the nose does not breathe and there is a dry cough, rinsing should be supplemented with inhalations and warming.
The first procedure is to inhale the steam rising from a saucepan in which the seeds of the goutweed were boiled (1 tablespoon of seeds per 200 ml of water). The second technique - heating - also involves the use of seeds of the fruits of the plant. 3 full tablespoons of raw materials are calcined in a damp frying pan until an oily substance is released, then the hot seeds are quickly tied in a handkerchief. With this compress on your chest, you need to lie down under the covers for 7-10 minutes, then dress warmly and drink a warm decoction with sleepiness.
