Kalgan (upright cinquefoil) is a perennial medicinal plant. Since ancient times, colgan root has been used as an anti-inflammatory, sedative and expectorant.
Some medical professionals claim that its action is much more effective than drugs like "Aspirin". Surprisingly, the first mention of the miraculous power of the plant is found in ancient legends and epics, and the colgan root was the leading component in the preparation of potions by healers.
In general, the island of Hainan, in China, is considered the birthplace of the perennial. But today the geography of its growth is much wider: Thailand, Indonesia and China. For a long time in the countries of Western Europe it was believed that the kolgan root is a Russian root, and they called it that way, because it got there from our state. Although it began to be used as a medicine much later - initially the rhizome was used as a seasoning for main dishes, as it gave food a spicy sour-spicy taste.
What is the reason for such popularity of a medicinal plant? Colgan root has excellent anti-inflammatory,hemostatic, expectorant, sedative, choleretic properties. Also, recipes for preparing decoctions came to us from our ancestors, which coped very well with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract - with gastritis, stomach ulcers, prolonged diarrhea, enterocolitis and inflammatory processes in the intestines.
Tincture of galangal helps with intestinal and uterine bleeding. A diseased liver can also be well treated with decoctions or tinctures from this rhizome - inflammatory processes, cholecystitis and many other diseases are remarkably treatable without pills!
But not only tinctures have been and are being used at this time. An ointment prepared on the basis of galangal root also has excellent antimicrobial properties. Severe bleeding wounds, frostbite, eczema, burns, cracks - any of these diseases can be cured with compresses or lotions from the "Russian root". Its positive effect on the respiratory organs was also noted, not only with severe cough or bronchitis, but also with emphysema or tuberculosis in a patient.
However, not everyone can freely take a large number of drugs based on this plant. You should be very careful if you have hypertension, low stomach acid, or increased blood clotting. As with pills, overdose can occur, with symptoms including nausea, vomiting, and severe stomach pain.
CollectThis plant can be grown in autumn, spring or early summer. If you want to prepare the roots, then go to the forest in September-October, but it is better to collect the leaves in April-May, when they are just starting to grow. As a rule, galangal grows in light forests, swamps, forest edges, clearings. In our country, it is found in all regions of the European part of the country, as well as in Western Siberia. If you do not know what galangal (root) looks like, you can find a photo of it in any medical reference book or herbalist.
