Liquorice mint, or anise lofant, is a plant that has a strong mint flavor with light notes of anise. It has unique medicinal properties. The plant is from North America and is a relative of catnip and lemon balm, but has a more pronounced healing effect.
Anise lofant is an excellent honey plant, it has a unique pleasant aroma and many useful properties.
Description of the plant
Lofant is a herbaceous perennial crop from the yasotkovy family. Depending on the place of cultivation and characteristics, the plant has many different names: anise hyssop, mint, fennel polygrate.
Anise lofant is a shrub about one and a half meters high. The leaves are shaped like nettles. The anise variety blooms with lilac, blue, white flowers, collected in spikelets. The stems and leaves of the herb contain many useful substances. They prepare decoctions, tinctures, make creams and other useful products.
History of the plant
For the first time, the essential oil of anise lofant is mentioned by Hippocrates. Romans and Greeksused the plant to improve appetite. It was also used in ancient China, in India, in Kievan Rus, where the plant was used as a seasoning for making pickled apples.
Lofant has long been credited with many medicinal properties. For thousands of years, the plant has been widely used in medicine and food. When used correctly, the multi-grate does no harm, but, on the contrary, only benefits.
From ancient times, the properties of anise lofant were known to the Indians. They used the plant to treat purulent wounds and other skin diseases, as well as for pathologies of the respiratory system, for fever, and diarrhea. In European countries, the plant was grown as a honey plant and as a decorative garden decoration.
Now the lofant is used only in folk medicine, and is also grown as an ornamental plant. In official medicine, it is not used. Despite this, mint was recognized as promising for the creation of a variety of drugs with antibacterial, antioxidant, fungicidal, and immunostimulating properties. The pylyotropic property has made the plant indispensable in cosmetology.
Chemical composition
Useful properties of anise lofant are determined by its chemical composition. This plant began to be explored only in the 21st century, which is why not all of its composition is known yet. Scientists have found tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids, phenolic compounds, as well as ascorbic, coffee, citric, and malic acids in this plant. The composition includesB vitamins, beneficial trace elements such as iodine, iron, zinc, manganese.
The aerial part contains up to fifteen percent of the essential oil, which contains methyl chavicop.
What is the use of anise hyssop
In terms of its medicinal properties, anise lofant is able to compete with strong essential oil herbs. Hyssop oil has a broad anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antibacterial action. A concentrated decoction can be used as an external remedy for fungal skin ailments. They make baths with it that disinfect and soothe.
Tinctures have a stimulating effect on the digestive system, normalize metabolism. Hyssop is an active biostimulant and is used as a tonic. Regular use of herbs in food helps to boost immunity.
Means prepared from raw materials help fight mental and physical overwork: fight stress, increase efficiency, endurance of the body. The plant also has valuable properties that help slow down the aging process.
Proper use of anise lofant allows you to remove all toxins, toxins and other harmful substances from the body.
Essential oil can reduce the effects of radiation.
Hyssop tincture helps with headaches, insomnia. Also, this plant has a positive effect on male potency and helps to cure prostatitis.
The most valuable thing in anise lofant is the essential oil. For its preparation is usedthe aerial part of the plant, collected during the flowering period. Raw materials are used in medicine, cooking, cosmetology.
How to use
On the basis of the lofant, a variety of medicinal products are prepared: they make extracts, tinctures, decoctions. They have a curative and preventive effect on the body, and also prevent the formation of cancer cells.
Quite often grass is prescribed for developmental delays, for people in old age. Fresh leaves are used as a seasoning for fish and meat dishes, added to jams. Crushed seeds are added to baked goods.
In medicine, hyssop is used to treat the following ailments:
- Pneumonia, bronchitis.
- Gastritis, peptic ulcer.
- For digestive disorders.
- With liver pathologies.
- High blood pressure.
- Hyssop helps with angina.
- Treats atherosclerosis.
- Helps with headaches.
- ARVI.
- Relieves nervous tension, helps with insomnia, treats nervous tension.
- Prevents the aging process.
- Strengthens the immune system, tones up.
- Treats dermatitis, acne, burns.
- Reduces the level of radiation, helps fight the negative effects of the environment on the body.
- Recommended lofant tea for stunted children.
Contraindications
There are contraindications for anise lofant. This plant can not be used for thrombophlebitis, withreduced pressure. It is not recommended to take the funds obtained from the plant for those who suffer from intolerance to the constituent components of the herb.
Lofant is contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation.
Knowing the beneficial properties and contraindications of anise lofant, you can decide whether the plant is suitable for taking. But to be completely sure that this herb will have a positive effect on the body, it is recommended to consult a specialist.
Preparing decoction
To prepare a decoction of hyssop, you need to take a tablespoon of raw materials and pour a glass of water and boil for five minutes. The composition is then allowed to cool. The composition is taken in half a glass three times a day.
Baby tea recipe
Tea is prepared for children according to the following recipe: a spoonful of raw material is poured with half a liter of boiling water and insisted for half an hour. Take tea with honey as tea. The duration of admission is three months. This tea helps to strengthen the immune system, restore strength after a stroke, heart attack, serious illness.
Healing infusion
With pathologies of the pancreas, with urolithiasis and cholelithiasis, with VVD, diseases of the pancreas, liver, an infusion is prepared from the lofant. For him, you need a spoonful of raw materials, which is poured with a glass of boiling water, the product is infused for two hours. Then the composition is filtered and taken one hundred grams three times a day. You can add a teaspoon of honey to the infusion. Pathology treatment lasts a month, then two weeks are done.break.
Mixed Herbs
With strong nervous excitement, menopause, arrhythmias, the following collection helps: the leaves and flowers of the lofant are mixed in equal parts with lemon balm and lemon mint. Then a spoonful of the mixture is taken and steamed with a glass of boiling water. The remedy is infused for a couple of hours, fifty grams are taken twice a day before meals. Duration of admission - a month. Then a week break is made and the treatment is repeated.
With stable hypertension, dizziness, tinnitus, atherosclerosis, the following collection is shown: one part of mistletoe and two parts of hawthorn, yarrow, lofant are mixed. Then a tablespoon of the mixture is taken and poured with a glass of boiling water. The remedy is infused for three hours, filtered and taken in a third of a glass three times a day before meals. Duration of admission - a month. After a week break is made, and the course is repeated twice more.
External use
For external use, ointments and decoctions are prepared from the lofant. They help to cope with skin ailments. Anise hyssop enhances tissue regeneration, has a tonic effect. This plant has unique properties widely used in cosmetology. Based on the plant, shampoos are made that promote active hair growth.
Decoctions are added to baths that help normalize sleep, promote the healing of purulent wounds, and treat acne. Decoction wipe the face to eliminate wrinkles and give the skin a radiant appearance.
You can apply fresh leaves to wounds. Contains zincwill disinfect the site of injury, and tannins will reduce pain.
Unique plant
Anise lofant, the photo of which is presented in this article, has unique healing properties. It can be used by both adults and children. The plant is of particular value to young parents: bathing children with the addition of a decoction helps to normalize sleep, calms, and relieves stress.
The rich vitamin and mineral composition brings a lot of benefits. It helps to get rid of almost all pathologies associated with low immune defense. Raw materials are harvested in dry weather after the dew has gone. Dry the plant in a well-ventilated area or under a canopy. For storage use fabric bags or glass containers. Raw materials are stored for a year.
