Drimia maritime (sea onion) is a herbaceous perennial bulbous plant that grows naturally in the Mediterranean countries. Belongs to the asparagus family. Its specific epithet maritimus translates as "marine", since most often drimia is found on sea coasts.
Description of the plant
Sea onion, the photo of which you can see below, does not exceed 50 cm in height. An adult plant weighs about three kilograms. The flower stem, which has no leaves, reaches a height of one meter. It is crowned with a dense large racemose inflorescence up to half a meter long with small white flowers.
The leaves are smooth, shiny, painted in rich dark green. They are ovoid in shape. Their length varies (depending on the areas of growth) from 30 to 80 cm, width - from 5 to 12 cm. The bulb is fleshy, pear-shaped, covered with dry red or white scales.
The fruit of the plant is a box containing from 5 to 12 black or black-brown seeds ripening in late September or early October. Squill blooms in July-August, before the leaves appear.
Varieties
Botanists distinguish between two types of plants: red and white. In white sea onions, the flowers are painted white with a greenish tint. Bulb scales are white or cream. In the red squill, the flowers have a pink perianth, the inner scales of the bulb are also pink or purple.
For medical purposes, only internal dried white scales are used. They are white-yellow, curved or flat pieces of various shapes, hard, horn-shaped, but translucent. Their length varies from 1 to 8 cm, and thickness - from 5 to 10 mm. They have a slight characteristic odor and no taste.
Growing places
Mediterranean countries are considered to be the birthplace of sea onions. The white variety is most often found in Portugal, Albania, Spain. Red onions are common in Algeria and Morocco. It prefers to grow in coastal regions, although it is also found in the mountains up to a kilometer above sea level. Sea onion is cultivated as an ornamental plant and for medicinal purposes. In our country, it is grown in the southern regions with a mild and warm climate.
Chemical composition of squill
In the bulbs of the white species found about ten substances that are related to bufadienolides. The main one is glycoscillaren A, which is the sum of glycosides. It is a primary trioside, which is formed by rhamnose, an aglyconescillarenin and two glucose molecules. During hydrolysis, scillaren A bioside is first formed, then rhamnoside - proscillaridine A.
And that's not all. Also white squill contains:
- scillipicrin;
- traces of essential oils;
- mucus (4-11%).
Red bulbs contain scilliroside monoglucoside. This is a very toxic substance for rats, Scillaren A has a weaker effect on them.
Pharmacological properties
Glycosides of white sea onions are perfectly absorbed when they enter the stomach, when compared with other cardiac glycosides, they increase diuresis. This is associated not only with an improvement in cardiac activity, but also with a beneficial effect on the kidney parenchyma.
Sea onion: medical applications
White variety bulbs are included in the pharmacopoeias of some European countries (Great Britain, France, etc.). Used as a diuretic and expectorant, for the production of cardiotonic medicines.
Plant-based medicines are used in both folk and traditional medicine and homeopathy. For example, squill powder is a powerful diuretic and laxative and has long been used by healers and healers to treat dropsy.
Drugs
Today, Scillaren is produced, which is a purified form of sea onion glycosides. It is available in the form of tablets, suppositories,solution. They are taken orally, intravenous injections are prescribed for chronic and acute circulatory failure caused by mitral valve insufficiency.
In addition, the drug is prescribed for the treatment of coronary sclerosis, right ventricular hypertrophy due to pulmonary circulation disorders, with intolerance to digitalis and strophanthin glycosides by patients. Often it is combined with drugs based on foxglove, which enhances its diuretic properties.
The therapeutic effect of the plant is explained by the presence of a large number of cardiac glycosides. In their action, they are close to the glycosides of strophanthus and digitalis. Unlike strophanthus, the effect of onion-based preparations is somewhat weaker and not so long. When taken orally, the drug is well tolerated by patients.
Use in traditional medicine
Sea onion is used with caution in folk medicine. Tinctures on water, on essential oils, on alcohol are used as rubbing. Below are some common recipes.
Infusion
Pour a glass of boiling water over two grams of dry raw materials and let it brew for eight hours. Take the composition of 5 drops three times a day for heart failure.
Tincture for radiculitis, osteochondrosis and rheumatism
One part of the onion leaves, one part of the onion should be chopped and poured with 10 parts of vodka. The drug is infused in a dark place for 30 days. Rub sore spots should be once a day, preferably at night.
Ointment from the fungusnails
It is necessary to squeeze the juice from the leaves of the plant. Heat three tablespoons of Vaseline in a steam bath to +40 ° C. Mix a spoonful of juice with warm petroleum jelly. Twice a day, lubricate the affected skin and nails. The ointment should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than seven days.
Home use
Red squill is famous for its deratizing properties. For humans and domestic animals, this species is practically harmless, and for rodents it is deadly. For the death of an adult large rat, 0.3 grams of raw sea onion is enough. Accordingly, one bulb can poison 4 thousand mice or 1.5 thousand rats. The squill has another advantage in rodent control. Their corpses practically do not decompose, but, drying out, are mummified. That is why the red squill has long been used to control rodents in dwellings and outbuildings.
High inflorescences of the plant are used in floristry to decorate flower arrangements.
Contraindications for use
Medicines based on squill are contraindicated in kidney disease, as they irritate the renal parenchyma. To date, there is no official scientific data on the effect of squill on the body of pregnant and lactating mothers, so its use during this period is not recommended.
