Useful properties of sorrel were described in the days of ancient Greek healers, as well as ancient Slavic medical books. This plant from the buckwheat family grows almost everywhere in our territory: in forest clearings, water meadows, along roads. You can meet him in almost any garden or cottage. The beneficial properties of sorrel are inherent in the whole plant: its roots, leaves, stems, seeds and flowers. Its popular name is sour, although this is erroneous. It grows up to 1.5 meters, the stem of the plant is erect, the rhizome is many-headed. The lower leaves are wide, large, the upper ones are narrow, small. The root is powerful, weakly branched. The flowers are greenish and small.
The beneficial properties of sorrel are due to the substances it contains. Its leaves contain flavonoids, hyperoside and rutin, which has P-vitamin activity, potassium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, copper, fluorine, molybdenum, strontium, nickel, arsenic, ascorbic acid. The roots are also rich in beneficial elements. They contain emodin, chryzaphanol (components of anthraquinone), tannins, rumycin, flavonoids nepodin and neposid. All parts of the plant havemalic, citric, caffeic and oxalic acids. Horse sorrel deserves special attention, its medicinal properties are considered the strongest due to the content of a large proportion of vitamin C and essential oils in it.
For medicinal purposes, grass and roots are harvested in autumn. In traditional medicine, the beneficial properties of sorrel are used to combat hypertension of the first and second stages. In small doses, it has an astringent effect, and in large doses, it is a laxative. It is prescribed for spastic colitis (chronic), to relieve stools with anal fissures, hemorrhoids, to prevent constipation due to intestinal atony. Sorrel is added to drugs to combat ulcerative stomatitis, scurvy, gingivitis (the healing properties of this plant are useful in these cases as well).
In folk medicine, this plant is used much more widely. It is recommended for scabies, as an antihelminthic and astringent for diarrhea. A decoction of sorrel roots is used to combat skin ailments, rashes, lichen, ulcers, as a wound healing drug. It is highly effective for the treatment of bloody and childhood diarrhea. In addition, a decoction of the root is used for irritation of the larynx, throat, catarrh of the upper respiratory tract, runny nose, cough, frontal sinusitis.
Infusion of seeds is used as an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agent. In addition, sorrel preparations are believed to have a hemostatic effect. With diathesis and tuberculosis, it can also beused as a remedy. There are studies that confirm that sorrel preparations contribute to the treatment of bladder papillomatosis, anemia, kidney ailments, alcoholism, pellagra, neoplasms (including malignant ones), syphilis, nicotinic acid deficiency. Tibetan healers use sorrel for flatulence, polyarthritis, edema, accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity.
It also has contraindications, in case of excessive use of sorrel, a violation of the metabolism of minerals in the body can occur, gout, urolithiasis may worsen. Preparations from it are not recommended during pregnancy.
