Meadowsweet beneficial properties. Side effects and contraindications. For skin ailments

When treating many diseases, traditional healers recommend using an infusion of leaves and flowers of the meadowsweet plant, the beneficial properties and contraindications of which are the subject of this article. It is necessary to be able to properly prepare and take a decoction in order to achieve a positive effect and avoid the negative consequences of using this medicinal product.

Meadowsweet - beneficial properties

The meadowsweet plant has been used in healing for several centuries; healers consider it an anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, vascular strengthening and healing agent. Meadowsweet rhizome contains:

• starch;
• phenol glycosides;
• sodium salicylate;
• vitamin C.

Flowers and leaves of meadowsweet (another name for meadowsweet) are a source of fatty acids, catechins, vitamins, steroids, and are rich in essential oils and aromatic compounds. In some countries, young leaves and buds of meadowsweet are used in cooking and added to soups and salads. Dried meadowsweet flowers, brewed with boiling water, turn into a healthy drink that has an invigorating tonic effect.

Application in medicine

In folk medicine, meadowsweet herb is used for a wide range of diseases, and in various recipes both young inflorescences and leaves and preparations from dried roots and flowers are used. The medicinal properties of meadowsweet help fight a wide range of diseases. The decoction is taken for:

• flu and colds;
• to improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
• to normalize blood pressure;
• for the prevention of epilepsy;
• to relieve pain during attacks of gout and rheumatism;
• for gynecological problems;
• with diabetes mellitus.

Meadowsweet root is brewed and drunk during stomach or intestinal ulcers, inflammation of the kidneys to stop internal bleeding. Infused with leaves, meadowsweet rhizome is an anthelmintic agent, calms the nervous system, and relieves acute intra-articular pain. Meadowsweet inflorescences are used as a diuretic and are used for bladder diseases, stomach pain, and constipation.

The beneficial properties of meadowsweet are used to maintain women's health, to relieve symptoms of thrush and inflammation, for menstrual pain, and to regulate hormonal levels. During oncological diseases, an infusion of leaves is indicated as a means of thinning the blood and accelerating hair growth after chemotherapy. We must not forget about the contraindications that any medicinal plant has, and pay due attention to the rules for collecting and preparing raw materials for preparing a medicinal decoction.

How to use

Medicinal herbs must be harvested at the right time, collected in environmentally friendly places, far from large cities, hazardous industries and highways. Young shoots of meadowsweet are collected in the first ten days of June, inflorescences - during flowering, rhizomes - in early autumn, until the twentieth of September. The plant is dried in a dry, dark place, ideally in the attic. Ready-made raw materials can be purchased at a pharmacy or from herbalists, but in such a situation you cannot be sure of its quality, there is a possibility that you will not get the necessary therapeutic effect.

Meadowsweet tincture

There are two options for preparing meadowsweet tincture. Alcohol tincture is used for diabetes, stomach diseases (gastritis), cholecystitis, as an anesthetic during gout or joint inflammation. To prepare you will need:

• medical purified alcohol or vodka: 1 l;
• dried meadowsweet flowers: 50 g;
• granulated sugar: 20 g.

Pour vodka or alcohol over the plant material, add sugar, mix thoroughly and leave in a cool, dark place for two weeks. Take the prepared meadowsweet tincture three times a day before meals, one teaspoon at a time, for 21-30 days, depending on the symptoms and doctor’s recommendations. Contraindications to taking alcohol tinctures are alcohol dependence, chronic liver diseases, and cardiovascular diseases in the acute stage.

A non-alcoholic tincture of meadowsweet leaves helps with blood pressure problems. A tablespoon of the dried plant is poured into two glasses of boiling water, left for a quarter of an hour, filtered and drunk three times a day, one teaspoon before meals, for a month. To combat colds, prepare a tincture from the inflorescences, for which you will need:

• dried meadowsweet inflorescences: 30 g;
• clean water: 0.5 l;
• calendula tincture: 15 g.

Plant materials are poured with cold water and left in a place protected from light for 20 days. The resulting infusion is filtered, calendula tincture is added for long-term storage. During illness, take a teaspoon before each meal until symptoms disappear completely. As a prophylactic against viral infections - two teaspoons before meals daily.

Decoction

A decoction of the meadowsweet plant - the beneficial properties and contraindications of which must be taken into account in any form of use as a medicinal product - is prepared from the rhizome of the plant. Grinded in a coffee grinder or in another way, meadowsweet root is poured with boiling water, in the proportion of two teaspoons per glass of water, and kept in a water bath for 20-30 minutes. Take 20 g of raw material per liter of water.

The finished decoction is left for up to three days in a dark, cool place, and taken as a means to reduce blood viscosity, for diabetes and peptic ulcers, four times a day, two teaspoons, for three weeks. A compress with this remedy is used for burns, purulent wounds, applied to the affected areas of the skin for 15 minutes five times a day.

Meadowsweet tea

For colds, it is good to drink meadowsweet tea, in which the dried leaves and flowers are poured with boiling water and infused in an opaque container for ten minutes. The beneficial properties of the drink include its antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effect, it accelerates the removal of fluids from the body, and promotes the rapid elimination of waste and toxins. Tea has no contraindications; you should drink it three to five times a day, one serving is 150 ml.

Meadowsweet, the medicinal properties of which help relieve people from a large number of diseases, is a perennial herb that grows in the regions of our country. The first mention of it was found among the ancient Greeks. There is a legend that fluffy flowers are foam from the body of the goddess of beauty Aphrodite.

The plant has several names, for example: spirea, shlambu or meadowsweet. And in Russia it is called meadowsweet or meadowsweet.

Medicinal properties of meadowsweet

In ancient times, when warriors went on campaigns, they took with them a bunch of fragrant grass. The medicinal properties of meadowsweet were valued by them more than others. Tea made from it restored strength in a short period of time and helped get rid of ailments.

What are the benefits of meadowsweet (meadowsweet)

• removes excess fluid from the body, thereby reducing swelling in the kidneys and heart. Used in the treatment of the genitourinary system;
• a weak tea made from leaves or stems, normalizes blood pressure in a few minutes. This is a real godsend for hypertensive patients;
• medicines prepared from meadowsweet are good in the fight against helminths and indigestion;
• infusions and compresses are an excellent method for relieving joint pain and for their prevention;
• the thyroid gland is completely cured with an infusion from the root of the plant;
• infusions, ointments and other meadowsweet-based products are used in the presence of skin diseases and inflammations;

Meadowsweet herb can be used by people of any age, as it has virtually no contraindications and does not cause allergies. It is included in many herbal preparations, including for the treatment and prevention of cancer.

The use of meadowsweet in folk medicine

Meadowsweet, due to its benefits, has found its use in folk medicine and is widely used in the treatment of such ailments as:

All parts of the plant are used to prepare healing mixtures, tinctures and decoctions.

• The root is used for disorders of the nervous system, to remove worms from the body and to stop bleeding in case of injuries or cuts.
• It is recommended to drink tea made from the herb for colds, severe fatigue or sleep disturbances. Dry leaves, ground into powder, are used to relieve skin sores.
• Flowers are an excellent remedy for excessive sweating. Also, teas based on them remove excess fluid from the body and are an effective anthelmintic medicine.

How to take meadowsweet for blood pressure and hypertension

Meadowsweet is also called a pressure killer. Its ability to reduce it within 20-30 minutes after drinking tea from the leaves is widely known. But everything is good in moderation. You need to know how to use the drug correctly for hypertension and follow the required dosage.

For high blood pressure, it is recommended to prepare an infusion of herbs. For preparation you need one tablespoon of dry raw materials, which is poured into 0.5 liters of boiling water. The mixture is kept in a water bath for a quarter of an hour, then removed and left for another hour. The finished infusion is filtered and consumed three times a day before meals. The course of admission is 30 days.

A decoction of the roots is also used for hypertension. To prepare, you need finely chopped plant root, which is poured with boiling water and placed in a water bath for 15 minutes. After which the broth is left to infuse for some time and filtered through cheesecloth, carefully squeezing out the cake. This decoction is drunk 3 times a day, one tablespoon.

Contraindications for meadowsweet

The healing properties of meadowsweet are so unique that it seems to help against all diseases without exception. But it is precisely these properties that form contraindications.

Due to its astringent effect, the plant should not be used for constipation. Low blood pressure, low platelet count in the blood, as well as hypersensitivity to the composition are the main prohibitions for use.

Treatment with meadowsweet is not only effective, but also pleasant due to its sweetish taste. A minimum of restrictions and good tolerance, this is the best reason to include it in your medicine cabinet of medicinal plants.

Since meadowsweet is considered a low-toxic plant, pregnant women are strictly prohibited from consuming it in any form.

Meadowsweet, or Meadowsweet (lat. Filipéndula) is a genus of perennial herbs of the Rose family (Rosaceae). There are at least 16 species growing in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere.

Where does meadowsweet grow?

Meadowsweet grows in Central Asia, the European part, the Caucasus and in Eastern and Western Siberia. Meadowsweet is common in swamps and damp meadows. You can find the plant on the banks of reservoirs, lakes and rivers. Meadowsweet loves thickets: broad-leaved and damp, birch and black alder forests.

Chemical composition of meadowsweet

In the Middle Ages, meadowsweet was used to flavor alcoholic beverages, which were obtained by fermenting honey and fruit juices.

Want to know what aspirin is made from? Aspirin was created by Felix Hoffman, who obtained salicin from meadowsweet in 1897. It was from meadowsweet that salicylic acid was derived, which reduces pain. Three years later, Aspirin was officially patented.

In the above-ground part of meadowsweet, essential oils have been found that have a pleasant aroma. The top part contains catechins, steroids and healthy fatty acids. Plant roots are rich in vitamin C, flavonoids and tannins. Phenolic compounds are contained in large quantities.

Description

Meadowsweet, meadowsweet, meadowsweet, Ivan's flower - this was the name of meadowsweet in Rus', where they made strong whips (meadowsweet) from it, prepared healing infusions and brewed the most aromatic tea with a honey taste.

In England, this plant was also revered - since the distant 14th century, such eminent herbalists and biologists as John Gerard, Nicholas Culpeper and Philip Miller wrote about it. What makes this perennial special among other, often much more spectacular-looking plants?

Meadowsweet has long been used as a natural antiseptic that helps fight pathological microbes that have entered the body. In cases of inflammation, fever, and various types of pain, sometimes it was enough to drink a few cups of the amber drink for the painful symptoms to disappear without a trace.

This effect is explained by the high content of natural acetylsalicylic acid, which, by the way, was once synthesized in a form suitable for medicinal use from meadowsweet.

Thanks to the tannins contained in the rhizomes, in addition to its antipyretic and analgesic properties, the perennial is also able to stop bleeding, helping the blood to clot faster when the vascular system is damaged.

The meadowsweet plant also exhibits beneficial properties for heart patients: back in 1983, it was proven that the use of aspirin-containing products reduces the risk of such a health- and life-threatening disease as myocardial infarction. In addition to acetylsalicylic acid, the roots and leaves of the herb contain quite a lot of ascorbic acid, which is famous for its antioxidant, immunomodulatory and stabilizing effects on the body.

Due to the regular use of meadowsweet tea, it is possible to significantly improve adaptation capabilities, eliminate inflammation, and improve the psycho-emotional state.

As for other nutrients, the following are also found in various parts of meadowsweet:

• tannins - thanks to them, infusions from the plant are effective for rinsing the mouth for sore throat and other bacterial diseases, diarrhea and stomach ulcers;
• flavonoids, including catechins - compounds that reduce the fragility of blood vessels, relieve swelling and allergic manifestations, support normal metabolism and slow down aging;
• glycosides are substances similar in composition to hormones, aggressive against pathogenic microorganisms, activating the heart muscle, eliminating stagnant fluid from the body.

Thanks to such a wide range of effects, meadowsweet has honorably entered not only into the arsenal of traditional medicine, but is also officially included in the list of pharmacopoeial medicinal plants.

Types of meadowsweet

The meadowsweet grass is very diverse; in total, about 100 species are registered in the genus. Here are some types:

Common meadowsweet (common meadowsweet)

It is a spreading bush about 80 cm high. The shoots are covered with feathery, fern-like leaves. At the end of June, loose creamy-white panicles bloom at the tops of the stems, which persist for a month. They consist of flowers with six petals and fluffy stamens.

Varieties:

• Pleno - shoots 40-50 cm high blooms fragrant double flowers of white color;
• Grandiflora - a bush 40-60 cm in height in mid-summer is covered with creamy inflorescences with large flowers.

Meadowsweet

It is this species that is most widespread in Russia. It is found along the banks of fresh water bodies and rivers. Loose bushes with creeping rhizomes reach a height of 1.5 m. The shoots are covered with alternate pinnately dissected dark green leaves. The lobes are broadly ovoid or oblong-lanceolate in shape. In June-July, paniculate inflorescences up to 20 cm in diameter bloom. They consist of small cream flowers with a strong aroma. The small calyx is surrounded by five petals and stamens twice as long as the petals.

Varieties:

• Aurea - a bush up to 1.5 m high grows large golden-green leaves;
• Rosea - blooms beautiful pinkish inflorescences;
• Aurea variegata - a plant up to 50 cm high, covered with green leaves with creamy yellow streaks and shapeless spots.

Red meadowsweet

The plants live in North America and are spreading bushes up to 2.5 m high. The reddish-brown stems are covered with dissected foliage. In July-August, fluffy corymbose inflorescences with white-pink flowers appear. Light pink five-petaled corollas have pinkish stamens and a crimson eye in the center.

Varieties:

• Magnifica - a bush up to 1.5 m high blooms dark pink inflorescences;
• Venusta - the plant is distinguished by the largest inflorescences of bright red color;
• Pygmy - vegetation up to 30 cm high is covered with compact pink panicles.

Meadowsweet Kamchatka (shelomainik)

Herbaceous shoots up to 3 m high are abundantly covered with large palmate leaves of bright green color. The leaf width reaches 30 cm. In July, slender thickets are decorated with large fragrant inflorescences of a white-cream hue. By August, the pubescent fruits ripen. The species is endemic to Kamchatka. Young shoots and rhizomes are used for food by both animals and local residents.

Useful and medicinal properties of meadowsweet

Leaves, flowers, branch bark, young shoots and roots are used for medicinal purposes.

The meadowsweet plant contains: essential oil heliotropin, tannins, coloring matter - spirein; six-petalled - gaulterin glycoside, tannins, a lot of starch and vitamins. The plant is being studied.

The leaves and flowers contain: yellow coloring matter, essential oil, vanillin, terpene, glycoside, spirein, tannins, ascorbic acid, wax, fat, salicylic acid, methyl salicylic ester, vitamin C, starch, phenolic glycoside.

• The smell of meadowsweet repels mosquitoes, flies and horse flies.
• Meadowsweet is added to tea, which gives it a honey aroma and pleasant taste. In Scandinavian countries, meadowsweet is added to wine or beer to add a better aroma. Young roots or shoots are added to food.
• Pour 2 teaspoons of root, tuberous thickenings into 200 ml of boiling water. Leave for up to five hours, strain. Take 1 tablespoon before meals.
• Meadowsweet is used for: diseases of the bladder, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, heart, skin diseases, gout, epilepsy, uterine bleeding, heart failure, hemorrhoids, rheumatism, gastritis, intestinal ulcers.
• It is a disinfectant, diaphoretic, hemostatic agent.
• Decoctions and infusions of meadowsweet roots are taken for: diarrhea, gastric catarrh, hemorrhoids, rheumatism, gout, for gynecological diseases, for the treatment of purulent wounds, ulcers, for snake and animal bites. The root cones are edible.
• Meadowsweet is widely used in folk medicine.
• This plant has antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory effects.
• Meadowsweet relieves headaches of various types, as well as joint pain and rheumatic pain. It has a powerful antiviral and antibacterial effect against influenza, acute respiratory infections, and herpes.
• An infusion of the meadowsweet herb with its flowers is used for diseases of the kidneys and bladder, dysentery, heart disease, and for suffocation as an anthelmintic, diuretic and diaphoretic.
• A rich infusion is used as an antitoxic agent for alcohol poisoning or snake bites. Since meadowsweet has an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effect, a decoction of the herb is used externally as an antiseptic to wash boils, ulcers, wounds, ulcers, and for skin diseases.
• A decoction of meadowsweet is used as a means to improve hair growth, as well as for cosmetic purposes.
• Decoctions are used for dysbiosis, diarrhea and fungal diseases of the intestines, and are used as baths for gynecological diseases.

Dangerous and harmful properties of meadowsweet

• If you have hypertension, take meadowsweet preparations strictly under the supervision of a doctor.
• Causes constipation, colic, nausea.
• Meadowsweet contains salicylates, it is recommended to monitor a general blood test.

Herbal remedies from meadowsweet and recipes

Many herbal remedies can be prepared from meadowsweet: teas, tinctures, baths, decoctions, lotions, compresses, ointments. It is used internally and externally. Moreover, everything is used: leaves, flowers, bark, young shoots and roots.

Homeopathic remedies are made from the fresh root. Even ordinary tea made from meadowsweet flowers and leaves is a wonderful treatment. It is aromatic, sweet and slightly astringent. Meadowsweet also works well as an alcoholic extract, decoction, or tincture. A small amount of glycerin is usually added to the tincture to help extract the tannins.

Tinctures are prepared from the aerial parts of plants and are taken for colds, fever, rheumatic pain, and also for indigestion in a child. You can make a decoction of meadowsweet mixed with other herbs such as angelica or willow to treat arthritis. It is also used externally in the form of compresses for arthritis, joint pain, and to treat neuralgia. Prepare a compress from the diluted tincture and apply to the area of ​​pain.

As an eye wash, meadowsweet brings relief to patients suffering from conjunctivitis and other eye diseases. Here it is recommended to use a chilled and filtered infusion. Herbalists advise using meadowsweet to prepare medicinal foot baths. They can be made from dried or fresh herbs.

Meadowsweet oil: application

Meadowsweet oil is produced by distillation from the flowers of the plant, or less commonly from the root or stem. Cooking at home is not possible. The medicinal properties of the resulting oil lie in the high content of salicylic acid. Practical benefits of use in analgesic, antiseptic and antipyretic effects.

The oil, in the preparation of which the root is used, is used for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract; its beneficial properties normalize metabolism and relieve attacks of poisoning. For rheumatism, arthritis, and muscle pain, the oil is used in the form of compresses, using its beneficial anti-inflammatory properties. But there are also contraindications for use: increased blood pressure, blood clotting, constipation.

Meadowsweet for women

Meadowsweet is often used in the treatment of many female diseases.

For example, a recipe for a collection for infertility in women: meadowsweet flowers + linden flowers + red clover flowers, all in equal parts. 3 tbsp. spoons pour 1 liter of boiling water. Leave covered for at least 2 hours. When taking, follow the following schedule: 1 glass 30 minutes before meals in the morning and evening.

Another recipe for a decoction for pain: 20 g. flowers and roots, pour 300 ml of boiling water, leave in a water bath for at least 30 minutes. Strain, cool, and use as a douche up to 3 times a day. If the medicinal herb is doubled, and accordingly the concentration, then such an infusion can be used as an anti-inflammatory or analgesic in the form of a compress for many female diseases.

Tincture of meadowsweet herb

Recipe for tincture of meadowsweet herb: fresh flowers 50 g. + vodka 0.5 l + sugar 20 g. Combine and leave for 12 days.

The tincture is applicable for:

• female diseases (cervical erosion, postpartum difficulties, endometriosis, thrush, infertility, mastopathy, bleeding);
• goiter;
• to relieve pain in muscles or joints;
• psoriasis;
• swelling;
• kidney diseases;
• hepatitis;
• leukemia;
• gastrointestinal diseases
• cancer;
• in diabetes, it reduces blood sugar.

The drug is used in 20-30 drops, diluted in ½ tbsp. water, 3 r. a day before meals. Contraindications: it is forbidden to take the tincture if you have an allergic reaction to salicylates. For ulcers with high acidity, the medicine is diluted with hot water.

Ointments

This remedy is rubbed into the area of ​​the affected joints. An ointment is prepared from crushed roots. 20 g of roots should be mixed with Vaseline.

Ointment for burns:

1. Pour a tablespoon of plant root brought to a powdery state into 5 tbsp. vegetable oil.
2. Leave the mixture to infuse for 12 hours at room temperature.
3. Strain and use the ointment as directed.

To treat wounds and burns with meadowsweet, soak the ointment in several layers of gauze, apply to the damaged area and secure with a bandage. Change the bandage 2 times a day.

Foot baths

1. Place a bunch of fresh meadowsweet in a liter of water. For dried plant, use 3 liters of water.
2. Boil for 17 minutes. Strain.
3. Pour into the bath and fill with cold water to the desired temperature.
4. Place your feet for 20 minutes.

To make your skin soft, add a spoonful of honey or ale to the bath.

How to brew tea and decoction?

The meadowsweet plant is often used as an ordinary tea; it perfectly relieves swelling and is used in the correction of metabolic processes. The brewing recipe is simple, but the medicinal properties do not change: 2 tsp. Pour boiling water over any parts of the plant, leave and drink 2 times a day in small sips. When preparing the decoction, it is necessary to infuse it in a water bath for at least 30 minutes, this is when the plant will release all its beneficial properties. But take it ¼ cup 3 times a day no more. You can purchase ready-made tea. Leaves and flowers for it are prepared by fermentation at low temperatures with high humidity indoors.

Harvesting meadowsweet for the winter

Meadowsweet grows well on the banks of bodies of water (pond, lake, swamp). If there is no desire to collect it for harvesting in the forest, it is possible to plant meadowsweet on your own plot. Growing is possible in both sun and shade, but the grass requires abundant watering. Planting should be done immediately after the snow melts. This is a perennial bush that requires regular pruning.

Absolutely all useful parts of the plant can be used for winter preparations, but collection must be done according to certain rules.

Collection

The upper parts begin to be collected before July, throughout the flowering period. At this time, the preparation begins. Carefully cut off the very tops of the shoots. The lower parts of the plant are collected after the cessation of the growing season and the maximum of useful and medicinal substances have accumulated in the rhizomes.

Drying leaves

Drying of horses occurs in early spring or late autumn. The roots are thoroughly washed and small shoots are removed. Leaves are collected from August to late autumn. All rotten, damaged and dried parts are carefully removed. All parts are crushed and dried on days when the weather is good. The raw materials are spread on the surface and turned as often as once a day. Next, they are packaged in glass jars, canvas bags or cardboard boxes and stored in a dark room. The shelf life if stored correctly is no more than 5 years.

Meadowsweet is a famous wildflower with an almond scent. Meadowsweet is also called “bridal wort” because this flower was previously used in wedding bouquets.

There was a belief that the plant brings love, joy and a happy marriage.

Where does meadowsweet grow?

Meadowsweet grows in Central Asia, the European part, the Caucasus and in Eastern and Western Siberia. The grass is common in swamps and wet meadows. You can find the plant on the banks of reservoirs, lakes and rivers.

Meadowsweet loves thickets: broad-leaved and damp, birch and black alder forests.

Chemical composition of meadowsweet

In the Middle Ages, meadowsweet was used to flavor alcoholic beverages, which were obtained by fermenting honey and fruit juices.

Meadowsweet is directly related to Aspirin. It was created by Felix Hoffman, who in 1897 obtained salicin from meadowsweet. It was from the plant that salicylic acid was extracted, which reduces pain. Three years later, Aspirin was officially patented.

In the above-ground part of meadowsweet, essential oils have been found that have a pleasant aroma. The top part contains catechins, steroids and healthy fatty acids.

Plant roots are rich in vitamin C, flavonoids and tannins. Phenolic compounds are contained in large quantities.

Medicinal and beneficial properties of meadowsweet

Meadowsweet is a herb that has anti-inflammatory properties. The properties have found application in the treatment of various diseases.

Stomach ulcer

The plant strengthens the walls of the stomach, tones them, reduces pain and controls digestion. The substances that make up meadowsweet relieve pain from ulcers and neutralize dangerous microbes. Meadowsweet prevents re-infection.

The best effect is achieved when used with plantain, chamomile and marshmallow root. In folk recipes, the properties of meadowsweet are used to reduce acidity, treat gastritis and heartburn.

Diarrhea

Meadowsweet has a pleasant taste, so it is used in the treatment of diarrhea in children. The beneficial properties of meadowsweet will relieve pain and stop diarrhea.

Pain and inflammation

Salicylic acid, which is found in large quantities in the plant, will reduce pain. Use the herb for shooting and monotonous pain.

The effect will increase if you use meadowsweet in the form of a decoction together with yarrow.

Fever

The plant is famous for its diaphoretic effect. The healing properties of meadowsweet include expanding and opening the pores and allowing heat to escape from the body.

Meadowsweet tea is beneficial for high fever and low sweating during a cold or flu. By consuming it regularly, your temperature will return to normal.

The diaphoretic effect will increase in combination with yarrow.

Gout

The plant has a diuretic effect, so warm tea will benefit people suffering from gout.

Conjunctivitis

The decoction can be used to wash the eyes.

Burn

The medicinal herb cools the damaged area. Use as an ointment.

Contraindications

Meadowsweet should not be used:

• people allergic to aspirin;
• children under 16 years of age with chickenpox or influenza;
• simultaneously with taking blood thinning medications;
• patients with asthma;
• with a tendency to constipation.

Excessive use may cause side effects:

• noise in ears;
• bleeding.

How to use meadowsweet

The form of use of meadowsweet depends on the disease. For example, a decoction will help with a cold, and an ointment will help with burns.

2 tbsp. pour meadowsweet with a liter of hot boiled water. Leave for 10-15 minutes. Do not over-expose: the tea will turn out bitter.

Drinking tea daily will increase immunity and improve the general condition of the body.

Meadowsweet tincture

1. Add 1 tbsp to 0.5 liters of boiling water. small meadowsweet. Cover the infusion tightly with a lid and brew for half an hour.
2. Strain the infusion.

For the best effect, use meadowsweet tincture 5 times a day.

Use it as a sedative, to heal wounds, and to reduce stomach injuries. The infusion is useful for problems with the thyroid gland and female pathologies.

Meadowsweet decoction

1. Add 1 tbsp to a glass of water. finely chopped meadowsweet roots.
2. Cook the mixture for 6 minutes. The cooking time in a water bath will be 20 minutes.
3. Leave for 40 minutes and strain.

Syn: meadowsweet.

A large perennial herbaceous plant with a thick rhizome and erect stem. Widely used in folk medicine as a diuretic, diaphoretic, anti-inflammatory, wound-healing, hemostatic, anthelmintic. A good honey plant.

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Flower formula

In medicine

Empty your intestines, drink "" - a natural laxative collection of medicinal herbs. Acts quickly, but gently!

In industry

The use of meadowsweet preparations is possible both in veterinary medicine (as an anti-inflammatory, astringent, wound-healing, antipyretic and sedative) and in animal husbandry as a fodder plant. In the food industry for flavoring and enriching teas, phyto-syrups with vitamins, producing flavonoid dyes (persistent, with vitamin and antioxidant properties). The extract from rhizomes and grass is suitable for tanning light and heavy leathers, followed by dyeing them black. All meadowsweet plants are decorative and can be used in landscaping, especially in natural-style gardens.

In cooking

The flowers are used as a substitute for tea, which relieves fatigue well, and the young shoots are eaten as a salad.

Classification

Meadowsweet or meadowsweet (lat. Filipéndula ulmaria) is a representative of the genus meadowsweet (lat. Filipéndula) of the subfamily Rose or rose hips (lat. Rosoideae) of the family Rosaceae. The generic name Filipendula is derived from “filum” (thread) and “pendulus” (hanging, hanging), because the root tubers seem to hang on thread-like roots. The specific name “ulmarius” (elm-leaved) is derived from the noun “ulmus” (elm) or meadowsweet, lungwort, whitecap, swamp meadowsweet, swamp meadowsweet, honey meadowsweet. The genus includes up to 10 species widespread in the forests and steppes of the Northern Hemisphere.

Botanical description

Perennial 10-60 cm or more in height, herbaceous plant with a powerful, thick rhizome. The stem is erect, leafy. The leaves are large (up to 30 cm in length), with stipules and short petioles, imparipinnate, with sharply toothed, ovate-lanceolate, pointed, green or grayish-tomentose terminal 3-5-lobed leaves below. The plant differs from other pink species in having intermittently pinnate leaves, in which there are smaller ones between the large leaves on the rachis. The leaves are corrugated along the veins. Flowers with concave hypanthium, small (5-8 mm in diameter), white, 5-membered, collected in very large numbers in a widely spreading paniculate-corymbose apical inflorescence. The formula of the meadowsweet or meadowsweet flower is: *Х5Л5Т∞П∞. The fruit is a multi-nutlet, the nuts are bare, sickle-shaped, spirally twisted. Blooms in July-August.

Spreading

It grows throughout almost the entire European part of Russia. Prefers waterlogged places, damp and swampy meadows on rich soils, banks of forest streams, damp and swampy forests of various types, especially alder forests. Often forms continuous, difficult to pass thickets in the floodplains of small forest rivers.

Regions of distribution on the map of Russia.

Procurement of raw materials

Meadowsweet flowers are used for medicinal purposes. Raw materials are harvested during the mass flowering phase by cutting off the inflorescences without leaves. Dry in well-ventilated areas or in dryers at a temperature not exceeding 40ºС. Meadowsweet flowers are stored in well-sealed boxes. In addition to flowers, rhizomes with roots and the aerial part of the plant are harvested in folk medicine. Rhizomes with roots are dug up in autumn or early spring, shaken off the ground, the above-ground part is cut off and washed in cold water. Dry under a canopy or in a well-ventilated area, spreading out in a thin layer. Store in bags or closed containers in a dry place for 3 years. The leaves are harvested during the flowering period of the plant and dried in the shade. Store in a closed glass or wooden container for 1 year.

Chemical composition

The medicinal properties of meadowsweet are determined by the predominant action of tannins, phenolic compounds (salicylic aldehyde), phenol carbonic acids, catechins, flavonoids, and essential oils. Meadowsweet flowers contain essential oil (0.2-1.25%) with a strong characteristic honey-hued odor, the main component of which is salicylic aldehyde. In addition, aromatic aldehydes and esters were identified in the essential oil: vanillin, benzaldehyde, heliotropin, 4-methoxybenzaldehyde, methyl salicylate, ethyl benzoate, phenylethyl acetate, phenethyl and benzyl alcohols, as well as cineole and eucarvone, linalool, transanethole, geraniol, terpineolicarvacrol. The main components of Meadowsweet essential oil in the flowering phase are methyl salicylate (28.2%), α-terpineol (2.1%), salicylic aldehyde (2.8%), ionol (3.1%), hotrienol (6.2 %), linalool (4.9%) and n-tricosan (8.3%). The main components of the essential oil of the fruiting phase are salicylic aldehyde (12.4%), ionol (11.8%) and methyl salicylate (11.2%). In meadowsweet flowers, aliphatic nitrogen-containing compounds were found (isobutylamine, isoamylamine; higher fatty acids (stearic, linolenic) in the aerial part were identified as hexanal, 6,10,14-trimethyl-2-pentadecanone, 2-heptadecanone, 2-nonadecanone, methyl ester 14- methylpentadecanoic acid, dodecanoic, tetradecanoic, pentadecanoic and heptadecanoic acids, 1-nonadecene, hexadecanoic acid ethyl ester, 1-octadecanol, 9.12-octadecadienoic acid.Phenolic acids (up to 5.5%) were found in the aerial parts of meadowsweet: salicylic, gallic, ellagic, P-coumaric, anise and vanillic, and in their flowers, in addition, the presence of chlorogenic acid was established. The underground and aboveground parts of the plant contain benzene derivatives: methyl salicylate and salicylic aldehyde. In addition, the content of phenol glycosides (gaultherin and spirein) was revealed. A number of phenolic compounds are present in the aerial part: 1-methoxy-4-benzene, phenethyl alcohol, veratrol, pyrocatechol, 2-methoxyphenol, 4-vinylphenol, anisaldehyde, P-methoxybenzyl alcohol, 4-vinyl-2-methoxyphenol, pyrogallol, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde, benzyl benzoate, benzoic acid, 4-methoxybenzoic acid, benzolacetic acid (4-methoxyphenyl)-methyl ester. Flowers and leaves of meadowsweet are a source of salicylates: isosalicin, helicin, methyl salicylate. The presence of flavonoids in the grass (4.0-9.8%) was established: quercetin and 5 of its glycosides (rutin, hyperoside, avicularin, spireoside, quercetin-3-glucuronide) and kaempferol-4-glucoside. It was noted that spireoside is predominantly (3.5%) contained in flowers and fruits, and hyperoside in leaves. Moreover, the total amount of flavonoids is 6% in flowers, 1-4% in fruits and 1% in leaves and stems. Tannins (tannins) of a mixed group with a predominance of the pyrocatechol series were found in meadowsweet grass: in leaves: 13.3-35.46%, in stems: 3.26-12.97%, and in rhizomes: 11.82-39, 5%. In addition, it was revealed that the greatest accumulation of tannins occurs during the formation of generative shoots. It has been established that the two main polyphenolic components that make a significant contribution to its antioxidant activity are ellagitannins. Coumarins (traces), leukoanthocyanidins, catechins (2-3 times more in leaves than in flowers), and chalcones were found in the underground and above-ground organs of meadowsweet. Triterpene compounds were isolated from the aerial part: oleanolic and ursolic acids, a polysaccharide complex consisting of water-soluble polysaccharides (galacturonans and arabinogalactans) and pectin substances, as well as hemicelluloses A and B. A significant content of ascorbic acid in the leaves was noted 250-376 mg%, in addition , meadowsweet leaves are unique accumulators of carotenoids (β-carotene): they contain up to 157.1 mg% of these substances, in inflorescences there are less of them - up to 52.7 mg%. Diterpene alkaloids (spiramin and spiratin) have been isolated from meadowsweet seeds and roots. Their action is similar to camphor and caffeine, but their use does not cause an increase in blood pressure. It is believed that spiramins protect brain cells from oxygen starvation.

Pharmacological properties

In scientific medicine in Russia, meadowsweet flowers are currently used. Patents have been issued in the Russian Federation for the use of meadowsweet as an anti-inflammatory, immunostimulating, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, nootropic, adaptogenic and antihypoxic agent. In addition, plant extracts have a wide range of pharmacological effects: general strengthening, anticarcinogenic, diuretic, hypoglycemic, sedative, antihemorrhoidal, antiseptic, bacteriostatic, antifungal, antiulcer, wound healing, promoting granulation and epithelization in trophic ulcers, wounds, skin burns. Used in adults in the form of a decoction as an anti-inflammatory and astringent for skin diseases (eczema, neurodermatitis), as well as in the form of lotions and rinses for stomatitis, gingivitis, and periodontal disease. Tincture of meadowsweet flowers effectively thins the blood, lowers blood pressure, promotes the resorption of blood clots in blood vessels, helps with atherosclerosis, and improves cerebral circulation. Meadowsweet is low toxic. However, it is not recommended to use meadowsweet preparations for hypotension, colitis with persistent constipation. It is also necessary to remember that meadowsweet contains salicylates, which have a diaphoretic effect, so in order to avoid a cold, it is better to go outside an hour after taking the drugs, and you should also monitor your blood composition.

Use in folk medicine

In folk medicine, the inflorescences, underground and above-ground parts of meadowsweet are used. Thanks to its excellent medicinal properties, meadowsweet was popularly revered as a “magpie,” i.e. a remedy for forty ailments. Tea from meadowsweet flowers is used as a diuretic for nephritis, bladder diseases, gout, rheumatism, as well as for diseases of the stomach, heart, hypertension, hernia, leukemia and as a hemostatic agent. Powder from meadowsweet flowers is used for diaper rash, including in babies as a powder. The flowers also have repellent properties, i.e. repel flies, horseflies and mosquitoes; to do this, you just need to rub the skin with meadowsweet flowers. A decoction of the herb helps with bronchial asthma, bronchitis, and pneumonia. A decoction of meadowsweet roots is used for washing festering wounds, for irrigation for leucorrhoea, for enemas for diarrhea and for compresses for festering and non-healing wounds, fistulas, ulcers and boils. In addition, a decoction of the roots is used to treat joint diseases, diabetes (including pregnant women), thyroid diseases and oncology. Meadowsweet grass has long been used in salads, soups, okroshka and teas.

Historical reference

In ancient legends, meadowsweet was first discovered on the island of Cyprus, at the birthplace of the beautiful Aphrodite-Cypris. Born from sea foam, the goddess of love appeared before the inhabitants of the island dressed only in foam lace. And where the foam fell on the shore, clumps of tall grasses with fragrant inflorescences subsequently grew. The medicinal properties of meadowsweet have been used by people for more than 400 years. This plant was described by the European herbalist and botanist D. Gerard in 1597 and Nicholas Culpepper in 1652. Since ancient times, Celtic Druids have used meadowsweet in mystical cults and considered it a sacred plant. The priests treated with due respect the medicinal properties of meadowsweet, which allowed them to recover from kidney and stomach diseases, skin diseases, rheumatic pains and colds. In different cultures, dried meadowsweet flowers have long been used as a tea substitute with diaphoretic properties, and the Indians used an infusion of red meadowsweet inflorescences as a drink that restores strength. In southern Europe, meadowsweet is called honey grass for its sweet aroma that attracts bees and other insects. Traditionally, meadowsweet was used as a food plant. All parts of the plant are ideal for sweet fruit dishes, as well as drinks, to which it imparts a sweet-tart taste. Most often used in Belgian and French cuisine. All parts of the plant are used to flavor sweet desserts and drinks. The aroma of meadowsweet has long been considered pleasant and was used to scent rooms, things and bed linen, something like modern sachets. Queen Elizabeth I of England was very fond of the aroma of meadowsweet, although many found it very intrusive, which was reflected in the disparaging popular name “meadow cockroach”. The English name for meadowsweet is meadowsweet, that is, “sweet from the meadows.” In Germany, meadowsweet flowers were added to honey wine (mead) for flavoring. In German, such wine is called “met” and is consonant with the Slavic “honey”. The second interpretation of its name in European languages ​​is associated with the old name for wet meadows - Mede, where meadowsweet can most often be found. As an aromatic fragrance, dried meadowsweet flowers were previously added to snuff.

Literature

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