Content
Icotnik gray (Berteroa incana L) is a member of the Cabbage family. In each locality, the culture has its own popular name. The plant is known as sage, white yarrow, white flowers. Distributed in all climatic zones except the Far North. It is considered a field weed.
Ikotnik gray-green refers to medicinal crops, it is used in folk medicine
Morphological description of gray-green hiccups
Gray-green Ikotnik is a herbaceous weed plant with a two-year biological cycle. It grows in the form of a bush with numerous branched stems ending in inflorescences. There are plants with one thick peduncle and a large number of lateral shoots.
Morphological characteristics of culture:
- Plant height - 30-50 cm.
- Stems are of medium thickness, finely pubescent, tough, gray with a green tint. From the middle, the peduncles are branched into 3-5 lateral shoots, which also end in inflorescences.
- The leaves of the plant are gray-green, lanceolate, alternate, larger in the lower part. They are located on short petioles. Towards the top, the size of the leaf plate becomes smaller. The leaves have smooth edges and a shallow edge.
- The root system of the plant is pivotal, in-depth, allows it to take root on any soil.
- The flowers are simple, small, white, and consist of four deeply dissected petals. Collected in dense racemose inflorescences. The core is formed by elliptical pods, during flowering they are lemon-colored, at the time of opening they turn dark brown.
- The seeds are small, with a lumpy surface, equipped with lionfish. They fly away from the mother plant at a distance of up to 12 m.
They are harvested before frost, since they do not ripen at the same time.
The gray-green hiccup blooms from June to early September
Where grows
Ikotnik is a ubiquitous plant. The main aggregation of the species is observed in the European regions, Belarus, Ukraine, the North Caucasus throughout the Central and Middle zone, in the Far East, Siberia and the Urals. Less common is the gray yarrow in Central Asia.
Ikotnik gray-green is a weed that grows on almost any soil. The vegetation of the crop does not depend on light and humidity. The plant is found along roadsides, in forest-steppes, in meadows, forest edges, wastelands, and sand embankments. Lives near pastures, farms. The seeds are carried by the wind and transported along with the hay. The gray-green ikotnik settles near the cultivated lands of settlements. It can grow singly or form dense thickets.
Chemical composition
In each part of the gray-green hiccup, the chemical substances differ in composition. The root system contains:
- coumarins - 2%;
- tanning compounds - 1.5%;
- organic acids - 0.15%;
- alkaloids - 96%.
In the aerial part of the gray yarrow, only 13% are alkaloids, the rest of the composition is occupied by acids, coumarins and tannins in approximately the same amount. The seeds contain 28.2% fatty oils.
Classification
Icotnik gray-green is a flowering plant of the Dicotyledonous class. It is a biennial herbaceous shrub of the order Cabbage or Cruciferous. Belongs to the Cabbage family, genus Ikotnik. The specific name is gray-green hiccup. It has medicinal properties, so the herb and rhizomes are used in alternative medicine recipes. The seed oil is used for technical purposes.
Healing properties
In medicine, all parts of the plant are used, the aerial is considered the most effective for medicinal purposes.
The main active ingredient is alkaloids and tannins. Reception of decoctions and infusions based on gray-green hiccups contributes to:
- lowering blood pressure;
- normalization of digestion, elimination of diarrhea. Effective for gastritis and stomach ulcers;
- relieving stress of the nervous system. Acts as a sedative;
- reduction of headache;
- vasodilation. Helps with asthma, choking, hiccups, coughs;
- elimination of skin diseases.
The use of gray-green hiccups is indicated for postpartum hemorrhage. It is also used for diseases of the female genital organs and urinary system.
Application
For medicinal purposes, the culture is used only in folk medicine. Saplings are used in landscape design, they are planted as honey plants in areas with scarce flora, for example, in the steppe zone.
In medicine
In official medicine, the gray-green hiccup is not used. Experimental studies on animals have shown that the plant has a hypotonic effect, but at the same time it is toxic. For example, consuming this herb with hay can kill horses.
Decoctions and tinctures based on gray hiccups are used only in alternative medicine for the treatment of:
- hiccups of a nervous nature, causing suffocation;
- purulent wounds;
- heavy menstrual flow or bleeding after childbirth.
Seed powder is used for animal bites, especially if rabies is suspected.
Used to treat diarrhea in children.
For technical purposes
Gray-green hiccup seed oil is used as a lubricant and as an anticorrosive agent:
- To improve the friction of the undercarriage of the sewing machine.
- They handle rusted door hinges, keyholes.
- They are used to lubricate mechanical parts in household and electronic devices.
Natural raw materials from green hiccups do not change viscosity during temperature changes and are gentle on parts.
In design
The gray hiccup has not found wide application in ornamental gardening. It is considered a weed and removed from the site. The plant is used only for landscaping wastelands in the industrial zone of cities. They are planted around apiaries as a honey plant.
The gray-green hiccup is a serious competitor for clover and alfalfa, which are also characterized as honey plants.
He drives them out of the site. When dried, the gray-green eggplant retains its shape, color of flowers and aboveground mass, therefore it is ideal for herbarium.
Folk recipes
In alternative medicine, a gray-green hiccup is used in the form of a decoction or infusion. Almost all parts of the plant are used for cooking. The root with a high alkaloid content is not used for oral ingestion.
Infusion for gastrointestinal diseases
The tool is effective for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
Preparation:
- green hiccups (dried leaves and stems) are ground in a mortar until smooth;
- take 1 tbsp. l. powder, placed in a thermos;
- pour boiling water (250 ml), close the container tightly;
- insist 2-4 hours, filter.
This is the daily dose. It is divided into several portions. At one time they drink no more than 1 tablespoon. The minimum course of treatment for stomach diseases is 7 days.
From skin damage
A decoction is made from the dried raw materials, which is effective for treating festering wounds. Green-gray hiccups are used as an antibacterial agent.
Cooking process:
- green hiccups (seeds) are ground into powder;
- water is poured into the container - 500 ml;
- add 3 tbsp. l. prepared seeds;
- simmer in an open container for 30 minutes.
Allow to settle. Moisten a napkin in the broth and apply to the affected area, fix it, leave it until it dries. This solution can be douched with exacerbation of cystitis, the gray hiccup is previously filtered through several layers of gauze.
Sedative
The plant calms the nervous system, relieves hiccups, improves the quality of sleep.
Preparation of infusion:
- green hiccup (flowers) - 40 g;
- water - 200 ml;
- the components are mixed and kept in a water bath for 30 minutes;
- removed from the heat, cover the container. Allow the liquid to cool.
- filtered.
Take 1 tsp in case of hiccups. with an interval of 40 minutes (until the unpleasant symptoms disappear). 2 hours before bedtime, take 1 tbsp. l. and the same dose is used directly at night.
In case of anxiety and irritability, they drink 1 tbsp of gray-green hiccups during the day. l. with an interval of 4 hours
For diarrhea
An infusion of flowers and leaves of this plant is taken for indigestion. The remedy quickly helps to normalize the stool.
Preparation:
- dry raw materials are crushed;
- 2 tbsp means pour 200 ml of boiling water;
- insist in a sealed container for 4 hours.
Drink by sip at intervals of 2 hours.
Contraindications
There is no particular restriction in the use of gray-green hiccups. The main contraindication is that decoctions and tinctures of the plant cannot be used with low blood pressure. Recommended with caution to pregnant and lactating women, as well as with individual intolerance.
Procurement and storage of raw materials
The seeds of the gray-green hiccup are harvested as they ripen, so that they do not have time to crumble (approximately from mid-August). They are placed in a cloth or paper bag and stored in a ventilated place.
The root is dug at the beginning of spring, the surface is cleared of soil and stored in a suspended state, it is advisable to take it to the balcony or to an outbuilding.
Flowers, stems and leaves of the plant are harvested in early July. The gray-green hiccup is divided, cut into small pieces and dried on a tray in a shaded place. They do the same with flowers, only they are laid out separately. The gray-green hiccup is stored in a canvas bag at low air humidity.
Conclusion
Ikotnik gray or green is a biennial weed with a medicinal chemical composition. Used in folk medicine in the form of a tincture or decoction. Used in design for landscaping empty areas. It is grown as a honey plant. The plant is unpretentious, therefore the composition of the soil, weather conditions, sufficient lighting for the growing season do not play a role. Gray-green hiccup is widespread throughout the temperate zone.
