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Medicinal properties of lungwort and method of application. Grass lungwort - benefits and contraindications. Biochemical composition, medicinal properties of lungwort

Lungwort medicinal (lat. Pulmonaria officinalis) - perennial herbaceous plant genus Lungwort, Buranchikovye family (Boraginaceae).

The people call the plant lungwort, water springs, spotted grass, poultice herb, honeydew, smoktunchiki.

The name pulmonaria, incidentally coinciding with the Latin "pulmonaria" (Pulmonaria) - "lung", is obviously associated with the use of plants of this genus for the treatment of pulmonary diseases.

The name used in scientific and popular science literature - lungwort - coincides with the traditional Russian name of the genus and is associated with honey properties representatives of the genus: the flowers of the plant contain a lot of nectar, in addition, it is one of the earliest honey plants.

In nature, there are about 15 types of lungwort, the most common are soft lungwort, narrow-leaved lungwort, obscure lungwort, which to some extent, along with medicinal lungwort, are used in medicinal purposes.

As for the Buranchikov family, it has another medicinal representative described on our website - this is comfrey or larkspur, the second name of which speaks of the properties of healing bones and wounds.

plant description

The stem of the lungwort is upright, branched, covered with short hairs, no more than 30-35 centimeters high.

Lungwort has a thick, developed rhizome. The upper leaves are sessile, and lower down the stem they have a short petiole. The color of the leaves is green with small whitish spots. The leaves have a velvety pubescence, the shape is ovoid with a pointed tip. The flowers are located at the top of the stem and are collected in corymbose, many-flowered, drooping brushes. The flower is shaped like a bell.

At the beginning of flowering, the flowers have a pink-crimson color, but by the end they become a bright blue-violet color. Their color depends on anthocyanin, which in young flowers shows a pink color, since the contents of their cells are acidic, while in aging flowers it is slightly alkaline. It is possible that the change in the color of the corolla is of informational significance for pollinating insects, but the adaptive significance of this phenomenon is not completely clear.

Lungwort blooms in May. After flowering, closer to the middle of summer, a fruit is formed - four nuts pointed at the end.

Thanks to interesting property change color during the flowering period, medicinal lungwort is widely used in landscape design and cultivated as an ornamental plant in horticulture. In England, lungwort is specially grown as a salad plant.

Lungwort officinalis grows mainly in the forests of Eastern and Central Europe, in swampy areas or grasslands of the British Isles. On the territory of the Russian Federation, it is not so common and, mainly, in Kaliningrad region and in the Caucasus. Also lungwort officinalis grows in certain areas Belarus and Ukraine.

Procurement and storage of medicinal raw materials

Despite the presence of ornamental crops, wild-growing lungwort is preferred during harvesting. Like the vast majority medicinal herbs, in everyday life and medicine, all parts of the plant are used - flowers, roots, leaves and stems. Flowers, leaves and stems of lungwort are harvested in spring and summer periods, and the roots - in the fall.

Drying of lungwort is possible both in suspended bundles, in a well-ventilated and darkened room, and in the unfolded state on conventional dryers for medicinal plants. The roots of lungwort are thoroughly washed before harvesting and only after that they are dried at a temperature of about 40 ° C in drying cabinets. The main criterion for the completion of drying is the brittleness of the starting material.

You can store dried grass both in glass containers and in ordinary cardboard boxes. The shelf life of lungwort officinalis is one year.

Biochemical composition, medicinal properties of lungwort

Medicinal raw materials contain tannins and mucous substances, carotene, ascorbic acid, rutin, traces of alkaloids, trace elements of the hematopoietic complex: manganese, iron, copper, iodine, potassium, silicon, etc. Initially, lungwort was used for treatment of lung diseases, but now the range of diseases amenable to the influence of the plant has expanded.

Lungwort has astringent, emollient, expectorant, diuretic, hemostatic, wound healing properties. It relieves inflammation and pain, disinfects.

Thanks to the presence a large number trace elements, lungwort favors hematopoietic processes, activates thiamine (vitamin B1), significantly improves protein, carbohydrate and water metabolism.

On this moment lungwort can cope with diseases such as:

  • Nervous disorders, insomnia, headache, epilepsy;
  • Hypertension, heart palpitations, poor circulation, tracheitis, anemia, vasculitis, anemia;
  • Improper metabolism, pyelonephritis, gastritis, beriberi, colitis, urolithiasis and kidney stones;
  • Tuberculosis, cough, pneumonia, asthma, bronchitis, respiratory catarrh, acute respiratory diseases;
  • Inflammatory processes, ulcers, suppuration and abscesses, eczema, psoriasis, lichen, boils, abscesses, pigmentation disorders, diathesis;
  • Hormonal failure, female inflammatory diseases, whites, uterine bleeding;
  • Bleeding of various kinds, hemorrhoids, diarrhea, diarrhea;
  • gum disease, goiter, laryngitis, hoarseness;
  • Allergy, scrofula.

Lungwort improves skin condition and enhances regeneration, strengthens hair, cleanses the blood, strengthens the immune system, regulates the secretion of glands, strengthens capillaries and heart muscle. Thanks to it, the formation of tumors and blood clots is prevented, the occurrence diabetes. Lungwort regulates acid-base balance and improves sexual function.

The use of lungwort in folk medicine

Traditional healers use lungwort mainly in the form of a decoction, infusion, as well as lotions and compresses.

Lungwort infusion: recommended for treatment chronic bronchitis, hoarseness caused by excessive overexertion vocal cords. The drug also helps with scrofulous eruptions in children, and can also be used as aid in the treatment of tuberculosis. For 1 cup of boiling water, 2 tablespoons are required. chopped lungwort herb. Infuse for an hour and take 1 - 2 tbsp. several times a day.

An infusion of the plant (30-40 g per 1 liter of water) is very effective for intestinal diseases (diarrhea), especially in combination with 1 tablespoon of flaxseed, 1 tablespoon of crushed comfrey root and 100 g of rose hips. The collection is poured in the evening with 1 liter of water, in the morning the swollen rose hips are rubbed and filtered twice. Take the entire portion in sips throughout the day.

Externally, an infusion of the whole plant is used to wash festering wounds, ulcers, boils.

Lungwort tincture: take liter jar and fill with fresh grass (pre-grind) half, if the grass dried, then by a third, and pour vodka to the full volume. Insist for at least 14 days in a dark place, shaking occasionally. You need to drink the finished tincture 1 teaspoon, adding it to the a large number of water, before meals 3-4 times a day.

Condensed decoction: to prepare the drug, you need 1 liter of beer, 1 tsp. May honey and 2 tbsp. medicinal raw materials. Keep the mixture in a water bath until the volume of liquid is halved, then remove from heat and strain. It is necessary to take the drug on an empty stomach (1 hour before meals), up to 4 times a day. The course of treatment can be 10 or more days, depending on the result. The drug is recommended for use in mild cases of pneumonia, as well as for the treatment of bronchitis, laryngitis and tracheitis.

Lung collection

It is recommended for the treatment of obstructive bronchitis with an asthmatic component. Ingredients: 2 tbsp. calendula and linden flowers, coltsfoot herbs, tricolor violets, wild rosemary, nettle leaves and marshmallow root, 1 tbsp. elecampane root, elder flowers and pine buds. For 3 cups of boiling water, 3 tablespoons are required. herbal mixture. Insist in a thermos for 8 hours (it is recommended to cook in the evening). Strained infusion must be drunk during the day, half a glass at a time.

Lungwort from hemorrhoids

Collection: chamomile, lungwort, white clover, yarrow, veronica, nettle, white willow leaves, lingonberry leaf - all in equal proportion. Half a liter of boiling water (cook in a thermos) will require 2 tbsp. herbal mixture. Insist for half an hour, then strain and take 1/2 cup three times a day (heat before use).

The drug is prescribed not only in the treatment of hemorrhoids, but also in the case of uterine fibroids. In the treatment of hemorrhoids, suppositories "Apilak" are additionally used (at night), and in the case of fibroids, douching and tamponade with a decoction of celandine (before bedtime).

Lungwort in the treatment of joint diseases

To relieve pain and relieve inflammation, it is recommended to take an infusion prepared from 4 parts of knotweed herb, marshmallow flowers and bedstraw grass (2 parts each), lungwort, veronica and hawthorn flowers (1 part each). For 2 cups of boiling water - 3 tsp. herbal mixture. Insist 30 - 40 minutes. Take 100 ml after meals.

Herbal collection for illness Bladder and kidneys

For cooking herbal collection it is necessary to take well-chopped components in equal quantities - lungwort grass, plantain leaf, sage and wormwood grass, centaury grass. Mix everything well, then pour a tablespoon of this collection with a glass of boiling water and add 20-25 grams of honey. Then put on fire and boil for 5-10 minutes. Cool, strain and drink a tablespoon before meals.

Vitamin salad from lungwort

Fresh leaves and stems of the plant are prescribed to weakened patients in the early spring, when there are no fresh, vitamin-rich vegetables. Lungwort salad for lunch or dinner is prepared as follows: they collect the stems of the plant, wash, chop, add sunflower oil or sour cream. Leaves and stems of lungwort in salad are often mixed in a 1:1 ratio with gravilate leaves. Such a salad contains vitamins, which last year's vegetables are poor in early spring.

Contraindications to the use of lungwort

Lungwort actually has no contraindications. However, during treatment pathological conditions The body of this medicinal plant should not be used on an empty stomach. Since nausea may occur. It is not recommended to use lungwort for intestinal spasms, constipation and atony. Before treatment, do not forget to consult with your doctor.

Thank you

At the beginning of spring, the forests are decorated with flowering lungwort- an excellent early honey plant, a beautiful and medicinal plant that has long been used to treat lung diseases. About it amazing plant and we will talk in this article, dwelling in detail on its healing properties, benefits and applications.

Description of the plant lungwort

Lungwort (or pulmonaria) is an annual or biennial herbaceous plant belonging to the borage family (Boraginaceae). Close "relatives" of the lungwort are forget-me-nots, brunners, umbilicals, and also borage.

At the heart of the scientific name of the genus Medunitsa - Pulmonaria - lies latin word"pulmon", which in translation means "lung" (this explains the popular names of the plant, including "lung" and "lung grass"). This name was given to the lungwort for the reason that the oval leaves of the plant in their shape resemble such an organ as the lungs.

At one time, Paracelsus developed the doctrine of signatures, the beginning of which was laid by Galen and Dioscorides. According to this doctrine, there is a relationship between animate and inanimate nature, which is manifested by external similarity and is marked with special signs. Thus, nature itself demonstrates by the appearance of a plant for the treatment of which organ it can be used.

The Russian name of the genus "lungwort", used in the scientific literature, is due to the fact that representatives of the genus have honey-bearing properties, because the flowers of this plant contain a large amount of nectar, not to mention the fact that lungwort is one of the earliest honey plants.

Interesting fact! Due to early flowering, lungwort, like some other plants, is called "snowdrop" in some regions of Russia.

What does a lungwort look like?

Medunka (this is another popular name for the plant) has a straight, but at the same time branched stem, which reaches a height of 30 - 80 cm. Enough long root grass is distinguished by the presence of small tubers.

The stem is covered with leaves, the upper ones are lanceolate-wedge-shaped, and the lower ones are oblong. I must say that the finely pointed leaves of the plant have a slight pubescence.

Lungwort flowers are collected in original paired small-flowered curls located on the tops of the stems, and the corolla of the flower most often has a funnel shape.

Lungwort can "boast" of two types of flowers, which differ not only in their structure, but also in shade. But everything is in order. And let's start with the structure of the flowers: for example, some flowers have, firstly, long columns of pistils that protrude from the corolla, and secondly, short stamens hidden in the depths of the corolla. Other flowers, on the contrary, are distinguished by short columns of pistils and long stamens. This kind of feature of flowers makes it possible to prevent self-pollination, thereby making cross-pollination the most effective.

Let's move on to color scheme flowers collected in inflorescences.

According to legend, blue flowers lungworts are Adam's flowers, and pink ones are Eve's. Thus, the lungwort acts as a plant, symbolizing the unity of opposites.

But such a "neighborhood" has a more rational (scientific) explanation. The fact is that the lungwort contains plant pigments (or anthocyanins), which are responsible for the color of the petals. Due to the presence of anthocyanins in the plant, the flowers change their color in accordance with the acidity of the cell sap. So, in young flowers of a plant, the cell sap is acidic, as a result of which anthocyanins have a pink color. In the course of aging of flowers, the acidity of their juice decreases significantly, and therefore anthocyanins gradually turn blue.

The fruit of the lungwort is a crescent-shaped one-seeded bean.

Where does the lungwort grow?

All types of lungwort are found in the wild in the temperate zone of Eurasia, with the most extensive area occupied by soft lungwort, common from Western Europe and up to Asia Minor. Lungwort also grows in Eastern Siberia.

Lungworts growing on the territory of broad-leaved and coniferous-broad-leaved forests prefer partial shade or shaded and cool areas. But this plant does not favor heat.

Lungwort is considered a relatively moisture-loving and cold-resistant plant, preferring sandy or loamy, alkaline or slightly acidic and loose soils that contain humus.

Interesting fact! It is in the shade that the beautiful pattern on the leaves of the lungwort is especially bright, while the flowers acquire a truly saturated color.

Types of herb lungwort

Modern pharmacology practically does not use lungwort, while traditional medicine, on the contrary, actively uses this plant, which contains a lot of substances, vitamins, macro- and microelements that are most useful for the human body.

Total genus Medunitsa, according to the data various sources, has from 12 to 70 species, which are practically not preserved in their pure form due to the high pollination of the plant. For this reason, to this day, there is no clear structure in the systematics of this genus.

For medicinal purposes, three types of lungwort are used (medicinal, obscure, softest), which, in their own way, healing properties and composition are almost identical, and therefore are equally used in traditional medicine (all the recipes in this article can be prepared from one of the three listed types of lungwort). So, we will give a description of each of the indicated types, after which we will proceed to consider their properties and applications.

Lungwort obscure

This type of lungwort, which is also called the dark lungwort, is considered to be the most common in the territory. of Eastern Europe.

Lungwort obscure is a perennial with a fairly thick brown rhizome. Absolutely the entire plant is covered with stiff, standing and glandular hairs.

The ribbed and slightly bent stem of the dark lungwort rarely exceeds 30 cm in height. This plant blooms immediately after the snow melts, lifting its stems above the ground. As the flowering progresses, the stems of the plant increase, reaching a size of about 20 - 30 cm.

Green stem leaves, without spots, medium-sized and oblong.

The flowers of Lungwort obscure, collected in an inflorescence-curl, are concentrated at the end of the stem.

The dry fruits of this type of lungwort disintegrate in the process of ripening into four one-seeded nuts, and after the seeds ripen, absolutely the entire flowering shoot dies off together with the leaves, and the plant develops the so-called basal rosettes.

Mostly flowers of lungwort obscure lilac color, although there are specimens with purple or white flowers.

Lungwort officinalis

Lungwort medicinal mainly grows in the forests of Central and Eastern Europe, in the British Isles. In Russia, this plant can be found in the Kaliningrad region.

This perennial rhizomatous plant reaches a height of up to 30 cm, and has erect and hairy stems.

The leaves of the lungwort are covered with light spots, their length does not exceed 15 cm. light spots on the foliage, the plants are a strongly loosened tissue, dotted with stomata. All lungwort leaves are rough and pubescent.

Flowers-bells, located at the ends of the stem, have a double perianth.

The fruit of the plant ripening in July is a nut with fairly fleshy appendages (the nuts have points at the ends).

The rhizome of this type of lungwort is very developed and quite thick.

Lungwort soft (softest)

This type of lungwort is common from Western Europe to Asia Minor, it is not rare in Eastern Siberia either. The softest lungwort prefers light, moderately dry places and rich minerals soil.

The roots of the softest lungwort have a powerful rhizome Brown and many adventitious roots.

The height of this plant varies between 10 - 50 cm, from other types of lungwort this species characterized by the presence of soft velvety and slightly sticky pubescence.

The stem, branched at the inflorescence, is erect and glandular in places.

The leaves of the soft lungwort gradually taper towards the petiole. It should be noted that the upper side of the leaves is glandular in places, while the lower side is velvety-pubescent and lighter. The leaves of the plant remain green until autumn.

The bisexual flowers of the plant, collected in fairly dense curls, have correct form and grow on glandular pedicels directly in the axils of the leaves.

The fruit of the lungwort is a dark brown nut.

Collection and storage

For medicinal purposes, both the aerial part of the lungwort and the roots of the plant are used.

The aerial part is harvested during budding and flowering: for example, flowering shoots (possibly with leaves) are cut off near the soil itself, after which they are folded in small bunches and hung in a ventilated room to dry. You can also dry the raw materials in the sun or using dryers (the temperature should not exceed 40 degrees). It is important to dry the raw material quickly, which will help prevent its blackening.

The roots are collected and dried enough long time autumn.

After drying, it is advisable to grind all parts of the plant (grind) and grind into powder.

Dried raw materials are stored in dense fabric or paper bags.

flowering lungwort

The lungwort blooms in the second - fourth year of life, while on a brightened area the plant blooms earlier than in the shade (later the lungwort will bloom annually, fruiting and giving self-sowing).

As mentioned above, the lungwort is one of those plants that appear in the forests with the advent of spring: for example, there is still snow in the damp hollows, while the bees actively collect pollen from the lungwort, gaining strength after a long winter.

Composition and properties of lungwort

Anthocyanins
Action:
  • reduce the fragility of both capillaries and blood vessels;
  • normalize the functions of the central nervous system;
  • slow down the aging process;
  • regulate metabolism;
  • remove the inflammatory process;
  • strengthen the heart muscle;
  • eliminate bleeding of various origins;
  • reduce the risk of developing cancer, as well as diabetes.
Flavonoids
Action:
  • prevent sclerotic lesions of capillaries;
  • remove free radicals;
  • normalize blood pressure;
  • regulate heart rate;
  • strengthen the vascular walls;
  • have a calming effect on the nervous system;
  • stimulate the functions of the adrenal cortex.
Allantoin
Action:
  • regenerates and softens the skin;
  • narrows enlarged pores;
  • smoothes and moisturizes the skin;
  • stimulates metabolic processes directly in tissues;
  • promotes moisture retention in the upper layer of the epidermis;
  • actively renews cells;
  • nourishes and moisturizes the hair roots, as well as the scalp.


Saponins
Action:

  • contribute to increased secretion of bronchial glands;
  • liquefy mucus;
  • accelerate the synthesis of corticosteroids;
  • excite the cough center;
  • regulate water and salt exchanges;
  • activate the activity of hormones;
  • eliminate inflammation.
Slime
Action:
  • relieve inflammation;
  • promote sputum discharge;
  • enhance the effect of certain drugs.
Silicic acid
Action: Ascorbic acid
Action:
  • regulates oxidative and reduction processes of cellular respiration directly;
  • strengthens capillaries;
  • promotes the growth and development of bone tissue;
  • strengthens the immune system;
  • stimulates the production of adrenal hormones;
  • normalizes the functions of the central nervous system, as well as endocrine glands;
  • normalizes the process of hematopoiesis.

Carotene
Action:
  • prevents the formation of tumors;
  • regulates protein synthesis;
  • normalizes metabolic processes;
  • removes toxins and free radicals;
  • prevents premature aging processes;
  • strengthens the immune system;
  • normalizes oxidative and reduction processes.
Tannins
The main task of tannins is to form a biological film that protects body tissues from adverse chemical, bacterial and mechanical influences. Also, these substances significantly reduce capillary permeability and constrict blood vessels.

Rutin
Action:

  • helps to reduce the fragility and permeability of capillaries;
  • dissolves atherosclerotic plaques, thereby preventing the development of stroke and heart attack;
  • accelerates the process of blood clotting;
  • lowers arterial and intraocular pressure;
  • significantly slows down the heart rate;
  • promotes bile formation;
  • stimulates the work of the adrenal cortex;
  • eliminates puffiness;
  • relieves allergies.
Polyphenols
Action:
  • relieve inflammation;
  • eliminate gum disease;
  • improve blood circulation;
  • reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases;
  • remove radionuclides from the body;
  • accelerate the healing process;
  • maintains skin elasticity;
  • help strengthen blood vessels;
  • accelerate the process of recovery of patients with oncological diseases.
Iodine
Action:
  • promotes an increase in the activity of enzymes;
  • contributes to the full physical, mental and mental development;
  • regulates functions of cardio-vascular system, gastrointestinal tract, reproductive, bone and muscle systems;
  • enhances metabolic processes.
In addition to iodine, which is found in large quantities in the lungwort, the presence of manganese and potassium, copper and calcium, iron and vanadium, titanium and silver, nickel and strontium was revealed in this plant, which affect the body as follows:
  • normalize redox processes;
  • normalize the work of the pancreas;
  • prevent the formation of cancer cells;
  • lower the concentration of cholesterol;
  • normalize metabolism;
  • synthesize a hormone thyroid gland;
  • normalize the work of the central nervous system;
  • strengthen the skeleton;
  • prevent the formation of kidney stones;
  • eliminate swelling;
  • stimulate the production of the necessary normal life human substances and enzymes;
  • prevent the development of atherosclerosis;
  • normalize pressure;
  • relieve spasms;
  • strengthen immunity;
  • contribute to the formation of hemoglobin.

Lungwort properties

  • Emollient.
  • Astringent.
  • Anti-inflammatory.
  • Diuretic.
  • Hemostatic.
  • Wound healing.
  • Antiseptic.
  • Expectorant.
  • Painkiller.
  • Enveloping.
  • Hemostatic.

The benefits of lungwort

1. Regulates the functioning of the glands internal secretion.
2. Promotes increased blood formation.
3. Stops bleeding.
4. Relieves inflammation.
5. Accelerates the process of wound healing.
6. Prevents the formation of blood clots.
7. Regulates alkaline-acid balance.
8. Purifies the blood.
9. Relieves pain syndrome.
10. Helps to expel mucus.
11. Normalizes the functioning of the nervous system.
12. Stimulates the immune system, increasing the body's defenses.
13. Restores the deficiency of potassium and iodine in the body.
14. Activates sexual function.
15. Strengthens hair and promotes their growth.
16. Accelerates the treatment of malignant neoplasms.

Treatment with lungwort

Both above-ground and underground parts of lungwort are used in the treatment of the following list of diseases:
  • pulmonary tuberculosis;
  • bleeding (menstrual, hemorrhoids, gastric, nasal);
  • urolithiasis and kidney stones;
  • cough;
  • kidney inflammation;
  • hoarseness;
  • laryngitis;
  • bronchitis;
  • pneumonia;
  • bronchial asthma;
  • haemorrhoids;
  • anemia;
  • purulent wounds;
  • bloody urine;
  • scrofula;
  • female diseases of inflammatory origin;
  • lichen planus;
  • furunculosis;
  • collagenoses;
  • toothache and headache;
  • scrofula;
  • jade;
  • hemoptysis;
  • gastritis;
  • radiation injury;
  • whites;
  • pneumonia;
  • fluid accumulation;
  • catarrh of the upper respiratory tract.

Flowers

This part of the plant is used for medicinal purposes to strengthen the immune system, eliminate bleeding and inflammation. Lungwort flowers collected in early April can be brewed as tea, or you can make an alcohol tincture.

A liter jar is filled with one-third of the flowers of the plant, after which the container is filled to the top with vodka. The remedy is infused for two to three weeks, filtered and taken in 3 tsp. three times a day, diluted in 50 ml of boiled water.

Lungwort leaves

Fresh leaves of lungwort have hemostatic, wound healing, as well as astringent and antiseptic action, therefore, are used to treat wounds and skin diseases. To speed up the healing process of wounds, a slurry prepared from crushed leaves should be applied to the affected area of ​​the skin.

From the leaves and stems of the plant, decoctions, infusions and tinctures are prepared, used in folk medicine to treat the diseases listed above.

In addition, the leaves of the lungwort are edible, as a result of which they can be used to make salads and soups enriched with vitamins (by the way, in England, the lungwort was specially grown as a salad plant).

Lungwort Salad
Ingredients:

  • fresh young leaves of lungwort - 250 g;
  • green onions - 100 g;
  • hard boiled egg - 1 pc.
Lungwort leaves are washed and mixed with finely chopped onion and egg. All components are mixed, after which the salad is salted to taste and seasoned with a small amount of butter, sour cream or mayonnaise (it all depends on individual taste preferences).

Salad with lungwort and radish
Ingredients:

  • fresh lungwort leaves - 200 g;
  • radish - 200 g;
  • sour cream - 40 g.
The lungwort is crushed, the radish is grated, after which both components are mixed, salted and seasoned with sour cream.

So simple yet delicious recipes(lungwort leaves taste like vermouth) will help strengthen the body, give strength and energy, enrich the body with vitamins.

Roots

Decoctions and infusions from the tubers and roots of lungwort have a diuretic, anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effect, they are shown as internal and external agents in the treatment of inflammation of the rectum and mucous membranes, with skin lesions. An infusion from the roots of the plant is used for douching the vagina with whites.

The use of lungwort

Tincture

Lungwort tincture will help to cope with bronchitis, bronchial asthma, pneumonia, anemia.

30 g of dry lungwort leaves are poured into 500 ml of vodka and infused for 14 days. A filtered agent is taken in 2 tsp. three times a day before meals.

Taking such a tincture will help enhance the antitumor effect by 20 - 60 percent. It also significantly reduces the severity of anemia.

Infusion

An aqueous infusion of lungwort is indicated for prolonged cough, hoarseness, hemorrhoids, childhood tuberculosis, inflammation of the kidneys and urolithiasis. Externally, the infusion is used to restore vaginal microflora, as well as for the treatment of skin diseases (the infusion will help relieve itching and irritation, not to mention the acceleration of the "tightening" of long-term non-healing wounds).

To prepare the infusion 2 tsp. herbs are poured with 200 ml of boiling water, after which the remedy is infused for about two hours. The infusion is taken three times a day for a tablespoon, up to complete cure sick.

Decoction

Decoctions from lungwort are an excellent emollient, enveloping, astringent and expectorant, used for catarrh of the respiratory tract, colds, coughs, and gastrointestinal diseases.

3 tbsp lungwort (its aerial part) pour 400 ml of boiling water, leave for three hours, squeeze out the raw materials. Drink a decoction of 100 ml 4-5 times a day. A more concentrated decoction is recommended to wash wounds, ulcers, boils.

In addition, this decoction can be rinsed sore throat and douche with whites.

  • echinacea;
  • thyme;
  • rose hip;

Lungwort juice

Juice is the most valuable "part" of lungwort. It is used in the treatment oncological diseases, leukemia, thyroid disease, anemia, tuberculosis, inflammatory diseases.

The juice contains a large amount of iodine, so it can be used as an analogue of the latter: for example, when applying a few drops of juice from fresh lungwort on skin covering a yellow spot appears, as with the use of iodine.

fresh and canned juice lungwort will help to quickly stop the bleeding from the wound.

The juice of the plant, in order to exclude souring, is alcoholized in a ratio of 1: 1 with vodka.

When taking juice inside, dilute it in a ratio of 1:10 with water.

Instructions for use lungwort (BAA)

Today, lungwort is also sold as a dietary supplement, which is an excellent source of flavonoids and polyphenols.

This form of the drug is produced in the form of briquettes of 2.5 and 5 g.

Method of application and dosage
A 5 g briquette (or two briquettes at once, each 2.5 g) is brewed with a glass of boiling water, infused for 15 minutes, filtered, squeezed and taken in half a glass twice a day during meals.

The duration of the course is one month.

Contraindications:

  • Individual intolerance.
  • Breastfeeding period.

The softest lungwort: use for various diseases - video

Lungwort honey

For beekeepers, lungwort is of great interest for several reasons. Firstly, it blooms in early spring, namely in the month of April, thus being one of the earliest honey plants. Secondly, this plant blooms for about 32 - 35 days, releasing a large amount of nectar: ​​for example, the honey productivity of the lungwort varies between 30 - 75 kg / ha. Thirdly, lungwort flowers are very popular with both bees and bumblebees.

Outwardly, as lotions, washings, baths and rinses, an infusion prepared according to the same recipe is used, but 4 tablespoons are used for 500 ml of boiling water. medicinal raw materials.

Infusion for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, hemorrhoids and diarrhea

Pour 100 g of dry grass with 1 liter of boiling water, let the product brew for two hours, after which it should be filtered (the grass is then squeezed out and removed from the infusion). The infusion is taken in half a glass two to three times a day. In order to achieve maximum result lungwort grass is mixed in a ratio of 1: 1 with crushed flax seeds oregano hemorrhoids, as well as female diseases and inflammation of the kidneys, the infusion is prepared according to a similar recipe, but it should be stronger. Before use, you should consult with a specialist.

Lungwort is an unusual beautiful plant with spotty leaves, for which flower growers love it. This plant is distinguished by such a phenomenon, which is rarely found in flowering plants, as a change in the color of the corolla of a flower during its flowering - at the beginning the color is pink, and then it changes and turns blue.

In addition to decorative properties, lungwort is also a rich honey plant and an excellent medicine:

If you can't breathe anymore,
Cough chokes, pain lurks,
And no one could help
Know - the lungwort will help!

plant description

Lungwort officinalis ( Latin name Pulmonaria officinalis) is a representative of the genus Lungwort, belonging to the Borage family (Boraginaceae). This herbaceous perennial plant is found among shrubs, in forests, in glades along the banks of rivers and lakes in shaded cool places. The stem of the lungwort is upright, branched, covered with short hairs, no more than 30-35 centimeters high.

Lungwort has a thick, developed rhizome. The upper leaves are sessile, and lower down the stem they have a short petiole. The color of the leaves is green with small whitish spots. The leaves have a velvety pubescence, the shape is ovoid with a pointed tip. The flowers are located at the top of the stem and are collected in corymbose, many-flowered, drooping brushes. The flower is shaped like a bell.

At the beginning of flowering, the flowers have a pink-crimson color, but by the end they become a bright blue-violet color. Lungwort blooms in May. After flowering, closer to the middle of summer, a fruit is formed - four nuts pointed at the end. In nature, lungwort grows in almost the entire territory of our country, with the possible exception of only the northern regions and the Far East.

The medicinal property is inherent in the entire aerial part of the plant. Lungwort is a honey, medicinal and food plant. The spring basal leaves of the plant are used in spring salads, and in England it is specially grown in large areas for use in salads.

Medicinal properties of lungwort

Lungwort officinalis contains tannins, carotene, mucus, alkaloids, ascorbic acid, trace elements: copper, manganese, iron, iodine, silicon, potassium, etc., saponins and tannin, etc. medicinal substances and connections.

Thanks to great content tannin and saponins, lungwort is used in the treatment of pulmonary diseases, as an expectorant and cough softener.

Lungwort is also used as a diuretic, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, antiseptic.
This plant improves performance immune system body, helps with diseases of the kidneys and bladder, is an enveloping and hemostatic agent.

Procurement of medicinal raw materials

It is recommended to collect lungwort during its flowering period or when the flowers have not yet opened and are in buds.

Lungwort has a mild honey aroma, slightly sweet in taste. Young shoots with flowers are cut almost to the very root, damaged leaves are removed.

Then the stems of the plant are tied in small bunches and hung to dry in the shade under a canopy, avoiding getting wet in the rain. You can also dry the prepared raw materials in the oven at a temperature of no more than 40 degrees. Finished raw materials should be stored in a cool dry place.

Lungwort in folk medicine

In folk medicine, lungwort is used as a decoction, infusion, as well as lotions and compresses.

Traditional healers use lungwort as a means of regulating the activity of the endocrine glands, a good analgesic and blood purifier, as well as an emollient.

Lungwort is excellent for all types of lung diseases (it is not for nothing that it is called lung grass) - for tuberculosis, lung cancer, chronic bronchitis and pneumonia, fluid accumulation, hemoptysis and catarrh.

Decoctions prepared from lungwort are prescribed for the treatment of nervous and heart diseases, for headaches and inflammations. gastrointestinal tract, and externally they are used as a good healing agent for wounds and ulcers. And due to the high content of silicon in lungwort, along with the treatment of diseases, stimulation and strengthening of the body's immune system occurs.

This plant perfectly restores the deficiency in the body of iodine and potassium, which is very necessary for thyroid disease.

Apply lungwort for diseases genitourinary system, hemorrhoids, acute nephritis, with liver diseases, diarrhea, accompanied by pain in the intestines, with various bleeding, avitaminosis.

Gargle with a decoction and infusions, with diseases of the oral cavity, used as a douche for whites in women.

Infusion for diseases of the lungs, intestines, inflammation of the skin is prepared as follows : two tablespoons of well-chopped lungwort grass are poured into a glass of boiling water and allowed to brew for 3-4 hours, then filtered and drunk a quarter cup 3-4 times a day. You can add some honey. Outwardly, such an infusion is used for douching the vagina or rectum.

Freshly squeezed juice for anemia, leukemia, pulmonary diseases is prepared as follows: squeeze the juice from fresh lungwort grass, then add vodka at the rate of 1:1 and let it brew for several hours. Take a teaspoon 3-4 times a day.

tea for diarrhea intestinal inflammation drink a cup three times a day. Tea is prepared as follows: 2 tsp. spoons of chopped lungwort grass pour 100 ml of boiling water, leave for 10-15 minutes and drink.

Herbal collection for diseases of the bladder and kidneys. To prepare the herbal collection, it is necessary to take well-chopped components in equal quantities - lungwort grass, plantain leaf, sage and wormwood grass, centaury grass. Mix everything well, then pour a tablespoon of this collection with a glass of boiling water and add 20-25 grams of honey. Then put on fire and boil for 5-10 minutes. Cool, strain and drink a tablespoon before meals.

Decoction for lung diseases (very effective!): take 2 tablespoons of finely chopped lungwort grass, pour 1 liter of beer, add 1 tbsp there. honey, put on fire and boil until the volume is reduced by half. It is necessary to take a decoction of 2-3 teaspoons, 3-4 times a day before meals, with a small amount of water.

Lungwort tincture. Take a liter jar and fill it with fresh grass (pre-grind) half, if the grass is dried, then a third, and pour vodka to the full volume. Insist for at least 14 days in a dark place, shaking occasionally. Drink the finished tincture should be 1 teaspoon, adding it to a small amount of water, before meals 3-4 times a day.

Contraindications

There are no contraindications, but individual intolerance is possible.

Lungwort officinalis

The use of lungwort officinalis in folk medicine

We all know very well that the most frequent illnesses among the population of the whole world - these are respiratory ailments, accompanied by a cough that haunts each of us all our lives.

Lungwort officinalis, or, as it is popularly called, lung, is widely used in folk medicine for the treatment colds. Greetings, dear guests and friends of the blog " Recipes traditional medicine ».

Lungwort officinalis | Pulmonaria officinalis | Borage family (Boraginaceae)

● Herbaceous perennial medicinal plant has a rather thick but short rhizome and a pubescent stem, reaching a height of 30 to 40 cm. The leaves near the roots are large (20-25 cm long), have a violet-blue (blue) color at the beginning of the flowering phase, and by the end of flowering, the color of the corollas changes to pink. And normally at this time in the corolla there can be both pink and blue flowers.

● Lungwort medicinal plant unpretentious - grows in all regions great Russia, except that it is absent in the Arctic zone. Favorite places are the edges of forests, mainly coniferous; along roads, glades and in forest meadows.

Lungwort officinalis - use in traditional medicine

● For medicinal purposes, flowers and leaves are usually harvested, less often the roots of the plant are used. It is advisable to collect medicinal raw materials during the flowering period, they need to be dried quickly in well-ventilated rooms: in attics, under sheds, etc.

If you find that some of the raw materials have turned black during the drying process, be aware that the place you have chosen does not have sufficient ventilation.

● Lungwort medicinal people called lung grass, thanks to its widespread use for treatment, organs respiratory system(pneumonia, bronchitis) as an antitussive and emollient. used in metabolic disorders, especially useful for the treatment of inflammation of the bladder (), (pyelitis, glomerulonephritis).

● In ancient Rus' sorcerers and herbalists treated with lungwort officinalis weak sick children with (anemia). Subsequently, scientists proved that the content in the plant active substances stimulates hematopoiesis.

Since ancient times, the sick (goiter) have been healed with lungwort, for this reason in some regions of Russia it is called iodine-grass.

● Due to the content in the plant garden amount of active substances-saponins, due to the healing effect on the organs of the respiratory system.

Infusions and decoctions of herbs are used for, and hoarseness of voice. And the high content of tannins makes it an effective tool to combat (diarrhea) and other diseases of the digestive system.

● Infusions of a medicinal plant have been successfully tested many times for diseases of the bladder, kidneys, including urolithiasis, bloody urine.

Lungwort officinalis used to be indispensable in the treatment internal bleeding: hemorrhoidal, uterine and gastric. In folk medicine, she was considered one of the most effective means for children in combination with goat's milk and badger fat.

● When conducting experimental studies, it was proved positive influence lungwort officinalis to update the composition of the blood in malignant neoplasms.

It has anti-inflammatory and healing properties, so the crushed leaves of the plant are applied to the skin for a long time. non-healing wounds for faster scarring.

Lungwort officinalis is the best suited for patients with a deficiency of certain microelements, since it contains a large number of them; for example, manganese contains up to 10% of the total mass of ash.

● Young lungwort has a wonderful taste of greens and can be successfully used for preparing spring vitamin salads.

● Let's summarize. Treatment plant has astringent, anti-inflammatory, hematopoietic, diuretic, wound healing, hemostatic, tonic, expectorant and antiseptic properties, and also regulates the work of organs endocrine system especially the thyroid gland.

Traditional medicine recipes

● Steep for 20 minutes 4 teaspoons of herb lungwort officinalis in 300 ml of boiling water, filter. Drink ¼ cup of infusion 3-4 r a day half an hour before meals.

● Knead the leaves of the plant, as when pickling cabbage, until the juice appears. Apply the resulting mass to the non-healing wound surface.

● Eat a vitamin salad in the spring, consisting of young leaves of the lungwort officinalis, borage; pre-compress lightly and add sour cream to taste and a little lemon juice.

● Recipe for the treatment of pyelonephritis and cystitis. Taken equally (1 tablespoon each) herb lungwort officinalis, leaves and lingonberries, pour half a liter of boiling water, warm and set aside in a dark place for half an hour, then filter. 2 tablespoons 4-5 times a day.

● To get rid of hoarseness, prepare this recipe. Infuse for 20 minutes two tablespoons of herb lungwort officinalis, strain. Drink warm, 50 ml of infusion 4-5 times a day, adding a little natural (preferably buckwheat).

● Treatment of inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, pharynx and pharynx, pneumonia , dry cough and Let one tablespoon of the herb in a glass of boiling water infuse a little. Drink in small sips of 250 ml in the morning and evening, adding a spoonful of honey.

● Decoction for treatment and. Pour two tablespoons of crushed leaves of the plant with one liter of beer, add a tablespoon of honey and boil the resulting mixture until half of the original volume is obtained.

Take 1-2 teaspoons three times a day before meals with water for pneumonia. And to strengthen your hair, periodically rinse them after washing your hair.

Get well, friends, God bless you!!!

Lungwort officinalis, lung herb or lungwort obscure - refers to common plants. The beauty of lungwort flowers pleases the eye, but it gained its fame not only thanks to appearance. properties of this wonderful plant widely known and applicable to eliminate multiple problems in the body, as well as in the field of cooking.

Description

The plant belongs to the borage family. Its shoots make their way in March. Initially, it blooms with bright red flowers, gradually acquiring purple, and then blue. It lives in deciduous forests, parks and oak forests.

Leaves perennial plant located on the stems, as well as at the base of the flowers. They are rich in various trace elements, thanks to which the lungwort has earned the name of a medicinal plant.

This is interesting. The Latin version of the name of the plant sounds like "Pulmonas", which means "lung". This term is more than appropriate, because lungwort has been used for the treatment of pulmonary diseases from time immemorial. Moreover, in ancient times it was believed that the spots on the leaves of the lungwort symbolize diseased respiratory organs, which healing herb to be cured after collection and drying.

Collection and storage of medicinal plants

As a basis for the manufacture of numerous medicines all parts of the plant are relevant. It is most convenient to use lungwort in dried form. They dry it in different ways: in the spring, flowers and leaves lend themselves to quick drying with full ventilation. In autumn, the roots are usually dried, slowly and for a long time. Lungwort grass is best stored in boxes lined with paper from the inside.

Since the upper parts of the plant are often used for medicinal purposes, harvesting is carried out during the period of its active flowering. The collected purified raw materials are placed on a pallet, which is installed in a well-ventilated place. Ready dry plants are cut and stored until needed.

The composition and medicinal properties of lungwort

Useful properties of lungwort are largely due to its component composition, which includes multiple useful elements:

  • resins;
  • tannins;
  • allantoin;
  • tannins;
  • phytosterols;
  • mucus;
  • alkaloids;
  • polyphenols;
  • carotene;
  • micro and macro elements: iron, manganese, iodine, silicon, etc.
  • ascorbic acid.