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Lungwort leaves. Preparation of medicinal raw materials. Lungwort officinalis - use in folk medicine

Lungwort is short perennial, healing nature which has long been known in folk medicine all over the world. Already in early spring, charming pinkish-purple flowers, smelling of honey, grow from the ground.

Previously, this plant was popularly known as lungwort and this name was given for a reason; lungwort was used in treatment respiratory tract. IN different periods this plant produces a different environment, acidic at the beginning of life and slightly alkaline in the middle of its life cycle.

Contents of the article:

Medicinal properties

This universal medicinal plant has many beneficial properties:

Envelops.
Removes phlegm.
Participates in hematopoiesis.
Softens.
Improves the functioning of internal glands.
Has diuretic properties.
Pain relief.
Anti-inflammatory effect.
Has antiseptic properties.

Nutritional value and calorie content

Lungwort is also known for its nutritional qualities. It grows almost everywhere and appears as soon as the snow melts, this is one of the most easily accessible sources of calories if you suddenly get lost in the forest. You can also cook lungwort delicious tea, the flowers of the plant are honey-bearing.

The grass contains a number of vitamins, so it is especially useful as food in the spring. You can eat it raw, chop it into a salad or add it to soup.

The British plant lungwort directly in their gardens and have long used lungwort leaves in their cooking. Previously, our ancestors did not ignore this miracle plant and consumed it as food.

The leaves are endowed with many chemical elements necessary for the functioning of the body. Among them are carotene, ascorbic acid, manganese, rutin, and silver.

Are there any harms and contraindications?

The plant has almost no harm or contraindications, with the exception of a few cases. Medicines containing lungwort are prohibited from being taken by people experiencing difficulties from chronic constipation and intolerance.

Contraindicated similar medicines people with high blood clotting and intestinal atony. You should take medications based on lungwort after meals.

Methods of use in folk medicine

At one tablespoon of finely chopped plant is poured into 200 ml of water, left for two hours, then filtered and taken one glass five times a day.
When coughing, grind ten grams of lungwort and pour two mugs of water heated to boiling water and filter. Drink half a glass 3 times a day thirty minutes before meals.
For respiratory diseases two tablespoons of finely chopped herbs are poured into a liter of beer, to which a spoonful of honey is added, and then everything is thoroughly mixed. The resulting solution is heated and 50% of the moisture is evaporated from it, left for half an hour, and then filtered. Take two small spoons three times a day before meals, you can wash it down.
If you have problems with work gastrointestinal tract Forty grams of crushed grass is poured into cooled boiled water, then kept for about two hours and filtered. You need to drink one glass 5 times a day.
For bleeding Leaves crushed to a powdery state are applied to wounds and cuts.
For gastritis, kidney stones pour half a liter of boiling water over twenty grams of lungwort and infuse for two hours, then strain. Half a glass is taken three times a day before meals.
For eczema two tbsp. spoons of dried herbs are brewed with two cups of boiling water, then boiled for ten minutes over low heat and filtered. You need to drink a third of a cup three times a day.
Lungwort tea made from two teaspoons of crushed plant poured with a quarter liter of boiling water. This tea is infused for ten minutes and filtered.

The next time you see these delicate flowers, do not pass by, admire the beauty and power of this small plant, which has been healing people from many ailments for centuries and will heal as many more if we take our minds off the bustle of the civilized world for even a minute and look down at our feet.

Syn.: steam grass, water springs, spotted grass, lung root, forest spear, bear grass, apiary grass, underbark, ox tongue, etc.

Perennial rhizomatous herbaceous plant, in which a rare phenomenon among flowering plants is observed - a change in the color of the corolla during flowering - pink at the beginning to the end of flowering becomes blue. Has long been used as a remedy for pulmonary diseases. It is cultivated as a beautiful ornamental garden and valuable medicinal plant. Excellent early honey plant.

Ask the experts a question

Flower formula

Lungwort flower formula: *H(5)L(5)T(5)P2.

In medicine

Lungwort has been used as a medicinal plant since ancient times; it really helped people and was valuable remedy for respiratory diseases. But modern pharmacology practically does not use lungwort. According to the conclusion Civil service health care in Germany healing effect lungwort is not sufficiently substantiated and it (herbal preparations) is included in only some medicines. However, in official medicine 3 types of lungwort, including lungwort officinalis, are used to some extent to treat pulmonary diseases. Lungwort is used only as a dietary supplement, which is an excellent source of flavonoids and polyphenols.

Contraindications and side effects

There are no contraindications to the preparations of this plant, but they should be used with caution: in case of individual intolerance, during pregnancy and lactation, childhood(up to 3 years), for constipation, increased blood clotting, intestinal atony. In addition, taking lungwort infusion or decoction on an empty stomach can cause nausea.
It is important to know that lungwort preparations are an addition to the main treatment prescribed by the doctor. To avoid side effects caused by an overdose, consult a doctor before use.

In cooking

Lungwort is a valuable vitamin crop; it is popular and specially grown in many countries. Western Europe and England as a salad plant. Fresh leaves and the stems of the plant are recommended for weakened patients in early spring, when fresh, vitamin-rich vegetables are not available. A salad of lungwort leaves and stems mixed with gravilat leaves is quite rich in vitamins, which last year’s vegetables are poor in in the spring. In addition, lungwort is prepared for future use - salted and stored in the refrigerator.

In cooking, lungwort is an indispensable ingredient when preparing various dishes. Young shoots (stems and leaves) are added to soups and salads; it has a sweetish taste and a pronounced honey smell, which gives light dishes vermouth aroma.

In other areas

Lungwort is one of those beautiful and valuable plants (like a honey plant) that appear quite early in the forests with the arrival of spring, when there is still snow in the damp hollows; it is popular with bees, who actively collect pollen from it, gaining strength after a long winter. Therefore, in beekeeping the plant is used as a good honey plant, which is where its Russian name comes from. In addition, lungwort is grown for decorative purposes in gardens and parks for its beautiful spotted leaves and flowers, as well as early flowering. Lungwort is best grown in partial shade, in a cool place, with moist and humus-rich soil.

Classification

Lungwort (lat. Pulmonaria officinalis) is a species of the genus Lungwort (lat. Pulmonaria) of the Borage family (lat. Boraginaceae). The genus is predominantly European, comprising about 70 species of early flowering forest herbaceous plants, widespread in Central and partly Eastern Europe.

Botanical description

A perennial herbaceous plant up to 30 cm tall with a thick, well-developed branched rhizome. The stem is erect, covered with hard bristly hairs. The leaves are rough, also pubescent (up to 15 cm long), with light spots, which are highly loosened fabric with big amount stomata The basal leaves are heart-shaped or ovate on elongated petioles, the stem leaves are smaller, almost sessile, ovate-lanceolate, acute. Flowering stems are also rough and bristly. The flowers are located at the ends of the stems, collected in inflorescences - a loose curl (according to some sources, the lungwort inflorescence is an umbrella or multi-flowered racemes collected in a shield). The perianth is double actinomorphic. The calyx is narrowly bell-shaped, five-lobed, green or bluish. The corolla has a bell-shaped bend, pink or violet-pink in blooming flowers, 7-10 mm in diameter and a narrow violet-blue tube, in the throat with tufts of hairs. After blooming, the flowers turn blue-violet. There are five stamens. The style is glabrous, with a whole capitate stigma. Ovary superior. The formula of the lungwort flower is *H(5)L(5)T(5)P2. Pollination occurs with the help of insects, the nectar in the flower is protected from all ineffective pollinators by the long tube of the corolla. Lungwort is characterized by heterostyly - an adaptation for cross-pollination. The fruits are black, shiny, fluffy nuts (erems), with a fleshy appendage (aryllus) that attracts spreading ants. Lungwort blooms in the second to fourth year of life in March-April (May), while in bright areas the plant blooms earlier than in the shade; subsequently, lungwort blooms annually, bearing fruit and self-sowing.

Spreading

In the wild, lungwort, like all other species, is found in the temperate zone of Eurasia. On the territory of Russia it is not found so often, mainly in the Kalingrad region, less often grows in Eastern Siberia, as well as in certain areas Belarus and Ukraine. Grows in shady broad-leaved and coniferous-deciduous forests, in bushes and hedges. A relatively moisture-loving and cold-resistant plant that prefers sandy or loamy, alkaline or slightly acidic, as well as loose soils with good humus.

Regions of distribution on the map of Russia.

Procurement of raw materials

When harvesting for medicinal purposes, preference is given to wild lungwort. All parts of the plant are used - flowers, roots, leaves and stems. The aerial part - flowers, leaves and stems of the lungwort are harvested during budding and flowering, i.e. in spring and summer periods, and the roots - in the fall. Drying of lungwort grass is carried out both in hanging bunches in a well-ventilated and darkened room, and in a spread-out state in conventional dryers. The roots are thoroughly washed and dried in dryers at a temperature of about 40 o C. The criteria for completing drying are the fragility of the raw material. After drying, it is advisable to crush or grind all parts of the plant and grind them into powder. You can store dried herbs both in glass containers and in regular containers. cardboard boxes within 1 year.

Chemical composition

Lungwort contains tannins (6-10%) with a large amount of polyphenols, the alkaloid pyrrolizidine (2.5-4%), saponins, tannins (6-10%), carotene, flavonoids, allantoin (1%), rutin, mucous substances, a significant amount of ascorbic acid, as well as silicic acid and its soluble salts. The plant is rich in microelements, in particular manganese, iron, copper, vanadium, titanium, silver, nickel, strontium and many others beneficial to the body human elements.

Pharmacological properties

Biologically contained in lungwort active substances cause anti-inflammatory, expectorant and softening effects for any respiratory tract infection, so it is often used to treat lung diseases. In addition, lungwort has hemostatic, wound healing, diuretic, enveloping, antiseptic effect, improves immune system, helps to increase the adaptogenic functions of the body, which is often beneficial for nervous disorders. Silicic acid, which is part of lungwort, has a positive effect on connective tissue and also softens inflammatory processes in the mucous membrane of the stomach, intestines, oral cavity and throat. Lungwort promotes hematopoietic processes, activates thiamine (vitamin B 1), and significantly improves protein, carbohydrate and water metabolism.

Use in folk medicine

Although lungwort has not found proper use in scientific medicine, since ancient times the plant has been widely used in the treatment of a wide variety of diseases. Healers and herbalists in many countries have long used it in the treatment of the respiratory tract (catarrh, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, prolonged cough, hoarseness) as an emollient and expectorant. Since ancient times, herbal decoctions have been used to treat scrofula and “blockages” of the throat; it was also used for consumption (tuberculosis), hence its popular name “pulmonary”. In European countries (Poland, Bulgaria, France, Germany), lungwort was used as an effective hematopoietic and immunostimulating agent, as well as in the treatment diabetes mellitus. Infusions and decoctions of lungwort tubers and roots are used as a diuretic, anti-inflammatory, emollient, enveloping, astringent and expectorant, as well as for colds, gastrointestinal diseases, and also to improve the activity of the glands internal secretion. Fresh leaves are used as a wound-healing and hemostatic agent, indicated in the treatment of inflammation of the rectum and mucous membranes, skin lesions, How antiseptic in the treatment of wounds and skin diseases, eliminating bleeding and inflammation. An aqueous infusion of lungwort is recommended for hemorrhoids, childhood tuberculosis, kidney inflammation and urolithiasis. Externally, an infusion of leaves is used to restore vaginal microflora and treat skin diseases (relieves itching and irritation, accelerates wound healing). Lungwort preparations are used to treat colitis, urethritis, hemorrhoids, inflammation of the prostate gland, exhaustion of the elderly, dyspepsia in one-year-old children, inflammation female organs, vasculitis, vitiligo. Lungwort juice is the most valuable drug; it is used in the treatment of cancer, leukemia, diseases thyroid gland, anemia, tuberculosis, diseases inflammatory in nature, as well as in order to strengthen the immunity of the body as a whole.

Folk experience has shown that lungwort grass correct use and preparing medicines from it (decoctions and infusions) works wonders, raising seriously ill people to their feet.

Historical reference

The scientific name of the genus Pulmonaria is based on Latin word"pulmon", meaning "lung" in translation (this explains the popular names of the plant - "pulmonary grass" and "pulmonary grass". This name was given to the lungwort for the reason that its oval leaves resemble lungs in their shape. This fact easily fits into the doctrine of Paracelsus about signatures, which began with Galen and Dioscorides, according to which there is a relationship between living and inanimate nature, which is manifested by external similarity and is marked by special signs. appearance plants, for the treatment of which organ it can be used. Probably, numerous other names assigned to the plant over centuries of use in folk medicine can be associated with this: steaming herb, water springs, spotted grass, lung root, forest spear, bear grass, apiary grass, undernut grass, ox tongue, etc.

The Russian scientific name of the genus “lungwort” is also due to the fact that representatives of the genus have melliferous properties, because the flowers of this plant contain a large amount of nectar and it is one of the earliest honey plants. According to another legend, blue flowers lungworts are for Adam, and pink ones are for Eve. Thus, it acts as a plant symbolizing the unity of opposites.

Literature

1. Abrikosov Kh. N. et al. Lungwort // Dictionary-reference book of the beekeeper / Comp. Fedosov N. F. M.: Selkhozgiz, 1955, p. 191.

2. Biological encyclopedic dictionary (edited by M.S. Gilyarov). M. 1986, p.820.

3. Vermeulen, Nico. Useful herbs. Illustrated Encyclopedia: Trans. from English B. N. Golovkina. M.: Labyrinth Press, 2002.P. 225, 241-242. 320 pp.

4. Gubareva I. Yu. et al. Abstract of vascular plants of the Kaliningrad region: Reference manual / Ed. V. P. Dedkova. Kaliningrad: Kaliningrad University. 1999. 107 p.

5. Dobrochaeva D.N. Borage family (Boraginaceae) // Plant life / ed. A.L.Takhtadzhyan.M.: Education, 1981. T. 5. Part 2. Flowering plants, p. 394-398.

6. Animals and plants. Illustrated encyclopedic dictionary. M.: Eksmo, 2007, p. 830-831, 1248.

In the article we discuss lungwort - what the herb lungwort looks like, medicinal properties and contraindications, traditional medicine recipes. You will find out whether lungwort can be used by pregnant women and children, how to use it to cure endometriosis, get rid of cough and stop hair loss.

Appearance (photo) of lungwort Lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis) belongs to a species of perennial plants of the genus Pulmonaria of the Borage family (Boraginaceae). The closest “relatives” of the plant are brunners, forget-me-nots, navels and borage.

Popular names for medicinal lungwort are lungwort, lungwort, spotted grass, lungwort, lungroot, water springs, bear grass, forest spear, underhat, steaming herb, ox tongue, shmelina, brother-and-sister, iodine-herb, bee-grass, snowdrop, smoktunchiki, lungwort.

What does it look like

Lungwort is a perennial plant with a thick, developed rhizome and an erect stem on which short hairs grow. The height of the plant reaches 30−35 cm. At the top of the stem there are green sessile leaves. There are white spots on the lower leaves. Both the upper and lower leaves are rough to the touch.

Lungwort flowers resemble bells with velvety pubescence and change color during flowering. During this period, at the top of the stem you can simultaneously observe crimson, blue and purple bells, collected in drooping brushes. At the end of flowering, the flowers become bright blue-violet.

Lungwort blooms in April - May. In mid-summer, the fruits ripen - nuts pointed at the ends. Flowers are pollinated by insects, shaking pollen onto the petals. After pollination, the brightness of the flowers decreases. The long corolla tube protects the plant from ineffective pollinators and prevents them from reaching the nectar. Therefore, lungwort is mainly pollinated by insects with a long proboscis.

Where does it grow?

The distribution area of lungwort is Central and Eastern Europe, the British Isles, all of Russia except the Far East and northern regions.

Where does lungwort grow?

mixed forests;
forest edges;
clearings of broad-leaved forests;
between the bushes.

Flowers, leaves, roots

The flowers, leaves and roots of the plant are used for medicinal purposes. Both the aboveground and underground parts of the lungwort exhibit medicinal properties.

Chemical composition

Medicinal lungwort contains a large amount of vitamins and microelements that have useful action in folk medicine:

tannins and saponins;
tannins and mucous substances;
ascorbic acid;
silicic acid;
wax and rutin;
flavonoids;
alkaloids;
polyphenols;
iron, copper, manganese, potassium, etc.

Medicinal properties

Due to its diverse chemical composition, the plant exhibits the following pharmacological properties:

Despite the fact that scientific medicine does not recognize the effectiveness of lungwort, its use in folk medicine is quite common:

herbal infusion - for the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver and kidneys, for epilepsy, nervous disorders, nephritis, goiter, hemorrhoids, female inflammatory diseases and bleeding of various kinds;
compresses based on herbal decoction - for ulcers, eczema and scrofula;
fresh leaves - for healing wounds on the skin;
plant juice - to strengthen hair and improve skin condition.

Decoctions and lotions of the plant will help cope with insomnia and headaches, increased heart rate and anemia, hypertension and anemia, cure coughs, asthma, bronchitis and acute respiratory diseases, strengthen the immune system, prevent the occurrence of diabetes, the formation of blood clots and tumors.

How to collect

Rules for collecting lungwort grass - leaves, flowers and stems:

Prepare raw materials in spring and summer during the period of budding and flowering.
Cut off shoots with flowers and leaves near the surface of the ground.
Remove damaged leaves.
Tie the grass into small bunches and hang it in a well-ventilated room or under a shed to dry.
If you have a drying cabinet, dry the raw materials at a temperature of 40 °C.
When the grass becomes brittle, remove it.

Collect roots in early autumn and be sure to wash them before drying. Since in natural conditions The roots take much longer to dry than the grass, so send them straight to the oven. Make sure that the temperature does not rise above 40 °C.

Grind the dried raw materials in a coffee grinder and spread over glass jars, cardboard boxes or fabric bags. Store for no more than 1 year.

How to use

Lungwort is used not only in folk medicine. Thanks to its unusual sweetish taste, soups, salads, pickles and seasonings are prepared from it. Lungwort is popular in landscape design when decorating gardens and parks because it has decorative spotted leaves and blooms early.

IN medicinal purposes decoctions and infusions of lungwort are prepared from its herbs.

During pregnancy

Doctors do not recommend treatment with lungwort during pregnancy and breastfeeding. However, the ban applies only to treatment. When vitamin deficiency begins in pregnant and lactating women in the spring, you can add some leaves of the plant to vitamin-rich salads. Before doing this, be sure to consult your doctor.

Infusion for endometriosis

Lungwort effectively helps in the treatment of endometriosis, especially if it is accompanied by uterine bleeding.

Ingredients:

Lungwort herb - 2 tsp.
Water (boiling water) - 1 glass.

How to cook: Pour boiling water over the herb and leave for 2 hours in a dark room.

How to use: Take the infusion 1 tbsp. 3 times a day until complete healing.

Result: Lungwort gradually restores vaginal microflora, stops bleeding and stops excessive proliferation of fibrous and connective tissue. An infusion of honeydew removes inflammation of the female genital organs and has a blood purifying and restorative effect.

Cough medicine

Medicinal lungwort is used for chronic bronchitis, tuberculosis, pneumonia and any other types of pulmonary diseases. If you are tormented coughing, prepare breast collection from honeydew, nettle and other herbs.

Ingredients:

How to cook: Stir the herbs and add 2 tbsp. mixture into a bowl. Pour boiling water over and leave for 20 minutes. Before use, add honey to the infusion.

How to use: Take ½ glass of infusion before meals 3 times a day. The course of treatment lasts 15 days. If necessary, it can be extended.

Result: Lungwort quickly softens cough and removes mucus from the respiratory tract. Nettle, marshmallow and mullein enhance the expectorant properties of the decoction and help cure even a prolonged cough.

Decoction for hair

Lungwort is used for the health and beauty of hair. Lungwort has a good effect on the condition of nails and hair. Its juice can be added to shampoo or conditioner, and herbal decoction take orally.

Ingredients:

Lungwort herb - 2 tbsp.
Water (boiling water) - 2 cups.

How to cook: Grind honey grass, pour boiling water and place on the stove. Boil over low heat for 15 minutes, cool and strain through several layers of gauze.

How to use: Drink ⅓ glass of the decoction every day.

Result: Lungwort improves the structure of curls, enhances scalp regeneration and stops hair loss.

Using lungwort for children

Medicinal lungwort should not be used to treat children under 3 years of age. If your child is older, give him a restorative herbal bath. The cooking recipe is designed for a volume of water of 10 liters. Increase the number of tablespoons of the mixture in proportion to the total volume of water in the baby bath.

Ingredients:

How to cook: Grind the ingredients and stir. Pour water into a saucepan, boil and add 2 tbsp. herbal mixture. Bring the liquid to a boil, remove from heat and pour into a thermos. Leave for 1 hour, then dilute in a baby bath.

How to use: Give your child a herbal bath for no more than 30 minutes.

Result: A collection of lungwort, birch, oregano, nettle, cinquefoil and string strengthens children's immunity and normalizes activity nervous system. Bathing in such a bath will provide your baby with good mood and sound sleep.

Lungwort honey

Lungwort is one of the earliest honey plants. That is why it is very popular among many beekeepers. They also appreciate its honey productivity - 30-75 kg/ha and its attractiveness to both bees and bumblebees.

The plant's honey strengthens the body and helps cure coughs and colds. However, be careful when using honey from the medicinal herb lungwort - the use of the product sometimes causes irritation of the oral mucosa.

Contraindications

The list of main contraindications to taking honeydew includes:

individual intolerance;
intestinal atony with constipation;
increased blood clotting;
age up to 3 years.

If you drink medicinal lungwort on an empty stomach, nausea may occur.

Classification

Lungwort belongs to the Borage family (Boraginaceae), order Borage-flowered, class Dicotyledonous, department Flowering. The closest genera to lungwort are Comfrey (Symphytum) and Borage (Borago).

Varieties

There are more than 70 species of lungwort. In folk medicine, not only lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis), but also the following species are used:

soft lungwort (Pulmonaria mollis);
unclear or dark lungwort (Pulmonaria obscura).

Also popular types of lungwort:

narrow-leaved lungwort (Pulmonaria angustifolia);
mountain lungwort (Pulmonaria montana);
red lungwort (Pulmonaria rubra);
sugar lungwort (Pulmonaria saccharata).

For more information about lungwort, watch the video:

Lungwort infographics

Photo of lungwort, her beneficial features and application:
Infographics on lungwort

What to remember

Lungwort is a popular remedy for coughs, colds and other pulmonary diseases. She also treats gastrointestinal diseases, gynecological diseases, headaches, skin virus and much more.
During pregnancy and breastfeeding, lungwort cannot be treated.
Children can be given lungwort only after 3 years of age.
To cure endometriosis, drink an infusion of the plant's herb.
A chest mixture of nettle, lungwort, marshmallow and mullein will help with cough.

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Classmates

Lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis) is a herbaceous perennial that grows from ten to thirty centimeters. It is characterized by erect stems, completely covered with thick, hard pubescence. The bright green foliage is interspersed with white or greenish-white color, has a velvety surface and is located on curved petioles. Its shape can be ovoid or lanceolate, and its length can reach fifteen centimeters. The flowers of the plant are collected in inflorescences-curls at the top of the peduncles. Interesting feature is that initially they have a pink color, which gradually becomes purple, and by the end of flowering it acquires blue shades. Its fruits look like smooth, shiny nuts.

The plant likes to settle in cool, shaded places with loose sandy loam soil or loam. Wherein very poorly tolerated high temperatures air and acidic soil. Its natural habitats are deciduous and coniferous forests in many countries of Central and of Eastern Europe. On the territory of our country it can be found in the Caucasus, Siberia and in the vicinity of Kaliningrad. Lungwort has a large number of popular names. Its names are: pulmonary grass, pulmonary grass, water springs, pulmonary root, lungwort, spotted grass, forest spear, steaming grass and bear grass, pine grass, sub-hassock, ox tongue and Jerusalem primrose. Like the obscure lungwort, this type has many medicinal properties and is widely used in the field of traditional medicine.

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Folk remedies for treating lungwort (video)

Description of the beneficial and medicinal properties of lungwort

Lungwort (Pulmonaria obscura Dum) is an attractive perennial with powerful brown rhizomes. On its ribbed, slightly bending stems, twenty to thirty centimeters high, there is small, green, oblong foliage with a uniform surface. Bell flowers, like those of other lungwort species, are collected at the tops of peduncles in curlicue inflorescences. Their color can be white, lilac or purple. Flowering begins at the very beginning of spring even before the leaves appear. All parts of the plant are covered with harsh hairs. The fruit-nuts of the plant contain four seeds.

IN chemical composition This plant contains a large number of vitamins, macro- and microelements and other useful substances(flavonoids, anthocyanins, tannins, saponins and others). Thanks to them, Lungwort and Lungwort are known for their anti-inflammatory, analgesic, diuretic, hemostatic, enveloping, wound-healing, softening and regulating properties. various organs and normalizing metabolic processes properties.

At the same time, it is vital to saturate the body necessary substances Lungwort foliage, as well as medicinal leaves, along with stems are added to various salads, soups and side dishes. In addition, they are used to make preparations for the winter, pickled and frozen. Possessing a sweetish taste and pleasant aroma, Lungwort officinalis gives dishes a special uniqueness. Another type of this plant has the same qualities - soft lungwort(Pulmonaria mollis).

Healing properties of Caucasian rhododendron

Features of collecting and storing honeydew

To treat a wide variety of diseases with the help of some types of honeydew, all parts of the plant are used. But, in order for them to really give the effect that is expected from them, you need to first learn how to properly prepare and store them. You should also know that this the plant is in the Red Book, therefore you need to handle it as carefully as possible.

Foliage and shoots should be collected during the formation of buds or at the very beginning of flowering. The stems are cut at the root and collected in small bunches. After this, they are hung in shaded, well-ventilated places. You can lay out the shoots with leaves on sheets of clean paper; the layer should be very thin. The best option will use a special dryer in which the raw materials are brought to readiness, heating to no more than forty degrees.

How to grow lungwort (video)

The roots of the lungwort need to be dug up after flowering has ended and the seeds have ripened. They need to be carefully dug up, cleared of soil and washed well. After this, they must be cut into small pieces and dried in the same way as the ground part. When all the raw materials are ready, they are crushed; the roots can be ground into powder, for example, using a coffee grinder. Then you need to put the prepared lungwort into cloth or paper bags and send them to a dark, cool and dry place. It should be stored for no more than two years, since in the future its medicinal qualities are lost.

The use of lungwort in folk medicine

Traditional medicine widely uses tincture, decoction, Fresh Juice, dry powder and ointment made from lungwort.

Decoctions successfully treat a wide variety of diseases, They are additional means to eliminate hemorrhoids, anemia, some gynecological diseases, hernias, jaundice. As an external remedy, decoctions are used to heal wounds and burns, bites of various insects, as well as to treat skin diseases. They are recommended for use as throat and mouth rinses. quick disposal for sore throat, cough and toothache.
Fresh juice from the above-ground part of the lungwort, before use, it is recommended to dilute it in half with boiled water and add a little honey (to taste). Drink one hundred and fifty milliliters several times a day before meals for sore throat, pulmonary diseases, bronchitis and diseases genitourinary system. It also helps normalize heart function and restore the immune system.
Ointments, prepared on the basis medicinal species lungworts, treat wounds, boils and skin diseases. To heal cuts and other wounds faster mechanical damage, the putrefaction has disappeared, they are lightly sprinkled with dry powder made from lungwort rhizomes.

Compositions containing it should not be used if:

stomach upsets;
inflammatory processes of the kidneys and bile ducts;
individual intolerance and allergic reactions.

Lungwort: recipes for use (video)

Medunka is a fairly unpretentious plant that does not require special care. Therefore, in order to prepare it, it is not necessary to go to the forest and search for its habitat for long hours. You can just sit her on your garden plot. In this case, you can not only stock up on high-quality medicinal raw materials, but also throughout the growing season have on hand an excellent source of vitamins and other useful substances that this herb serves. In addition, it makes quite attractive first spring bouquets.

Lungwort (lat. Pulmonaria officinalis) is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Lungwort, family Buranchikovy (Boraginaceae).

The plant is popularly called lungwort, water springs, spotted grass, steam grass, lungwort, and smoktunchiki.

The name pulmonary, which by the way coincides with the Latin “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 the honey-bearing properties of the representatives of the genus: the flowers of the plant contain a lot of nectar, and it is also one of the earliest honey plants.

In nature, there are about 15 types of lungworts, the most common are soft lungwort, angustifolia lungwort, and obscure lungwort, which to some extent, along with lungwort officinalis, are used for 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.

Description of the plant

The stem of the lungwort is erect, 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 on the stem they have a short petiole. The leaf color is green with small whitish spots. The leaves have velvety pubescence and are ovoid in shape with a pointed tip. The flowers are located at the top of the stem and are collected in corymbose, multi-flowered, drooping racemes. The flower is shaped like a bell.

At the beginning of flowering, the flowers are pink-crimson in color, but towards 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 a change in the color of the corolla has informational value for pollinating insects, but the adaptive significance of this phenomenon is not entirely clear.

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

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

Lungwort grows mainly in the forests of the countries of Eastern and Central Europe, in marshy areas or grasslands of the British Isles. On the territory of the Russian Federation it is not found so often and, mainly, in Kaliningrad region and in the Caucasus. Lungwort also grows in certain regions of Belarus and Ukraine.

Preparation and storage of medicinal raw materials

Despite the presence of ornamental crops, when harvesting, preference is given to wild lungwort. 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, and roots – in autumn.

Drying lungwort is possible both in hanging bunches, in a well-ventilated and darkened room, and in a spread-out state on conventional dryers for medicinal plants. Lungwort roots are thoroughly washed before harvesting and only then dried at a temperature of about 40C in drying cabinets. The main criterion for completing drying is the fragility of the starting material.

Dried herbs can be stored either in glass containers or in regular cardboard boxes. The shelf life of lungwort is one year.

Biochemical composition, medicinal properties of lungwort

Medicinal raw materials contain tannins and mucous substances, carotene, ascorbic acid, rutin, traces of alkaloids, microelements 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, and wound-healing properties. It relieves inflammation and pain, disinfects.

Thanks to the availability large quantity microelements, 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, increased heart rate, poor circulation, tracheitis, anemia, vasculitis, anemia;
Improper metabolism, pyelonephritis, gastritis, vitamin deficiency, colitis, urolithiasis and kidney stones;
Tuberculosis, cough, pneumonia, asthma, bronchitis, catarrh of the respiratory tract, acute respiratory diseases;
Inflammatory processes, ulcers, suppuration and abscesses, eczema, psoriasis, lichen, boils, abscesses, pigmentation disorders, diathesis;
Hormonal imbalance, female inflammatory diseases, leucorrhoea, 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, and the occurrence of diabetes mellitus are prevented. 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 overexertion vocal cords. The drug also helps with scrofulous rashes in children, and can also be used as an adjuvant in the treatment of tuberculosis. For 1 glass of boiling water you will need 2 tbsp. crushed lungwort herb. Leave 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 with 1 liter of water in the evening, in the morning the swollen rose hips are ground and filtered twice. Take the entire serving in sips throughout the day.

An infusion of the whole plant is used externally to wash festering wounds, ulcers, and boils.

Lungwort tincture: take liter jar and fill with fresh grass (pre-chop) halfway, if the grass dried, then by a third, and fill with vodka to the full volume. Leave for at least 14 days in a dark place, shaking occasionally. You should drink 1 teaspoon of the prepared tincture, adding it to a small amount of water, before meals 3-4 times a day.

Condensed decoction: to prepare the drug you will 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 reduced by half, then remove from heat and strain. The drug must be taken on an empty stomach (1 hour before meals), up to 4 times a day. The course of treatment can be 10 days or more, depending on the result obtained. The drug is recommended for use in mild cases of pneumonia, as well as for the treatment of bronchitis, laryngitis and tracheitis.

Pulmonary collection

Recommended for the treatment of obstructive bronchitis with an asthmatic component. Ingredients: 2 tbsp. calendula and linden flowers, coltsfoot grass, tricolor violet, wild rosemary, nettle leaves and marshmallow root, 1 tbsp each. elecampane root, elderberry flowers and pine buds. For 3 cups of boiling water, 3 tbsp is required. herbal mixture. Infuse in a thermos for 8 hours (it is recommended to prepare in the evening). The strained infusion should be drunk during the day, half a glass per dose.

Lungwort for hemorrhoids

Collection: chamomile, lungwort, white clover, yarrow, speedwell, nettle, white willow leaves, lingonberry leaves - all in equal proportions. For half a liter of boiling water (cook in a thermos) you will need 2 tbsp. herbal mixture. Leave for half an hour, then strain and take 1/2 cup three times a day (warm before use).

The drug is prescribed not only for the treatment of hemorrhoids, but also in the case of uterine fibroids. When treating hemorrhoids, Apilak suppositories 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 herb (2 parts each), lungwort, veronica and hawthorn flowers (1 part each). For 2 cups of boiling water - 3 tsp. herbal mixture. Leave for 30 - 40 minutes. Take 100 ml after meals.

Herbal tea for illness Bladder and kidneys

For cooking herbal collection it is necessary to take well-ground components in equal quantities - lungwort herb, plantain leaf, sage and wormwood herbs, centaury herb. Mix everything well, then pour a tablespoon of this mixture into a glass of boiling water and add 20-25 grams of honey. Then put it on the 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: collect the stems of the plant, wash, chop, add sunflower oil or sour cream. Lungwort leaves and stems in salad are often mixed in a 1:1 ratio with gravilat leaves. This salad contains vitamins that last year’s vegetables are poor in in early spring.

Contraindications to the use of lungwort

Lungwort actually has no contraindications. However, in the treatment of pathological conditions of the body, these medicinal plant Decoctions should not be used on an empty stomach. Because 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.