Meadowsweet herb, medicinal properties and contraindications. The healing gift of nature: meadowsweet, its medicinal properties and contraindications

Meadowsweet, or meadowsweet, growing along river banks has both beneficial properties and contraindications. Traditional healers have found use for all parts of this plant. Fans of culinary experiments can add young leaves and shoots of this herb to salads or soups and surprise loved ones with a new taste in familiar dish. Meadowsweet flowers can become a natural flavoring agent when preparing various pickles and marinades.

This is interesting

The plant has many additional names; in some regions it is called meadowsweet.

Composition and properties of fragrant herb

Meadowsweet should be collected during flowering, when the plant contains maximum concentration useful substances. By preparing meadowsweet, you will replenish your home medicine cabinet with medicines for many diseases.

The above-ground part of meadowsweet contains:

• essential oils;
• catechins;
• salicylic acid;
• steroids;
• organic acids;
• aromatics;
• vitamins.

Herbalists do not forget the underground part. Tubers need to be harvested in the fall. The rhizomes contain:

• tannins;
• glycosides;
• phenols;
• slime.

The refreshing properties of meadowsweet are used not only for treatment, but also for cleaning rooms. If you have guests or a lot of people are crammed into a cramped room, you don’t have to use chemical air fresheners. Bouquets of meadowsweet will clean and refresh the room.

Interesting fact

It is meadowsweet that humanity should be grateful for. Back in 1827, scientists were able to isolate salicylic acid from meadowsweet leaves. More than half a century has passed, and Felix Hoffman, based on natural raw materials, created the popular medicine aspirin.

Benefits of meadowsweet

Meadowsweet flowers have a rich range of medicinal properties:

• restorative;
• soothing;
• antitoxic;
• anthelmintic;
• diuretics;
• antimicrobial;
• regenerative;
• tonic;
• choleretic.

Another useful quality- The decoction has a pleasant taste. You don’t have to persuade your child to take a healthy but bitter mixture; your baby will happily drink the herbal drink.

Indications for use of meadowsweet

Many beneficial properties have found application in herbal medicine and folk medicine. Different parts of plants have their own specific characteristics.

The spectrum of action of the above-ground part is even wider. Preparations from flowers and leaves are indicated for many diseases:

The herb is also used as a powder for burns and diaper rash.

It is impossible to list all the diseases; meadowsweet cleanses, strengthens and heals the entire body. It is advisable for both sick and healthy people to include meadowsweet tea in their diet.

Harm from misuse

To ensure that treatment does not cause harm, first determine whether there is an allergy. Sometimes negative reactions are caused by too much long-term use or excess concentration. If nausea, indigestion, or stomach pain begin, reduce the dose or reduce the concentration of the drug. If disturbances continue, completely abandon treatment with meadowsweet. If you do not follow the measure, taking meadowsweet can cause constipation and low blood pressure even in a healthy person.

Neglecting the usual rules will also cause harm. Taking diaphoretics before going for a walk can lead to a cold. A diuretic taken before a long trip will cause your bladder to become full and irritated.

Sometimes allergies occur only when taking decoctions orally. If you notice trouble breathing, itching or irritation, try aromatherapy. Inhaling the vapor also produces a good therapeutic effect.

Meadowsweet contains a lot of salicylates that can change the composition of the blood. If you take medications for a long time, be sure to get tested periodically. At poor performance reception should be stopped immediately.

To avoid addiction, you do not need to use decoctions constantly. When treating, follow the recommendations in the prescription or instructions on the pharmacy package. If there are no instructions, you can use the following scheme: 10 days of taking the infusion, 5 days off.

Recipes for basic ingredients

There are many recipes for decoctions and infusions of meadowsweet. Often they are all made on the same basis. Just 4 recipes will help you create many drugs.

• Infusion from the aerial part. Take a teaspoon of raw material for a glass of boiling water. Boil for 1 hour, drink during the day in 4 doses.
• Infusion from the roots. 1 tbsp. pour a glass of boiling water over a spoon. Keep in a water bath for 10 minutes, and then let it brew for half an hour. Drink 4 times a day.
• Ointment for external use. Grind the rhizome into powder. Take 1 part of plant material, 1 part of lanolin and 2 parts of petroleum jelly.
• A remedy for the treatment of wounds and burns. Pour the tuber powder with vegetable oil in a ratio of 1:5. The mixture should be kept at room temperature for 12 hours, then it is filtered and stored in a sealed container. For treatment, moisten the napkin and apply it to the sore spot for 8 hours.

There is a recipe for delicious and healthy drink from meadowsweet. Place 12 tbsp in a saucepan. spoons of sugar and water, 10 meadowsweet flowers, juice squeezed from 2 lemons, and grated zest of these citrus fruits. Boil the mixture for 10 minutes, then pour it into containers, seal them tightly and refrigerate for 2 weeks. When using, dilute the syrup with unsweetened syrup; adults can add a little gin or rum.

Meadowsweet for diabetes and pancreatitis

Organic acids and glycosides of meadowsweet normalize blood sugar levels. Can be used for diabetes folk recipe: pour 1 tbsp into 4 cups of boiling water. spoon of flowers, cook in a water bath for 15 minutes. Drink 0.5 cups of decoction before each meal. Course – 1 month.

If you have an attack of acute pancreatitis, the girdle pain does not allow you to move, it is useless to rely on herbs, you need to see a doctor. At chronic course You also can’t give a damn about illness. The pancreas will gradually deteriorate. Herbal medicine can be added along with the main treatment.

Prepare some tea. Stir a tablespoon of raw material in a glass warm water. Leave it overnight, then divide the broth into 3 parts and take one serving before meals. This same tea can be used to save yourself if discomfort in the pancreas occurs due to too much of a feast.

To treat pancreatitis, it is necessary to intensify digestive processes. Be sure to use spices at the table: garlic. Exotic lovers can also add to their dishes.

Recipes for beauty and youth of women

Every woman wants to be beautiful, and meadowsweet will help her make her more attractive. appearance. To improve your complexion, drink a light green infusion of flowers in the morning instead of tea.

To treat age-related skin changes, you need to take 2 tbsp. spoons of decoction from the aerial part. Add 1 teaspoon of honey and 1 teaspoon of carrot juice. Apply several times: when the first layer of the mask has dried, apply a new layer, and so on several times.

Acne and large pores bring a lot of worries to young people. Prepare lotion: 1 tbsp. Infuse a spoonful of flowers in a glass of boiling water for 60 minutes. Drain the liquid and add 1 tbsp. a spoonful of alcohol.

To strengthen your hair, rinse your hair after washing with 2 tbsp. spoons of herbs brewed in 1 liter of boiling water. When bathing, you can pour a decoction of meadowsweet into the bath. Herbal juice will relax, soothe inflamed skin, and help heal wounds and ulcers.

Treatment of children

Another well-known problem is that children suffer from diarrhea and tummy pain. Meadowsweet will calm inflammation, reduce pain and bring stool back to normal. To cure a child of a cold, meadowsweet and licorice are used.

Contraindications

A doctor can completely prohibit taking medications with meadowsweet only in case of allergies. There are no strict contraindications; for some diseases there are recommendations to handle with caution.

With low blood pressure, you need to take into account the hypotensive properties so that the pressure does not drop even more.

Meadowsweet has the property of stopping diarrhea. If a person has constipation or problems with bowel movements, taking it may worsen the condition. Get a blood test before taking meadowsweet. The plant contains a lot of salicylates, which sometimes lead to deviations in the blood count from the norm.

It is dangerous for children and teenagers who have chickenpox or the flu to take meadowsweet. You yourself will not always be able to make the correct diagnosis, and you cannot risk your child’s health. First, contact your pediatrician, and only with his permission begin herbal medicine.

You should not think that plants will not cause harm. Without knowing how to distinguish between representatives of the flora, you can confuse poisonous grass with a medicinal flower and get poisoned. Even harmless meadowsweet, if used incorrectly, will bring a lot of trouble. Be friends with medicine, trust doctors, and any remedy will only benefit your family.

Meadowsweet (meadowsweet) often grows in garden plots. The plant is beautiful and does not require special care. But many types of this herb help heal serious, chronic illnesses, help prevent the development of many diseases. What kind of meadowsweet medicinal properties and contraindications?

What are the benefits of meadowsweet?

Have medicinal properties the following types meadowsweet:

• vyazolifolia;
• six-petalled;
• Kamchatka;
• palm-shaped.

Widespread use of meadowsweet in alternative medicine due to the high content of vitamin C, tannins, and phenolic compounds in the plant. Meadowsweet contains salicylic acid, which makes it possible to effectively use the plant as an anti-inflammatory agent for colds and viral diseases.

Remedies based on this plant strengthen the body, restore strength, dilate blood vessels, and help with high temperature. With the help of meadowsweet you can get rid of worms and long-healing wounds.

1. Meadowsweet improves liver function and copes with frequent symptoms.
2. Meadowsweet is also effective for treating joint problems.
3. Preparations based on meadowsweet help with herpes, herpes zoster, and problems with the thyroid gland.

Meadowsweet is a mild, natural sedative and sleeping pill, Not addictive. Helps eliminate stress, depression, migraines.

How to take the plant

For the purpose of healing, both the above-ground and underground parts of the meadowsweet are used:

A decoction of meadowsweet inflorescences can eliminate the main signs of respiratory diseases within 24 hours.

Infusion

1. Pour 5 g of crushed roots into 240 ml hot water, leave to infuse for 7 hours.
2. Free the drink from the cake, drink in small sips throughout the day.

The infusion helps with cancer of various types, hepatitis, joint problems, leukemia, and diabetes.

Tea

To prepare the drink, you need to brew 4 g of inflorescences with 230 ml of boiling water. After 5 minutes you can drink tea. When drinking, you need to remember that this drink is a strong diuretic.

Ointment

Grind 20 g of herb into powder. Add petroleum jelly, lanolin or unsalted butter (100 g).

The ointment is used to lubricate joints affected by rheumatism, inflamed skin three times a day.

Tincture

The product helps with long-term non-healing wounds, ulcers, it is strong antibacterial agent. When taken orally, prevents the appearance of ulcers, soothes nervous system, reduces capillary permeability.

To prepare the tincture, you need to pour 1 part of dry meadowsweet with 5 parts of vodka (or three parts of alcohol). The medicine needs 5 days to ripen, after which the cake must be removed.

The tincture should be taken orally in a diluted form - 25 drops of medicine per 150 ml of water. The daily dosage includes 3 doses.

Treatment of various diseases

Meadowsweet tincture helps well with thyroid goiter. A full course of treatment helps eliminate all pathological changes.

Rinse, chop 35 g of roots, pour in 350 ml of vodka. Leave the mixture in a room without bright light for 15 days, stir daily.

Take 15 ml 30 minutes before meals 3 times a day. For complete cure you need to drink 8 bottles of tincture with two-week breaks.

For gastritis

Meadowsweet also helps with the most common disease of our time. Without proper treatment, it develops into an ulcer.

To prepare the infusion, you need to pour 15 g of inflorescences with boiling water (1 l). After 3 hours, remove the sediment. Take the medicine 50 ml 4 times a day.

This decoction also helps with bladder problems.

Pour 30 g of crushed meadowsweet roots into a liter of water and leave the container on low heat for half an hour. Let the broth cool for 30 minutes, remove the cake, pour into water. Duration water procedures– no more than 25 minutes.

Meadowsweet leaves help against snake and insect bites.

Meadowsweet is beneficial for women's health; the plant is widely used in gynecology. To treat gynecological diseases, it is necessary to prepare a decoction for douching from the roots of the plant.

1. Pour 950 ml of boiling water over 22 g of chopped roots, place the container on water bath. After half an hour, remove the sediment and add water to the initial volume.
2. Carry out the procedure twice a day for 10 days. During menstruation, douching should be stopped.

This treatment method helps with infertility.

Collection for female infertility

• meadowsweet inflorescences;
• flowers.

All components must be taken in equal proportions. Pour 40 g of the mixture into a liter of boiling water, carefully close and wrap the container. After 2 hours the medicine is ready. You need to drink 500 ml of decoction per day, dividing it into 2 times.

Mix 10 g of meadowsweet roots and flowers, pour 970 ml of boiling water. Close the container tightly. Place in a water bath for half an hour. Do douching with a cooled and filtered decoction three times a day.

An infusion of roots is indispensable for women. The medicine helps eliminate the following pathologies:

• haemorrhoids;
• insomnia;
• anemia;
• , erosion, ;
• mastopathy.

The infusion is useful for postpartum complications, helps cure infertility.

Alcohol tincture helps with hormonal disorders, eliminates inflammatory processes in the female reproductive system.

Where else is meadowsweet used?

Meadowsweet roots are used to produce black dye, yellow dye is obtained from inflorescences. Essential oil is extracted from the buds and used in the production of perfumes.

The leaves can be used as a natural flavoring. Even when dry, they emit a pleasant aroma for several months.

In cooking

I also use meadowsweet in cooking:

• for making tea, spices - inflorescences, leaves;
• for seasoning soups - fresh or dry leaves, crushed seeds
• in canning fruits, berries, for cooking alcoholic drinks- fresh flowers;
• as a dressing for fruit salads - syrup from inflorescences.

You can use young shoots and roots for salads - their taste is similar to fresh cucumbers.

In cosmetology

Meadowsweet can be used to make many homemade skin and hair care products.

With regular use, meadowsweet tea improves complexion, swelling and bags under the eyes disappear. To eliminate skin rashes, you need to prepare a decoction according to classic recipe, cool, remove sediment, dilute with alcohol. For 5 parts decoction, 1 part alcohol.

Mask for smooth skin

Mix meadowsweet decoction, carrot juice and honey in equal proportions. Apply along massage lines to the face using a brush. Wash off after 20 minutes.

Pore ​​tightening mask

Pour warm meadowsweet broth over 20 g of oatmeal, add 5 ml of lemon juice. The mask should be used before bedtime. Wash off after a quarter of an hour.

If you use a decoction of meadowsweet as a hair rinse, your hair gains volume and the growth of curls accelerates.

Contraindications

Meadowsweet is a strong astringent, so it is not recommended to use drugs based on it for chronic constipation.

1. With thrombocytopathy, consuming meadowsweet can cause severe bleeding.
2. Hypotension, poor blood clotting, hypersensitivity to meadowsweet are the main contraindications for treatment with this plant.
3. Meadowsweet belongs to poisonous plants with low toxicity. Pregnant women are prohibited from taking meadowsweet preparations.

Meadowsweet is a plant that effectively helps with many serious illnesses, strengthens the body, promotes conception. But this herb is poisonous, you must strictly adhere to the dosage, consultation with a doctor before starting use is required.

Meadowsweet or swamp meadowsweet, also called dog grass, honeydew - refers to medicinal herbaceous perennials, grows up to 1.2 m. It has an erect stem, feathery leaves and a powerful rhizome. Small flowers, which can be of a wide variety of colors from white and pink to dark cream, are collected in large inflorescences in the form of hanging panicles; the calyx has 5 or 6 petals. Flowering begins in spring and lasts until the end of August, and meadowsweet bears fruit from July until the very end of summer. It is found where the soil is well moistened, for example in swamps, in forests, and the plant tolerates cold well. In addition to the fact that meadowsweet has medicinal properties, it is a wonderful decoration for the garden.

Meadowsweet reproduces by seeds or division of rhizomes. Rhizomes are planted in the ground in the fall, shallowly, strictly horizontally, so that the buds are directed upward. If the plant is planted in an open place, it must be watered thoroughly, as a lack of moisture will cause the inflorescences and leaves to wither. But this can only be said about those types of meadowsweet that love moisture, with the exception of common meadowsweet. Dry soil and moderate watering are best suited for it.

Today, more than 10 species are known, for example: Kamchatka meadowsweet, red meadowsweet and many others.

Useful properties of meadowsweet

Tea is made from meadowsweet. Some people add whitecap flowers (another name for a useful plant) to black or green tea, some brew it themselves. The result is a drink with a very interesting taste, a noticeable aftertaste of rose oil and a rich aroma.

Meadowsweet decoction has a sweetish taste. Moreover, the drink does not contain harmful substances and does not significantly increase blood sugar levels. It is recommended to be taken by those losing weight, either alone or mixed with black tea. Meadowsweet infusion is not like the well-known stevia and has less of a grassy taste and more of a clean sweet taste.

By the way, all parts of the plant are eaten, and they often also taste like sugar. The stems of the plant are fleshy and sugary; previously in villages they were dried and used instead of sweets for tea, since they are also sweet.

The sweet taste of the plant “comes” from a large number of polysaccharides in the composition. In terms of their effect on the body, they resemble fruit fructose, so they can be used in almost any diet for weight loss.

The inflorescences for tea are collected in July, when meadowsweet blooms, they are dried, and used all year round.

A decoction of meadowsweet, as well as all parts of the plant, can be used in preparations for colds, as they have antipyretic and antispasmodic properties. Meadowsweet is a mild antispasmodic that relieves pain. The plant is often taken to alleviate the condition of weather-sensitive people who experience headaches due to weather changes.

The most powerful healing component of the plant is salicylic aldehyde. Because of its high content, meadowsweet is also called “natural aspirin.” The meadowsweet supplement can reduce inflammatory processes in the skin, joints and tissues, it softens Negative influence various infections on the joints. For arthritis, people often drink tea from meadowsweet flowers and make lotions from the roots of the plant.

By the way, it is the roots that have the greatest anti-inflammatory properties; traditional medicine recommends brewing them where classical medicine already provides antibiotics - for example, for inflammation of the uterine appendages in women, for bronchitis, and otitis.

Meadowsweet has a hemostatic property, its decoction is used for heavy and painful menstruation, uterine bleeding, as well as bleeding gums, high sensitivity of teeth.

Meadowsweet root, especially its alcohol tincture, is considered a good remedy against nervous tension. It is used to treat neuroses, it is added to drinks for patients suffering from various mental disorders. In addition, root extract is included in many pharmaceutical sedatives.

Tea, by the way, has a mild sedative effect too, which is why it is recommended to take it as an evening rather than a daytime drink, so as not to experience drowsiness.

Powder of dried meadowsweet flowers is sprinkled on burns, wounds and diaper rash. IN modern medicine the method is not used; it is classified as an emergency antiseptic measure used when nothing else is at hand.

Dried meadowsweet flowers are infused in warm (not hot) boiled water before use. Take 100 g of flowers per glass of water, or less, depending on the doctor’s instructions.

Sometimes they are made from meadowsweet cosmetic creams and ointments for wound healing. They are used quite widely in various problems, from acne to ulcers and boils. Recently, meadowsweet has become part of many cosmetic products for skin rejuvenation; it stimulates metabolism in epidermal cells and promotes better absorption other nourishing and anti-aging components of almost any cream.

Contraindications to the use of meadowsweet

Despite the fact that meadowsweet is classified as a low-toxic plant, it is still poisonous. Therefore, pregnant and lactating women should avoid taking medications based on this plant.

Meadowsweet is also contraindicated:

• For chronic constipation;
• With poor blood clotting;
• With thrombocytopathy;
• Hypotonics;
• Persons who are hypersensitive to the plant.

If you decide to get rid of ailments with the help of meadowsweet, consult your doctor before use and strictly follow his recommendations, dosage and duration of treatment.

Pregnancy is a contraindication to the use of the drug. Meadowsweet should also not be used by people suffering from chronic constipation, a tendency to hypotension and poor clotting blood. In other cases, you should definitely consult your doctor.

Types and places of growth of meadowsweet

Meadowsweet is an extremely common plant and can be found almost everywhere in the temperate climate zone. Northern Hemisphere. In nature, there are about 10-13 species of this plant, including: narrow-lobed meadowsweet (grows in the Far East, northern China, Primorye and Amur region), Kamchatka meadowsweet (common in Kamchatka, the Kuril Islands, Japan), palmate meadowsweet (found in Primorye, in Kamchatka, the Kuril Islands, in the Khabarovsk Territory and in the south of the Magadan Region), red meadowsweet (grows in North America) and many others. In the European part of Russia, the Caucasus and Western Siberia The most widespread is meadowsweet. It can be found in forests, along the banks of reservoirs, along rivers and streams and other places with well-moistened soil. The peculiarity of this type of meadowsweet is its height of 1.5-2.0 meters, as well as intermittent pinnately divided leaves with smooth surface and bright green color, and the bottom has a felt-like structure. The flowers are yellowish-white, numerous, and have a pungent odor. When rubbed, the leaves also emit a characteristic odor.

Medicinal recipes using meadowsweet

• Flower infusion (tea). The product is used to relieve edema (dropsy), as well as in the treatment of metabolic disorders (rheumatism, gout). An infusion is prepared by brewing 1 - 2 tsp. dried meadowsweet flowers in 250 ml of boiling water (strain the liquid after 10 minutes). Take the product in small sips 2 times a day. The infusion is often effective for colds accompanied by fever and increased temperature. In such cases, tea (infusion) is taken before bed to cause increased sweating;

• Infusion of meadowsweet flowers. For 400 ml of boiling water - 2 - 3 tsp. dried flowers. Infuse in a thermos for 3 - 4 hours. The drug is prescribed orally as a diuretic (edema of various origins), for colds (diaphoretic), for pain in the stomach and intestines (mild pain reliever) and diarrhea;

• Herbal infusion. For a glass of water (chilled and boiled) - 1 tsp. meadowsweet herbs. Infuse in a sealed container for 8 hours. Take 50 ml up to 4 times a day before meals. Indications for internal use Herbal infusions are the same as flower infusions. Externally, the drug is prescribed for the treatment of traumatic skin injuries with clear signs inflammatory process and suppuration (wounds, ulcers), as well as in the form of compresses for furunculosis (after opening the abscess). The infusion can also be used for washing your hair (to strengthen and enhance hair growth);

• Ointment. A mixture of petroleum jelly and aqueous lanolin is used as a fat base, 9 and 6 parts respectively. Powdered meadowsweet leaves (5 parts) are thoroughly mixed with the base melted in a water bath, and then cooled. The ointment is used to treat dermatological problems, for example, psoriasis (lubricate the affected areas of the skin 2 - 3 times a day) ;

• Flower powder. Dried meadowsweet flowers, crushed into powder, are used as a powder to treat burns, bedsores, diaper rash, etc.

The use of meadowsweet in gynecology

Meadowsweet infusion is widely used in gynecology. This plant helps cure inflammatory processes in a woman’s body, infertility and endometriosis. To do this, you need to pour a teaspoon of rhizomes with a glass of cold, previously boiled water. Leave in a dark place for 8 hours. After time, the infusion must be strained. During the day you need to drink it in small sips.

• In a jar you need to mix meadowsweet, red clover and linden in equal quantities. These components must be poured with a liter of boiling water. There should be three tablespoons of each plant. After two hours, the infusion will be ready for use. The strained infusion of meadowsweet should be taken two glasses a day.

For gynecological ailments and uterine bleeding, you should take the following infusion of meadowsweet.

• The root of the plant must be cut into pieces, dried and poured with vodka. The components must be infused for a week. One teaspoon of tincture should be taken with 50 g of vodka twice a day.

• herb St. John's wort, meadowsweet and St. John's wort;
• juniper berries;
• chamomile, calendula and yarrow flowers;
• Calamus rhizomes.

For one and a half liters of vodka you need to add 1 teaspoon of each of the above plants. It is necessary to insist for two weeks.

Harvesting and storing meadowsweet

Depending on the specific type of meadowsweet, healing properties possess different parts of the plant. Meadowsweet - stems, leaves and flowers are used; six-petalled meadowsweet – roots and tubers; meadowsweet Kamchatka and meadowsweet - the entire above-ground part, as well as the rhizomes, have beneficial properties. The flowering period occurs in June-July. Harvesting of roots and rhizomes occurs in September-early October or in March-April. The raw materials are removed from the ground using shovels, shaken off and separated with a knife into long strips (15 cm). The above-ground parts of the meadowsweet are removed with a knife and immediately washed in a container with cold water, laid out in a thin ball on a paper or fabric lining and dried in a well-ventilated area, turning over periodically. The shelf life of properly dried raw materials reaches 3 years.

Syn: meadowsweet.

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

Ask the experts a question

Flower formula

The formula of the meadowsweet or meadowsweet flower is: *Х5Л5Т∞П∞.

In medicine

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

Meadowsweet is used in the form of infusion (meadowsweet tea) and decoction as an anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic and wound-healing agent for the treatment of long-term non-healing wounds, ulcers and skin diseases. The underground organs of meadowsweet are included in the collection according to M.N. Zdrenko, and the flowers are included in the dietary supplements “Marya” and “Lose Weight,” the medicinal and cosmetic oil “Osteol,” the antioxidant drug “Solo,” the balm “Panta-Forta,” at the Oncology Research Institute. Professor N.N. Petrova, based on them, developed an ointment for the treatment of cervical dysplasia. The plant is used in homeopathy.

In industry

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

In cooking

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

Classification

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

Botanical description

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

Spreading

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

Regions of distribution on the map of Russia.

Procurement of raw materials

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

Chemical composition

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

Pharmacological properties

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

Use in folk medicine

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

Historical reference

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

Literature

1. Vysochina G.I., Kukushkina T.A., Shaldaeva G.M. Content of main groups of biologically active substances in plants of Siberian species Filipendula Mill. // Chemistry of plant raw materials. 2014. No. 2. P. 129-135.

2. Gudkova N.Yu. On the prospects for the introduction of representatives of the meadowsweet genus ( Filipendula Mill..) as sources of medicinal raw materials // Agricultural biology. 2012. No. 2. pp. 73-79.

3. Zhilina I.V., Stepanova E.F., Golova G.A. Development of the composition and technology of a gel with an extract from meadowsweet flowers for use as a dermatoprotector // Basic Research. 2011. No. 9. P. 349-351.

4. Zykova I.D., Efremov A.A. Component composition of essential oil from inflorescences Filipendula ulmarius(L.) Maxim in the flowering and fruiting phases // Chemistry of plant raw materials. 2011. No. 1. P. 133-136.

5. Krasnov E.A., Avdeeva E.Yu. Chemical composition of plants of the genus Filipendula // Chemistry of plant raw materials. 2012. No. 4. pp. 5-12.

6. Nosov A. M. Medicinal plants. - M.: EKSMO-Press, 2000. - 350 p., Svetlichnaya E.I., Tolok I.A. Etymological dictionary of Latin botanical names of medicinal plants. Kharkov: NUPh Publishing House: Golden Pages, 2003. - 288 p.

7. M.A. Nosal, I.M. Nosal. Medicinal plants in folk medicine. 1991. M.: Publishing house. Vneshiberika.

8. Plant resources Russia: wild flowering plants, their component composition and biological activity. T. 2. Families Actinidiaceae-Malvaceae, Euphorbiaceae-Halograceae / Rep. ed. A. L. Budantsev. St. Petersburg ; M.: Partnership of scientific publications KMK, 2009. 513 p.

Meadowsweet or meadowsweet grass is a perennial shrub that is widespread in the CIS countries. It is a good honey plant and medicinal plant. About him useful properties Known by folk herbalists and used to treat many diseases. For treatment, 4 types of meadowsweet out of the known ten with the highest content of ascorbic acid and phenolic acids are used. It helps especially well with colds and viral diseases.

Chemical composition

Meadowsweet contains many substances that make it a medicinal plant. Its chemical composition is dominated by more than 35 mineral elements. The concentration of Potassium and Calcium is especially high. The green part of the plant contains a large number of proteins and fiber.

The content of the following substances in the composition of meadowsweet is distinguished:

• Vitamin C - 374 mg%;
• Essential oils;
• Salicylic acid;
• Glycosides;
• Tannins (mainly in roots).

Beneficial features

Official medicine Not so long ago, meadowsweet grass was recognized as a medicinal plant. Behind last decade thorough studies of the chemical composition of meadowsweet were carried out, which proved its effectiveness as a medicinal natural remedy.

The following are officially recognized: medicinal properties:

• Anti-inflammatory;
• Antibacterial;
• Immunostimulating;
• Antioxidant;
• Hepatoprotective;
• Nootropic;
• Adaptogenic;
• Antihypoxic;
• Antitumor;
• Diuretic;
• Hemostatic;
• Antifungal.

Meadowsweet is used in the form of decoctions of flowers and roots, both internally and externally.. The decoction is drunk as an antiviral and anti-inflammatory agent for colds, as it effectively reduces fever and relieves other symptoms of the disease. The decoction is used for rinsing the mouth in the treatment of dental diseases and sore throats.

Compresses and lotions from the decoction treat skin diseases and mechanical damage skin. Helps with trophic ulcers.

Tinctures from the flowers of the meadowsweet herb because of high concentration salicylic acid in combination with vitamin C, they thin the blood well, thereby helping to reduce blood pressure in case of hypertension. They also prevent blood clots, reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, and improve cerebral circulation.

Concentrated tinctures from the rhizomes of the meadowsweet herb help from internal bleeding, neurological disorders and are used as an anthelmintic agent.

Teas, ointments, and alcohol tinctures are made from this plant. Its seeds are consumed because they contain spiramins, which are beneficial for brain cells.

All parts of the plant are used in cooking. They are added to various dishes - soups, borscht, salads, etc. Since the herb improves the digestion process and gives dishes a pleasant sweetish smell and wonderful aroma.

Use in folk medicine

Traditional medicine, unlike traditional medicine, has been using meadowsweet for many hundreds of years. Medicines are prepared in the form of decoctions, infusions, alcohol tinctures, ointments and teas. Drinks from this plant have a very pleasant taste and smell, so the treatment not only brings tangible results, but also provides aesthetic pleasure.

Infusion of meadowsweet roots Traditional healers use it for diseases of the musculoskeletal system, especially for problems with joints. The infusion effectively affects cancer formations, destroying them and preventing metastases from spreading further.

Meadowsweet root ointment widely used in the treatment of dermatitis, ulcers, eczema, purulent wounds. It is also effective as an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agent for acne and diaper rash.

Alcohol tinctures from meadowsweet eliminate migraines and headaches of various etiologies, relieve insomnia, stress, depression and neurological disorders.

It has a general strengthening, immunomodulatory effect. It is used for acute respiratory viral infections and acute respiratory infections, as well as for the prevention of colds. Tea is drunk for vitamin deficiencies and given to weakened patients after operations or serious illnesses.

For gastritis

In order to eliminate inflammation of the gastric mucosa, take an infusion of meadowsweet flowers. It also helps with ulcers and hemorrhoids.

To prepare infusion of meadowsweet flowers necessary:

• 3 tsp steam the plant flowers in 0.5 liters of boiling water;
• Leave in a thermos for 4 hours;
• Cool and strain;
• Drink 50 ml 4 times a day.

There is another way:

• 15 g of inflorescences;
• Pour 1 liter of hot water;
• Leave for 3 hours and strain;
• Drink 50 ml 4 times a day.

Under pressure

Meadowsweet is often used in folk medicine to lower blood pressure. It is consumed in the form of tea and decoction. The effect of the medicine occurs within an hour after taking the drink.

Meadowsweet tea to lower blood pressure prepared as follows:

• Take 1 tbsp. dry or fresh grass and roots;
• Steam 0.5 liters of boiling water;
• Keep in a water bath for half an hour;
• Leave for an hour;
• Take 3 times a day for a month.

Meadowsweet decoction must be prepared as follows:

• Finely chop the meadowsweet root;
• Pour in 250 ml of hot water;
• Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes;
• Cool and strain;
• Drink 1 tbsp. 3 times a day.

For sciatica

Sciatica is a pinched sciatic nerve. This nerve is completely responsible for the movement of the legs. Therefore, when a pinched nerve occurs, strong pain, which spreads from lumbar region to your fingertips. A fairly common disease of a neuralgic nature.

To relieve pain and relax, do baths with the addition of meadowsweet:

• Take 30 g of raw meadowsweet roots per 1 liter of water;
• Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes;
• Leave for 30 minutes and strain;
• Add to the bath and carry out the procedure for 20-25 minutes.

For joint pain

Meadowsweet is used in homeopathy. From fresh roots make the drug "Spiraea ulmaria". Take 10-15 drops 3 times a day as a tincture. This drug is prescribed for joint pain and for the treatment of articular rheumatism at any stage.

Oil-based compresses are prepared from meadowsweet and applied to sore joints. They eliminate pain and swelling. It is especially important to do such compresses in summer period from fresh meadowsweet raw materials.

Cooking ointments and compresses in the following way:

• Grind the meadowsweet and steam in boiling water;
• Then mix the steamed raw material with 50 g of steamed Vaseline or 1 tbsp. take 5 tbsp of raw materials butter;
• Heat the base and add herbs;
• Mix and apply as compresses or rub into sore areas.

Meadowsweet grass is taken as infusion for arthritis and polyarthritis. Prepare the infusion as follows:

• 1 tsp. steam the raw materials with 250 ml of boiling water;
• Leave for 2 hours;
• Drink 50-70 ml 4 times each meal.

Can be cooked cold infusion for internal use for joint pain:

• 1 tsp. raw materials pour 250 ml cold boiled water;
• Leave for 8 hours;
• Drink 50-70 ml 3-4 times a day.

For skin ailments

Raw meadowsweet effectively helps with skin diseases. For example, powdered meadowsweet is sprinkled on wounds and burns. Meadowsweet ointments effectively help not only with wounds and burns, but also with psoriasis. Softens the skin and eliminates itching.

Do ointments for inflammation and purulent wounds made from powder, petroleum jelly and butter. This requires:

• 5 g meadowsweet leaf powder
• 5 g Vaseline;
• 6 g butter;
• Mix everything until smooth;
• Lubricate damaged skin.

To treat purulent wounds, make a tincture of meadowsweet in alcohol. This requires 1 liter of 20% alcohol per 200 g of herb. Leave for 10 days. After the required time has passed, treatment can begin. Dries quickly purulent wounds.

Application in gynecology

Meadowsweet is actively used to treat gynecological problems. The decoction is used internally, as well as as a douche and baths are made with the addition of medicinal decoction.

For douching prepare a decoction:

• 2 tbsp. l. crushed meadowsweet roots;
• Pour 1 liter. hot water;
• Keep in a water bath for 30 minutes;
• Cool and strain;
• Add water to the original volume;
• Douching is used 2 times a day for 10 days.

Oral decoction for uterine bleeding prepare as follows:

• 1 tsp steam 250 ml of boiling water;
• Keep in a water bath for 30 minutes;
• Add water to the original volume;
• Drink 3 times a day after meals.

To treat leucorrhoea and infertility, drink a herbal mixture of meadowsweet, red clover flowers and linden flowers. All ingredients mix all ingredients 2 tbsp. l. From the general collection take 4 tbsp. l and pour into 1 liter of hot water. Leave for 2 hours. Take 1 tbsp. l of decoction 2 times a day.

You can use infusion of meadowsweet for endometriosis, thrush and erosion. The medicine is prepared as follows: 2 tbsp. l. add meadowsweet flowers and roots to 1 liter of water. Keep in a water bath for 30 minutes. Douche with the cooled decoction 2-3 times a day.

Application in cosmetology

Meadowsweet is very effective means for cosmetic care. It has a particularly beneficial effect on oily skin. In general, meadowsweet creams and masks are suitable for all skin types.

Various cosmetical tools with the addition of meadowsweet have the following effects:

• Cleaning;
• Tonic;
• Anti-inflammatory;
• Antiseptic;
• Softening;
• Decongestant;
• Mattifying;
• Wound healing.

Meadowsweet decoctions are used to rinse your hair when washing to enhance hair growth and combat oily seborrhea. The plant is added to masks, shampoos, rinses, etc. Cosmetics based on meadowsweet perfectly combat oily skin. It has an antioxidant effect. Meadowsweet is used in “for” and “after” shaving products to eliminate inflammation and irritation. Used in the production of toothpastes, powders, gels and mouth rinse for bleeding gums.

It is recommended to drink meadowsweet tea, as it helps improve complexion, relieves puffiness and eliminates bags and dark circles under the eyes. A decoction of meadowsweet is used as a rinse, as it promotes hair growth and gives healthy shine and volume to the hair. Masks mattify the skin, smooth and eliminate inflammation and rashes.

In order to cook mask for smooth skin follows:

• 1 tbsp. Mix meadowsweet decoction with 1 tbsp. spoon carrot juice and 1 tbsp. honey;
• Apply along massage lines to the face using a brush;
• Wash off after 20 minutes.

A mask for narrowing pores is prepared as follows:

• 20 grams of oatmeal;
• 50 ml of meadowsweet decoction;
• 1 tsp lemon juice;
• All ingredients are mixed;
• Apply to face for 20 minutes before bedtime;
• Rinse off.

Contraindications

Any medicinal plant has contraindications. Meadowsweet is no exception. Medicines from meadowsweet are used for no more than 10 days. Then you should take a week break to avoid negative consequences, as it can greatly reduce blood pressure.

Contraindications include:

• Allergic reactions any etiology;
• Individual intolerance to one of the components of the plant;
• Prenatal period and lactation period;
• Children under 16 years of age;
• Hypotension;
• Asthma;
• Chicken pox and flu;
• Thrombophlebitis and thrombophilia;
• Constipation;
• Anemia.

In any case, if you decide to be treated with meadowsweet medications, you should consult your doctor before starting treatment. He will take into account chronic diseases and prescribe the form, dosage and duration of treatment.