Content
Elecampane of Christ's Eye (Elecampane eye) is a small herbaceous perennial plant with bright yellow flowers. It is used in landscape design in group plantings and to create bright accents. Grass, leaves, inflorescences "Christ's eye" (Inula oculus christi) is a valuable raw material for the preparation of medicinal tinctures.
Elecampane eye - medicinal and ornamental plant
Botanical description
"Christ's Eye" is a dicotyledonous herbaceous perennial from the genus Devyasil, the Astrovye family.
Characteristic:
- the number of chromosomes - 16 pairs;
- stem - straight, herbaceous, with a glandular edge, slightly branches in the upper part;
- rhizome - rosette, 1-3 mm in diameter;
- leaves - oblong, lanceolate, with an edge, up to 2-8 cm long and 1-2 cm wide at the apex. In the lower part, they stretch up to 12-14 cm and 1.5-3 cm in width;
- inflorescences - baskets, in the form of a thick shield;
- the petals of the envelope are yellow, flat-lanceolate;
- fruit - achene up to 3 mm long.
- the ovary is covered with fluff.
Elecampane blooms from June to August.
Distribution area
"Christ's Eye" grows almost throughout Europe from Greece and Italy to Germany and Poland, from Great Britain to the central part of the Russian Federation. It is also common in the Caucasus, the Middle and Near East, in the west of Asia, in Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. In some regions of the central part of Russia, it is listed in the Red Book.
The natural habitat is steppes, stony and overgrown with grasses and bushes, hillsides and foothills.
"Christ's Eye" feels good in areas with rocky ground, it does not need a lot of nutrients
Healing properties of eye elecampane
Plants of the elecampane genus are widely used in folk medicine, due to their high content:
- polysaccharides,
- gums;
- resin;
- alkaloids;
- vitamin C;
- flavonoids;
- alantopicrin;
- antiseptic substances;
- coumarins.
In folk medicine, the ground parts of the "Christ's Eye" are used. Roots and rhizomes are too thin to be harvested in large quantities. This distinguishes the ocellated elecampane from other members of the same genus.
Infusion "Christ's Eye" is a powerful tonic. It is used to boost immunity after chronic infections and stress.
In Chinese medicine, elecampane is called a remedy for 99 diseases.
Application in traditional medicine
"Christ's Eye" is used as a wound healing and anti-inflammatory agent for treatment.
Applied under the following conditions:
- diseases of the digestive system: stomach, duodenum, gallbladder, intestines;
- diseases of the upper respiratory tract: bronchitis, rhinitis, tracheitis, tonsillitis and acute respiratory viral infections;
- skin rashes;
- non-healing wounds;
- hemorrhoids (in the form of microclysters);
- sores and wounds in the mouth.
Elecampane tincture is used in gynecology to treat inflammation and normalize the menstrual cycle.
Shredded fresh ground parts of the plant are applied to wounds to stop bleeding and prevent infection.
Elecampane is used to treat protozoal infections: amebiasis, toxoplasmosis, giardiasis and others, as well as against worms. However, for such infections, the drugs of official medicine are more effective.
A decoction of flowers is used to relieve headaches, migraines, eliminate vascular spasms. It is also used to normalize bowel function.
It is possible to use herbal tinctures and decoctions only in combination with medicines prescribed by a doctor. Self-medication leads to poor health. Herbal preparations are not always effective against serious diseases.
Elecampane is a valuable melliferous plant, its honey has the same healing properties as the decoctions of the plant
Collection and procurement of raw materials
The leaves of the "Christ's Eye" are harvested in early spring, while the leaf plates are very young. In August and early autumn, flowers, leaves and stems are harvested. This can be done before the onset of the first frost. When collecting, do not allow fragments of other plants and debris to enter the workpiece. The cut parts of the plant are tied into bushes or laid out in one layer on paper and dried for several days.
Preparation of the broth
To prepare the broth, take fresh or dried ground parts of elecampane, grind, pour boiling water and boil for 3-4 minutes. Then they insist for two hours.
Contraindications
Elecampane cannot be used for diseases:
- urinary tract and kidney;
- stomach and duodenum, accompanied by low acidity;
- female genital organs, accompanied by frequent and profuse bleeding;
- heart and blood vessels.
Also tinctures "Christ's Eye" are contraindicated for people with high blood viscosity. They should not be taken during pregnancy and lactation.
Conclusion
The elecampane of Christ's eye is a valuable medicinal plant that helps with various diseases. All parts of the plant are used: leaves, flowers and stems. It can be used both internally and externally, as a wound healing agent. The main thing is that in order to achieve the greatest effect, you must follow all the rules for preparing and taking the drug.
