Almond Common

Almond Ordinary: properties, uses and medicinal properties

Common almond (lat. Prunus dulcis) is a small tree or thorny, highly branched shrub of the Rosaceae family, 4-6 m high. This plant is common in the Caucasus and Central Asia, where it grows along rocky river beds, on dry rocky slopes and screes , rises to the mid-mountain zone. There are two varieties of almonds - bitter and sweet.

Common almonds are valued for their culinary, cosmetic and medicinal properties. The fruits are used in confectionery production, and the gum is used to make glue and gum arabic. Almond wood is suitable for carpentry. Almond leaves, fruits and seeds are used as medicinal raw materials.

Almond leaves are harvested after the plant has flowered and dried in the usual way. Fruits and seeds are collected when ripe. The fruits are dried in the sun, then in the shade, preventing mold. Store in a dry place in a closed container for 1 year.

Almond leaves contain cyanogenic compounds, phenolcarboxylic acids (caffeic, ferulic, coumaric) and flavonoids. The fruits contain carbohydrates (glucose, galactose, maltose and sucrose), organic acids, cyanogenic compounds, vitamin Bi and fatty oil, which contains palmitic, heptadecanic and other acids. The seeds contain carbohydrates, cyanogenic compounds, fatty oil and vitamin Bg.

Almond preparations have analgesic, hemostatic, sedative, anticonvulsant, antiputrefactive, enveloping and laxative effects. Almonds are used for stomach pain, diabetes, bloody cough, rabid dog bites, renal colic and difficulty urinating. Almond water is used for heart and nervous disorders. Almond oil is prescribed as a means of regulating the functional activity of the gastrointestinal tract, for painful dermatitis and for rinsing the mouth for stomatitis.

Bitter almond oil is used for bronchial asthma, lung and ear diseases, as well as for severe cough with difficult to separate sputum. It is useful for stimulating appetite, bloating and inflammation in the ear. Take 6-8 drops orally 3 times a day. The dose of oil can be increased to 1/2 teaspoon.

In addition, a paste of crushed almonds mixed with fresh milk is used daily to lubricate the head for general and diffuse baldness or areas of skin affected by furunculosis. The course of treatment is 1 month.

However, it must be taken into account that almonds contain cyanogens, that is, substances that, when entering the body, can turn into hydrocyanic acid, causing poisoning. Therefore, when consuming almonds, you should be careful and not consume large quantities.

By drawing a balance between benefits and possible harm, we can conclude that Common almonds are a valuable plant material that can be used in cooking, cosmetics and medicine. However, before use, you need to familiarize yourself with the properties and recommended dosages in order to get maximum benefit and avoid possible complications.