Borage, Or Borage Herb.

Borage, Or Borage

Borage (Borago officinalis) is a biennial herbaceous plant of the borage family, which is also known as borage. This plant can reach a height of 20 to 60 cm. Borage has a branched stem that is thick and covered with bristly hairs. The leaves are fleshy, stiff-haired, entire, alternate and finely toothed along the edges.

The plant has both lower, large petiolate leaves and upper, smaller and sessile, oval-shaped leaves. Borage blooms in June and July. The flowers are blue, drooping, located at the ends of the stems and collected in a spreading thyroid-paniculate inflorescence. The fruit of borage is an oblong nut of dark brown color.

Borage is often found in nature as a weed in wastelands and fields, but it is also cultivated in vegetable gardens in Russia. The leaves of the plant are used as a substitute for cucumbers, especially in early spring. They are added to salads, vinaigrettes, side dishes, okroshka, cold borscht and soups. Borage flowers can be used fresh or dried in the confectionery industry.

Borage does not require any special cultivation techniques. It is unpretentious to the soil, but develops best in well-fertilized areas. The seeds of the plant are sown in early spring with row spacing 45-50 cm wide. The seed sowing rate is 3-4 g per 1 m2. After the emergence of seedlings, the plants are thinned out, leaving a distance of 15-20 cm between plants. Caring for cucumber grass involves loosening the soil and weeding.

The medicinal raw material is the borage herb. It is cut off during flowering, applied to the ground itself, and cleaned of poor-quality lower leaves. The collected herbs can be dried in the sun, spread out in a thin layer, or in a ventilated area. The leaves are collected as needed for consumption.

Borage leaves contain ascorbic, malic and citric acids, carotene, mucous substances and a significant amount of potassium. The flowers also contain mucilage and essential oil, including gamma-linolenic acid and other beneficial components.

Borage has a number of beneficial properties and uses. Known for its anti-inflammatory and soothing properties, it is often used in herbal medicine to relieve inflammatory diseases, arthritis and rheumatism. Borage herb can also help relieve stress and improve your mood.

Borage contains mucous substances that have a mild enveloping effect on the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, it is sometimes used to alleviate the symptoms of gastritis and peptic ulcers.

In folk medicine, borage was used as a diuretic and diuretic. It helps stimulate the removal of excess fluid from the body and can be useful for swelling.

Some studies also suggest that borage may have antioxidant properties and positive effects on skin health.

It should be noted that before using borage as a medicine, you should consult a doctor or herbalist. The plant may cause allergic reactions in some people, so it is important to be careful when using it.