Carrot Wild

Wild carrots: properties, uses and applications

The Wild Carrot, or Daucus carota, is one of the ancestors of the cultivated carrot that we all know. This plant is a member of the Apiaceae family and has many common names, including yellow turnip and bird's nest. The parts of the plant used are root, leaves and fruit. In medicine it is known as wild carrot root (Dauci carotae radix), wild carrot herb (Dauci carotae herba) and wild carrot fruit (Dauci carotae fructus).

The botanical description of the Wild Carrot includes a spindle-shaped whitish root, a ribbed stem up to 1 meter high, and double- or triple-pinnate leaves. The flowers are white, collected in a complex umbrella. However, it should be noted that it is impossible to distinguish Wild carrots from other umbelliferous plants if you do not know its characteristics. Against the background of a vast white umbrella, you can see individual black and purple flowers, giving the impression that a small beetle is sitting inside the umbrella.

Wild carrots often grow in wastelands, gravelly places, meadows with infertile soil, along slopes and roadsides. The roots are collected in early spring or late autumn. The leaves are collected during flowering, and the fruits are harvested shortly before full ripeness and dried in a ventilated place.

Wild carrots are rich in provitamin A, vitamins B1, B2 and C, flavonoids, essential oil, carototoxin and other substances. Scientific medicine uses wild carrots mainly for malnutrition in infants and for vitamin A deficiency. It is also used against pinworms and as a diuretic. Carrot juice or fresh peeled and crushed roots can be used as a medicine.

In folk medicine, wild carrots are used to treat various diseases. P. A. Mattiolus, an Italian physician and botanist of the 16th century, wrote about the effect of wild carrots on the stomach, urinary tract and wounds. Sweet carrot pulp is used to treat abscesses, especially leg ulcers. To treat wounds, crushed fresh leaves are also used, which are mixed with honey. Wild Carrots are also known to be a tonic and sedative and can be consumed as juice, pulp or tea.

However, it must be remembered that Wild carrots are a highly poisonous plant and can cause poisoning if consumed in large quantities. Therefore, before using Wild carrots as a medicine, you should consult a doctor or herbalist and follow the dosage recommendations.

Overall, Wild Carrot has some beneficial properties and can be used for medicinal purposes. However, due to its toxicity, you need to be careful when using it and monitor the dosage.