Clover Lugovoi.

Clover Lugovoi

A perennial herbaceous plant of the legume family, 20-50 cm high. The root is taprooted, branched, often with nodules of nitrogen-assimilation bacteria. The main stem is shortened.

From the axils of the basal leaves emerge flowering stems with trifoliate leaves that fold at night. The leaflets of the lower leaves are ovate, finely toothed along the edge, the upper ones are oblong, entire. Blooms from May to September.

Flowers of irregular shape, pink or red, are located in capitate inflorescences, at the base the last two leaves are close together. The fruit is a bean.

Red clover is widespread in the southeastern and southwestern zones of Russia, Siberia, Central Asia and the Far East.

It grows along river banks, forest edges, along roads, in meadows and mountain meadow slopes, along the edges of fields.

Used as a fodder crop for all types of animals. However, an overdose of fresh clover can cause poisoning, especially in rabbits and pigs.

Plants are used to dye fabrics green. Dried flower heads are suitable for seasoning soups. Young stems and leaves are added to salad, and when boiled they are used as spinach.

Dry crushed leaves improve the quality of bread when baking. For household needs, clover is harvested from spring to autumn. Stored dried, pickled and pickled.

Used as a tea substitute. It is a good honey plant and a powerful storage of nitrogen in the soil.

Inflorescences with apical leaves serve as medicinal raw materials.

They are collected during flowering, loosely placed in baskets, and quickly dried in the shade, under a canopy or in a dryer at a temperature of 60-70°C, making sure that the raw material does not dry out, as this will lose its value. Store in a closed container for 1 year.

The aerial part of clover contains carbohydrates, steroids, saponins, vitamins C, B, E and K, carotene, phenol carbonic acids, coumarins, fatty oil, tannins, flavonoids, quinones, essential oil, higher fatty acids (oleic, linolenic, palmitic, etc. .), trace elements and cyanogen compounds.

Decoction, infusion and tincture of various parts of the plant have expectorant, diuretic, choleretic, anti-inflammatory, anti-atherosclerotic, hemostatic, wound-healing, analgesic and antitumor effects.

Clover preparations are used for anemia, painful menstruation, inflammation of the bladder, heavy uterine bleeding, bronchitis, bronchial asthma and shortness of breath. The amount of flavonoids contained in clover prevents the accumulation of cholesterol in the blood, so it is indicated to prevent the development of atherosclerosis.

Fresh crushed leaves are used externally to stop bleeding, heal wounds, burns, abscesses and rheumatic pain. Fresh plant juice is suitable for the same purposes. It is also effective for suppuration of the nail bed and fingers, skin tuberculosis, inflammatory diseases of the ears and eyes.

Aqueous-alcoholic tincture of clover is prescribed as an additional remedy in the treatment of tuberculosis. Clover is an indispensable component of chest and stomach preparations. It is used for baths and for rickets in children.

A decoction of the roots is indicated for inflammation of the ovaries and as an antitumor agent.

To prepare it, 20 g of crushed raw materials are poured into 1 glass of hot water, boiled in a closed enamel container in a water bath for 30 minutes, filtered while hot through two or three layers of gauze, squeezed out and brought to the original volume. Take 1 tablespoon 4-5 times a day before meals.

The infusion is prepared at the rate of 1 - 2 tablespoons of crushed leaves per 1 glass of boiling water.

Brew like tea and leave for 40 minutes. Take 2 tablespoons 2-3 times a day before meals. Used for anemia, vitamin C deficiency, headaches, for the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.