Eyebright officinalis.

Eyebright

An annual herbaceous plant of the Norichinaceae family, 10-20 cm high. The stem is erect. The leaves are opposite, sessile, dark green, ovate, crenate at the edges.

Blooms in May - August. The flowers are pale purple, sometimes red-violet or pink, located in the axils of the upper leaves. The fruit is a multi-seeded capsule that dehisces at the top.

Ripens in August - September.

Eyebright is common in the European part of Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, the North Caucasus and Transcaucasia. Grows in mowed meadows and pastures.

It is often found in the foothills and mountain wet meadows, rising to a height of up to 1200 m above sea level, in the forest and forest-steppe zones of the country. Eyebright is used to produce blue dye for linen and cotton fabrics.

The aerial part serves as the medicinal raw material.

It is harvested during the flowering of the plant, cutting off the stems at a level of 3-4 cm from the soil surface. The collected raw materials are dried in the sun for 1-2 hours and dried in the shade, in a well-ventilated area, in the attic or in a dryer at a temperature of 35-40°C.

Store in wooden or glass containers with tight lids for 2 years.

The herb contains aucubin glycoside, essential oil, resin, bitterness, vine coloring and tannins. Eyebright preparations have hypotensive, anti-inflammatory, sedative and anti-acid effects.

An infusion of the plant is used for increased acidity and inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach and colon, diseases of the bronchi with persistent cough and difficult to separate sputum, and inflammation of the vocal cords. In the form of lotions and baths, the infusion is used for inflammation of the eyes, eyelids and damage to the cornea.

To prepare the infusion, pour 3 teaspoons of herbs into 2 cups of boiling water, leave for 20-30 minutes, filter through two or three layers of gauze, squeeze and bring the volume with boiled water to the original volume.

Take 1/3-2/3 cup 3 times a day before meals.

The herb can be taken in powder form, 1 g 3 times a day before meals.