Initial letter Medicinal.

Medicinal initial letter: properties and application

The medicinal letter (lat. Chenopodium ambrosioides) is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family. It grows up to 1 m in height and has an erect, tetrahedral stem covered with downward-curved hairs. The plant contains two pairs of opposite leaves, the basal ones are collected in a rosette. The leaves are oblong-heart-shaped, crenate. It blooms in June - August with its reddish-purple flowers collected in half-whorls. The fruit consists of four nuts and ripens in August - September.

The medicinal letter is common in the European part of Russia, the Caucasus and Western Siberia. It grows in meadows, near roads through thickets, in clearings and among bushes.

The aerial part of the plant serves as the medicinal raw material. It is harvested during the flowering period, leaving 10% of the plants for seeding the soil. The grass is loosely packed into bags. Before drying, remove yellowed leaves and plants damaged by insects. Dry the raw materials in a well-ventilated dark room, spreading them in a thin layer, in the air in the shade or in a dryer at a temperature of 4°. 5О°С. The stems should break after drying. Stored in boxes for 2 years.

The aerial parts of the cap contain essential oil, stahydrin, flavonoids, resins, tannins, choline, vitamins C and K and calcium salts. In the past, the drop cap was widely used in clinical practice. Currently, in our country it is not used in medicine, but in a number of countries (France, East Germany, etc.) it is an official medicinal raw material.

In folk medicine, the herb is recommended for gastritis with high acidity, pain in the stomach and intestines, periodic constipation and indigestion. To prepare the infusion, pour 1 tablespoon of the herb into 2 cups of boiling water and leave for 2 hours. Take 1/2 cup 4 times a day 30 minutes before meals.

The infusion is used for diseases of the lungs and bronchi. It thins mucus, improves its separation, reduces cough, and eliminates inflammation. The letter can also be used as an anthelmintic in the presence of worms and other parasites in the intestines. To do this, use an infusion of 1 tablespoon of herb, poured with 1 glass of boiling water, infused for 2 hours. Take 1/2 cup 2 times a day for 3 days.

The initial letter is also used in cosmetology to improve the condition of skin and hair. To prepare a mask for the face and hair, 1 tablespoon of the herb is steamed with 1 glass of boiling water and left for 2 hours. Then the infusion is filtered and used to wash hair and apply to the face.

Despite the beneficial properties of the drop cap, it can cause side effects such as allergic reactions and toxic effects when consumed in large doses. Therefore, before using the drop cap for treatment, you must consult your doctor and follow the dosage.