Ledum Bolotny.

Ledum Swamp: Description, Application and Medicinal Properties

Ledum palustre is an evergreen shrub belonging to the heather family. The plant grows up to 1.2 meters in height and has leathery leaves that do not fall off in the winter. The leaf blade is oblong, with edges curled downwards, dark green above, and covered below with brownish-rusty felt hairs and yellow glandular dots. Ledum blooms in May - June, with snow-white flowers that have a fragrant scent and are collected in umbels at the ends of the branches. The fruit of the plant is a drooping capsule with numerous small seeds that ripen in July - August.

Marsh rosemary is widespread in the tundra and forest zones of the European part of Russia, Siberia and the Far East. The plant prefers sphagnum bogs, peat bogs and swampy coniferous forests. Ledum has national economic significance: powder from its leaves is sprinkled on clothes to protect them from moths. The shoots are used to combat mosquitoes and bedbugs by spraying the places where insects accumulate with a decoction. Ledum powder can be used to fumigate a room. It is also used to treat domestic animals, especially pigs. Cows are given a decoction of the herb for bloating, and horses for soreness and colic.

The medicinal raw materials are leafy shoots of the current year up to 10 cm long, collected during flowering. Dry them in the shade, laying them out in a thin layer and systematically turning them over, or in a dryer at a temperature not exceeding 40°C. Store in double bags in a cool, dry place for up to 2 years. The plant is poisonous, so care should be taken when harvesting, drying and packaging.

The main component of wild rosemary is the essential oil, which includes ledol, palustrol, cymol, geranyl acetate and other components that have a bitter-pungent taste and balsamic odor. The plant contains flavonoids, organic acids, vitamins, tannins and the glycoside arbutin. The largest amount of essential oil is contained in young leaves during the flowering phase of the plant.

In medical practice, an infusion of wild rosemary herb is prescribed as an expectorant, anti-inflammatory and mucolytic agent for respiratory diseases such as bronchitis, tracheitis, pneumonia, and asthma. Ledum infusion is also used to treat gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, cholelithiasis, cholecystitis, pyelonephritis and cystitis. In folk medicine, wild rosemary is used as a means to increase immunity, strengthen the cardiovascular system, lower blood pressure and treat skin diseases.

Preparation of wild rosemary infusion: pour 1 tablespoon of chopped dry herb into 200 ml of boiling water, leave for 15 minutes, strain. Take 1/3 cup 3 times a day before meals.

Despite the medicinal properties of wild rosemary, self-medication can be dangerous, so you should consult your doctor before using herbal preparations.