Sedge Parvskaya.

Sedge parva

A perennial plant of the sedge family, 30-45 cm high. The rhizome is horizontal, with numerous roots. The stem is triangular, flattened, single.

The leaves are long, extending from the lower third. The leaf blade is curled downwards, has two veins and a groove in the middle. The leaves overwinter green and die the following year in the second half of summer. When dry, they can be stored for several years. It blooms during the period of leaf growth, in late April - early May. The flowers are collected in several spikelets at the end of the stem.

The fruit is a dry nut.

Sedge parva is widespread in the Transnistrian Upland, in Ukraine - in the Khmelnitsky, Kyiv and Kharkov regions, in the Caucasus and in the Southern Transcaucasus. It grows in meadows, in light forests, and rises to the subalpine zone. Can form extensive thickets.

The leaves serve as medicinal raw materials. They are collected in June - July, cutting them with a knife or sickle at a height of 5-7 cm from the soil surface, sorted, removing impurities, and loosely placed in bags or baskets. After 1-2 hours, dry in the open air, spreading it in a layer of 3-5 cm and turning it over often. In rainy weather, they are laid out under a canopy or in an attic with good ventilation.

Store in bags in a dry, ventilated area for 3 years.

Sedge leaves contain the alkaloids brevicolline, brevicarin, harmane and other little-studied substances. The main biological activity of the plant is associated with brevicollin.

The infusion enhances labor, stops uterine, primarily postpartum, bleeding, relieves spasm of peripheral vessels, and enhances intestinal motility. It is prescribed for hypertension, endarteritis and acute pneumonia.

To prepare the infusion, pour 10 g of herb into 1 glass of hot water, boil in a water bath for 15 minutes, leave for 45 minutes, filter through two or three layers of gauze and bring the volume to the original volume.

Take 2 tablespoons 3 times a day before meals.