Veronica Medicinal.

Veronica officinalis

Perennial herbaceous plant of the Norichaceae family. The stem is creeping, branched, up to 50 cm long. The leaves are opposite, oblong, toothed, fluffy, with short petioles.

Blooms from June to August. The flowers are pale blue, less often pink, collected in an outer raceme. The fruit is a capsule. Ripens in July.

Veronica officinalis is common in the European part of Russia, Crimea and the Caucasus. Prefers forests, ravines, clearings and meadows.

The leafy tops of the plant serve as medicinal raw materials. They are collected at the beginning of flowering, cutting them off with a knife near the ground. Dry quickly and carefully to avoid shedding of flowers and loss of natural color.

The raw materials contain tannins, bitterness, glycosides aucubin and veronicin, essential oil, vitamin C, saponins, carotene, organic acids and tannins.

Veronica is used for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and diarrhea. An infusion of the herb improves appetite and digestion, has a positive effect on respiratory diseases, cough, bronchial asthma, gout, cholelithiasis and kidney stones.

Hot infusion has a positive effect on stomach atony, intestinal colic and bronchitis.

Veronica's preparations have a hemostatic effect for external and internal bleeding. They are indicated for headaches, increased nervous excitability and insomnia, especially during menopause, as well as for itching of the genitals in elderly women suffering from diabetes and gynecological diseases.

To prepare the infusion, pour 2 teaspoons of raw material into 2 cups of boiling water, infuse, strain and take 1/3-1/2 cup 4 times a day after meals. When treating kidney diseases and gout, use fresh plant juice 2-3 teaspoons in the morning before meals. Veronica herb infused with vegetable oil and water infusion are a good remedy for the treatment of purulent wounds, fungal skin infections and sunburn.

Healing of purulent wounds and ulcers occurs faster when fresh crushed leaves are applied to them.