Content
Common horehound takes its name from the ancient Indian “Сandras”, which means “brilliant”. In common people it is usually called Horsemint or Shanta, the Swamp Evil.
Description of horehound
Most varieties of horsemint are perennial plants, reaching a height of 70 cm. Its stem is tetrahedral, either branched or simple, with whitish-tomentose pubescence in the lower part.
Common horehound is a very unpretentious plant; it can be found under cliffs, in quarries and on boundaries
The leaf blades of the common horehound at the bottom and on the stem have long petioles and a rounded-ovate shape. They reach 3.5 cm in length and have a wrinkled surface.
The leaf blades at the tops are small in size with short petioles. On top they are pale green in color and wrinkled, on the underside they have a grayish tint.
The fruit of the horehound grass is an egg-shaped nut, yellow-brown in color with spotting and small tubercles. They are also found in oblong or rounded shapes. The ripening period is from July to September.
The flowers of the plant are small, located in the axil of the leaf blades and collected in false whorls. Chandra's bracts are awl-shaped. The calyx is in the form of tubes with 5-10 teeth in the form of awls.
The corolla of the common shandra is tubular, short-haired, and white. The upper lip is erect, almost flat. The lower one is either equal to it or slightly shorter, double-cut.
Common horehound flowers are bisexual
Horsemint is widespread in Crimea and Ukraine. In Russia, Shandra is found in the Baltic, Lower Don and Black Sea regions. The grass grows in the Caucasus and Central Asia. Horehound is widespread throughout Europe and in western China and North Africa.
Types and varieties
There are several varieties of the plant. Horehound alien is distributed throughout Turkey and in the southern part of Central Europe in lowlands and hills, on ruins. The plant prefers sand and depleted soils.
Externally, Horehound alien is a plant with an erect stem 30-80 cm high. The leaf blades are diamond-shaped and oblong, with a solid edge at the base. At the tops of the plant they are smaller, lanceolate, and wrinkled.
Asymmetrical whorls with inflorescences are located in the leaf axils. The flower calyx is soft, cone-shaped with five teeth. It is small in size, white in color with a pleasant aroma.Nuts with small tubercles, dark brown color.
Alien horehound seeds contain oils and acids: palmitic, oleic, linolenic and stearic
Early horehound is characterized as subcotyledonous with dense pubescence. The cotyledons are almost round, reaching 4-5 mm in length. On hairy petioles they are 8-10 mm.
The leaf blades of the plant have an ovoid-elongated shape, 6-7 mm in length, with dense pubescence.
The inflorescence of early horehound is in the form of a cup, with teeth located along the edges. The corolla is larger than that of foreign horehound.
Early shandra is widespread in Europe and the Caucasus (in the eastern part)
Orchard fragrant is a perennial plant that easily spreads throughout the territory by self-sowing. The shrub reaches a height of 60-100 cm, has pubescent, slightly elongated leaves with pointed tips. When rubbed, the leaf plates begin to emit a pleasant aroma. The inflorescences are paniculate and range in color from white to purple.
This variety is very attractive to cats with its aroma and taste.
Water horehound, unlike ordinary horehound, has a slightly pubescent stem of a simple or tetrahedral grooved shape with a thick root. The leaf blades are openwork, similar in appearance to nettles. The flowers of the variety are small, funnel-shaped, attractive to insects.
Water horehound, unlike ordinary horehound, is a plant that prefers bodies of water.
The variety can be used for landscape design.
Features of reproduction
The main method of cultivation is planting seeds.Common horehound is characterized by self-seeding: once you plant it one year, the next summer the grass will grow on its own in the same place.
Reproduction is also possible by cuttings, which are harvested in the summer. This method is difficult.
Medicinal properties of horehound herb
Horehound is a medicinal plant that has a number of properties:
- relieving inflammation;
- astringent effect;
- antiarrhythmic and antispasmodic properties;
- decrease in pressure.
The substances that make up the common horehound help normalize the heart rate and stimulate the functioning of the gallbladder.
With regular use of the herb, the volume of gastric juice secreted increases, which can be used in the treatment of gastritis, decreased appetite, and liver pathologies.
Horehound contains marrubiin, which helps to liquefy and expectorate sputum in cases of lung disease.
It is possible to use the herb to combat fever, skin rashes, and hemorrhoids.
Uses of horehound
In traditional medicine, Horehound is rarely used. But it is actively used in folk recipes, collected and dried in advance.
It is also possible to purchase Horsemint in pharmacies, where it is available in crushed form.
In folk medicine
Considering the medicinal properties and contraindications to the use of Horehound, the herb is used for various diseases.
For jaundice, inflammatory processes in the stomach and intestines, menstrual irregularities, prepare the following infusion: 2 tsp. crushed horehound, pour 250 ml of cold water and leave for 3 to 4 hours.The resulting medicine should be divided into 4 doses.
Drinking fresh juice 3-4 times a day is also beneficial for the body. Honey is added to it before use.
To combat senile asthma 2 tsp. raw materials are poured with 500 ml of chilled boiled water and left for 4 hours, having previously closed the container. The infusion should be divided into 50 ml portions and sweetened with honey before use.
When the body is exhausted, the following infusion of horehound helps: 2 tsp. The crushed plant is poured into 200 ml of boiling water and left in a closed container for 2 hours. After the strained medicine should be consumed 1 tbsp. l. 20 minutes before the main meal.
For gastrocardial syndrome, the following mixture helps: horehound, thyme and centaury are mixed in 30 g each. Add 2 tsp to 200 ml of boiling water. the resulting mixture and leave for 5 minutes. You should consume from 200 to 400 ml of infusion per day. The medicine should not be prepared in advance: the maximum effect is observed when it is taken fresh.
In cosmetology
The drug is used in this industry by adding to the following cosmetic products:
- creams and ointments intended for sensitive skin, to protect the epidermis from external factors, as a soothing agent for the skin;
- wound healing drugs.
Chandra is also found in health-improving products as one of the components.
Restrictions and contraindications
Before using the herb Horehound, you should familiarize yourself with the contraindications. It is not recommended to take infusions and decoctions for people with acute gastrointestinal diseases, ulcers and pancreatitis.
It is forbidden to give medicine based on the plant to children and women carrying a baby or breastfeeding.
Landing rules
Common horehound is distinguished by its rare unpretentiousness in planting and care. It grows successfully on infertile soil, in a shaded or sunny place.
To plant Horehound officinalis, it is necessary to prepare containers filled with loose soil in March. Seeds are placed in it to a depth of 1 cm, then they are well moistened and covered with glass until sprouts appear. The main care for common horehound is watering when the soil in the container dries out.
Planting horsemint is sensitive to sunlight, so containers should be placed on the windowsill
Planting on the site takes place in the last week of May. The plant is placed in beds maintaining a distance between them of 25-35 cm.
Features of cultivation
The plant does not require fertilizing. Basic care is removing weeds, loosening the soil and watering as the soil dries.
Common horehound is not afraid of frost, so the plant is not covered for the winter. It is enough to trim the stems and remove the weeds before the snow falls.
Pests and diseases
The main pest of common horehound is the mint leaf beetle. The bug, 7-10 mm in size, lays larvae on the plant and damages the leaf blades.
To destroy it, it is enough to treat the plant with an infusion of hot pepper or chamomile. The insecticide Actellik is effective against it.
The fight against the mint leaf beetle should be stopped 40 days before harvesting the horsemint, so that the drugs do not affect the quality of the harvested raw materials.
When and how to collect horehound for medicinal purposes
If it is impossible to purchase the product at the pharmacy, it is possible to independently procure the raw materials.Common horehound should be collected during its flowering period: cut off the tops of the stems.
How to dry Shandra correctly
The collected grass is tied into bunches and hung in a shaded place in a suspended state. A dryer may be used. The temperature in the device should be set to 45 °C.
You should not spread common horehound in a thick layer on the dryer tray: it will dry unevenly
After drying, when the leaf plates become brittle and break easily, they are poured into fabric bags or paper bags.
Conclusion
Common horehound is a plant that is distinguished by its rare unpretentiousness and is widespread everywhere. Its stems and leaf blades are used in cosmetology and folk recipes. Common horehound can be grown and prepared yourself, or purchased at a pharmacy.
