Content
- 1 What it looks like and where it grows
- 2 Chemical composition
- 3 Types of meadowsweet
- 4 Beneficial properties of meadowsweet
- 5 Methods of application
- 6 The use of meadowsweet in medicine
- 7 Application in cosmetology
- 8 Contraindications to the use of meadowsweet
- 9 Planting and caring for variegated meadowsweet
- 10 Collection and preparation of meadowsweet herb
- 11 Conclusion
- 12 Reviews about the treatment of cataracts with meadowsweet
A perennial herbaceous plant of the Rosaceae family, meadowsweet (meadowsweet) is often found in water meadows in Europe, Central Asia, the Caucasus, Siberia, and Primorye. The juices of the crop contain large quantities of ascorbic acid. Thanks to this, the plant has long been used in folk medicine. In the Caucasus, meadowsweet is used in vitamin-rich salads.Meadowsweet flowers exude a subtle honey aroma, which attracts honey bees.
What it looks like and where it grows
The stem of meadowsweet is tall (up to 2 m), strong, ribbed, and densely leafy. It can be simple or branched.
The leaves of the meadowsweet are intermittent and pinnately separate. They have 2-3 pairs of lateral pointed serrate twins, divided into 3-5 lobes. The leaf blade of meadowsweet is dark green, smooth on top and brown fleecy below. Among the large leaves are small, sharp-toothed ones.
If you rub a meadowsweet leaf with your fingers, it will begin to emit a pungent but pleasant odor.
The root system is fibrous, creeping, without tuberous thickenings.
The flowers of meadowsweet are small, numerous, cream-colored, collected in panicles up to 20 cm in diameter. There are five petals in a calyx, rarely six can be formed. In the center are long yellow stamens. Flowering begins in June or July.
The meadowsweet fruit is formed in the form of a multi-leaflet, which consists of 10-15 spirally twisted segments. As they mature, they harden. Fruiting begins in late July or August.
Up to five thousand seeds can ripen on one meadowsweet plant; in the fall they are spread by wind or river waters
The plant can be found in damp meadows, on the edges of forests or near marshy swamps. Meadowsweet appears in damp meadows, surrounded by dark thickets of bushes, on the banks of reservoirs.
The culture is widespread in Europe (the central part, Scandinavian countries, the entire Atlantic coast). Meadowsweet is less common in the central regions of Ukraine, in the Northern Black Sea region, and in the Carpathians. Meadowsweet is widespread throughout Central Asia and Mongolia.In Russia, the crop is mainly collected in the European part, Ciscaucasia, Western and Eastern Siberia.
Chemical composition
Meadowsweet contains large quantities of ascorbic acid and flavonoids (quercetin and kaempferol). The chemical composition contains traces of coumarins, phenolic compounds, and tannins. The leaves and shoots of meadowsweet contain caffeic and ellagic acids, and the flowers contain essential oil, camphor, and aromatic compounds.
Types of meadowsweet
Currently, in addition to meadow species of meadowsweet, ornamental plant species have also been bred. They are cultivated in flower beds and flower beds.
Meadowsweet variegated (variegated)
An unpretentious perennial that can overwinter without shelter at temperatures as low as 40°C is meadowsweet (Latin name filipendula ulmaria variegata). Throughout the summer, the crop retains its decorative qualities. Thanks to this, the plant has become popular among gardeners on many continents.
Meadowsweet variegata is a compact plant, the height of which does not exceed 0.9 m, the width of the bush is 60 cm. The leaves are large, pinnately dissected with a 5-lobed terminal segment. The color is dark green, the entire surface is covered with bright yellow stripes.
Variegated meadowsweet has an unusual leaf color and retains a fresh decorative appearance for a long time.
The buds are small, snow-white or cream, with the most delicate vanilla-honey aroma. Flowering lasts from June to July, and may repeat in August. Sometimes peduncles are removed in order to preserve the beauty of openwork and variegated leaves longer.
Variegated meadowsweet is suitable for mixed plantings. Looks good in green groups near ponds, on the lawn, under a tree.
Meadowsweet Aurea
This is a perennial herbaceous plant that is ideal for a shady garden. The culture is unpretentious and has good winter hardiness.
Meadowsweet Aurea grows up to 90 cm. The bush is dense and wide. The branched shoots are covered with large, hairy, toothed leaves of a bright yellow hue. The inflorescence is large, round, and consists of many tiny cream-colored buds.
The bright yellow leaves of the meadowsweet Aurea look beautiful against the backdrop of evergreens.
Meadowsweet Aurea grows well both in open areas and in the thick of plants, under the canopy of trees and shrubs. The culture looks great in group plantings near ponds and on the lawn.
Meadowsweet Flore Pleno
This is a tall shrub, the length of the shoots can reach 1.5 m. The width of the crop grows up to 1 m. Its stems are tall, straight, and strong. The leaves are intermittently pinnate, the upper 5-lobed lobe is quite large. The surface of the leaf blade is dark green, underneath it is whitish.
The flowers of the meadowsweet Flore Pleno are white or cream, double, small. They are collected in loose paniculate inflorescences at the ends of the shoots. The budding process begins in June.
Meadowsweet Flore Pleno differs from other representatives of the species in its lush, bright flowering
The culture feels equally good in the sun and in the shade. But it prefers loose, moist, fertile soils. Does not tolerate drying out of the rhizome.
Meadowsweet Flore Pleno is grown in various types of flower beds. The crop is suitable for single and group plantings near ponds and on lawns.
Beneficial properties of meadowsweet
In ancient times, the plant was used as a salad plant, for preparing desserts and drinks, and scented linens and the air in rooms.
Currently, meadowsweet is actively used in landscape design.
The medicinal properties and contraindications of meadowsweet have been well studied. Thanks to this, the plant is included in the official register of the Russian Pharmacopoeia.
Medicinal properties of meadowsweet:
- increases immunity;
- participates in the proper production of hormones;
- normalizes the functioning of the nervous system;
- reduces inflammation;
- reduces pain;
- thins the blood;
- fights inflammation;
- has an antiviral effect;
- good antiseptic.
Thanks to the tannins it contains, meadowsweet herb can have an astringent or irritant effect. It depends on the method of its preparation.
The influence of meadowsweet on human blood pressure
Meadowsweet contains large amounts of ascorbic acid. This substance is known to promote the proper functioning of the cardiovascular system. Thanks to the diuretic effect, a large amount of fluid is removed from the body, the volume of circulating blood and the load on the heart are reduced. As a result, swelling goes away and blood pressure drops.
Meadowsweet herb is called “natural aspirin”; it is taken when pharmaceutical tablets are contraindicated
Tincture of meadowsweet flowers thins the blood well, lowers blood pressure, promotes the resorption of blood clots in blood vessels, is effective against atherosclerosis, and improves cerebral circulation.
Meadowsweet also has a sedative effect. Herbal infusions are indicated for hypertensive patients suffering from nervousness. Herbal remedies with meadowsweet strengthen the immune system, which improves overall well-being.
Methods of application
Medicinal preparations are prepared from the flowers and roots of meadowsweet: teas, infusions, ointments.They are used to treat various diseases, as antiviral and immunostimulating agents.
Tincture
The drug is used during the recovery period after a stroke. 2 tsp. meadowsweet seeds, pour half a glass of vodka with a strength of 40%, stir. Fill a glass container with the composition, close tightly, leave for two weeks in a cool, dark place. The drug must be shaken daily.
After the specified time, the composition is filtered and poured into a clean container. Take 1 tsp. (can be dissolved in water) three times a day with meals. The course of treatment is three weeks. Then a break - seven days.
Infusion
Dried meadowsweet flowers (2 tsp) are poured with a glass of boiling water and left for half an hour. The infusion is cooled and filtered. It should be taken six times a day, 2 tbsp. l.
The infusion is indicated for poisoning, including toxic poisoning, and snake bites. Externally, the product is used as a lotion for psoriasis, acne, and boils.
Infusions and decoctions based on meadowsweet are prepared in glass or enamel containers; metal containers are not recommended
Decoction
2 tsp. crushed meadowsweet roots are poured with a glass of boiling water and simmered for half an hour in a water bath. Then the solution is infused for an hour and filtered before use.
The product is used half an hour before meals, 3 tbsp. l. three times a day. One course will be three weeks. The decoction is effective for blood diseases.
Oil
50 g of crushed meadowsweet herb is poured with any vegetable oil. The liquid should completely cover the meadowsweet.The ingredients are mixed, the jar is wrapped, the healing oil is infused in a dark, cool place for two weeks.
The product is filtered and poured into a clean container. Before use, the oil is heated in a water bath.
The drug is indicated for rheumatic, headache, muscle, joint pain, and is suitable for the treatment of radiculitis, colds, and fever reduction. The oil is rubbed into the sore spot twice a day or massaged.
Ointment
To prepare the composition, take part of the dried flowers of meadowsweet and five parts of any fat. The base is pre-liquefied in a water bath and mixed with the raw materials.
To prepare the ointment, you can use badger fat or Vaseline.
The product is used for joint pain, rheumatism, osteochondrosis, as an anti-inflammatory and warming agent.
Tea
1 tbsp. l. Dry meadowsweet flowers are poured into 0.5 liters of boiling water and left for 15-20 minutes. The finished infusion is drunk like tea. Consume no more than 3 g of crushed herbs or flowers per day.
Meadowsweet tea is used for migraines, heart disease, and suffocation.
The use of meadowsweet in medicine
Meadowsweet has an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effect. It is applied externally as part of liquids for boils, ulcers, and skin diseases.
The use of meadowsweet for washing wounds
Fresh meadowsweet decoction is used to wash purulent wounds. Tannins have a bactericidal effect. Lotions are indicated for the treatment of ulcers and boils. In this case, it is recommended to mix meadowsweet and snakeweed equally.
Meadowsweet tincture is effective in the treatment of trophic ulcers
Blood thinning with meadowsweet
Meadowsweet has the ability to thin the blood and reduce its viscosity. Infusions of herbs and flowers are effective against increased coagulation, a tendency to thrombosis, and thrombophlebitis. Herbal remedies will help improve the condition after an ischemic stroke and heart attack. Decoctions are prescribed in cases where pharmacy aspirin is contraindicated due to stomach diseases. Decoctions of meadowsweet root are also effective. Such medications contain coumarins, which reduce blood viscosity.
Meadowsweet for hyperthyroidism
The main treatment method for this disease is thyroid hormone replacement therapy. Herbal medicine based on meadowsweet is an additional means of correcting hypothyroidism.
Vitamin C, contained in the above-ground part of the plant, is involved in the proper production of hormones, which is important for hyperthyroidism. Decoctions and infusions of meadowsweet are indicated as additional means in the treatment of this disease.
Treatment of gynecological diseases with meadowsweet
For douching for leucorrhoea and infertility, a special decoction of meadowsweet herb is made. For this, 2 tbsp. l. dried flowers and herbs are boiled in 1 liter of water for half an hour. Then the solution should be filtered, bringing its volume to 1 liter with boiled water. For treatment, douche twice a day. The course of therapy is 10-12 days. Be sure to take breaks during menstruation.
Meadowsweet for skin diseases
The medicinal powder is first prepared: dried meadowsweet flowers are ground in a mortar. The product will help with sweating feet, bedsores and diaper rash. If you mix flower powder with fish oil, the resulting ointment is used for burns and psoriasis.
Ash from burnt meadowsweet buds stops bleeding.If you mix it with mineral water and a drop of lemon juice, it will turn into an ointment for skin inflammation. Meadowsweet tea treats wounds and ulcers.
Application in cosmetology
Meadowsweet is rich in flavonoids, phenolic compounds that have powerful antioxidant activity. Meadowsweet extract is used as a decongestant and fat-burning agent in weight loss products.
Meadowsweet, brewed as tea, will improve the condition of the skin if you wash your face with the liquid in the morning
Meadowsweet is effective in caring for oily skin. Also suitable for mixed type, if indicated.
What cosmetic defects can be eliminated with the help of meadowsweet:
- decreased skin tone;
- inflammation, irritation on the skin;
- swelling;
- bags under the eyes;
- oiliness of the scalp.
Decoctions with meadowsweet are widely used in home cosmetology. They are used to prepare ice, cleansers, and compresses.
Contraindications to the use of meadowsweet
Preparations based on meadowsweet have many medicinal properties. Not everyone can use them. Before starting therapy, you must familiarize yourself with the contraindications.
Who should not be treated with meadowsweet:
- children under 14 years of age;
- pregnant women;
- patients with epilepsy;
- people suffering from intestinal atony;
- patients with hemophilia;
- for allergy sufferers.
In cases of hypotension, low platelet levels, and a tendency to constipation, meadowsweet should not be used categorically. There may also be cases of individual intolerance to the herbal remedy.
Planting and caring for variegated meadowsweet
The culture prefers open sunny areas, but also grows actively in partial shade.In closed meadows, decorativeness is reduced: budding is not so lush and bright, soon the bush may stop flowering altogether.
To grow variegated meadowsweet, like meadowsweet, choose fertile, loose soil with good drainage. The acidity of the soil should be weak or neutral. Meadowsweet can be propagated by seeds or by dividing the bush. The first method is suitable for all types of meadowsweet.
Meadowsweet seedlings are planted in the fall, in September, before the onset of cold weather.
If there is a large healthy bush on the site, it is dug up and the rhizome is divided into 3-5 parts to obtain young plants.
Meadowsweet seedlings quickly take root and manage to take root before the first frost.
In September, small holes up to 15 cm deep are dug, a seedling is placed there, the rhizome is covered with loose soil, and the plant is watered.
For the first week, young bushes are watered daily. Afterwards, the soil is moistened as it dries. The soil is loosened in a timely manner and weeds are uprooted. In June and July, variegated meadowsweet is fed with complex mineral fertilizers.
Flowering occurs a year after planting. Young plants need shelter in the first winter, after which they tolerate frosts without problems.
Collection and preparation of meadowsweet herb
Meadowsweet leaves and inflorescences are collected in the summer during the budding period. They are laid out in one layer in the shade under a canopy. You can use special dryers, setting the temperature no higher than + 40 °C. The shelf life of finished raw materials is no more than a year.
The roots are harvested in autumn or early spring before flowering begins. They are dug up, washed, cut into pieces. The workpieces are dried under a canopy or in a well-ventilated area. The shelf life of finished raw materials is three years.
To prepare medicines, take well-dried meadowsweet roots without rot or mold.
Conclusion
Meadowsweet is included in the official pharmacopoeia of many countries. The medicinal plant is especially widely used in folk medicine. It is a source of substances with high biological activity. Thanks to its unique composition, meadowsweet occupies one of the first places among medicinal plants.
