Yarrow common - a perennial herbaceous plant of the family of astroves, having an upright stem up to half a meter, branched from above. Leaves serrated, dissected, gray-green in color. The yarrow flowers with small white or pink flowers collected in the inflorescence of the basket. The plant exudes a specific spicy flavor, has a bitter taste.
The curative effect of the yarrow is known from a long time. It is mentioned even in the myths of Ancient Greece as a grass healing wounds and used to heal by the hero Achilles. What is the use of this plant and whether the medicinal properties of the yarrow are used today, let's talk further.
Composition and useful properties of yarrow
The terrestrial part of the plant, which is used for medical purposes, has a rather complex composition:
- flavones;
- bitter and tannic substances;
- organic acids;
- mineral salts;
- ascorbic acid;
- carotene;
- essential oil;
- vitamin K ;
- salicylic acid;
- formic acid, etc.
Due to the presence of these substances in the yarrow, it has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, astringent properties, it has a wound healing, spasmolytic, hemostatic effect.
Application of yarrow in medicine
With bleeding, the yarrow helps stop both external and internal bleeding (nasal, pulmonary, uterine, gastrointestinal, hemorrhoidal, etc.). To do this, prepare the infusion of yarrow on this recipe: 2 teaspoons of the ground plant pour a glass of boiling water and let it brew for an hour. The received portion of the filtered infusion is consumed in small doses during the day with internal bleeding. With external bleeding (abrasions, scratches), you can apply lotions soaked in this infusion.
With myomas, the medicinal properties of the yarrow help to reduce the size of the tumor. There are several recipes for preparing decoctions from the collection of herbs for the treatment of this disease, and each of them necessarily includes a yarrow.
Here is one recipe:
- Prepare the collection of herbs: leaves of raspberries and grass of St. John's Wort - 15 grams, leaves of willow white, leaves of cranberries, herb veronica, chamomile flowers, yarrow herb, pickle grass, tenant nettle leaves - 10 grams each
- A tablespoon of a mixture of herbs pour a glass of boiling water.
- Boil on low heat for 10 minutes, cool, drain.
The resulting broth should be taken twice a day for half a cup 20 minutes before meals. The course of treatment for uninfected myoma is 8 weeks, with a significant tumor - up to a year and a half (in this case, every 2 months, make a two-week break in treatment).
To increase appetite, with some gastrointestinal diseases, as well as diseases of the pancreas, liver and gall bladder, the yarrow improves digestion, intestinal motility, stimulates the functions of internal organs, treats infections. In addition to the infusion, a decoction of yarrow is prepared: a teaspoon of herbs pour a glass of boiling water, boil for 10 minutes, cool and strain. As a rule, the broth is taken half a cup three times a day.
With diseases of the genitourinary system, inflammation of the bladder, kidney stones, the yarrow also has diuretic properties, which contributes to a speedy recovery in these diseases.
Diseases of the gums, mouth and throat - infusion of yarrow in these cases is used for rinsing.
Contraindications to treatment by Yarrow
Despite the many useful properties of yarrow, there are contraindications to its use. Basically, contraindications relate to the internal reception of the broth and the infusion of the yarrow herb. These include:
- pregnancy;
- increased coagulability of blood;
- tendency to allergies.
Excess dosage when treated with yarrow can lead to poisoning.