Horsetail stem. Horsetail properties

Medicinal plants used in scientific medicine.

HIGHER PLANTS.

horsetail

Horsetails - Equisetophyta Fam. EQUISETACEAE - EQUISETACEAE. Horsetail - Equisetum arvense L.

Horsetail is a perennial herbaceous plant large quantity silicon plant, 10-50 cm in height, with a long creeping blackish rhizome deeply buried in the soil. Stems are of two kinds: spring - spore-bearing and summer - sterile. The spore-bearing stems are unbranched, ribbed, brownish, succulent, with one spikelet at the top, dying off after the spores ripen. Summer - green, hollow, segmented, furrowed, branched. The branches are arranged in whorls of 8-16 throughout the stem and directed obliquely upward. The sheaths of the stems are reduced and fused leaves with black-brown triangular-lanceolate teeth. Sporifies in May. It grows in moderately moist places with loose soils, including floodplain meadows, fallow fields, and is common in crops as a weed. Mass procurement possible.

In scientific medicine, horsetail preparations are used mainly as a diuretic and anti-inflammatory agent. They are often recommended for elderly people in the treatment of edema of various origins, some diseases of the heart, kidneys, Bladder, urolithiasis, atherosclerosis of the blood vessels of the heart and brain, tuberculosis, as well as for removing lead from the body.
IN folk medicine horsetail extracts are also used for hypertension, diabetes, prostatitis, rheumatism, hepatitis, and stomach ulcers; Externally (with lotions, baths, compresses, rinses) they treat sore throat, eczema, wounds, bruises, burns, conjunctivitis. Wash your head for dandruff and poor hair growth, and wash your feet for excessive sweating. (Horsetail can be used to wash dishes).
Decoction. Pour 1 tbsp. spoon of dry herb 200 ml of boiling water, boil for 30 minutes, cool for 10 minutes, take 2-3 tbsp. spoons 3-4 times a day an hour after meals.
Infusion. Drink 1 tbsp. spoon of herb 200 ml of cold water for 24 hours. Take 2 tbsp. spoons 1 hour after eating. They do it differently. Pour 2 tbsp. spoons of herb 200 ml of boiling water, infuse for 15-20 minutes, take in small doses warm throughout the day.
Ointment. The herb powder is mixed 2:1 with Vaseline.
Juice. The crushed herb is mixed 1:2 with cold water, leave for 1 hour, squeeze through gauze and use externally.
Horsetail preparations are not recommended to be taken orally for acute nephritis - this can cause irritation of the kidneys.

Sem. EQUISETACEAE - EQUISETACEAE. Horsetail - Equlsetum silvaticum L.

Horsetail - perennial herbaceous plant with a black-brown creeping rhizome and jointed erect stems 30-60 cm in height. spring stems, bearing an oval spikelet, yellowish-white, fleshy, thick, cylindrical, with 10-15 smooth ribs and large reddish-brown, bell-shaped, leaf whorls with lanceolate teeth along the upper edge. When the spores ripen, whorls of green branches form on the spore-bearing stem, and the spikelets dry out.
Summer shoots are sterile, green, hollow, with sharp-edged ribs, seated with two rows of short papillae. The branches in whorls, like the stem, are segmented and ribbed, in turn branching. Sporifies in May.
Grows in forests (mainly spruce, spruce-pine, blueberry, sorrel and sorrel), in clearings and shrubs, sometimes in fields adjacent to the forest, together with hairy green grass, bifolia, common sorrel, sedge palmate, wintergreen and other plants . Prefers soddy-podzolic medium and strongly podzolized sandy loam and loamy soils.
Distributed in the European part (except for the southern regions).
It is used as a dye, used as horse feed, and young shoots as food.
Blanks are possible in significant quantities.
In folk medicine it is used in the same way as horsetail.

Riverside horsetail - Equisetum fluviatile L.

River horsetail is a perennial herbaceous plant with a dark brown rhizome. The stem is up to 1.5 m in height, erect, thick, with 9-20 smooth ribs, hollow inside, simple or branched in the upper part (the branches are simple). The leaf whorls are cylindrical, pressed to the stem, ending in 15-20 lanceolate-subulate, brown teeth with a white border along the edge. A spore-bearing spikelet forms in summer at the top of the stem.
Sporifies in June - July.
Grows on lowland marshes, along fairly moistened banks of rivers and lakes, as well as in shallow water in the coastal strip of lakes and creeks, in ditches. It often forms thickets, usually together with three-leaf sedge, marsh marigold, lanceolate reed grass, bladder sedge, acute and close sedge, loosestrife, loosestrife, racemose loosestrife and other plants.
It is found frequently in all geobotanical districts.
Distributed throughout the territory.
Readily eaten by cattle.
Similar to marsh horsetail - E. palustre L., which differs from it in its smaller size, thinner stem and broad-laicet teeth of leaf whorls (sheaths),
Blanks are possible in large quantities. In folk medicine it is used in the same way as horsetail.

Application of horsetail. Recipes. Contraindications.

The herb is used for medicinal purposes horsetail - Herba Equiseti. Vegetative shoots are harvested in June. Air drying. The raw material consists of branched stems up to 30 cm long. The color of the grass is gray-green, there is no smell; the taste is slightly sour. Moisture content of no more than 12% is allowed in finished raw materials; crushed parts less than 1 cm long - no more than 10; organic impurities no more than 5, including other horsetails no more than 4 and parts of foreign plants no more than 1, mineral impurities no more than 0.5%. Horsetail herb contains the saponin equisetonin, flavonoids, up to 25% soluble silicic acid, glycosides, traces of alkaloids (equisetin, palustrin, nicotine), organic acids and other substances.

It is used as a diuretic for edema, inflammatory processes of the bladder and urinary tract, and pleurisy with big amount exudate. Less commonly used as a hemostatic agent for hemorrhoidal and uterine bleeding.

In folk medicine, as well as in scientific medicine, a water decoction of the herb is used for diseases of the liver, kidneys and bladder, for kidney stones, and for women's diseases.
contraindicated with acute nephritis.
An infusion or decoction is used. The decoction is prepared at a ratio of 1:10 and taken 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day. For infusion, take 2 tablespoons of horsetail herb per glass of boiling water; take it 1/4 cup 4 times a day.
Rp.: Herbae equiseti arvensis 50.0
D.S. Pour 4 teaspoons of the herb into 2 cups of boiling water, leave for 15 minutes and drink the warm infusion throughout the day (diuretic).

Horsetail - a valuable healer

• For example, if you take baths with horsetail, you can get rid of it.
• There is no better remedy for cold pain in the bladder than brewed horsetail, the steam of which, wrapped in a terry robe, should be used to warm the bladder area for 10 minutes. Such procedures should be done for a week in a row.
• Visual impairment, which occurs in young mothers after difficult childbirth, disappears after taking several sitz horsetail baths.
• If you need to set aside all other herbs and take 1-1.2 liters of horsetail tea for 6 days (only in sips, spread over the whole day).
• Washings and poultices with horsetail help with various skin diseases, itchy rashes, open wounds, purulent inflammation of the nail bed, osteomyelitis, spurs, fistulas, eczema. Wrap the remaining herbs after straining in a cloth and place on sore spot.
• Horsetail paste applied to the area leads to their complete disappearance.
• Horsetail in combination with speedwell also prevents memory impairment - it is excellent.
• Compresses: you need to wrap the horsetail in linen cloth and hold it over a pan of boiling water for 5-10 minutes, then put it on the sore spot and wrap it, leaving it for 4 hours.
• For tea, you need to take 1 tablespoon with the top of horsetail, pour 250 g of boiling water, infuse, strain and take warmed sips throughout the day.
• A horsetail bath helps with your feet.
• A mixture of horsetail and St. John's wort (1-2 cups in the morning and afternoon) is a good remedy for.
• Various hard neoplasms and damage to intervertebral discs go away if you regularly apply compresses and take 20-minute sitz baths with horsetail: pour 100 g of herb into 2 liters of cold water in the morning. In the evening, heat to a boil, strain and pour into a bath with hot water. The bath should be a sitz bath. Afterwards, without drying yourself, put on a terry robe and go to bed. Tie the strained grass to the lower back and wrap it up.

Attention! When collecting horsetail, it should be distinguished from other species.

1. The stem of horsetail does not have a spore-bearing spikelet at the top. Other species have such a spikelet.
2. The branches of horsetail are directed obliquely upward. In other species they are directed horizontally or bent in an arcuate manner downward.
3. The sheaths of horsetail are blackish with triangular teeth, fused 2-3 together. Other species have greenish, whitish teeth with oval and awl-shaped, non-fused teeth.

Rice. 8.19. Horsetails:

A – horsetail; B – horsetail; B – wintering horsetail; G – horsetail; D – riverine horsetail; E – marsh horsetail: 1 – spore-bearing shoot; 2 – leaf sheath; 3 – vegetative shoot.

Security measures. Since horsetail reproduces vegetatively, and the aerial part serves as the raw material, the same thickets can be used for several years in a row, then given a “rest” for 1-2 years to avoid depletion of the rhizomes.

Drying. The raw materials are dried outdoors in the shade or in dryers with artificial heating at a temperature of 40-50 ºС, spread out in a loose layer no more than 5 cm thick on paper or fabric. When drying in air, the raw materials are covered with a tarpaulin overnight.

Standardization. GF XI, no. 2, art. 50, Changes No. 1,2.

External signs. Whole raw materials. Whole or partially crushed stems up to 30 cm long, hard, jointed, grooved, with 6-18 longitudinal ribs, whorled-branched almost from the base, with hollow internodes and thickenings at the nodes. The branches are unbranched, segmented, directed obliquely upward, 4-5-sided, without a cavity. The stem sheaths are cylindrical, 4-8 mm long, with triangular-lanceolate, dark brown, white-edged teeth, fused in groups of 2-3. The sheaths of the branches are green with 4-5 long brownish teeth. When branches are cut off, only the first short segments are retained on the stem. The color is grayish green. The smell is weak. The taste is slightly sour. Crushed raw materials. Pieces of stems and branches, partly with nodes and sheaths, passing through a sieve with holes 7 mm in diameter. The color is grayish green. The smell is weak. The taste is slightly sour. Powder. A mixture of particles passing through a sieve with holes 2 mm in diameter. The color is grayish-green with brown and whitish patches. The smell is weak. The taste is slightly sour.

Microscopy. When examining the stem and branches from the surface, epidermal cells are visible, strongly elongated on the ribs with thickened straight or slightly curved porous walls, without stomata; in grooves and on reduced leaves - slightly elongated with more sinuous porous walls, with stomata. In both types of epidermis, on the walls of the ends (joints) of some cells, characteristic outgrowths are visible, from the surface they look like paired circles, when viewed in a longitudinal position - rounded or jagged with a clearly defined septum; some cells have papillary projections. The stomata are slightly submerged, with a characteristic radiant folding of the cuticle, usually arranged in 3 rows, less often in 4, 2 or 1 (Fig. 8.20). A cross section of the stem shows areas of collenchyma under the epidermis in both the ribs and grooves. In the parenchyma of the cortex, large air cavities are located opposite the grooves. Behind the barely noticeable endodermis, against the ribs, vascular bundles are located in one row, also carrying one small cavity. The center of the internodes is hollow. On the cross section of the branches there are four large ribs; there is no central cavity.

Rice. 8.20. Microscopy of horsetail:

epidermis of the stem from the surface in the groove area: 1 – epidermal cell; 2 - stomata.

quality reactions. Determining the authenticity of raw materials involves chromatographic analysis on “Silufol” or “Sorbfil” plates of an alcoholic extract from the horsetail herb. At the same time, spots with blue fluorescence (flavone-5-glycosides) are detected in UV light on the chromatograms.

Chemical composition. The main active ingredients of horsetail herb are flavonoids - derivatives of apigenin, luteolin, kaempferol and quercetin. Phenolic acids, tannins, triterpene saponins, some alkaloids, and a significant amount of silicic acid derivatives (about 10% of them in the form of water-soluble silicates) were also found.

Storage. The compressed grass is packed into bales or bales weighing 50 kg. Store in a dry, well-ventilated area. When humidity increases to 15-16%, the raw materials self-heat and acquire an unnatural odor. Shelf life up to 4 years.

Medicines.

1. Horsetail grass, crushed raw materials. Diuretic.

2. As part of the collection (antidiabetic collection “Arfazetin”; diuretic preparations “Bequorin” and “Herbafol”; collection for preparing a medicine according to the prescription of M.N. Zdrenko).

3. The extract is part of complex preparations (“Phytolysin”, “Uroflux”, “Depuraflux”, “Marelin”, “Tonsilgon N”, etc.).

Pharmacotherapeutic group. Diuretic, urolitic agent.

Pharmacological properties. Horsetail improves urination, has hemostatic and anti-inflammatory properties, and helps remove lead from the body. Galenic forms of horsetail, as well as isolated luteolin glycoside isolated from horsetail, have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. Silicon acid and its salts are part of most tissues of living organisms and affect the formation bone tissue, collagen.

Application. Horsetail preparations are used as a diuretic for inflammatory diseases of the urinary tract (cystitis, urethritis, urolithiasis). Typically, horsetail herb is used in complex medicinal preparations. As a diuretic, horsetail is also used for heart diseases accompanied by congestion, pulmonary heart failure, microhematuria and hemoptysis, especially of tuberculous etiology. Horsetail preparations are prescribed for acute and chronic lead poisoning. Horsetail is used in cosmetics. Used for acne and for oily skin care. An infusion of horsetail herb is used to strengthen hair. Horsetail preparations are used strictly as prescribed by a doctor, as they can cause irritation to the kidneys. Horsetail preparations are contraindicated for nephritis and nephrosonephritis.

Numerical indicators.Whole raw materials. Humidity no more than 13%; total ash no more than 24%; ash, insoluble in 10% hydrochloric acid solution, not more than 12%; other parts of the plant - no more than 1%; other types of horsetail not more than 4%; organic impurities not more than 1%; mineral impurity not more than 0.5%. Crushed raw materials. Humidity no more than 13%; total ash no more than 24%; ash, insoluble in 10% hydrochloric acid solution, not more than 12%; other parts of the plant - no more than 1%; particles that do not pass through a sieve with holes with a diameter of 7 mm, not more than 10%; particles passing through a sieve with holes measuring 0.5 mm, no more than 15%; organic impurity no more than 1%; mineral impurity no more than 0.5%. Powder. Humidity no more than 13%; total ash no more than 24%; ash, insoluble in a 10% solution of hydrochloric acid, no more than 12%; particles that do not pass through a sieve with holes with a diameter of 2 mm, no more than 15%; particles passing through a sieve with holes measuring 0.25 mm, no more than 5%.

Many people know what horsetail grass is. The medicinal properties of the plant have been studied for a long time. Horsetail is a perennial. The plant grows approximately 60 centimeters in height. Horsetail is distributed throughout almost the entire territory of the CIS countries. The exceptions in this case are the desert and the Far North. Translated from Latin, the name of this plant is translated as “horse tail”.

Is horsetail poisonous?

Many people have probably heard that horsetail is poisonous. Therefore, most people argue that alternative medicine should be used carefully, as it can greatly harm your health. Actually this is not true. Horsetail, medicinal properties and whose contraindications are already known, is harmless when used wisely. The same cannot be said about other varieties of this plant. And, as you know, there are a lot of them.

How to distinguish horsetail?

The main feature of this plant is its branches pointing upward. In other horsetails they are directed downward or located horizontally. In addition, the spikelets of this plant completely die off. And only after that the green part grows in their place. Young shoots are medicinal raw materials. As for other varieties of horsetail, the spore spikes do not die off and are located at the tip of the green part of the plant. They are clearly visible even to the naked eye. If you don’t know exactly what a plant looks like, then after collecting it you should contact specialists in this field so that they can protect you from mistakes.

Initial use

The medicinal properties of horsetail were not immediately discovered. Initially, this plant was used exclusively for economic purposes. A decoction of its roots was used to dye wool. As for the herb, it was commonly used for grinding stones, polishing metal products, and also for cleaning common kitchen utensils and pewter. It is worth noting that with the help of this plant even old wooden floors were washed white.

The whole secret is chemical composition horsetail. It contains silicic acid. It was this substance that attracted the attention of herbalists and healers. As a result, horsetail has become useful not only in the economy, but also in medicine.

Chemical composition

Horsetail herb, the medicinal properties and contraindications of which will be described below, has a simply unique chemical composition. The green part of the plant contains a huge amount of microelements. Among them are zinc, copper, magnesium, potassium, iron, calcium and others.

In addition, the chemical composition of horsetail contains various organic acids. Among them are apple, silicon, aconite, oxalic, linoleic. Horsetail also contains vitamin C, carotene, proteins, tannins and flavonoids.

Horsetail: medicinal properties

Reviews about this plant indicate that preparations based on it are excellent in helping to cope with many ailments. How is it useful? So, horsetail extracts silicic acid from the soil and then deposits it in cell membranes. This substance is highly soluble in water. It is worth noting that silicic acid is one of the constituent parts human body. And to be more precise - nails, hair, skin and connective tissues. Over time, people learned to prepare preparations based on horsetail, which can significantly improve their appearance.

5-glycoside luteolin can be isolated from the green part of the plant. This substance allows you to stop any inflammatory process in the body. In addition, thanks to this component, you can stop the bleeding and heal the wound much faster. The herb has a disinfectant and antiseptic effect. Preparations based on horsetail are effective for external and internal bleeding.

It is worth noting that various decoctions and infusions intended for oral administration act as diuretics. This is the result of a combination of saponin and flavonoids that horsetail contains. The medicinal properties and contraindications, reviews of which reveal the effectiveness of plant-based drugs, are determined by the chemical composition. And it, apparently, is quite rich in useful components.

Treatment with horsetail

The medicinal plant practically does not need recommendations. Its benefits are obvious to many. After all, preparations based on horsetail can get rid of quite serious ailments. Among such diseases are atherosclerosis of the vessels of the brain and heart, as well as tumors in the intestines and, of course, in the stomach.

The medicinal properties of horsetail do not end there. This plant, or rather preparations based on it, has a cardiotonic and restorative effect. It is worth noting that in traditional and, as a rule, folk medicine, the herb is often used as an anti-inflammatory and diuretic for diseases of the bladder and kidneys. Infusion and decoction of this plant have the same effect as kidney tea. The drugs allow you to remove excess fluid from the body without affecting its salt composition. When taking such drugs, an improvement in metabolism is observed, swelling resulting from a fracture, bruise, or frostbite is significantly reduced. But that's not all. Preparations based on horsetail can even eliminate cardiac edema.

The extract of this plant allows you to increase filtration in the glomeruli, as well as prevent the formation of stones and increase the elasticity of connective tissues. It is worth noting that this drug activates all metabolic processes in nails and hair. Experiments have proven that horsetail helps cleanse the body of toxins, cholesterol and waste, in particular lead.

Horsetail, whose healing properties for hair are obvious, helps to cope with seborrhea, and is also effective for ulcers, fistulas and wounds on the skin.

When should horsetail be harvested?

Any plant is most useful at a certain period. Thus, horsetail, the medicinal properties and contraindications of which are not known to everyone, is best harvested from June to August. You only need to collect the green stems, and then quickly dry them, of course, in the shade. It is best to do this in a well-ventilated room, for example, under a canopy or in the attic. Young shoots should be spread in a thin layer. Do not place wet horsetail in large piles. With slow drying, the raw materials darken and begin to lose their healing qualities. Properly dried horsetail consists of stems 20-30 centimeters long. At the same time, the raw material has a grayish-green tint, a weak aroma and a sour taste. As for storage, horsetail should be kept in paper or linen bags for no longer than 4 years.

Horsetail infusion for oral administration

To prepare this medicine, you need to brew 20 grams of horsetail with 200 milliliters of boiling water and leave for an hour. After this, the finished preparation should be strained. accept this remedy 1-2 tablespoons, preferably 3-4 times a day. A properly prepared horsetail infusion is effective for hypertension, atherosclerosis, gynecological diseases, liver-related ailments, inflammatory processes in the bladder, edema of cardiac origin, as well as urolithiasis.

The medicinal properties of horsetail, or rather an infusion based on the plant, allow you to get rid of ulcers, festering and long-term non-healing wounds, bedsores, porous skin, eczema, boils. It is enough to wash or wipe the affected area with the drug. Compresses with horsetail infusion can be applied to joints for pleurisy, rheumatism and gout. You can gargle for sore throat and other inflammatory processes.

Cautions and contraindications

Despite the fact that the medicinal properties of horsetail allow you to cope with many ailments, this plant has contraindications. Preparations based on this herb are strictly prohibited for those who have hypersensitivity to products containing iodine. Also, experts do not recommend using decoctions and infusions of horsetail for stomach ulcers, neuroses and tuberculosis.

In addition, preparations based on this plant are contraindicated in nursing and pregnant women, as well as those who suffer from chronic kidney disease. The use of such drugs can cause complications. Therefore, you should not self-medicate. Before taking any drug based on horsetail, you should consult with specialists.

Many people are still successfully treated with herbs and do not even want to hear about modern means from the pharmacy. This makes sense, because nature originally created man and therefore nothing can be closer to it. One of the representatives of the beneficial flora - horsetail - has been fully justifying the trust of people for many hundreds of years and has successfully treated them for various diseases.

Horsetail is a perennial plant. Its height sometimes reaches sixty centimeters and it is not at all difficult to find it in our country. True, if you live in the Far North or in the desert, you don’t even have to try to look. Visually, the plant resembles a horse's tail, which is where its name comes from.

Medicinal properties of horsetail

Before you start actively using this plant in the treatment process, it is important to consider that there are many varieties of it in the world. Among them there are also poisonous representatives, so it is necessary to strictly follow the recommendations and not exceed the dosage. And it is best to be careful and use exclusively medicinal horsetail, the medicinal properties of which are sometimes even surprising. It's very easy to recognize him.

How to distinguish medicinal horsetail from poisonous one?

As we already said, it's simple. Horsetail, which is suitable for treatment, is distinguished by its branches pointing upward. If they are directed downward, avoid such a plant. Also, always pay attention to spore-bearing spikelets. They must die off, and green, young shoots grow in their place. They are the ones that should be used as medicine. If the plant has spore-bearing spikelets at the ends, it is not suitable for you.

Application of horsetail

Many old grandmothers can still tell how horsetail was used. Primarily for domestic purposes. It was used to dye wool and even polish metals. The broth perfectly cleaned kitchen utensils and also washed floors. This is because this plant contains a significant amount of silicic acid. Actually, it is the acid that makes it useful for medicinal purposes. Beneficial features Any doctor will tell you that silicic acid is a very important component human body. A sufficient amount of it guarantees excellent condition connective tissue, skin, hair, and nails. Today, horsetail saves from many diseases; its use in inflammatory processes allows you to quickly cope with the disease. It is no less successfully used to stop bleeding, as an antiseptic or for disinfection. In addition, horsetail decoction works as a diuretic.

How to properly treat with horsetail?

In addition to the above problems, even serious diseases can be cured with the help of this plant. For example, before its influence, atherosclerosis of the vessels of the heart and brain recedes, and it also effectively treats various formations in the gastrointestinal tract.

Generally speaking, horsetail is especially effective as a general tonic. It helps with any inflammatory processes, and also perfectly removes excess fluid from the body. Regular use has a beneficial effect on the condition of nails and hair, and will also increase the elasticity of connective tissue significantly. If you have an excess of cholesterol, you will be able to feel especially light, since horsetail also cleanses of waste and toxins.

How to prepare the herb for use?

The preparation process is not complicated, you just need to do a few simple rules. First of all, it is important to collect the grass on time. This is best done from June to August. Choose young, green stems and dry them. It is advisable to do this in the attic, that is, dry it in the sun. In addition, the drying room must be well ventilated.

Spread the grass in a thin layer and it will dry very quickly. It can be stored for about four years.

Healthy Recipes

Tinctures, decoctions, and juice are mainly made from horsetail. It's very easy to prepare all this.

Tincture

Horsetail tincture copes well with bladder diseases, atherosclerosis, liver problems, and women’s diseases. To treat them, they must be taken orally. If you have problems with wounds that do not heal for a long time, then you will need to wash them externally with the tincture.

To prepare, take 20 g of herb and 200 ml of boiling water. Fill the herb with water and leave for at least an hour. After this, the product is ready for use.

Drink no more than 1-2 tbsp. spoons 3-4 times a day.

Decoction

An excellent remedy for various types of inflammation, swelling, pleurisy. It copes no less effectively with furunculosis, eczema, bedsores and ulcers.

To prepare a decoction, take 25 g of horsetail and 25 g of boiling water. Place on the fire and simmer for about 30 minutes at low temperature.

Take 1 tablespoon, 3-4 times a day. If you have frequent bleeding, put two or three drops into your nose.

Juice

To make the juice you will need fresh horsetail herb. It must be washed, crushed and squeezed out the juice. Store exclusively in a cool place, and take 2 teaspoons 3-4 times a day. If your nose often bleeds, drip it with this juice. 2-3 drops are enough.

Horsetail, or Common Horsetail (lat. Equisétum arvénse), cat's tail, panicle, tin grass, horsetail, mop-grass, pusher, pestles, pine grass

It's important to know that there are poisonous species horsetail. At the top poisonous plant Brown spore-bearing spikelets persist for a long time, but it is sometimes difficult to distinguish them. Non-medicinal species include: horsetail, meadow, forest, marsh, river.

Description

A perennial spore-bearing herbaceous plant up to 40, rarely up to 50 cm high, with a long creeping rhizome. Short tuberous branches are formed on the rhizomes, with the help of which vegetative propagation occurs.

Aboveground shoots are dimorphic:

generative shoots are brownish or pinkish, unbranched, with triangular brown leaf teeth that do not have a translucent filmy border. After the spores ripen, spring non-chlorophyll shoots die or (much less often) become green, form lateral branches and are then indistinguishable from vegetative shoots.

vegetative shoots are green, erect or ascending, hollow, with a peak-shaped tip, usually 15-50 cm tall, 1.5-5 mm in diameter. There are always branches. The epidermis of the stem is smooth.

Leaf teeth are collected in whorls of 6-12, sometimes up to 16, free or fused not to the top. The branches in whorls are directed obliquely upward, simple or weakly branched. The sheaths (reduced leaves) on the stem are cylindrical.

Spikelets are 2-3 cm long, almost cylindrical.

Spreading

In Russia, it is distributed everywhere except deserts and semi-deserts, as well as the Far North.

It grows in forests, on upland, floodplain meadows, the edges of swamps, pebbles, sandbanks, fields, pastures, along the banks of rivers, streams, irrigation ditches, and is often a weed. Prefers sandy, fairly rich, moderately moist soils. In water meadows and fallow lands, it often dominates the grass cover alone or together with grasses - creeping wheatgrass, awnless brome, red fescue, etc. It is especially common in the floodplains of northern rivers.

Economic importance and application

Spring (generative) shoots - pistils (Northern Russian pistiki) - are eaten fresh and boiled, as well as for making casseroles, okroshkas, sauces, and pie fillings.

The plant serves as food for deer. Data on toxicity to cattle are conflicting.

Horsetail powder is used to sprinkle wounds and ulcers on domestic animals.

Colors wool yellow and green.

Horsetail contains a lot of silica; powder from the stems can be used to polish furniture.

In floriculture, horsetail decoction is used to prevent a number of diseases of ornamental garden plants. Thanks to the silicic acid contained in horsetail, plants treated with a decoction increase their resistance to certain fungal diseases and pests ( powdery mildew, black spot of roses, rust, spider mites). Preparation: 1 kg of fresh or 150 g of dry raw materials are infused in 10 liters of cold water for 24 hours. Boil the infusion for 30 minutes, filter after cooling. When spraying, the decoction is diluted in a ratio of 1:5. The decoction retains its properties for two weeks. The fermented broth is used only for watering.

Features of the workpiece

Beneficial substances are contained in young spring shoots of horsetail, which are collected in May. You can also harvest grass from July to August. The grass is cut with a knife above the coarsened stems. It is recommended to dry in natural conditions (sheds, attics, verandas) with good ventilation. Finished raw materials must be protected from dampness and light. Shelf life is long - up to 4 years. Let us emphasize once again: independent harvesting requires knowledge of distinguishing the species characteristics of horsetail.

Chemical composition

The plant contains carbohydrates (pectin, galactose, glucose, mannose, arabinose, xylose), organic acids (aconitic, fumaric, gluconic, glyceric, malic, malonic, quinic, chicory), steroids (including β-sitosterol, campesterol, isofucosterol, cholesterol), saponins, lignin, flavonoids (including isoquercitrin, kaempferol, quercetin, luteolin), phenolcarboxylic acids and their derivatives (including vanillic, protocatechuic, gallic, ferulic, caffeic acids), carotenoids (including β-carotene and γ-carotene, lutein), vitamin C. The spores contain carotenoids (α-carotene, β-carotene, γ-carotene), flavonoids (gossypitrin, articulatin, isoarticulatin), higher fatty acids.

Healing effect

Silicic acid and salts. Silicon has a beneficial effect on metabolism in the body, destroys pathogenic microbes and bacteria, strengthens bones, nails and hair. That is why its use for hair is so popular in cosmetology. Silicon also promotes collagen biosynthesis and acts as an anti-aging agent.

Rich composition of organic acids. Malic, glycerin, gluconic, cinchonic, aconitic, chicory, fumaric, oxalic.

Rich carbohydrate composition. Glucose, arabinose, galactose, pectin, xylose and others.

Also identified in the chemical composition are: alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, glycosides, proteins, fatty oil, tannins, carotenoids, vitamin C, mineral salts, bitterness.

Spectrum of pharmacological action:

astringent;
diuretic;
hemostatic;
blood purifying;
tonic;
wound healing;
anti-inflammatory;
bactericidal;
disinfectant;
anthelmintic;
strengthening;
expectorant.

Decoction

The decoction is primarily used as a diuretic for kidney and heart failure. More concentrated decoctions can be used externally as an antiseptic and anesthetic.

Take 1 tbsp. l. dry raw materials. Pour in a glass of boiling water. Boil for 1 minute. Leave for 30 minutes. Strain.

This decoction relieves swelling well. It is taken 1 tbsp. l. 4 times a day in repeated courses. Let us emphasize once again: it is important to consult a doctor before taking the decoction to rule out nephritis and nephrosis (for these diagnoses, the herb is strictly contraindicated).

Infusion

The infusion is indicated for all the diagnoses mentioned above. It can be prepared cold or hot.

Preparation of cold infusion

Take 3 tbsp. l. dry raw materials. Pour in 2 cups of cold water. Insist for a day. Strain.

Preparation of hot infusion

Take 1 tbsp. l. raw materials. Pour in a glass of boiling water. Leave for 30 minutes. Strain.

This infusion can be taken orally in the same dosage as the decoction. It is also used externally.

Tea

The famous German herbalist and pharmacist Mannfried Palou recommends drinking horsetail tea for respiratory diseases, as well as for their prevention. You can prepare a drink only from horsetail (take 1 cup of boiling water for 2 teaspoons). But it is better to drink the herb together with other medicinal plants.

Mix 10 g each of horsetail, linden blossom, plantain, mallow flowers and 5 g each of thyme, elderberry and fennel. Take 2 tsp. mixtures of herbs. Pour in a glass of boiling water. Leave for 15 minutes. Strain.

This effective remedy against cough, strengthens the immune system well. You can drink 2 cups a day during flu and ARVI epidemics for prevention.

Alcohol tincture

Most often, the tincture is made with wine. It is shown as a general tonic, cleanses the blood, restores blood circulation, and improves metabolism. It is also recommended for complex treatment of tumors of the digestive organs.

Take 20 g of herb. Pour in a liter of white wine. Insist for a week. Strain.

Take 2 tablespoons on an empty stomach for several weeks. It especially helps with internal bleeding. There are many positive reviews about horsetail as a hemostatic medicine. However, it is best to use fresh plant juice to stop bleeding.

Ointment

It is used as an external antiseptic and wound healing agent.

Take 1 part of the powdered raw material. Add 4 parts fat (pork, goose, butter, Vaseline). Stir.

This mixture is used to lubricate purulent wounds, ulcers, and cracks.

Cosmetology

Cleansing mask with plantainHorsetail for hair. Herbal decoctions prevent hair loss, accelerate hair growth, strengthen hair follicles and structure, prevent the development of seborrhea, fungal diseases, and the formation of dandruff. To obtain a therapeutic effect, rinse your hair with herbs after each hair wash for a month. Masks are also made from decoctions and infusions, which are rubbed into the scalp.

For facial skin. In cosmetology, the herb is valued for its anti-aging properties. It stimulates collagen biosynthesis and metabolism, ensures the strength of connective tissue, and smoothes out fine wrinkles. That is why horsetail extract is so often included in anti-aging cosmetics. Lotions and tonics from infusions are used to wipe acne, suppuration on the skin, inflamed acne. The herb relieves irritation well, eliminates excess oil, so it is suitable not only for mature, but also young skin.

Use in medicine

The medicinal properties and contraindications of horsetail were first described by the Persian physician Avicenna. He used the herb to treat tumors, dropsy, edema, and purulent wounds. In the Middle Ages, the plant was used to treat internal bleeding, joints and bones, and kidney stones. Fresh juice was applied to wounds, cracks, and ulcers for quick healing. Today, in scientific medicine, horsetail is an effective diuretic. It is often prescribed in complex therapy of the urinary tract.

In scientific medicine, barren spring shoots - horsetail grass (lat. Herba Equiseti) - are used as medicinal raw materials. The raw materials are prepared in the summer by cutting the grass with sickles or a scythe, and dried under sheds, in attics or in dryers at a temperature of 40-50 °C. The shelf life of raw materials is four years. Horsetail infusions are used as a diuretic for edema, anti-inflammatory for inflammatory processes of the bladder and urinary tract, hemostatic, tonic, wound healing and astringent. They help with heart failure and improve water-salt metabolism. An infusion of horsetail herb is contraindicated for nephrosis and nephritis. The yield of the aboveground mass of horsetail in floodplain meadows is usually 2-5 g/m², and on rich sandy soils, when there is no competition from other species, almost pure thickets of horsetail are formed with a yield of up to 100 g/m².

The herb extract is part of the drug "Marelin", used for urolithiasis.

The underground part was used in Lithuania for rheumatism, and in medieval medicine in Armenia for respiratory infections and hypoxia.

The aerial parts were included in the State Pharmacopoeia of the USSR in the 8th, 9th and 11th editions and the pharmacopoeia of a number of other countries. Extract, decoction, briquettes, granules of the aerial part - diuretic, used for diseases of the urinary tract, ascites. The aerial part is recommended in the complex treatment of immunodeficiency conditions and coronary heart disease; in obstetric and gynecological practice - for metrorrhagia, in collections - for edema in pregnant women, for the treatment of cracked nipples in nursing mothers; in dentistry (in the form of a decoction) - with heavy deposits of tartar; in dermatology - for eczema, neurodermatitis, psoriasis, dermatitis, seborrhea. Infusion - for alopecia, scleroderma. In clinical trials obtained positive results in the complex treatment of duodenal ulcer, chronic cholecystitis and chronic cholangiocholecystitis, pancreatitis, allergic dermatoses, convulsive syndrome with perinatal conditions nervous system in children. In the experiment, the aerial part has pronounced antihypoxic properties.

The herb is used in homeopathy for cystitis, enuresis, pulmonary tuberculosis, in Tibetan and Mongolian medicine - as a diuretic, for urolithiasis, atherosclerosis, tonic, promoting longevity, anthelmintic, in Chinese medicine - for conjunctivitis. In folk medicine, a decoction or infusion of herbs is used for bronchial asthma, scarlet fever, malaria, dysentery, lumbago, sciatica; as an antitumor, anthelmintic; in preparations - for neuroses, chronic heart failure, rheumatoid arthritis; externally in the form of baths and applications - for hemorrhoids, myositis, neurodermatitis, varicose veins, furunculosis, dermatitis, eczema; as a rinse - for diseases of the oral cavity and pharynx, for toothache. In Bulgaria, a decoction of the herb is used as a hemostatic for hematuria, hemoptysis, metrorrhagia; collected in the form of a tincture - for spasmophilia, externally - for itchy skin; decoction (in a complex collection) - as a general tonic for pulmonary tuberculosis, bronchitis, anemia, chronic gastritis, stomach and duodenal ulcers, jaundice in children, colitis, myopathy, esophageal cancer, neurasthenia, epilepsy, bone tuberculosis, Addison's disease, cholelithiasis, cholecystitis; for myxoedema, rheumatism, gout, arthritis, osteomyelitis, myocarditis, pericarditis, women's diseases; externally - for uterine fibroids, erythema nodosum, felon, hyperkeratosis of the scalp, seborrhea, prostrate hypertrophy, cataracts, blepharitis, rhinitis, stomatitis.

In practical medicine, the juice is indicated for asthenic patients with chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, externally - as a wound-healing agent and for alopecia.

Pharmacy preparations

Liquid extract of horsetail. This drug is often used in cosmetology, for hair and facial skin care. It is also added to oil for anti-cellulite and lymphatic drainage massage.

Horsetail in the composition of Marelin tablets. Famous medicine in urology, which is prescribed for urolithiasis. It has anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic properties, reduces pain during renal colic and stone removal. Received the drug positive reviews doctors. In addition to horsetail, it contains: extracts of goldenrod and madder, magnesium phosphate, salicylamide, kellin, korglykon. Repeated courses of treatment are usually prescribed to prevent urolithiasis.

Herb in capsules. The capsules contain 400 mg of horsetail extract. Taken for swelling associated with renal and heart failure, as well as for cystitis and urethritis. In addition to its diuretic effect, the herb has antimicrobial and detoxifying properties. Capsules are prescribed to cleanse the blood and body of toxins, to improve metabolic processes, normal development of bone tissue, and rapid healing of bones after fractures.

Horsetail grass. The instructions indicate the main pharmacological action - diuretic. It is sold in the form of crushed raw materials in packages of 50 or 100 g. The grass is also packaged in the form of filter bags or in the form of pressed briquettes.

Homeopathic preparations. Another type of plant is widely used in homeopathy - wintering horsetail. Medicine is made from it in the form of granules and essences. Main indications for use: cystitis, urethritis, colic, stones, urinary incontinence, blood in the urine, difficulty excreting urine, uric acid diathesis.