Cinquefoil rhizomes: properties, instructions for use. How to use cinquefoil root to treat thyroid problems

Cinquefoil erecta is also called "galgan". This word is of Arabic origin and translates as “wild ginger.” This is due to the fact that this herb in the east was used, like ginger, as a seasoning. In Rus', it was called “the whisperer” and “the mighty one” and they believed that galangal was a herb that had medicinal and supernatural properties.

There is a legend according to which this herb grew near a source with real living water. Ilya Muromets, the Russian hero, before calling the Nightingale the Robber to battle, went to this source, lay down on the ground, and began to inhale the aroma of its roots. Thanks to the galangal, he felt great strength and immense courage. After this, he went to battle, where he defeated his insolent opponent.

Although galangal is an herb that has legendary powers, it is quite inconspicuous in appearance.

Another legend tells about this that somehow, tired of the constant ridicule of her sisters, the cinquefoil turned to the good witch, saying that her sisters were laughing at her because she did not have a silver outfit and beautiful large flowers, but only four petals instead five sisters. In addition, she complained that she looked nondescript, and no one noticed her in the grass.

To this the good fairy answered her not to be sad, because although she is inconspicuous in the grass and does not shine with beauty, people will look for her only for her healing power. It all happened that way. People are constantly looking for erect cinquefoil in the grass, although only an experienced herbalist can distinguish it from its sisters - other cinquefoils.

Description

Cinquefoil erecta, a photo of which is presented in this article, is a herbaceous perennial Rosaceae family. It has a multi-headed, thick, horizontal, tuberous or cylindrical rhizome 1-3 cm wide and 2-7 cm long, reddish-brown, woody, with a huge number of thin roots. The plant has erect or ascending stems, thin, forked-branched, slender, covered with short hairs.

The leaves are trifoliate, sessile, with deeply incised large stipules. Usually the leaves are oblong-wedge-shaped, large-serrate, appressed-hairy on both sides, sometimes almost bare. The basal leaves are long-petiolate, 3-, 5-palmated, collected in a bunch, with 2 large stipules, dying off at the time of flowering.

Flowers on long stalks, solitary, with a diameter of no more than 10 mm. In this case, the calyx is double, hairy, consisting of four subcup leaves, as well as 4 sepals, which remain with the fruit. Petals are obovate, yellow. There are 20 or more stamens, and there are a huge number of pistils that sit on a hairy convex receptacle.

Cinquefoil erecta (kalangal) differs from other species by four yellow petals (other species always have 5). The fruit of the plant is a multi-nut that ripens at the end of August.

Chemical composition

The rhizome of the plant contains up to 31% of substances of the protocatschip group, crystalline ester of tormenthol, elagic and quinic acids, flavonoids, wax, phlobaphenes, gum, resins, starch. The highest content of tannins was found at the beginning of flowering in the roots, while during the flowering period in the aerial part, which contains vitamin C (the largest amount of which is found here at the moment of full flowering), various organic acids (elanic and malic), and also wax, phlobaphenes, resins, starch and gum. After flowering is completed, the number of biologically active substances decreases.

Pharmacological properties

The rhizomes of Potentilla erecta have a bactericidal, astringent, hemostatic and anti-inflammatory effect. The anti-inflammatory effect is directly related to the presence of tannins, which can create a biological film. It, in turn, protects tissues from chemical, mechanical and bacterial influences. At the same time, blood vessels narrow and capillary permeability decreases. Such features of action are perfectly manifested on reddened, inflamed mucous membranes with stomatitis, pharyngitis, gingivitis, enteritis and gastritis.

Application in medicine

Cinquefoil erecta medicinal properties is quite extensive. It is used for rinsing for various inflammatory diseases of the larynx, pharynx and oral cavity. It is taken orally for dyspepsia, enterocolitis and enteritis. Decoctions and infusions from inflorescences, stems and leaves are used in the treatment of liver cirrhosis with congestive phenomena such as ascites, edema, as well as chronic and acute hepatitis. In patients, the bilirubin content stabilizes, hemorrhages, ascites and edema decrease, and diuresis increases. At the heart of the mechanism healing effect lies the ability of flavonoids and tannins in bloodroot to reduce permeability cell membranes and capillaries. The juice helps with scrofula. It is diluted with water, and this infusion significantly reduces toothache.

The roots of Potentilla erecta are used to make medicinal plasters. They, in turn, heal lichens and wounds. The product is also used externally in the form of applications for burns, hemorrhoids, inflammatory skin diseases and eczema.

Blank

Cinquefoil erecta is harvested in the fall, in October (after the death of its above-ground parts) or in early spring, before the first leaves appear.

The rhizomes must be dug up, the soil must be shaken off, and the above-ground parts and rotten parts of the rhizomes must be cut off with a knife. After this, wash the roots in cool water and leave for a couple of days. fresh air. Then, for several days, they should be taken to dry under a shed or in an attic with excellent ventilation. Dry rhizomes are stored for up to 6 years.

Dosage forms

In traditional and folk medicine, the following forms of galangal preparations are used:

• tincture;
• decoction;
• extract;
• powder;
• balm.

Decoction

Cinquefoil erecta in the form of a decoction is taken orally for such pathologies as:

• bleeding;
• gastrointestinal diseases;
• liver diseases;
• rheumatism;
• gout;
• flatulence;
• scurvy;
• diarrhea;
• lung diseases;

Decoctions of galangal are used externally as anti-inflammatory and hemostatic agents in the treatment of such diseases and conditions:

To make a decoction, we will need galangal herb, the medicinal properties of which are described in this article. 30 g of it must be poured into a glass of boiling water and boiled for half an hour. Then the decoction is taken one tablespoon 3 times a day an hour before meals.

Galangal tincture

The tincture is used internally for pathologies such as:

• diseases of the stomach and liver;
• jaundice;
• dysentery;
• enteritis;
• diarrhea;
• enterocolitis;
• gastritis;
• ulcer;
• colitis;
• cholangitis;
• cholecystitis;
• bronchitis;
• nephritis;
• gout;
• heart diseases;
• bleeding;
• diseases of the uterus.

The tincture is used externally in the form of lotions for burns and eczema, in addition, for various diseases of the oral cavity. It has been proven that polyphenols from galangal roots have excellent antibacterial properties.

In order to prepare this tincture, you need to pour 30 g of cinquefoil rhizomes into a bottle of vodka, then leave to infuse for three weeks in a dark, ventilated place, shaking regularly. Then the tincture is taken thirty drops three times a day. Take twenty minutes before eating.

Galangal extract

It is used as an anti-inflammatory, astringent, choleretic, hemostatic and expectorant for the following diseases:

• gum disease;
• uterine and intestinal bleeding;
• gallbladder disease;
• skin diseases;
• enterocolitis;
• illnesses thyroid gland;
• haemorrhoids;
• gastrointestinal diseases;
• diarrhea;
• angina;
• gout.

This extract is prescribed for adults (6 drops three times a day), as well as for children (3 drops three times a day); you can add it to warm tea, compote or juice.

Undiluted galangal extract is used for lotions.

Balm

It is indicated in the form of a therapeutic and prophylactic agent that helps heal stomach ulcers.

Collection Recipe

• a tablespoon of thyme;
• Potentilla erecta - a tablespoon;
• clove bud;
• large allspice;
• a teaspoon of mint;
• a tablespoon of honey.

This collection is placed in a shallow glass container with a fairly wide neck, after which it is filled with half a liter of vodka. This container is closed and then infused for two weeks (the tincture must be shaken every day) in a cool, ventilated place. On the sixteenth day, this medicine is shaken and poured into a glass decanter. The balm should be taken before lunch, one tablespoon at a time. This drug improves appetite and normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Powder

It is used to treat external bleeding, weeping wounds, ulcers, burns as a powder. You can also periodically brush your teeth with this powder - this will prevent gum inflammation and also eliminate bad smell from mouth.

It is also used to make an ointment for all kinds of skin diseases (it is especially good at healing and moisturizing chapped lips). To prepare it, five grams of powder must be mixed with one hundred and twenty grams of natural butter.

Side effects and contraindications

Taking various galangal preparations is unacceptable in cases such as:

• low acidity of gastric juice;
• heat;
• pregnancy;
• hypertension;
• high blood clotting;
• high prothrombin index;
• individual intolerance;

The whole point is that cinquefoil erect, the use of which must be carried out with caution, reduces the permeability of capillaries, due to which vasoconstriction occurs.

Side effects from the use of galangal preparations include the following:

• vomit;
• nausea;
• stomach ache.

This symptomatology may be caused by a high concentration of tannins in the plant. Therefore, galangal is an herb that should be taken with extreme caution. Therefore, follow the dosage prescribed by your doctor, the schedule and rules for taking the drug.

The herb white cinquefoil has become widespread in folk medicine: the root of the plant has a number of healing properties. Over the course of history, the flower acquired many other names: five-fingered, perstach, five-fingered. The origin of all the names is easy to explain if you see the leaves of the perstacha - they resemble a wide open hand. The five-finger tree reveals its excellent healing properties only after reaching two or three years of age. There is no point in collecting its leaves, stems or roots earlier or later. At a younger or older age, the content of healing substances is not so high. Alternative medicine practitioners use all parts of the plant, but the root of the plant is especially popular among them.

In nature, the five-finger can be found from central European parts to the Volga expanses. Where the cinquefoil root grows, the soil, as a rule, is not fertile. He chooses clay and sandy soil, which can be dry or wet. Most often, the plant settles in oak or pine forests, along forest belts or on hills covered with forbs, as well as in meadows.

Description of the plant white cinquefoil

White cinquefoil belongs to the Rosaceae family. The plant is herbaceous, perennial. The aerial part is represented by thin stems, 8-25 cm high, on which palmate leaves are located. The flowers are white and quite large for such a short plant. They vaguely resemble strawberry inflorescences. They consist of two types of petals: external (elongated green) and internal (white, saucer-shaped). Twenty thin filaments-stamens are framed by elongated anthers. The flowering period is from May to June.

Beneficial and harmful properties of the plant

White cinquefoil root is valued for the iodine it contains. It is this element that explains wide application white cinquefoil root - treatment of diseases of the endocrine system is much more effective with the use of pentapalm rhizomes. In a polluted environment, problems with the thyroid gland are increasingly occurring, which this seemingly inconspicuous flower can overcome.

In addition to the main element - iodine, the dense rhizome also contains other, no less useful, substances. Iridoids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, phenolcarboxylic acids, zinc, selenium - this is not a complete list of components included in the fibers of the pentapala root. The healing characteristics of the plant are most clearly manifested if its underground part is removed in the fall. Leaves, stems and flowers are best collected in spring and summer. It is during these seasons that the concentration of beneficial elements is highest. When digging up the rhizome, you need to be careful, as the root easily breaks into pieces.

The thyroid gland's best friend

When they talk about what cinquefoil root cures, they primarily mention numerous disorders in the functioning of the endocrine system, as well as disruptions in the functioning of metabolism. Potentilla root is used for hyperthyroidism when we're talking about about such ailments of the thyroid gland as Graves' disease, goiter. Infusions and decoctions based on medicinal rhizomes help reduce increased level hormones, they successfully bring this indicator back to normal. They also relieve symptoms of the disease such as increased sweating, nervousness, and exhaustion.

White cinquefoil root is effective for hypothyroidism, when it is necessary to combat low hormone levels. Of course, medicinal herbs are prescribed in combination with other drugs.

But the increased content of iodine substances in the plant helps the body replenish the deficiency of these vital components and prevent the development of such serious diseases that affect the condition of the entire body.

Thyroid treatment

When treating the endocrine gland, the high ability of the medicinal herb to rid the body of radionuclides and fight tumors is taken into account. Attention is also paid to its antioxidant, disinfectant and anti-inflammatory properties. Not only for the treatment of thyroid diseases, but also for preventive purposes, an infusion of white cinquefoil root is used, which is completely easy to make yourself.

Making an infusion: recipe and application

To get rid of problems with the endocrine system, as well as for prevention purposes, a tincture of white cinquefoil root is used, which is very simple to prepare. To the bottom glass jar dry plant roots (50 g) are placed and filled with alcohol (0.5 l). Before infusing cinquefoil root, you need to choose the right container. The container must be tightly secured with a lid to prevent the evaporation of the volatile components of the alcohol. It is better to take a jar with a screw-on lid. For twenty days, the roots are infused in a place protected from light. When the allotted time has expired, the prepared solution is passed through cheesecloth to filter out plant debris.

The alcohol tincture is used once a day, in a volume of 30 drops. A measured amount of the drug is diluted with water (150 ml) and taken orally 30 minutes before meals. The course of treatment lasts 30 days. Then a week-long break is taken, after which the use of the tincture can be extended for another month in the same volume and according to similar rules. Repeated courses of treatment should be carried out no more than 4-5 times.

Preventative reception - rules

When taking the infusion prophylactically, the benefits of white cinquefoil root will be more effective if you diversify your diet with seaweed, walnuts, champignons, cod liver, seafood, legumes, buckwheat, oatmeal, vegetable salads. At the same time, you don’t need to be overly zealous and eat all the listed foods at once. It is quite enough to consume two or three of any iodine-containing ingredients daily.

Every day, by changing the composition of the “iodine diet” and taking the tincture, you can prevent the development of endocrinological diseases. In addition, it is necessary to support healthy image life, go for walks more often, give up junk food. It is better to use sea or iodized salt as a spice.

Aqueous tincture of the root

If the use of tincture of white cinquefoil root in alcohol is contraindicated due to the alcohol component, then you can prepare a preparation based on water. It is as simple to make as alcohol. Before brewing the cinquefoil root, you need to chop it. A small amount of dry, ground roots is poured into the bottom of the thermos. It is enough to take 12 grams per 0.5 liter of water. Then boiling water is poured in, the container is sealed and left to infuse. The next morning, the decoction of white cinquefoil root is ready for use.

Now the question arises, how to take the roots of white cinquefoil so as not to harm your health? After all, the benefits of a folk remedy largely depend on the correct dosage and intake rates. On the first day you need to drink 250 grams of decoction 30 minutes before meals. On the second day, the amount of the drug is doubled - drink 0.5 liters of water tincture half an hour before meals. On the third day its volume should reach 1 liter, on the fourth – up to 1.5 liters. In the following days, the dosage of the decoction is reduced in the same way as it was increased, until it comes down to the original norm - 250 grams. A repeated course of treatment is carried out 3-4 times.

For what ailments is the five-fingered plant indicated?

Not only the treatment of the thyroid gland using the root of the white cinquefoil is considered very effective, many other ailments are cured by the rhizome of the cinquefoil. The use of cinquefoil root in gynecology has proven itself to be effective, as it helps get rid of uterine prolapse, as well as the symptoms of menopause. Due to its antibacterial properties, it is indicated for those suffering from many gastrointestinal ailments: enterocolitis, colitis, dysentery. If you grind the dry leaves of the plant to a powdery state, you can get wonderful remedy against inflammation of the skin - abscesses, boils and carbuncles.

In addition, it helps well with peptic ulcer stomach, maintains intestinal tone, and is also used to treat certain liver diseases. Often, the indications of cinquefoil root concern people who experience certain difficulties with the functioning of the cardiovascular system. After all, infusions and decoctions based on medicinal plants make blood vessels strong, flexible, cleanse the blood of cholesterol and other harmful substances, which significantly improves heart function.

Ointment for joints

Most often, the use of cinquefoil root in folk medicine comes down to making a tincture or extract for internal use. But you can prepare a medicinal ointment from it to treat joints and rheumatism. To make it, you need to grind the dried perstacha root in a coffee grinder (you will need 5 grams of cinquefoil rhizome powder). Then melt 200 grams of butter or lard. Everything is mixed in a saucepan or saucepan, placed on low heat and left for about 7 minutes. The ointment is used to lubricate sore joints. Good remedy from radiculitis, osteochondrosis.

Contraindications for use

When talking about the harms and benefits of cinquefoil root, individual intolerance to the drug is most often mentioned.

The plant and its derivatives should not be consumed by people with reduced blood pressure. Often contraindications of white cinquefoil root are associated with a symptom such as tachycardia. To cure the disease, and not cause even greater damage to health, it is better to first consult a doctor. The advice of a doctor is especially important when other medications are used together with folk remedies.

Iodine-containing food supplements

If used food supplement, enriched with iodine, such as, for example, Alba cinquefoil root, made from natural ingredients, then a preliminary visit to the doctor is also necessary. This tool is not medical, it is advertised as an iodine-containing component added to the basic diet. May have side effect when used together with medications, which are best discussed with a specialist.

Official medicine

Not only traditional healers recognized the medicinal properties of the plant; white cinquefoil root extract was used to obtain officially registered medical product– Endorm. Even from the name itself it is clear that it is used to keep the endocrine system normal. It took pharmaceutical scientists about ten years to extract all the beneficial components from the rhizome and turn it into medical capsules. Their effect is enhanced by others medicinal herbs, but the main role is still played by the rhizome of the pentapalm. The drug is used to compensate for the lack of iodine in the body, it is indicated for people with insufficient amounts of thyroid hormones, for the treatment of goiter and other disorders of the endocrine system.

Silver infusion

You can prepare cinquefoil root using silver water, which increases the antibacterial properties of the plant. In addition, this tincture will retain its properties longer. All you need to do is replace plain water for silver tincture. “Silver liquid” can be bought in concentrated form at a pharmacy and diluted according to the instructions. Some people prefer to cook silver water on one's own.

Silver water - recipe

Traditional healers know about the properties and qualities of various plants. Far from it last place Potentilla is on the list of medicinal herbs. She treats the most various diseases, but is especially effective in treating thyroid diseases. The uniqueness of this plant is represented by a pronounced hormone-like effect. Today we will talk about white cinquefoil root, known methods of its use, warnings and contraindications for consumption.

This medicinal herb affects the functioning of organs and endocrine glands, providing a stabilizing effect. It is considered quite rare and can be found in the middle zone.

Traditional healers have been using cinquefoil for several hundred years. Around the eighteenth century, they noticed that this plant effectively heals skin lesions. Literally some time later, other properties of the leaves, flowers and roots of this herb were discovered.

Among wildlife Unfortunately, cinquefoil can be difficult to find. Most often it is found next to strawberries growing at the edge of an oak forest. This plant becomes saturated with beneficial qualities only in the third or fourth year of life. Due to the fact that it is not possible to find weed, many people grow it on personal plot. It is quite easily propagated by cuttings; planting is carried out in March and October-November.

Properties

Previously, each warrior took with him a small fabric bag filled with a special powder. It was prepared from the roots of white cinquefoil. They were washed and thoroughly dried, after which they were ground to a powder. This product was used to sprinkle wounds, thanks to which cell regeneration became faster. This property is explained by the significant content of natural iodine in the roots of the plant, which is why it has a persistent bactericidal effect.

Not long ago, scientists discovered that cinquefoil has a positive effect on the thyroid gland. Today, this herb is used to eliminate a variety of ailments of this endocrine gland. Despite the fact that all parts of the herb have medicinal properties, only it has thyroid-stimulating activity. root system. Moreover, these properties have been confirmed by research.

An excellent effect can be achieved when using cinquefoil in the treatment of liver ailments, including hepatitis. It will also be beneficial for lesions of the digestive tract, heart and vascular diseases, and disruptions in metabolic processes. In addition, this herb is beneficial for the entire endocrine system and remarkably increases and activates the body’s protective forces.

Application

Crush five grams of cinquefoil roots, pour in two hundred grams of melted interior fat or soft butter. Place the container on the fire and boil the medicine for seven minutes over low heat. Then strain. Rub this remedy into sore joints during inflammatory processes, the formation of radiculitis and osteochondrosis. In addition, this product is recommended to be used for applying compresses.

Crush fifty grams of roots and combine with half a liter of regular vodka. Leave the container in a cool place, protected from sunlight. Then strain and take thirty to thirty-five drops three times a day. Best time for such treatment - twenty to thirty minutes before eating. The duration of therapy with this tincture is one whole month, after which you should take a week’s break and repeat the medication again.

When treating nodular goiter, chronic female ailments and tumors, it is worth taking at least three courses of the drug. This remedy is a good solution to many women’s problems: it can resolve cysts and fibroids and stabilize the menstrual cycle.

If there are any contraindications to the consumption of alcohol infusion, it is quite possible to replace it with a medicine in water. To do this, pour five to ten grams of chopped roots with a couple of glasses of boiling water. Leave in a thermos or well wrapped for six to eight hours. Take half a glass of the strained product three times a day. It is worth drinking the infusion before meals.

Remedies based on the root of white cinquefoil also effectively treat skin ailments (ulcers, eczema, etc.), hemorrhoids, nodules and tumor formations. Therapy is carried out using an aqueous infusion, the recipe for which is described above, or rather complex multi-component ointments based on alcohol and oil extracts.

Both water and alcohol tinctures eliminate iodine deficiency in the body and normalize high blood pressure.

Contraindications

A clear contraindication to the consumption of drugs based on white cinquefoil is the diagnosis of “severe hypotension.” During therapy with this plant, it is worth keeping the activity of the heart under control. It is especially important to do this during systematic exacerbations of tachycardia and in menopause. In the latter case, it is necessary to reduce the dosage of the medication to the minimum. Before using this herb, you should always consult a doctor.

White cinquefoil is an attractive plant that has delicate white flowers. This is what distinguishes it from other species. In addition, white cinquefoil can be distinguished by its small height, it reaches no more than 25 centimeters. This plant also has dark green leaves, divided into five parts. Outwardly, they resemble fingers. Popularly, white cinquefoil is often called five-fingered, five-fingered and five-fingered. This plant blooms from April to July. The buds of the cinquefoil form a real white canvas, which is noticeable even from afar.

When to harvest

Commonly, cinquefoil rhizomes are used for medicinal purposes. The use of this plant is due to its beneficial properties. However, you need to know when to harvest such raw materials. It is best to do this in the fall. At this time, the stems of the plant wither. Cinquefoil begins to prepare for a long winter. It is during this period that the most useful substances accumulate in the roots. The most valuable raw materials are plants that are at least 3 years old.

How to prepare

The cinquefoil rhizomes are first dug up, cleaned of dirt and small roots, washed thoroughly, and then dried. Properly collected and then prepared raw materials are stored for three years and do not lose their beneficial qualities.

The above-ground part of this plant is also used in medicine, but not so often. It is usually collected during the growing season and flowering. After this, the ground part of the cinquefoil is simply dried.

Plant composition

So, why are cinquefoil rhizomes so beneficial? The use of this plant in medicine has become quite widespread. This can be explained beneficial properties white cinquefoil. To understand what effects a plant has on the body, it is worth examining its chemical composition in more detail.

Potentilla root is a unique combination of all kinds of substances. In the composition of such raw materials you can easily find saponins, iridiodes, flavonoids, glycosides, amino acids, tannins, and so on. Rutin is present in the roots, kaempferol and cyanide are present in the leaves.

White cinquefoil contains a large amount of macro- and microelements, vitamins and iodine. The most valuable component present in the plant is albinin. This substance was discovered quite recently. It can have a thyroid-stimulating effect.

Plant properties

Cinquefoil rhizomes are usually used to treat all kinds of disorders of the thyroid gland. The plant is often used to treat some forms of goiter, thyrotoxicosis, and so on. Taking all kinds of infusions with allows you to normalize the functioning of the endocrine system, establish metabolic processes in the body, and also align hormonal background. Besides, folk medicine has the following actions.

1. Has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effect. It is a good antiseptic.
2. Potentilla root has a positive effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system. And this has long been proven. Preparations based on such raw materials can lower blood pressure, increase the elasticity of blood vessels, normalize heart function and blood composition, reduce the level of bad cholesterol and restore blood flow.
3. Allows you to improve liver function, as well as cope with many of its ailments, for example, cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis.
4. Has an antitumor effect. Helps in the process of treating cysts or fibroids.
5. At correct use The medicine can overcome such unpleasant phenomena as abscesses, boils and long-lasting wounds.
6. Preparations based on cinquefoil can be used for stomatitis.
7. Allows you to remove radionuclides from the body and also prevents their rapid accumulation.
8. Strengthens immune system, slows down the processes that cause cell aging.
9. Improves digestion and helps in the treatment of enterocolitis, peptic ulcers, dysentery, gastritis.
10. Suitable for the treatment of rheumatism, gout and hemorrhoids.
11. Has a mild analgesic effect.
12. It has a diuretic effect, but does not irritate the kidneys.
13. Improves mood, helps overcome depression, stress and cope with mental trauma.
14. Allows you to normalize the level female hormones. Cinquefoil rhizomes are very useful for painful menstruation, ovarian dysfunction, and malfunctions. menstrual cycle, as well as with prolapse of the uterus.

White cinquefoil "Endonorm": application

Very often, the rhizomes of this plant are used to treat diseases associated with disorders of the thyroid gland. Often, raw materials are used to treat ailments of the heart, blood vessels, and stomach. Preparations made from the roots of white cinquefoil cope well with many skin lesions. Therefore, they can be used not only for oral administration, but also externally.

White cinquefoil "Endonorm" is sold in almost any pharmacy. This drug when properly prepared, it helps get rid of diseases such as hypertension, ulcers, colitis, hepatitis, cholecystitis, atherosclerosis and so on. The drug removes harmful toxins and radionuclides from the body. This is only part of all the problems that cinquefoil can cope with. How should it be taken?

Alcohol tincture

An alcoholic tincture of cinquefoil can help with many diseases, as well as cope with disorders of the thyroid gland. To prepare the medicine, you need to grind the roots of the plant. Place 20 grams of raw materials in a glass container and add 200 grams of vodka. The bottle should be tightly sealed and placed in a dark place for 30 days. During this time, the container with the tincture must be shaken periodically. When the medicine is ready, it must be strained and poured into a more convenient bottle.

Typically, this drug is taken 30 drops, diluted in ¼ glass of water. It is best to do this 20 minutes before eating food three times a day. However, before taking any medicine based on white cinquefoil, you should consult a specialist.

Potentilla infusion

If you cannot tolerate medications containing alcohol, you can prepare an infusion. It also helps with many diseases. To prepare it, you need to thoroughly chop the white cinquefoil rhizome and then steam it hot water. A glass of boiling water requires only a tablespoon of raw materials. The container should be well closed and then wrapped. The drug must be infused for 6-8 hours. It is more convenient to use a thermos for cooking.

The finished infusion should be taken four times a day, two tablespoons before eating.

For thyroid diseases

For the treatment of thyroid disease, experts also recommend cinquefoil rhizomes. They should be used according to following diagram. On the first day, you need to prepare a water infusion. To do this, pour a glass of boiling water over a teaspoon of crushed roots and keep everything overnight in a thermos. After this, the medicine should be strained and taken in three doses about a quarter of an hour before meals.

On the second day you need to prepare a second infusion. To do this, pour two teaspoons of raw material into a glass of boiling water. The course is 14 days. Every day the amount of cinquefoil roots needs to be increased by one teaspoon. It is important. Having reached seven spoons, the amount of raw material must be reduced by one teaspoon.

Flower formula

In medicine

Preparations of the rhizomes of Potentilla erecta (decoctions) are used internally for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: gastritis, diarrhea, enteritis, dyspepsia, colitis, for flatulence associated with fermentation phenomena, for internal gastric, intestinal, pulmonary and uterine bleeding. Externally – for inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity, pharynx and larynx - stomatitis, gingivitis, sore throat.

In dermatology, the plant is used internally for atopic dermatitis, eczema, trophic ulcers complicated by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, burns, hemorrhoids and inflammatory skin diseases. Externally – for acne, bruises, bleeding wounds, cracks in the skin of the extremities.

Rhizomes of Potentilla erecta are included in the collection “Phytodiarin ®”, which has antimicrobial, astringent and anti-inflammatory effects.

For children

As a medicine, a decoction of crushed rhizomes of Potentilla erecta can be used by children from 12 years of age.

In cosmetology

Cinquefoil is used externally in cosmetology. A decoction of cinquefoil is used for oily facial skin, and a lotion for acne. The plant is also used in cosmetology in other countries: in Bulgaria, Poland, the Czech Republic.

In production

Cinquefoil has long been used for tanning leather and for producing black and red dye. The plant is also used in distillery production and as an additive to tea. In the food industry, it is used as a spice when canning fish, to give products a pink tint and a specific subtle pleasant aroma and taste.

Classification

Cinquefoil erecta (Kalgan) - lat. Potentilla erecta L. Raeuseh - sin. Potentilla tormentilla Neck. – belongs to the Rosacea family (lat. Rosacea). The Rosaceae family includes about 115 genera and 3000 species. The genus Potentilla includes up to 500 species of plants, distributed almost all over the world, but mostly in temperate and cold regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

Botanical description

Cinquefoil erecta is a wild-growing perennial herbaceous plant, height from 10 to 40 cm. The rhizome of the cinquefoil is cylindrical or tuberous, thickened, multi-headed, woody, reddish-brown, bearing numerous adventitious roots. The stem is one or several, erect or ascending, forked-branched. The basal leaves are trifoliate or quintuple, long-petiolate. Stem leaves are sessile, trifoliate, large-serrate, with large stipules, appressed and hairy on both sides. Potentilla flowers are single, on long pedicels, about 1 cm in diameter. The corolla consists of 4 yellow, obovate petals. The plant blooms from mid-May to September. Potentilla erecta flower formula: *H4+4L4T∞P∞. The fruit is a multi-nut, ripens in August and September.

Spreading

Cinquefoil erecta grows in damp meadows, in sparse shrubs, on the edges of forests, and in clearings. Loves moist sandy, sandy loam, loamy and peat soils. In the northern part of its range - in the tundra and forest-tundra it is found along the banks of rivers, streams, and along the outskirts of swamps.

In the European part of Russia it grows from the coast of the Barents Sea to the steppe zone, enters the southern taiga forests and forest-steppe Western Siberia, grows in the Ciscaucasia, as well as in the mountain belts of the Greater and Lesser Caucasus. Found in Belarus and Ukraine.

Regions of distribution on the map of Russia.

Procurement of raw materials

Cinquefoil rhizomes (Potentillae rhizomata) are used as medicinal raw materials. They are dug up during flowering, cleared of roots, washed from the ground and dried in the open air, in ventilated areas or in dryers.

Chemical composition

The pharmacological properties of Potentilla erecta depend on the biologically active substances contained in the plant. Rhizomes contain up to 30% tannins, tormentilin glycoside; triterpenoids (up to 6%): quinovic acid, tormentoside; resins, crystalline tormenthol ether; phenolcarboxylic acids: gallic, quinic, ellagic, caffeic, n-coumaric, protocatechin, flavonoids (kaempferol), phlobaphenes; phenols (fluroglucinol, pyrocatechol, pyrogallol); catechin, wax, gum, starch, macro- and microelements.

Pharmacological properties

A decoction of the rhizomes of Potentilla erecta has an astringent, anti-inflammatory, hemostatic, bactericidal effect, and also has an expectorant and choleretic effect.

It has been established that aqueous extracts from cinquefoil rhizomes have antimicrobial, antiprotozoal and fungicidal activity. The antimicrobial effect of the decoction when exposed to its chemical compounds on the intestinal microflora is unique. Its effect is milder and physiological, since the biologically active substances of the plant are in essence and pathogenic pathogens do not develop resistance to them. A decoction of cinquefoil rhizomes is used in the treatment of diseases associated with functional intestinal disorders. This protects the inflamed intestinal mucosa from irritation and damage by microbial and other unfavorable agents, eliminates the acute inflammatory reaction, normalizes intestinal motor function, suppresses pathogenic intestinal flora and restoration of eubiosis in the intestines.

The general anti-inflammatory effect is associated with the action of flavonoids, and the local one is associated with tannins that can create a biological film that protects tissues from bacterial, chemical and mechanical influences, accompanying inflammation, while at the same time capillary permeability decreases and blood vessels narrow.

In the gastroenterological department of the Clinical Diagnostic Center No. 1 in Moscow, studies were carried out on the pharmacological properties of the rhizomes of Potentilla erecta. 60 people were under observation. The first group included patients with functional bowel diseases (irritable bowel syndrome) and organic diseases (chronic enterocolitis). All patients had diarrhea. The second group consisted of patients with erosive and ulcerative processes in the stomach and duodenum, the third group - with chronic active gastritis. The fourth group was the control group and, unlike the first three, received only medications, without cinquefoil.

When the plant was used in a group of patients receiving Potentilla erecta as monotherapy, a fairly rapid disappearance of diarrhea or its reduction was observed. The pain syndrome also significantly decreased to 5% (before treatment it was 54%), and dyspeptic disorders such as nausea, bitterness in the mouth, belching, vomiting, as well as bleeding gums and rectal bleeding significantly decreased.

Diarrhea in the control group without the use of cinquefoil was relieved in 12 of 30 patients (40%), with the use of cinquefoil erecta in 24 of 30 patients studied (80%).

Also, due to the increased interest in Helicobacter pylori infection, analyzes were carried out to identify Helicobacter pylori in patients of all four groups of patients before and after treatment with cinquefoil rhizomes. The results showed that Helicobacter pylori was absent in 16 out of 19 study patients who, before taking this herbal medicine, suffered from chronic active gastritis and erosive and ulcerative lesions of the stomach and duodenum, and in the control group of patients, Helicobacter was absent in 8 out of 21 people.

Thus, Potentilla erecta can be used both as monotherapy and in conjunction with other drugs without interfering with their metabolism. This plant is well tolerated by all patients, regardless of age. The introduction of cinquefoil erecta into antiulcer therapy accelerates the time of epithelization and significantly increases the effectiveness of eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection. However, given the presence large quantity tannins, it is necessary to remember about the drying effect of cinquefoil on the mucous membranes.

Use in folk medicine

In folk medicine, decoction, infusion, tea and tincture of bloodroot are used. Potentilla erecta was used primarily as an astringent, expectorant and analgesic. Potentilla rhizome - ancient folk remedy, used in the treatment of gastritis, stomach ulcers, various internal bleeding (pulmonary, gastric, intestinal, uterine). For diarrhea and dysentery, they drank tea from the roots of the cinquefoil. A decoction of rhizomes was taken for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and insufficient acidity of gastric juice.

It was also used externally as an ointment for burns, frostbite, weeping eczema, as well as for rinsing with sore throat and scurvy. Potentilla was also used for jaundice, liver diseases, gout, and as part of the preparations - for kidney diseases, Bladder and prostate adenomas.

There is information about the effectiveness of infusions and decoctions of the leaves, stems and flowers of cinquefoil in the treatment of patients with acute and chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver with congestion (edema, ascites).

Cinquefoil has found application in other countries. In Bulgaria, infusion of cinquefoil is used as a choleretic agent for gastritis and peptic ulcers with low acidity, as well as in the form of applications for hemorrhoids.

The German National Health Service recommends using galangal internally for diarrhea, and externally for rinsing and irrigating the mouth for inflammation of the gums and mucous membranes.

Historical reference

Potentilla erecta has always been popular among the Russian people. However, many people know it as galangal. The people also have other names for this plant: elm-grass, ovary root, ovary, wood, drevlyanka, whisper, oubrovka, oak root, navel grass, diarrhea grass, uzik, zolotnik, etc. Legends about this plant have been preserved. One of them is connected with Ilya Muromets. It says that before the battle with the Nightingale the Robber, the hero found a large thicket of “whisperer” grass, inhaled the smell of its roots and felt immeasurable strength within himself.

Highly valued in the Middle Ages medicinal properties Potentilla erecta, since it was almost the only remedy for dysentery. In ancient reference books, cinquefoil is also mentioned in combination with other medicinal herbs. In the “Ethnobotanical Notes” of H. Marcellus, the following is said about the cinquefoil: during the plague of 1348-1349 in the Baden Valley, a bird flew from the sky to people and sang: “Whoever eats galangal and cinquefoil will delay his end.”

Literature

1. State Pharmacopoeia of the USSR. Eleventh edition. Issue 1 (1987), issue 2 (1990).
2. GOST 6716-71 “Rhizome of cinquefoil (wild galangal, dubrovka, uzik).”
3. State Register of Medicines. Moscow 2004.
4. Medicinal plants state pharmacopoeia. Pharmacognosy. (Edited by I.A. Samylina, V.A. Severtsev). - M., “AMNI”, 1999.
5. Mashkovsky M.D. " Medicines" In 2 volumes - M., Novaya Volna Publishing House, 2000.
6. “Herbal medicine with the basics of clinical pharmacology”, ed. V.G. Kukesa. - M.: Medicine, 1999.

1. P.S. Chikov. “Medicinal plants” M.: Medicine, 2002.
2. Sokolov S.Ya., Zamotaev I.P. Handbook of medicinal plants (herbal medicine). - M.: VITA, 1993.
3. Mannfried Palov. "Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants". Ed. Ph.D. biol. Sciences I.A. Gubanova. Moscow, "Mir", 1998.
4. Lesiovskaya E.E., Pastushenkov L.V. "Pharmacotherapy with the basics of herbal medicine." Tutorial. - M.: GEOTAR-MED, 2003.
5. Proceedings of the fifth international congress “Current problems of creating new medicines of natural origin." Saint Petersburg. 2001
6. Healthy skin and herbal remedies/ Author: I. Pustyrsky, V. Prokhorov. - M. Machaon; Mn.: Book House, 2001. - 192 p.
7. Nosov A. M. Medicinal plants. - M.: EKSMO-Press, 2000. - 350 p.
8. Forest cosmetics: A reference guide / L. M. Molodozhnikova, O. S. Rozhdestvenskaya, V. F. Sotnik. - M.: Ecology, 1991. - 336 p.
9. A.P. Efremov, I.A. Schröter, T.P. Osadchaya "Secret storerooms of nature." - M.o. Publishing house "Overley", 2001. - 160 p.
10. “Botany of higher, or above-ground, plants” / A.G. Elenevsky, M.P. Solovyova, V.N. Tikhomirov. - M.: Publishing center "Academy", 2000. - 432 p.