Many plants are a harmonious combination of benefits and beauty. One of these is the northern bedstraw. The tall perennial plant belongs to the Marenova family, blooms profusely almost all summer, enveloping in a rich and dense aroma all around. For this quality, the people called him honey grass. In addition, the plant has long been used in alternative medicine.
Northern bedstraw: botanical description
The plant is tall, strong, erect stems grow up to 80 cm. They have a simple structure, most often smooth, less often stiff-haired, branched or simple. Narrow-lanceolate leaves are collected in whorls of four pieces, saturated green. Flowers form panicle inflorescence, have a fragrant whisk of white color. Perhaps five variations of the plant according to the type of leaves and spiky hairs. The rhizome is thin, creeping type. This is a Eurasian plant species, in our country it is widespread throughout the entire European part and in Siberia. Northern bedstraw prefers to grow in meadows, in bushes, along roads, at the edge of the forest.
Chemical composition
The use of the plant in traditional medicine in many countries is due to the high content of various useful substances in it. So, the creeping rhizome is rich in saponins, flavonoids, anthraquinones, coumarins and tannins. The stem and leaves contain glycosides that affect the heart muscle, iridoids, essential oils, anthraquinones, alkaloids, vitamin C. In addition, the flowers are rich in specific rennet, which causes souring of milk. Earlier for this purpose, northern bedstraw (Marenovy family) was used in the manufacture of cheeses in Holland.
For the purpose of further application in folk medicine, grass is harvested in July - early August, that is, during its mass flowering. To do this, the stem is pruned at a level of 15 cm from the soil surface. Tied in strong bundles and dried in a shady, well-ventilated place.
Northern bedstraw: medicinal properties
It has been established by official medicine and pharmacology that the plant has pronounced soothing (sedative) properties. It has long been used in Tibetan therapy (rhizomes), as well as in Belarus, Yakutia, Altai, and Western Siberia. Bedstraw is mainly valued for its diuretic effect. Its use is permitted by medicine, but not in its pure form, but as part of herbal preparations. In the people it is used for kidney diseases, in particular, they remove the swelling that occurs with various organ pathologies.
In addition, it is known that northern bedstraw has a regenerating, astringent, anti-inflammatory and hemostatic effect.
Plant application
Healing plant rhizomes are used in the treatment of pneumonia, kidney disease, endometritis. As one of the components, it is part of a variety of herbal preparations recommended for use in infectious diseases.
The infusion of honey herbs and decoctions are recommended by specialists in the field of traditional medicine and for external use. In particular, if there are purulent wounds, bruises, cuts, burns. Northern bedstraw can be used as a dry powder in the case of ulcers, sprinkling wounds on them. An ointment from fresh grass juice quickly relieves inflammation in abscesses and suppuration. In gynecology, a decoction is often used for douching with cervical erosion.
Cooking infusion
In order to prepare a healing infusion, you will need only two components: boiling water and the herb itself. It is necessary to fill the dry bedstraw with water in the ratio of 4 tbsp. l 0.4 l and insist the mixture for about 4-5 hours, covering it with a towel so that the heat remains longer. At the end, strain the infusion through several layers of gauze and safely use in the form of baths, lotions on damaged areas of the skin.
For the treatment of impotence, a drinking course is prescribed. It is recommended to use the infusion of 2 tablespoons three times a day. For the treatment of angina pectoris, the ratio of grass to water for cooking varies. It is necessary to take 0.5 liters of boiling water and a total of 20 g of dry grass of bedstraw.
