Calendula (medicinal nails): application in folk medicine

Perhaps it is difficult to find at least one person who has never seen calendula. However, if you ask the appropriate question, the answer may be unpredictable, because "calendula" is the scientific name of the plant. If we are talking about the people's name, then who does not know these medicinal plants! Nails (this is how they are more commonly used in home use), and we will look in detail in this article.

It is interesting that the birthplace of the plant has not been reliably established so far. It is very decorative and, therefore, was spread in ancient times and naturalized later on throughout the world. Thus, it has successfully taken root, after which it is wild, so it is hardly possible to find out where the medicinal marigolds originate (the photos are presented in this article). But science is not worth it.

Spread

The plant is found in Southern and Central Europe, Australia and Central Asia. On the territory of our country, nails are medicinal (photos show different ways of using them) as an ornamental plant are cultivated by horticulturists, in addition, as medicinal raw materials are grown on an industrial scale. The conditions of the cold area of the temperate zone are excellent, since they can withstand frost, are undemanding to the soil and light-loving.

Biological Description

Medication nails (calendula) is a herbaceous plant that reaches a height of 60 cm. It belongs to the family Sophisticated. Stem is ribbed, thick, erect, branched, light green, has a small pubescence, consisting of glandular sticky hairs. Leaves are simple, on the stem are arranged alternately, elongated or oval in shape, covered with hairs.

The inflorescence of medicinal marigolds in diameter reaches 7 cm. The flowers are from dark orange to yellow. On the edges of the petals are located reed, pistillate, in the center they are very small, tubular, from yellow to brown hue. In this flowering occurs throughout the summer. Baskets are used for medical purposes.

Medicated nails, the description of which was set forth above, was so called because of the shape of their seeds, which have a different size and shape. Seeds originating from ligulate (outer) flowers, thin and long, like cat's claws, while from tubular (internal) - concave, hemispherical. Fruits ripen in the mid-to-late summer, which depends on the weather and climate conditions.

Calendula reproduces by seeds.

Amazing facts

Calendula is very rich in provitamin A (carotene), which is widely used in the food industry in the form of dye and bioadditives. Cheeses, margarine and oil with their yellowish tint are due to him. By the way, in the Soviet years about 30 collective farms were engaged in industrial cultivation of calendula. The main part of her was to get this food coloring.

In Europe in ancient times, the flowers of medicinal marigolds were considered a spice. It was widely used in cooking. It was used as a separate vegetable, and also cooked jam from it. It should be noted that one of the favorite dishes of Elizabeth (the English queen) was a stewed sparrow or lark, generously seasoned with calendula. In addition, the recipes for wine and puddings prepared from this plant are known.

Scammers gave out marigolds for saffron - in those years it was highly valued.

Procurement of raw materials

In herbal medicine, freshly dissolved inflorescences of this healing plant are used. Collection begins from the moment when 50% of flowers are revealed. Since on one plant there can be a large number of inflorescences, and they open throughout the summer, make up to 20 such charges. The plant with a regular collection of inflorescences, new baskets appear, while the flowering period increases until the first frost. Consequently, the harvest of calendula increases many times. Medication nails should be collected once in 5 days - this is the period during which the plant grows new inflorescences. After the growing season, they appear less and less.

Medicated medicines for harvesting must be cut off at the base of the peduncle. Then they must be dried in ventilated rooms. When harvesting on a large scale, the inflorescences after collection are added to the dryers until completely dry. Shelf life - two years.

To date, the procurement of these inflorescences is carried out in Belarus, Russia, Transcaucasia, Ukraine. Most of the raw materials are exported.

Composition

Medicated nails contain the following substances:

• Carbohydrates paraffin discharge (sitosterol, gentrikontan and so on).
• Carotenoids (lycopene, carotene, violaxanthin, rubixanthin, citroxanthine, flavoxanthin, flavochrome, etc.). A regularity is established: the darker and brighter the inflorescence, the greater the content of carotenoids in them.
• Triterpene glycosides.
• Organic acids (malic, salicylic, pentadecyl).
• Resins, mucous substances and bitterness.
• Ascorbic acid (vitamin C).

Medicinal properties of marigolds

Biologically active substances that make up this plant determine its properties:

• Wound healing;
• Anti-inflammatory;
• Bactericidal;
• Choleretic;
• Antispasmodic;
• Sedative;
• Hypotensive and cardiotonic.

Application

The drug from the marigolds relaxes the smooth muscles of the organs, digestion in particular (intestines, liver and stomach), thereby improving their secretion. This explains the choleretic effect of drugs used inside. The effect of the drug is enhanced when it is combined with a pharmacy chamomile and yarrow. Consequently, complex phytotherapy with the help of these plants helps to remove symptoms or get rid of diseases such as cholecystitis, bile stasis, intestinal atony, and lack of appetite.

Medicated medicines have also been found as an anti-inflammatory drug. This activity of the plant is associated with the acceleration of tissue regeneration, epithelial in particular. Because of this, a more tender and delicate scar appears on the affected areas. The drugs help the early healing of ulcers. The protective effect of the products from this plant is manifested in the reduction of the aggressiveness of the secreted gastric juice, therefore, they can be used in the treatment of gastritis.

Tincture and infusion plants are used to treat the following diseases:

• Ulcers of the duodenum and stomach;
• Gastritis;
• Enterocolitis, colitis of different etiology;
• Diseases of the spleen;
• Liver diseases;
• Hypertension, heart disease with a broken rhythm of the heart, swelling and shortness of breath;
• Neoplasms as an effective symptomatic agent;
• Menopausal syndrome.

Decoctions and infusion of calendula are used to rinse the throat in case of inflammation of the upper respiratory tract (pharyngitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis, tracheitis, runny nose). Diseases of the mouth, such as stomatitis, are also treated by rinsing the infusions and broths of this plant.

Marigold juice

The juice of the plant is squeezed out of the inflorescence. Mix 20 drops of it with a spoon of honey, then dilute everything in a glass of milk. Use twice a day to treat diseases of the digestive system. For the treatment of various skin diseases, it is used as an external agent when mixing juice with milk and honey in a ratio of 1: 2.

Infusion of flowers

Medication nails can be used in the form of infusion. To do this, 20 grams of dried flowers pour a glass of boiling water and put on a water bath for 15 minutes. Then the mixture is cooled at room temperature, filter, squeeze the remaining raw material, bring the volume to a glass. Use with the above diseases of the digestive system according to this scheme: a couple of table spoons are infused 3 times a day. Store the infusion in the refrigerator for a maximum of two days.

To cure proctitis, you need to dilute 1 teaspoon of infusion into ½ cup of water, then make an enema.

To cure the fistula, add an equivalent volume of a three percent solution of boric acid to the calendula infusion, and then inject the mixture into the fistula duct.

Ointment

The ointment is prepared in this way: 10 grams of dry inflorescences, ground on a coffee grinder, mix with a spoon of petroleum jelly. Applied for the treatment of various skin diseases.

In the pharmacy you can buy ready-made preparations of calendula - ointments "Kaleflon" and "Calendula". It is a mixture of emulsion (vaseline or water) and tincture of calendula. Mostly sold in jars of 40 grams. Used for burns, eczema, bruises, frostbite, cracks in the lips, nipples, heels.

Additionally

Calendula baskets can be used as a full-fledged green vegetable. It should be noted that even today the scope of their use in the food industry can be incredibly great: from the preparation of fragrant tinctures, floral teas, adding to a variety of vitamin salads until further use as a basis for a variety of vegetable soups. At the same time dried plants can be used in confectionery as spices, in the preparation of liquors, mulled wine, wines, and so on.

It has already been said before, from fresh flowers of marigold in some countries jam are cooked.

Contraindications

It is interesting, but there are no special contraindications to the use of medicinal calendula preparations. At the same time, there are a number of people who, like other plants, can cause a very strong allergic reaction. In this case, the dosage of drugs is reduced or completely abolished. Whatever one may say, but when using drugs from this plant, it is necessary to adhere to the scheme and dosage chosen by the specialist.