Snapdragon - general description
Snapdragon (antirrinum) is a herbaceous perennial plant of the Norica family, which reaches a height of 14 cm to a meter. The plant has a straight, highly branched stem. A pyramidal bush decorated with bright racemose inflorescences - this is how the snapdragon looks like.
The flowers of the plant are large, two-lipped, are simple and double. They are painted in a wide variety of colors from maroon to white. If the snapdragon flower is squeezed at the base, its lips will open as if it were the mouth of a lion. So the plant got its name. Its flowering continues from the beginning of summer until the onset of frost. The fruit of the snapdragon is a box that contains brown round-shaped seeds.
Snapdragon is a beautiful ornamental plant that is used by florists all over the world. It looks wonderful when decorating flower beds and rabatok. Tall plants are used for borders, and stunted ones are used for alpine hills. In Germany, the properties of protection against witching charms were attributed to the antirrinum, so they carried it with them in bag-wraps.
Snapdragon - species and places of growth
The plant comes from the Mediterranean countries. It grows in Europe (and in its Russian part), America and North Africa. There are snapdragons in Western Siberia. It is perennial only in countries with a mild climate. Where winters are harsh and cold, antirrinum is grown as an annual plant.
Snapdragon - healing properties
In the East, it was customary to use the decoction of the plant as an antidote, and in the mixture with lily oil they smeared their face. It was believed that this way a person becomes especially attractive.
In folk medicine, snapdragon is used to treat diseases of the eyes, liver, stomach, intestines, genitourinary sphere and for colds.
Snapdragon - dosage forms
For medical purposes, racemose inflorescences of the plant and its upper leaves are used. The collection of raw materials is carried out during the flowering period of the antirrinum. Dry the workpieces in the shade, in conditions of good ventilation. Dried raw materials are stored in canvas or paper bags, used for medicinal decoctions, tinctures, ointments.
Snapdragon - recipes
One of the effective tools used for angina is a rinse, prepared from the herb of the snapdragon. For a decoction of 5 g of raw materials, pour 200 g of boiling water, boil for 15 minutes. Strained broth is used several times throughout the day for a teaspoon.
Eyes are washed with the same broth when they are inflamed. If such a decoction is applied orally several times throughout the day by a teaspoon, it will have a diuretic and laxative effect.
Inflammation of the prostate gland can be cured using an ointment based on interior lard with tincture of dried flowers of snapdragons. 2 tbsp crushed into a powder of raw materials is poured 1 tbsp. 70% alcohol. Keep 4 hours in a sealed glass jar, placed in a warm place. By adding 10 tablespoons unsalted melted fat, heated for 2.5 hours in a water bath. Strain hot, cool. Lubricate the anus and perineum with the obtained ointment.
Externally, preparations from snapdragon are used in the form of baths, lotions, compresses and gruel to cure boils, wounds and formations of fungal origin.
Tea from snapdragon, brewed at the rate of 40 g of herb per liter of boiling water, will help with liver diseases. The same tea is used to relieve bloating in the intestines.
Snapdragon - contraindications
Snapdragon should not be taken without the permission of the doctor and in violation of the dosage. This is a poisonous plant!
The plant is completely contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation.
Hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and dyspepsia are contraindications in which the use of snapdragons is prohibited.
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