Crane (rak) cyclic - erodium cicutarium l.

The Geranium family - Heraniace

Botanical characteristics. Annual herbaceous plant. Root stem. Stem prostrate, branched from the base, rough, covered with sparse hairs, 40-60 cm high. Leaves alternate, feathery, with stipules, long-petioled, pubescent. The petals of the flowers are pink-purple or purple, more often with dark veins. Fruit - wedge-compressed pubescent, brown seed with spiral appendage. Blossoms in May - September, fructifies in June - October.

Spread. It grows in the fields, in abundance on sandy soils, near dwellings, near roads, like weeds in crops.

Used parts of the plant. Medicinal raw materials are the aerial part of the plant, leaves, flowers, less often roots and seeds harvested in the usual way.

Chemical composition. All parts of the plant contain tannins, flavonoids. Stems and leaves contain carbohydrates, organic acids, saponins triterpene, vitamins. Anthocyanins (peonidine, malvidin) and their derivatives, cyclitols were found in the flowers. Seeds contain fatty oil.

Application. In folk medicine, the preparations of the crane are used for various diseases associated with internal bleeding, as anticonvulsant with various convulsions, with colds, pneumonia, pleurisy; Externally - in the form of baths - with diathesis of different etiology, for washing various skin rashes; In the form of lotions - with eczema, conjunctivitis.

In the experiment the tincture of the aerial part of the plant exerts a pronounced hemostatic effect, lowers the vascular permeability, acts as a soothing on the cerebral cortex and central nervous system - in therapeutic doses and oppressively - in large doses.

Infusion of flowers is used for insomnia, as a mild sedative, especially for the elderly and children, and also as a cosmetic.

Preparation

• For broth take 20 g of raw materials, grind, pour 200 ml of boiling water, insist on a water boiling bath for 30 minutes, cool 10 minutes, filter. Take 1/3 cup 3 times a day, regardless of food intake.
• To get the infusion, take 10 g of flowers, pour 150 g of boiling water, insist on a boiling water bath for 15 minutes, cool for 45 minutes, filter. Take 2 tbsp. Spoons 2-3 times a day. This infusion is washed with eyes, used for external use, as a cosmetic.