Eucalyptus ball (spherical)

Eucalyptus globulus Labill.

Botanical characteristics. Family myrtle. Evergreen tree, with a bluish smooth bark, up to 45 m high. Leaves opposite: young - sessile or stem-lobed, cordate; Old - petiolate, spirally, dark green in color Leaves contain a lot of essential oil, hence their specific odor. Flowers single, large, sessile or on short pedicels. Blooms in autumn, in the third and fifth years of life. Fruits - spherical ribbed capsules, ripen after 1,5-2 years.

Spread. It occurs in small groups in the Caucasus, in the Crimea and in Moldavia. Motherland - Australia.

Used parts of the plant. Leaves.
In the leaves, up to 3.5% of essential oil, giving a specific smell to the plant (the main part of the essential oil is cineol). In addition, the leaves contain from 1 to 6.3% of tannins, bitterness, organic acids and other compounds.

Application. The plant exerts an expectorant, analgesic, wound-healing and antiseptic action.
In the scientific and folk medicine preparations from eucalyptus (infusion, decoction, tincture and oil) are used for tracheitis, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, pleurisy, abscesses of the lungs, bronchiectasis, acute and chronic gastrointestinal diseases. Eucalyptus is indicated in the treatment of purulent wounds, boils, in gynecological practice - with erosions of the cervix and colpitis; In ophthalmic practice - in the treatment of blepharitis and conjunctivitis. Eucalyptus oil is used for inhalations in diseases of the lungs and upper respiratory tract, with angina and stomatitis, and is used externally for arthritis, radiculitis and myositis.
In folk medicine it is believed that the plant has an antitumor effect.

Preparation. For oral ingestion, 1 tablespoon of leaves with 0.5 liters of boiling water (in a thermos) - daily dose. Infusion for external use is prepared based on 2 tablespoons of leaves per 0.5 liters of boiling water.
In pharmacies there are ready preparations: tincture of eucalyptus, eucalyptus oil, chlorophyllipt.
Eucalyptus oil is a part of many drugs used in diseases of the upper respiratory tract (pectusin), for inhalations (inhalipt, inhakamf) with angina, stomatitis, rhinitis, gingivitis and other diseases, and in the form of ointments - externally for grinding as a distraction ( Efkamon) with neuralgia, arthritis and myositis.
In homeopathy prescribe Eucalyptus 3x, 3, 0 for acute infectious diseases, malaria, flu, acute dyspepsia. Characteristic symptoms: excitement, dyspnea, inflammation of the lymph glands, febrile state, thirst.