galega officinalis (goat's rue) - galeca officinalis l.

The legume family - Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

Галега лекарственная (Козлятник) – Galeca officinalis L. Галега лекарственная (Козлятник) – Galeca officinalis L.

The botanical characteristics. Perennial herb to 90 cm tall. It grows along the banks of rivers and valleys, in streams, in ravines, among bushes, steppes, forests, forest edges. Taproot slightly branched, with short rhizome. Stems numerous, erect, gustooblistvennye, downy, sometimes covered with sparse hairs. Leaves with stipules, petiolate, pinnate, up to 10 pairs of oblong or linear-lanceolate pointed leaves at the top. Calyx campanulate with awl-shaped teeth. Corolla papilionaceous, light blue or pale purple. Fruits - polyspermous beans. Seeds smooth, matte, kidney-shaped. It blooms from June to August. It bears fruit until late autumn.

Used parts of the plant. Medicinal raw materials are roots and aerial part and seeds, often leaves and flowers collected during the flowering plants.

Chemical composition. All parts of the plant contain saponins, alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, nitrogen-containing compounds: galegin, peganin. Besides in leaves and flowers are vitamins, phenol carbonic acid: caffeic, coumaric, sinapic, ferulic and derivatives thereof; seeds - steroids, fatty oil, higher fatty acid: palmitic, stearic, linoleic, linolenic; carbohydrates sucrose, stachyose.

Application. The above-ground part of the plant in the form of decoctions and infusions used in diabetes. Leaves and flowers are part of antidiabetic fees. Their use has long been in folk medicine as a diuretic, diaphoretic, lactogenic, anthelmintic.

In the experiment, drugs aboveground plant parts exhibit antibacterial activity; extract increases the glycogen content in the liver and glucose tolerance, to inhibit hepatic insulinase; galegin lowers blood glucose; peganin toning smooth muscles.

In Bulgaria galega flowers are used as a diaphoretic, diuretic and laktogonnoe for childbirth. In the Caucasus Galegov used in food as a seasoning for side dishes, especially the seeds.

preparation

  • For infusions take 20 grams aboveground parts of the plant, pour 200 ml of boiled water, in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes, cool 45 minutes, without removing from the heat, strain. Take 1/3 cup 2-3 times a day.
  • For broth 15 g of seeds (crushed) pour 200 ml of boiled water, in a boiling water bath for 30 minutes, cool 10 minutes, strain. Take 2 tbsp. spoon 3-4 times a day before meals.
  • The fresh juice of the plant is used for washing wounds, ulcers; for gargling - prediluted (1: 5).
    Inside take fresh juice of the leaves and the flowers - 40-60 drops to 1/2 cup of water 3-4 times a day.