Periwinkle small - vinca minor l.

The Courland family - Apocynaceae

Botanical characteristics. Evergreen creeping semishrubs. It grows wild in the forests, among shrubs, on cuttings, slopes of river valleys, often overgrown. In culture, it is grown as decorative for curbs, and more recently as a medicinal plant.

Rhizome creeping. Whole leaves are opposite, entire. The flowers are single, rather large, located in the axils of the leaves and at the ends of the stems. Corolla blue, sometimes almost white. Blossoms from June to September. Fruits until late autumn. Seeds are small numerous.

Used parts of the plant. For medical purposes, the overground part of the plant is harvested. Dry the raw materials in dryers, at a temperature of no higher than 45 ° C or outdoors in the shade.

Chemical composition. The plant contains triterpneids: ursolic acid; Alkaloids (in a large number), the main ones: vinokamine, vincapant, vinkanorin, devinkan, reserpine, minovin; Phenolic compounds: pyrocatechic acid; Anthocyanins: leucocyanidin; Cyclitols: dambonite; Steroids, rubber, higher aliphatic hydrocarbons: triacontan; Flavonoids: robinia.

Application. Barvinok small is used since antiquity as a sedative, with dizziness, headache, to improve metabolism, like hemostatic, wound healing, with pulmonary tuberculosis, scurvy, with peptic ulcer and esophagus, as hypotensive agents.

Leaves and flowers were part of the domestic pharmacology of the 1-3st editions, are official in France.

In practical medicine, the infusion of the aboveground part of the plant is used in hypertensive disease, as haemostatic in metrorrhagia and intestinal bleeding, as an antibacterial agent. The drug "Vincamethrin" of the uterine action is suggested. Alkaloids are recommended as a means of cardiotonic action, stimulating blood formation and the activity of the central nervous system. So, alkaloids vincapant and devincan improve cerebral blood supply, have vasodilator, hypotensive and sedative actions. They are used for migraine, neurogenic tachycardia and other vegetative neuroses. They positively influence the work of the heart, increase the resistance of capillaries, increase diuresis, are close in action to the preparations of rauwolfia. In addition, the devincan stimulates uterine contractions; Vincapan prolongs the sexual cycle of animals; Vikanorin stimulates respiration, has hypotensive and cardiotonic action.

In folk medicine, the decoction and infusion of the aboveground part of the plant is used for bronchitis, enteritis, colitis, migraine, impotence; External (rinsing) - with sore throat, toothache, as a deodorant and cosmetic effective tool.

Leaves and fresh juice of a flowering plant are used as wound healing, anti-inflammatory agent for dermatomycosis.

In the literature there is evidence that the periwinkle is small and used in malignant tumors. Attention! Due to the high content of alkaloids, the plant is poisonous.

At home, the preparation of medications requires great care: do not exceed the dose, store raw materials separately from other plants, hide from children. It is advisable to use ready-made preparations according to the prescription of the doctor and according to the instructions to the preparations.

Preparation. For infusion take 3 g aboveground part of the plant, pour boiling water, insist on a boiling water bath for 15 minutes, cool for 45 minutes, filter. Take 2 tbsp. Spoon 3 times a day after meals.