Cottongrass

Gnaphalium uliginosum L.

Botanical characteristics. Family Compositae. Annual herbaceous plant, unattractive and barely noticeable. Stalk whitish-felt, branched, light green, up to 20 cm high. Leaves linear, regular, small. Small yellowish flowers are collected in baskets and located at the ends of branches. Blossoms in June-August. Fruits - numerous achenes, ripen in July-September.

Spread. It grows in the forest and forest-steppe zones of the European part of Russia, the Urals, Siberia and Kazakhstan. It occurs on damp meadows, on the banks of small rivers, streams and lakes, like a weed in the gardens. Sometimes it forms a continuous thicket.

Used parts of the plant. The above-ground part (grass).
In sushenica contains up to 4% of tannins, up to 16% of tar, about 30 mg% of carotene, essential oil, gnafalin alkaloid, phytosterols, ascorbic acid, traces of vitamin B1 and pigments.

Application. Cinnamon has a pronounced antihypertensive and wound-healing effect. In addition, the grass shows a choleretic, laxative, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect. It is used for hypertensive disease of the I-II stage, angina pectoris, atherosclerosis. Sushenitsu added to the collection of peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, gastritis with increased and decreased acidity, ulcerative colitis, as well as diabetes and tuberculosis.
In folk medicine, the plant is widely used as an external therapeutic agent. For the healing of damaged tissues, compresses, lotions, tampons from cucumber infusions are prescribed; The grass is added to the bathtubs; From a mix of powder of cucumbers and a butter prepare wound-healing ointments for treatment of burns and erosions.

Contraindications. Arterial hypotension, thrombophlebitis.

Preparation. Infusion: 2 tablespoons are insisted with 2 cups of boiling water in a thermos (daily dose for internal use).
Another recipe is infusion: 10.0: 200.0 take 1 tablespoon 2-3 times a day.
For outdoor use, the infusion is prepared from 4-5 table spoons into 2 cups of boiling water.
It is used in homeopathy Gnaphalium 3x, 3, 6 with neurocirculatory dystonia, peptic ulcer of stomach and duodenum, enterocolitis. Characteristic symptoms in gastrointestinal patients: loss of appetite and taste, irritability, morning watery diarrhea, grumbling and colic in the intestine.