Mountain arnica
Recipes for using the medicinal properties of mountain arnica
Mountain arnica is an interesting plant
Arnica mountain is a perennial herb with straight pubescent stems. Its leaves are basal, oblong, ovoid in the form of a rosette. Flowers of orange or yellow color are collected in baskets. The fruit of the plant has the shape of a cylindrical pointed achene. Arnica reaches a height of 50-60 cm, blooms in June-July.
Arnica is found in the Carpathian regions of Western Ukraine, in Belarus, Latvia and Lithuania. You can find this plant in clearings in coniferous forests, on mountain meadows and slopes, less often on the plains. The parts of the plant used in folk medicine are flowers, less often leaves and roots are used.
Harvesting arnica for medicinal purposes
Flowers and leaves are harvested in June and July, and roots in autumn. They should be harvested at the beginning of flowering, cutting by hand in dry weather, after the dew has subsided. You don't need to pick flowers that have fly testicles. Dry very quickly at a temperature of 55-60 ° C.
It is interesting that even during drying, the flowering of the plant continues and it turns out that with late collection of raw materials, the flowers from the baskets crumble and the raw material eventually comes out more crushed. Its smell is weak, rather aromatic, and has a sharp bitter taste.
The collected material is stored in a dark room, cool, without access to moisture.
Arnica flowers contain essential oils, tannins, ascorbic acid, betaine, alkaloids, fatty oil, sugars and many other useful substances. Rhizomes contain essential oils, wax, resins and gums.
It is very important to remember that the plant is poisonous.
This plant is also used as an incense for fumigating a room before meditations.
The arnica scent is believed to normalize sleep and help calm the nervous system.
Arnica has always been considered a symbol of the sun by the ancient alchemists.
The use of arnica mountain in folk medicine
In folk medicine, a tincture of plant flowers is mainly used. It is shown to regulate the tone of the central nervous system, since it well reduces the reflex excitability of the cerebral cortex. The tincture has a good anticonvulsant effect. It is appreciated for its strong sedative effect.
A decoction made from arnica flowers is considered a good remedy for worms and has been successfully used to treat enterobiasis.
The infusion has a hemostatic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effect.
In addition to tincture, a decoction from the roots is popular, because it has an exciting effect on the cardiovascular system, and most importantly, it helps to improve the functioning of the heart muscle, expands the coronary vessels. It is important to note that the broth has the property of accelerating the heart rate and increasing the amplitude of the contractions of the heart muscle.
Arnica decoction helps in the treatment of bloody diarrhea, gout, bronchitis, stomach diseases, flu, epilepsy. It is often used for seizures caused by lifting weights.
Preparations made from arnica have a pronounced choleretic effect. They are valued for their ability to lower blood cholesterol levels.
Alcohol tincture of flowers is taken orally for various bleeding - for example, nasal. Tincture helps when applied externally in case of muscle pains, fractures, dislocations. An effective remedy for nervous diseases, inflammation of the veins, and various gastrointestinal problems. Outwardly, an aqueous infusion of arnica flowers is also used. It is effective for poultices, compresses, and is used for rashes on the skin and lips, furunculosis, bruises, minor abrasions, minor cuts, rheumatism and lumbago. The infusion copes well with hematomas, various pustular skin diseases, minor burns and frostbite.
Arnica effectively treats trophic ulcers and strengthens the blood vessels of the brain.
Arnica tincture is popular not only in traditional medicine, but also in official medicine. Alcohol tincture is successfully used in gynecological practice, especially for internal bleeding.
Arnica is used for myocarditis, hypertension, thrombophlebitis, heart failure, sclerosis, angina pectoris, and it is also effective in the recovery and severe rehabilitation of patients after stroke and heart attack.
Even dentists recommend using arnica for various inflammations of the mouth and throat. To do this, you need to rinse and rinse your mouth with arnica. The fact is that the plant enhances blood circulation well, and thus the resistance of the mucous membranes of the oral cavity is stimulated. Half a teaspoon of arnica tincture is diluted in a glass of warm water and gargled. You can also use arnica tea for these purposes.
Arnica mountain recipes
You need to be very careful when using arnica internally, as it is a poisonous plant. These tinctures of arnica mountain are suitable for the treatment of cardiosclerosis, hypertensive heart disease, angina pectoris, myocarditis.
1st recipe: 1 teaspoon of flowers is required to pour two glasses of water, leave for 2 hours in a sealed container, then strain. You need to take the remedy 1 spoon several times a day before meals. The infusion can be stored in a dark place, but no more than two days.
2nd recipe: 2 teaspoons of dry roots must be poured with two glasses of water, cook in a sealed container, leave for one hour, then strain. Take the drug 1 tablespoon several times a day, do it before meals.
3rd recipe: 3 teaspoons of dried flowers should be poured with two glasses of water and insisted for two hours. It is used for gargling, as well as for washing and lotions.
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Arnica alcohol can be prepared. To do this, fresh arnica flowers must be mixed in the same proportion by weight with 30% alcohol, then insisted for fourteen days. After this time has elapsed, the mixture is filtered through several layers of fabric.
You can prepare a special decoction to help get rid of kidney and bladder stones. To prepare it like this: rubbed leaves of mountain arnica, bearberry and horsetail herbs must be taken 10 grams each, pour one liter of boiled water, boil in an enamel bowl for five to seven minutes. Then you need to insist the broth for at least 3 hours. The remedy should be taken half a glass three times a day in between meals.
Compress for tired legs. You need to take 4 teaspoons of arnica, pour one liter of hot water, leave for ten minutes better. There is another way: mix 1 tablespoon of the prepared arnica solution with a quarter liter of warm water. Then soak the gauze in the solution, wrap your legs. Lie calmly with raised legs for about 30 minutes. Such a compress will help with stretching of muscles and tendons, and even with their rupture. It is worth remembering about it in case of dislocations, especially if there was a hemorrhage. The compress is very effective, it promotes rapid resorption of hematomas and thus stimulates rapid healing of injuries. It relieves pain well if it is caused by such injuries.
Drug overdose
In case of an overdose of preparations made from arnica, patients may experience sweating, nausea, chills, shortness of breath, abdominal pain, diarrhea or constipation, and vomiting. In severe cases, the activity of the cardiovascular system may be disrupted. For any of the above symptoms, an urgent need to consult a doctor.
Topical use of arnica can also provoke side effects. It can be allergic reactions, itching and burning, bubbles can form on the affected area.
Contraindications to the use of mountain arnica
It is a poisonous plant. The exact dosage must be observed. It is strictly forbidden to use arnica for people with increased blood clotting, with individual intolerance to arnica.
The author of the article: Sokolova Nina Vladimirovna | Phytotherapist
Education: Diploma in "General Medicine" and "Therapy" received at the Pirogov University (2005 and 2006). Advanced training at the Department of Phytotherapy at the Peoples' Friendship University of Moscow (2008).
