Shepherd's bag
Useful properties and uses of shepherd's purse
Botanical characteristics of the shepherd's purse
Shepherd's purse is an annual cruciferous plant. This herb has an erect stem, the height of which does not exceed 40 cm. The lower oblong leaves of the plant are collected in a rosette, and the next stem ones have an arrow-shaped base. Small flowers with a snow-white corolla are collected in the apical inflorescence. During fruiting, it lengthens greatly.
The fruit is presented in the form of a triangular pod no more than 1 cm in size. The life cycle of this herb is short, ripe fruits appear in 45 days. Shepherd's purse blooms from mid-spring to November. The area of distribution of this herb covers all regions of Russia, except for the most northern ones. The plant prefers to settle in gardens, fields, roads and vineyards.
Beneficial features
An herb such as shepherd's purse has a unique hemostatic effect. The substances contained in this plant help to increase the motility of the muscles and tone of the uterus. Thanks to acetylcholine, this herb is able to restore intestinal peristalsis. Special galenic forms of shepherd's purse noticeably expand peripheral vessels, and also have a mild hypotensive effect. The leaves of this unique herb have unconditional phytoncidal activity. It should also be noted that a large amount of potassium was found in the shepherd's bag.
Application of shepherd's purse
The presented herb has been used in folk medicine for many years, since it effectively activates the blood clotting system. Various infusions and extracts of this plant are used for all kinds of bleeding, including uterine. In combination with oak bark, this herb is prescribed for tuberculosis with hemoptysis. For the genitourinary system, shepherd's purse is also of great importance, it is recommended for cystitis and pyelonephritis to quickly replenish potassium in the body. It also has a mild hypotensive effect.
Shepherd's purse flower
The branchy and simple stems of this herb bear a long graceful cluster of small flowers of a pale yellow or white hue. At the beginning of flowering, the axillary brushes look like a brush. Each flower has 4 petals and sepals, six stamens and one upper pistil with a two-celled ovary.
Shepherd's purse extract
To make such a remedy, you will need 100 grams of 70% alcohol and 10 grams of chopped grass. With uterine bleeding, such a remedy is prescribed, 20 or 30 drops orally 2 times a day. This wonderful extract can also be purchased at the pharmacy, it has a brown tint and a pungent taste with a peculiar pungent odor.
Shepherd's purse fruit
The fruits of such a herb are reverse-triangular heart-shaped pods, the size of which does not exceed 1 cm. They are flat and notched from above. These pods are located on long stalks. In all nests of pods, ten oval-shaped yellow seeds develop.
Shepherd's purse for menstruation
With prolonged painful menstruation, a special decoction is prescribed. To do this, you need 2 tablespoons of herb shepherd's purse pour 200 ml of boiling water and leave for one and a half to two hours. After the obligatory filtering, the product must be regularly drunk 1 tablespoon up to four times a day.
Shepherd's purse for bleeding
This beneficial long-flowering herb has strong anti-inflammatory and astringent properties. Shepherd's purse is incredibly effective for a variety of bleeding disorders. To prepare such a medicine, you should take 1 tablespoon of dry herb and carefully pour a full glass of boiling water. After half an hour of infusion, the composition must be filtered and taken in a systematic mode three times a day before meals, 1 tablespoon. For a long time, plant juice and herb have been used to stop intestinal, uterine, pulmonary and gastric bleeding.
Tincture of shepherd's purse
Alcohol tincture from a shepherd's purse is made on the basis of 10 parts of alcohol and one part of medicinal raw materials. Such a mixture should be infused for at least 14 days in a warm and fairly dark place. This remedy is prescribed in 30 drops. You need to take it before every meal.
Shepherd's purse seeds
The numerous seeds in the shepherd's purse are small and oval. They are yellowish brown in color. Seed ripening occurs throughout the summer. If the autumn was wet and warm, then the seeded plants often resume their vegetation. One plant can easily produce about 60,000 seeds. The shepherd's purse is unique in that the germinated seeds in the fall before frost do not die until the next spring.
Shepherd's purse root
A plant such as shepherd's purse has a thin, fusiform root. For the manufacture of medicinal products, the root of this herb is not used.
Shepherd's purse decoction
Various lotions and compresses can be made from a decoction of the herb. To do this, take 1 glass of water and 2 tablespoons of raw materials. The mixture must be boiled for one minute and then filtered thoroughly. Such a decoction can also be used internally with hypotension, menopause and dizziness, as well as to strengthen the uterine muscles. In addition, this therapeutic agent can be used to cleanse the blood of harmful substances.
Shepherd's bag ordinary
The shepherd's purse is a special annual plant that grows up to half a meter in height. The successive stem leaves decrease in size closer to the top. The characteristic feature of the plant is its fruit. The fruit of the shepherd's purse is strongly flattened and looks like an unusual pod. Oval seeds can be yellowish to brown in color. The shepherd's purse blooms from March until the first frost. You can meet such a plant in the regions of Russia and in Ukraine almost everywhere, starting from the outskirts of fields and ending with populated areas.
Contraindications to the use of shepherd's purse
The use of such a plant as a shepherd's purse is not recommended for increased blood clotting and, undoubtedly, during pregnancy, as well as with hemorrhoids.
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).
