Garden Purslane (herb) - Medicinal Properties, Recipes, How To Remove?

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43

Medicinal properties and recipes for cooking ogrodny purslane

Purslane is an annual plant characterized by fleshy, opposite, oblong, thick leaves and branched, recumbent, sometimes ascending and erect stems. Small yellow flowers are collected in bunches. The fruit is spherical or ovoid, with dark brown seeds ripening in it. The plant blooms from June to September. Purslane lives on fallow lands, wastelands, in river valleys. The places of its growth are Russia, the North Caucasus. Purslane is grown as a vegetable by gardeners.

This annual is found in abundance on personal plots and wastelands in the south of Russia. The tradition of using purslane as a medicinal plant dates back to the times of Hippocrates and Pliny. These great healers recommended its use to the elderly and debilitated patients, as well as to those who are recovering from a severe injury. Arab poetry of the Middle Ages praised purslane, calling it "blessed herb" for its unique medicinal products.

Snake and insect bites, sleep disturbances and vitamin deficiencies, intestinal disorders and liver disease - the widest range of uses of purslane as a healing agent has made it a very important crop. Purslane also did not leave their attention in Russia - in the diet of the inhabitants of monasteries, it was used as a means to reduce potency, and also contributed to the healing of wounds, relieved inflammation. In addition, it turned out that purslane also has culinary advantages. Its sour-tart taste still complements the bouquet of some dishes of French and Armenian cuisine. Purslane is used in salads and hot dishes; pickles and marinades are prepared from it, which are in no way inferior to delicious capers.

Content:

• Useful properties of purslane
• Medicinal properties of garden purslane
• Purslane application
• Purslane recipes
• Planting and caring for purslane
• How to get purslane out of the garden?
• Contraindications to the use of purslane

Useful properties of purslane

The healing properties of purslane have been used since ancient times, Hippocrates recommended this plant for many diseases. Its benefits are truly endless. Luscious greens contain vitamins of group A, combining substances with general biological effects. Vitamins of group B, K, PP, E are present in the plant. Purslane is a valuable source of protein, without which the functioning of the human body is impossible. It contains glucose, sucrose, galactose - these are the substances that fuel cells.

Thanks to the organic acids present in the plant, normal metabolic processes in the body are preserved. The use of a medicinal plant contributes to the saturation of organs and systems with salts of calcium, potassium, magnesium, etc. Leaves contain vitamin C, carotene, flavonoids. Purslane is an excellent supplier of slimy and resinous substances.

Medicinal properties of garden purslane

Despite the fact that there are several varieties of purslane, garden purslane is used for medicinal purposes.

Its characteristic species features:

• Juicy small fleshy leaves of a rounded-oblong shape;
• Juicy reddish stems creeping along the ground;
• Small yellow flowers in the leaf axils appear from June to August;
• Small black seeds ripen in spherical polyspermous capsules;
• Reproduction occurs by self-seeding.

The beneficial properties of this plant are due to its unique chemical composition.

Substances contained in purslane:

• Carotenoids (beta-carotene, lutein) - precursors of vitamin A;
• Carbohydrates (sucrose, glucose, galactose, fructose, maltose) - fuel for cells;
• Coumarins - prevention of thrombosis, anticoagulant;
• Organic acids (oxalic) - stimulation of metabolic processes;
• Flavonoids;
• Mineral salts (magnesium, calcium, potassium);
• Vitamins and antioxidants - normalization of blood clotting, activation of metabolic processes;

• Macro and microelements.

The unique composition of purslane has provided him with a strong position in traditional medicine as a remedy for the treatment of many diseases.

Therapeutic actions of purslane:

• Antioxidant,
• Diuretic,
• Antimicrobial,
• Antitoxic,
• Hypoglycemic,
• Antiulcer,
• Anti-inflammatory,
• Antihelminthic,
• Laxative,
• Regenerating.

For medicinal purposes, all parts of the plant are used except for the roots - and flowers, and stems, and leaves, and seeds.

The use of purslane for the treatment of diseases:

• With neurodermatitis and psoriasis of the scalp, lotions with plant infusion relieve itching, peeling and swelling;
• Cholesterol level returns to normal;
• The glucose level is normalized;
• With cystitis and urethritis, the diuretic and anti-inflammatory properties of the plant are manifested;
• Infusion and decoction of plant parts is used for cholelithiasis and liver diseases;
• Cardiac activity is normalized;
• The inflammation of the gums is stopped, conjunctivitis is treated;

• Due to the properties of purslane to induce spasms of smooth muscles, it effectively treats helminthic invasions: ascariasis, hookworm infections, affecting the muscle tissue of parasites;
• Honey with crushed purslane seeds helps with asthma;
• You can get rid of warts by rubbing them with fresh plant juice;
• You can get rid of the consequences of a bee sting by attaching a purslane leaf to the sore spot;
• Purslane's action on the adrenal cortex stimulates the release of insulin and lowers blood sugar levels.

It is not difficult to prepare an infusion of purslane, for this they take 2 tbsp. l. chopped herbs and pour 1.5 cups of boiling water. After 60 - 90 minutes we filter the infusion and use it for oral administration. In order to prevent various diseases, we take 1-2 tablespoons of the infusion, in advanced stages - 3-4 tablespoons.

Contraindications to the use of purslane:

• Pregnancy, lactation;
• Heart rhythm disorders (bradycardia);
• Vegetative vascular disorders;
• Central nervous system hyperexcitability;
• High blood pressure.

Purslane application

Purslane is a useful plant in all respects, it is used in folk medicine, it is excellent as a cosmetic product, and is also suitable for consumption. Juicy green shoots for making salads are cut before flowering. Purslane has a tart and spicy taste, similar to spinach and sorrel. The medicinal substances contained in the plant help to treat diabetes, kidney, stomach and liver diseases. It is also useful for eliminating the causes of headaches.

The miracle herb relieves inflammation in the bladder, reduces pain during enterocolitis, hemorrhoids. Broths have antimicrobial effects and are therefore effective for conjunctivitis, dysentery. It was found that the plant relieves dizziness, treats hypotension, cleanses the joints of accumulated toxins that contribute to arthritis. Treatment with herbal decoctions of ulcers and lichens forever relieves these unpleasant diseases.

Purslane lotions relieve itching and peeling in psoriasis, quickly heal festering wounds. With fresh plant sap, you can remove warts. It normalizes the function of the heart muscle and is a hemostatic agent. It is used in the treatment of certain sexually transmitted diseases. The juice is squeezed out of the aerial part of the plant and taken 1 tablespoon 3 times a day before meals. Folk medicine recommends infusions and decoctions of stems and leaves for cholelithiasis, to lower blood cholesterol and prevent the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.

Purslane recipes

There are many ways to prepare medicinal products from purslane, all of them are effective when used systematically:

• Purslane infusion recipe No. 1: 1 tablespoon of dry raw materials must be poured with 1 glass of boiling water, leave for 1 hour, drain. It is good to use this remedy for rubbing into the hair roots for dandruff.
• Purslane infusion recipe number 2: 40 g of fresh grass should be poured with 200 ml of water, infused for 2 hours, squeezed and taken with the addition of two proteins of chicken eggs during the day. Treatment should be given for seven consecutive days.
• Recipe for decoction of purslane No. 1: 1 tablespoon of raw materials must be boiled for 10 minutes in 200 ml of water, then leave for 2 hours, drain. It is recommended to take the medicine 1-2 tablespoons 3 times a day.
• Purslane decoction recipe No. 2: 1 tablespoon of crushed dry raw materials should be boiled in 1 glass of boiling water over low heat for 15 minutes, wrapped or poured into a thermos and infused for 1.5 hours. Take a decoction of 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day before meals for arthritis.
• Purslane decoction recipe No. 3: 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs should be boiled for 10 minutes. after the beginning of boiling, then insist, wrapped, for 2 hours, strain and take 1-2 tablespoons 3-4 times a day for arthritis.

Planting and caring for purslane

The herb is grown as a vegetable and medicinal plant, it is a wonderful decoration for any garden. Purslane is a thermophilic plant that easily tolerates drought.

Growing purslane from seeds is a real pleasure, all seeds give excellent germination, no special soil care is required. In order to get seedlings, seeds are sown in April. The grass prefers moderate watering. It also propagates by cuttings. To do this, mother plants are transferred to a room for the winter, shoots are cut off in spring and planted in loose sandy loam soil.

In regions with short summers and cool climates, it is grown through seedlings or sowing in the ground.

Sowing purslane is carried out at a time when you can no longer be afraid of return frosts, on light soils and a sunny place. The seeds are sown in rows to a depth of about 1 cm, embedded in the soil. The distance between the rows is 50 cm. Seedlings with 2 leaves are thinned out, leaving 1 plant at a distance of 10 cm.

Further care for purslane seedlings:

• Regular watering,
• Loosening of row spacings,
• Weed weeding
• Top dressing with full mineral fertilizer.

Growing purslane through seedlings will bring the maturity date closer. Seeds are sown in containers in late March - early April. Watering and fertilizing seedlings is similar to caring for purslane in the open field. Seedlings are ready for planting in open ground 25 days after germination. Return frosts by this time should no longer threaten plants.

Cutting purslane shoots is carried out 3 weeks after germination in the open field or after 10 days after planting seedlings. From the same plant, you can make 3 cut shoots per season. It is advisable not to allow the flowering of vegetable purslane for use in medicinal or culinary purposes, since the plant acquires a sharp pungent taste, its leaves become hard.

How to get purslane out of the garden?

The wild-growing purslane is able to fill the entire space of the personal plot with its shoots, leaving no chance for the full development of cultivated plants. One gram of seeds of this annual contains more than 3 thousand pieces. The exceptional germination power of the seeds of this plant requires the use of special protection measures. To prevent purslane seeds from sprouting for another 10 years in a row, special measures must be taken to neutralize them.

Mechanical measures to control purslane shoots:

• Deep digging of soil - carried out in early spring or late autumn, when the seeds fall deep into the soil and have no chance of sprouting.
• Seedling mulching - pouring a layer of mulch from bark, straw, fallen leaves, cut grass under the roots of cultivated plants, as well as covering the soil with a black film or covering material.
• Regular weeding - carried out by hand from April several times during the growing season.

The removed weeds must be disposed of in a compost heap or burned after drying.

The chemical method of dealing with purslane in the beds is soil treatment after germination with systemic herbicides. Their choice depends on what is sown in the garden, so for each type of vegetables a certain herbicide is suitable, which destroys weed seeds and does not affect the health of cultivated plants. For example, when planting carrots or onions, you can use the herbicide "Stomp", and for potatoes, "Zenkor" is suitable.

Purslane should be destroyed after removing it from the soil. The weed collected in a heap should be treated with herbicides "Tornado", "Napalm" or similar substances.

The unpretentious and hardy purslane is a real “pharmacy in the garden”. The main thing is to choose the right variety of this plant for cultivation. The cultivation of vegetable purslane will provide the raw material for the preparation of medicines for the treatment of many diseases.

Contraindications to the use of purslane

Purslane is contraindicated in hypertension and low heart rate, as well as in patients with a tendency to autonomic disorders and seizures. Purslane herb stimulates the release of insulin and causes hypoglycemia, vasospasm, and increases blood pressure.

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).