Psoralea - Benefits And Uses Of Psoralea Psoralea Drupe

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

Psoralea

Useful properties and application of drupe psoralei

Botanical characteristics of psoralea

Psoralea is a perennial herb from the legume family (Leguminosae). Its straight stems, slightly branched above, and slightly woody below, reach a height of 1–1.5 m. They are densely covered with glandular and simple hairs. The multi-headed root of the plant goes into the ground to a depth of 4 meters. The lower leaves are trifoliate, the upper ones are round or oval, 3-4 cm long. The whitish-lilac flowers are collected in loose brushes. The fruits are single-seeded, non-expanding beans with very short legs.

Psoralea blooms from May to July, bears fruit from June to September.

Spread. Psoralei grows in the republics of Central Asia and South Kazakhstan in a variety of conditions, but mainly on loess piedmont plains and foothills, where it sometimes forms almost pure thickets. The plant is often found on fallow lands and as a weed in rainfed crops, on irrigated and irrigated lands, as well as on thin broken sands, among low-growing shrubs, near wells.

Blank. In medicine, beans are used, which are harvested in June-August. Cut off the tops of the stems, then separate the beans.

Benefits of Psoralea

A large amount of coumarins was found in the fruits of the plant, the roots contain tannins, and essential and fatty oils were found in the aerial part. The drug "Psoralen" is obtained from the beans and roots of the plant, which promotes skin pigmentation in albinism.

The main medicinal raw material is beans. The collection and procurement of raw materials is carried out in the second half of June and ends in August. The fruits are stored in bags, packaged by 40 kg, in well-ventilated rooms on racks. The shelf life of products is no more than three years.

Application of psoralei

The drug "Psoralen", produced on the basis of an extract from a plant, is used in official medicine to treat vitiligo, circular and nested baldness. It stimulates well the formation of pigment in the skin under the influence of ultraviolet rays. The drug is prescribed in a course according to a special scheme. In folk medicine, for vitiligo, an infusion of the plant is used.

Fruit tincture: 10 g of beans is required to be insisted for 2 weeks in 70% alcohol solution and taken 3 times a day before meals, 50 drops. The tincture can be used externally.

Psoralea drupe

It is a perennial herb with a strong, light brown root extending 4 meters into the soil. This species has densely pubescent straight stems up to two meters high, with glandular hairs. Leaves are complex-trifoliate, with an apical leaflet. Flowers of a dirty lilac color are collected in multi-flowered spike-shaped brushes. Fruits are small, single-seeded, densely pubescent beans with a short stalk. The plant blooms from May to August, bears fruit from July to September.

The plant is widespread in the vastness of South Kazakhstan and Central Asia. It can be found on loess piedmont plains, foothills, among low-growing bushes, on impoverished pastures with light sandy soils. The fruits are used for medical purposes. The drug "Psoralen" is obtained from the beans, which is used to treat nested circular baldness and vitiligo disease.

Contraindications to the use of psoralei

The use of drugs from psoralei is contraindicated in case of skin tuberculosis, liver, kidney, blood, cardiovascular and central nervous system diseases. When using them, side effects such as dizziness and nausea are possible. Psoralei is undesirable for people over 50, pregnant and lactating women.

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).