Chastuha (plant) - Useful Properties And Use Of Chastuha. Plantain Chastuha, Floating, Ordinary

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

Chastukha

Types, useful properties and application of chastuha

Description of the chastuha

Chastukha is one of the most common plants growing in damp places: canals, ponds, puddles and other bodies of water. In appearance, it is very similar to a plantain. Chastuha has beautiful ribbed leaves on long petioles, collected in a branched panicle, bisexual flowers, six stamens. The fruits of the plant are quite numerous, they have a laterally flattened shape, are arranged in a ring-like manner in dense heads.

The appearance of this herb can be highly modified by the environment. In addition, the length of the stem, as well as the shape and color of the leaves, may vary depending on the variety. Usually the plant height does not exceed 70 cm. The main habitat is the forest zone.

Currently, ten types of chastuha are known in the northern hemisphere. Some of them are actively used to decorate ponds and lakes. In this case, it should be remembered that the seeds of the plant germinate very quickly and can clog the entire reservoir, therefore, wilted flowers must be removed immediately.

Useful properties of chastuha

Mentions of this medicinal plant can be found in the writings of medieval healers. Even then, traditional medicine in many countries appreciated the healing abilities of chastuha. It was often used to prepare tinctures that can help with hemorrhoids, kidney disease, and jaundice. This herb has powerful diuretic and anti-inflammatory effects. In the old days, decoctions of chastuha were considered an effective remedy against the bites of rabid animals, although these data have not been confirmed to date.

Official medicine has not yet sufficiently studied the composition of the chastuha, but it is known that it contains essential oil, starch, sugar, resin and some other substances useful to the human body. For medicinal purposes, the rhizomes and leaves of the plant are mainly used. Leaves for this are harvested in June-August, and the roots in September-October.

The use of ditties

Previously, chastoha helped people resist many different diseases. It was often prescribed for venereal diseases, hemorrhoids, fresh leaves of this herb were applied to abscesses and abrasions. With the help of this medicinal plant, chronic nephritis, dropsy, edema of renal origin were treated, and stones were expelled from the kidneys. It should be noted that chastuha has the ability to crush kidney stones to a powdery state, which greatly facilitates their removal.

Tibetan medicine men used some varieties of chastuha to heal wounds and reduce the formation of scar tissue. Japanese folk medicine recommends a decoction of this herb as an effective diuretic for cardiac and renal edema, dizziness, hypertension and a number of other diseases.

Infusion: one glass of boiled water is required to pour one tablespoon of the dried herb of the plant, leave for two hours, then strain. The infusion should be taken four times a day for a quarter of a glass. Traditional medicine recommends this remedy for kidney stones.

Types of chastuha

There are several types of chastuha, consider the most popular of them.

Plantain chastuha. This species grows mainly in shallow waters, along the shores of lakes, ponds and rivers. Plantain chastukha can be found from the Barents Sea to the subtropical zones of Asia and Europe. It has green broad-linear or ovoid leaves; its inflorescences are large pyramidal panicles with protruding branches. Plant stems reach a height of 10 to 70 centimeters. In folk medicine, plantain daisy is used mostly to combat kidney stones due to its diuretic effect.

Floating chastuha is a perennial plant, the habitat of which is the warm temperate zone of Central Europe. This species has a floating stem not exceeding 40 cm in height. The leaves of the plant are also floating. The flowers are bisexual, located on long pedicels. Floating chastuha is often used to decorate pools and small ponds.

Common chastuha. This is an annual herb with an erect, bare stem and a powerful rhizome. Leaves are ovate or broadly linear, flowers are white or pinkish-white, collected in pyramidal panicles. The plant blooms in June-August. The rhizomes contain sugary substances, starch, essential oil, and the grass contains poisonous alkaloids. Traditional medicine preparations of chastuha are used for chronic nephritis, edema of renal origin. In small doses, they help to facilitate weaning of babies.

The plant is POISONOUS, especially fresh juice. Oral administration requires caution, although the juice loses its toxic properties when dried.

Chastukh Wallenberg. This type of chastuha differs from the rest in that it never grows outside the water. The plant has narrow ribbon-like or lanceolate green leaves growing from a basal rosette, a very shortened inflorescence and non-opening flowers. This species blooms in the middle of summer. Wallenberg's chastukha is especially common in Scandinavia and on the shores of the Gulf of Finland.

Contraindications to the use of chastuha

Chastuha has a number of contraindications. It is strictly forbidden to take it during pregnancy and lactation. Also, this plant is contraindicated in acute renal diseases, diabetes mellitus. In addition, fresh grass contains poisonous substances that can cause redness and blistering of the skin. Any infusions and decoctions of chastuha should be taken only after consulting a doctor.

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).