Sneeze grass
Useful properties and uses of sneeze grass
Description of sneeze grass
Sneeze herb is a perennial herb of the Asteraceae family, with a creeping rhizome, with a straight, smooth stem, pubescent at the top, linear-lanceolate, serrate, sessile leaves. At the ends of the stems are thyroid inflorescences, consisting of many baskets. The flowers are white and yellow, flowering begins in June and lasts until mid-August.
Plant height is 30–70 cm. The sneeze grass grows almost everywhere in the CIS. She chooses floodplain forests, river banks, wet areas in the shade, ditches, peat bogs. Grass is harvested during flowering, dried in the shade. October is the time to harvest the root.
Useful properties of sneeze grass
The aboveground part of the plant is used as a medicinal raw material. Although its chemical composition has not been studied enough, it is known that it contains the alkaloids Achilles, essential oil, organic acids, and a bitter substance. Found in the roots are tannins, which have very noticeable astringent properties and give the grass bitterness.
Rhizomes contain inulin, a plant polysaccharide, which is a glucose polymer and is similar to starch and fiber. The plant has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiseptic and wound healing properties.
Applying sneeze herb
The use of the plant is popular only in traditional medicine. Means prepared on the basis of sneeze herbs improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Broths assist in the treatment in the form of lotions for hernia, hemorrhoids. The use of a decoction inside is useful for pulmonary tuberculosis, to improve appetite, with enterocolitis, diarrhea, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer.
With such a remedy, rinse the mouth with toothache, with colds (tonsillitis). Take herb to stop uterine bleeding and bloody urine. The name of the plant was not chosen by people by chance: crushed powder of leaves and flower baskets causes sneezing. It is prescribed for various acute respiratory infections. Freshly ground sneeze herb in a meat grinder is applied to heal purulent wounds and ulcers.
Infusion of sneeze grass: 5-6 g of grass should be infused in a thermos for two hours with 1 glass of boiling water. You need to drink the remedy 1-2 tablespoons 3-4 times a day 15-20 minutes before meals. Especially shown is an infusion for pulmonary tuberculosis.
The content of inulin in the herb during treatment has a positive effect on improving metabolism and cleansing the body, helps to reduce sugar levels, and reduces appetite. The use of herbal raw materials in the form of decoctions helps to normalize the absorption of food, eliminates disturbances in the intestinal flora, and is indicated for obesity and constipation.
Contraindications to the use of sneeze herbs
No contraindications to the use of this plant have been identified.
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).