Violet tricolor: medicinal properties and contraindications

The famous "pansies" botanists call violets tricolor. This ornamental plant adorns flowerbeds and flower beds in almost every yard. But few people know what healing power this fragile and delicate flower contains. Violet tricolor can play a crucial role in the recovery of the body, if you know its useful properties and apply them correctly.

Chemical Composition

In ancient times, when nothing was known about the chemical composition of the tricolor violet, it was actively used in folk medicine. The flower helps even now, but today science can give an explanation for this phenomenon. The fact is that in the composition of the plant, studies have found the following chemicals:

• alkaloids;
• tannins;
• saponins;
• glycosides;
• flavonoids;
• tannins;
• ursulic acid;
• mineral compounds;
• salts;
• antioxidants;
• ascorbic acid;
• essential oils;
• polysaccharides.

The components have a complex effect on different areas of human health and promote healing. They stimulate natural defense mechanisms, forcing the body to self-repair even in case of severe lesions.

How and where it grows

The tricolor violet is one of the most common species in the Violet family. This species grows almost all over Eurasia, characterized by early flowering and a pronounced fragrance. The smell of the opened inflorescences attracts bees, which use the pollen to create the most useful honey. Plant description:

• The development cycle is annual, less often two years old;
• height from 10 to 30 cm
• Root system is arrow-type;
• Stems thin with edges;
• leaves oval or ovate on long petioles, root-like;
• The inflorescences are asymmetrically shaped, purple with yellow and white flecks.

Depending on the location and growing conditions, the height of the stems and the size of the flowers may differ. There are also decorative hybrid varieties of pansies, but science knows nothing about their therapeutic potential. For therapeutic purposes, only the species violet is used, not the product of breeding.

Collection and storage

All parts of the plant can be used for therapeutic purposes, but you need to know the subtleties of collecting and harvesting. In order to stock up on the roots of the plant, it is recommended to wait until autumn. From August to October you can dig up the roots, leaving each square meter for 2-3 copies. After digging, shake off the soil from the raw material, dry it in an oven at 40 degrees. You can leave the roots to dry in a dry, warm room, away from sunlight. Dry roots should be crushed and stored in a closed container.

Flowers can also be harvested, but better together with the leaves. For this purpose, choose the period of peak blooming. In dry, sunny weather, use scissors to cut off violet shrubs almost by the root, and dry the raw material on a piece of clean paper. Unlike roots, violet leaves and grass should not be exposed to temperatures of even 40 degrees. Because of such drying in the collection will not remain the right concentration of active substances.

Therapeutic properties of violets tricolor

Due to its special composition, the plant helps to effectively cope with diseases. But to use violet correctly, you need to know its medicinal properties. Science has managed to distinguish 10 therapeutic effects that this medicinal plant produces.

1. Diuretic effect is used for cholecystitis, congestion in the liver, disorders in the secretion of bile and reduced motor function of the gallbladder.
2. Anti-inflammatory properties are used for internal diseases, colds, as well as skin diseases and infections.
3. Anti-allergic action allows the use of the plant in the treatment of skin rashes, asthmatic cough, runny nose of allergic nature.
4. Anticough, the ability to thin sputum - this potential is used in the treatment of lung diseases, bronchitis, acute respiratory infections. Violet extract is also included in most Ayurvedic remedies aimed at clearing the lungs after quitting smoking.
5. Violet tricolor has a positive effect on the digestive system. It activates the production of enzymes and gastric juice, normalizes bowel peristalsis, eliminates cramps.
6. The plant has a beneficial effect on the nervous system. It calms, restores brain function after great mental stress, helps improve memory, reduce the negative effects of stress factors.
7. Violet takes care of cardiovascular health, removes dangerous cholesterol from the body, makes capillary walls strong and elastic.
8. Violet has regenerating abilities, promotes healing of sores and wounds, scars burns, and also helps to quickly cope with infectious skin diseases.
9. The plant stimulates defense mechanisms, so it is used to enhance immunity and protect the body from pathogens.
10. Violet is a natural remedy for infertility, it regulates the hormonal background, restores the reproductive health of men and women.

The great advantage of violet is that it is absolutely safe. There are no toxic substances in the plant, which would have a negative impact on health. That is why even children can use this flower only from the age of two. Before using violet-based remedies to treat a child, you should consult with your pediatrician.

Violet tricolor in folk medicine

There are a variety of ways to use this plant, but all of them are quite similar in effectiveness. To choose the right version of the recipe and treatment regimen, you need to know how this flower is used in folk medicine.

From coughs

Violet tricolor has proven itself so well as an anti-cough remedy that it began to be used in the manufacture of auxiliary herbal syrups and biologically active supplements. The interest of pharmaceutical companies in this plant is only increasing, as its abilities and capabilities have not yet been fully studied. A more detailed analysis may reveal new benefits of the herb for human health.

Since ancient times, the plant has been used as an antitussive for bronchitis, tuberculosis, pneumonia, whooping cough, asthma, acute respiratory infections. It can be used alone or in combination with other herbs that have a similar effect. There are several options for preparing a collection for coughs.

Ingredients for an anti-cough infusion:

• 10 grams of the herb violet;
• 10 grams of plantain leaves;
• 5 grams of leaves of mother and stepmother.

It is better to brew the herb in a quality thermos to extract the maximum benefits from it and make a concentrated infusion. Infusion time - no more than 2 hours. Drink the remedy in a shot 4 times a day.

Ingredients for preparing an anti-cough syrup:

• 10 grams of violet root;
• 10 grams of licorice root;
• 10 grams of marshmallow root.

The resulting mixture should be boiled in 200 ml of water, gradually evaporating the liquid. The result should be 100 ml of strong broth, to which add 2 tablespoons of sugar and boil for another 5-10 minutes. After that, strain the syrup and take 1 teaspoon 3-5 times a day. Syrup can be used for children in the absence of contraindications and with the permission of the pediatrician.

With diathesis

Food allergies, diathesis and urticaria in children over two years old is a common problem. Many parents do not dare to use antiallergic drugs on a permanent basis, since they harm the immune system and simply lose their effectiveness with prolonged use. But in this case, you can do with folk remedies, if properly used.

Brew violet tricolor with a liter of boiling water. For such an amount of water, only 1 tablespoon of the herb is enough. You can insist in an ordinary pot or in a jar under a lid. The resulting infusion to take instead of water throughout the day, at intervals of 1-2 hours. Within 2-3 days, the remedy will completely eliminate the symptoms of food allergies. This method of treatment is undesirable for diarrhea, because violet additionally has a laxative effect and can increase the loss of minerals and fluids by the body, which will adversely affect the protective functions and well-being.

For allergic rashes.

Outwardly, the herb of violet tricolor can be used even in young children, but it is necessary to test for allergies, as well as to consult with the doctor. For children and adults, there is one universal recipe that will help cope with skin allergic rashes in a matter of days. You need to prepare the following ingredients:

• 20 grams of violet herb;
• 20 grams of succession;
• 10 grams of calendula;
• 10 grams of chamomile.

Brew the resulting mixture with 2 liters of water and boil for 30 minutes. Use the resulting solution to wipe the skin areas affected by the rash, or healing baths. For children, it is better to use a diluted solution (in a ratio of 1:1).

If the skin rash does not go away long enough, even after using herbal remedies, you should definitely visit a dermatologist. Many skin conditions that have nothing to do with allergies have similar symptoms. In such situations, the use of herbs makes no sense. For example, if it is a disease caused by a fungal infection or staphylococcus aureus, it makes no sense to rely only on herbs - you need to take medications selected by the doctor, which will destroy the pathogens.

With gastritis

Violet tricolor is rightly considered one of the ten best herbs for treating diseases of the stomach. It contains herbal antibacterial components that are effective in the fight against Helicobacter - the causative agent of gastritis. But treatment with the herb should not be carried out without the permission of the treating physician. It is important to monitor the results, eat right, follow the diet.

Infusion of the herb is used in the therapy of gastritis, it is used exclusively in warm form 10-15 minutes before meals. The maximum duration of treatment is 2 months. If during this period it was not possible to completely get rid of the symptoms of gastritis, but there are significant results, it is necessary to take a break for a month and continue taking the infusion.

Liver cleansing

There are a lot of herbal remedies that can be used to maintain the health of the liver. To avoid problems with the functioning of this organ, you can also use tricolor violet. There are 2 ways to use it.

1. Fresh juice from the leaves of the plant in an amount of 1 teaspoon to drink 3 times a day before meals for 2 weeks.
2. Drink a warm infusion of 100 ml before each meal for 1 month.

You can take 2 courses a year, 5 months apart, which will help avoid most liver problems. During the liver cleansing period, you should take care not to burden this organ. It is worth giving up alcohol and junk food, getting enough sleep and minimizing the amount of sugar in your diet.

For immunity

With the help of tricolor violet, you can strengthen the immune system, improve the body's resistance to chronic diseases. The plant can be used during the recovery period after a long illness or drink as a general tonic daily 1 cup of tea from the herb, but it is better to prepare a complex collection. Each type of plant is used in an amount of 1 teaspoon:

• Echinacea flowers;
• violet;
• raspberry leaves.

Pour the prepared collection 500 ml of boiling water. After the infusion has been prepared and cooled, strain it and divide it into three parts. Prepare a new remedy daily, it should not be stored in the refrigerator, because the vitamins contained in the liquid can lose their properties.

For colds.

Viral infections - not a problem, if the house has pre-prepared collections of herbs that can defeat acute respiratory infections even without the use of drugs. Violet tricolor is effective for colds for three reasons:

1. Produces antibacterial and antiviral effects, destroys pathogenic microflora and prevents the reproduction of microbes.
2. It relieves inflammation regardless of the location of the foci.
3. It has a pronounced ability to eliminate the symptoms of colds, lowers body temperature, eliminates coughing and relieves nasal congestion.

It is necessary to use hot tea to treat colds. You need to brew the herb or flowers of violets and drink tea in large quantities - up to 6-8 cups per day. Abundant drinking in combination with herbal extracts will quickly do its job, and the body can cope with the disease without complications and consequences.

For rheumatism

Violet is known as an effective remedy for pain in rheumatism. In folk medicine praise its properties, and experts in herbal medicine say that it can replace classical therapy with the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. You should not experiment, so before you start treatment, you should consult with your doctor and find out whether you can refuse NSAIDs in the treatment of violet.

Two types of compresses are used to eliminate the pain syndrome.

1. The first option - an alcoholic compress of a strong tincture, cooked on the rhizome of the plant and aged for at least 20 days. You need to put lotions for 20-30 minutes every day to relieve inflammation.
2. The second option is a strong decoction for compresses. The liquid should be as warm as possible, so the active ingredients will penetrate through the skin into the tissues faster and reduce inflammation, removing painful sensations.

For weight loss

For those wishing to cope with excess weight, tricolor violet can also be useful. This flower suppresses appetite, stimulates the metabolism, promotes the acceleration of reactions occurring in the body in the processing of fat deposits. For weight loss, use an herbal infusion, which should be drunk 30-40 minutes after a meal in warm form. A fresh portion of the remedy is prepared for each reception. You need to insist 1 teaspoon of herbs in a glass (200 ml) of boiling water.

sedative

To quickly calm down, relieve stress and fatigue, restore the ability to think clearly, you can use a tea of violet flowers mixed with veronica medicinal. These two plants have a mild sedative effect, as well as nourish the nervous system with the necessary useful trace elements for its functioning. Mix the herbs in equal proportions, pour 250 ml of boiling water on 1 teaspoon of raw materials, soak for 2-3 minutes and drink.

To make such a sedative collection even more useful, you can wait until it cools to 60-70 degrees and add honey to it. Honey has trace elements and flavonoids that improve the functioning of the brain, restore the normal psychological state, relieve stress and tension.

For insomnia

Tricolor violet is also popular as an effective remedy to help with sleep disorders. If there are problems with falling asleep, it is enough to drink 20 drops of alcoholic tincture, which is prepared from the roots of violets, at night. You can prepare a single-component tincture - take 20 grams of rhizome, pre-dried and crushed, pour 200 ml of alcohol and keep for 2 weeks in a dark room.

More effective remedy will be a multi-component tincture. You need to take valerian root (1 part), 2 parts violet root and 2 parts lemon balm leaves. Vegetable raw materials in an amount of 2 tablespoons pour 200 ml of alcohol, to insist, shaking occasionally. Preparation period - 14-20 days. The finished tincture to use 20-30 drops before bedtime.

Types of medicinal compositions

If you need to be treated with the use of violet tricolor, it is important to know the basic principles of preparing medicines from this herb. In order to correctly pick up a version of the recipe, it is important to know what kind of medicinal forms are useful for each individual type of disease.

Infusion .

To prepare a water infusion, you need to take the leaves, flowers or a mixture of these two parts of the plant. Pour the raw material in steep boiling water and cover. To obtain the infusion take 1 tablespoon of herbs in 400 ml of water, but if you want a more concentrated product, it is worth increasing the amount used raw materials.

Tincture .

To make a vodka tincture, you need to take a mixture of leaves and flowers of violets, crush them and place them in the bottom of a bottle or jar. For 500 ml of vodka take 2 tablespoons of raw materials. Alcoholic tincture should be prepared from 1 tablespoon of flowers and 100 ml of alcohol. The period is 14 days.

A special recipe for making a tincture from the roots. They need to be crushed. Cut with scissors, the roots dry additionally in the oven at a temperature of up to 50 degrees. After that, measure 2 tablespoons and pour 250 ml of vodka. The mixture should also be kept for 14-16 days, and then strain.

Decoction .

Decoction can be prepared from the roots and from the grass. Take both types of raw materials at the rate of 20 grams per 500 ml of liquid. You can also boil in two ways - in a water bath for 40-50 minutes, or on low heat on the stove - up to 30 minutes. Do not strain the broth immediately - you need to let it infuse for at least 2 hours.

Tea

Fragrant healing tea is obtained from the flowers of violets tricolor. You can use these raw materials separately for brewing beverage (1 teaspoon per 250-300 ml) or add flowers of violets, pre-dried, in ordinary green or black tea. The plant will enhance the tonic effect and have a beneficial effect on the immune system.

Cosmetic applications

The tricolor violet is not only a window seat or window dressing. It can also enhance the beauty of anyone who uses it for skin and hair care. It can work wonders on the skin for seborrhea, dermatitis, and is very effective for treating blackheads. To understand how to use it, you need to read the recipes.

Skin Care for Seborrhea

Seborrhea is found in every 20 inhabitants of the Earth. This disease is quite common and is caused by a whole set of factors. The trigger is stress, lack of sleep, poor diet. For a complete recovery requires long-term treatment. By the way you can also use remedies from violets:

1. Infusion of 2 teaspoons of the collection per glass of water - for daily double rubbing.
2. Decoction of leaves - for steaming and compresses 2-3 times a week.
3. Alcohol tincture (2 tablespoons in 200 ml of 70% alcohol) - for local effects on the affected areas of the skin.

Through regular use of means on the basis of tricolor violet can significantly reduce the symptoms of the disease already for 2-3 weeks. But you need to apply these means daily, and also combine them with the main therapy.

Oily hair

If your hair gets greasy quickly, your hair looks unkempt and it spoils the whole image, to correct the situation is quite simple. To do this, you need to use 3-4 times a week to rinse the infusion of herbs. But you need to do this only after shampooing, to restore the natural Ph of the scalp, as well as to normalize the functioning of the sebaceous glands.

Baths for hands

If the skin on the hands is often irritated, it dries out and peels, and cracks and burrs form around the nails, you need to act immediately. A decoction of violets can be used as a grooming agent. Boil for 10 minutes in a liter of water 2 tablespoons of raw materials, and then, after cooling dip your hands in the resulting decoction for 10-15 minutes. You can do so for the feet, to get rid of cracked heels and dry feet, peeling, coarsening of the skin. Such a procedure in the absence of hypersensitivity can be performed regularly.

Oil for flaking

With dandruff, hair loss and peeling helps oil mask based on violets. To prepare it, take 2 tablespoons of the collection, pour 1 cup of vegetable oil and leave for an hour. After an hour, heat the oil mixture to 60-70 degrees, cool it, and then use it to rub into the scalp. It is possible to combine the procedure with a massage to stimulate blood circulation and improve nutrition of the scalp.

Contraindications for use

Violet tricolor is not such a harmless flower, as it may seem at first glance. But to cause harm to the body, the plant is only able to do so if it is used in the presence of contraindications:

1. Jaundice and disorders of liver function.
2. Acute kidney disease, as well as urolithiasis in severe stages.
3. Pregnancy, as the plant can provoke miscarriage, bleeding or even premature birth, depending on the term.
4. During breastfeeding, as they can cause allergic reactions of different types in the baby.

Violet is used with caution in metabolic syndrome and diabetes mellitus. It is necessary to consult a specialist. The fact is that the plant is capable of significantly reducing blood glucose levels, which can result in a hypoglycemic attack. It is necessary to control the sugar level.

Violet tricolor is a valuable plant that can be kept in the house not only as a decoration, but also as a medicine, having previously prepared the raw material. It is important to use the plant in the recommended doses and not to abuse, as inordinate intake significantly increases the risk of side effects.

Photo of tricolor violet