Parmelia: medicinal properties and contraindications

Parmelia is a lichen. And the beneficial properties of these living organisms have been used for a very long time. Despite the lack of fundamental knowledge about the inner composition of the lichen, even the ancient Greeks and inhabitants of medieval Europe were treated with remedies based on parmelia.

In times of famine in some countries people even ate parmelia, despite its not entirely pleasant taste. During the Great Patriotic War the wounded were treated with ointments of parmelia powder: Vaseline was mixed with the drug and applied to the right place. The effect was very good.

To this day, the inhabitants of northern nations make flour from lichen and, with the addition of other grains, bake special cookies for Christmas. Also by fermentation they make a drink that tastes sour, which they drink by diluting with water.

A very interesting use of lichen is as a salt substitute. Thus the inhabitants of the northern regions put away meat for storage, pouring and rubbing it with parmelia powder.

Chemical composition

The chemical composition of parmelia has been studied quite well by biologists and chemists. Its research began back in the 60s of the last century and is still going on. To date, it has been established that the lichen is rich in the content of a strong natural antibiotic - usninic acid, which has antibacterial properties and also has the ability to expel parasites from the body. There are a number of other acids in parmelia (arbatum, fumarprocetrarum and squamatum). They are also able to fight infection, but not as actively as usninic acid.

Parmelia is characterized by the presence of a very large amount of vitamin C, it is known for its immunostimulatory and antioxidant actions and the ability to weaken the action of free radicals, which becomes an obstacle to the processes of early aging of the body.

Complex carbohydrates, similar in composition to fiber, which are components of lichen, have a positive effect on the intestinal function and improve its digestive activity.

The lichen also contains a whole group of polysaccharides. These include lichenin, also called lichen starch. It makes up the cell walls of parmelia, and its useful effect for humans is an enveloping one. Also belonging to this group are isolichenin and evenin.

Another useful group of substances in the composition of the lichen is minerals, in particular phosphorus, calcium and potassium. They are obligatory participants of all metabolic processes that occur in the human body.

Completes the list of substances identified in parmelia not very large amounts of ash, fats and protein compounds.

How it looks and where it grows

Parmelia belongs to a special group of living organisms that are a symbiosis of green algae and fungi. This is a type of coexistence in which each representative feeds the other. Their relationship is mutually beneficial, as a result both algae and fungi get the right amount of nutrients and develop better.

A lichen is not divided into its constituent parts - like herbaceous plants into root, stem, and leaves. The body of a lichen is called a stratum, it is quite powerful and is a colony of leathery branched lobes, which can be both wide and narrow. They are strongly carved, bare, and their surface is both smooth and wrinkled. The lobes face the light; on their upper surface are fruiting bodies, or apothecia. The lichen's spores are colorless, elongated, and look like a broad ellipse. The immobile spores, called conidia, can be straight, cylindrical, or spindle-like.

Parmelia grows on the trunks and branches of trees, and it is particularly indiscriminate whether it is coniferous or deciduous. It is quite capable of attaching itself to dead wood, deadwood, fences, walls of various buildings, and even stony soil, while preferring well-lit, sun-accessible places.

The lobes of the lichen can both adhere to the base on which it grows and rise to the light. The follicle itself is fairly tightly attached to the substrate on which it grows.

Parmelia is completely undemanding to soil and environmental conditions - it is not intimidated by pollution. It is a typical representative of desert-steppe environment and mountainous areas, its main colonies are found in both hemispheres of the Earth in tropical climates, although the lichen is capable of mastering more northern areas, up to arctic ones as well. It prefers saline soils. In Russia it grows in the southern and southeastern regions.

Species

In total, according to various information, there are 80 to 90 species of Parmelia. Apart from the two major ones, Parmelia furrowed and Parmelia wandering, the others are extremely rare.

Parmelia furrowed is a lichen that is classified as a leafy lichen. Its irregular rosettes are often solidly dotted on the living wood of deciduous trees, of which it prefers birch and aspen, as well as the trunks and branches of pines, spruces and other conifers. Also in the forest, the lichen often settles on dead wood of deadwood.

Parmelia makes its way into populated areas, homesteads, even in large cities, since it doesn't mind neither automobile exhaust nor industrial emissions. It is indifferent to environmental conditions. Fences made of fences, wooden walls of houses and barns can be infested with outgrowths of Parmelia furrow. This lichen is so undemanding that it easily settles even on treated wood.

Parmelia's stratum may be bluish-gray, grayish-greenish, and light gray in dry seasons or in winter; in appearance, it is wrinkly-meshed, with curly lobes. The length of each individual lobe does not exceed 2 cm, they have a strongly rugged shape.

This lichen grows no more than 4-6 cm in height, and the diameter of each of its individual lobes ranges from 5 to 15 cm.

Parmelia wandering differs from the furrowed one in size: it is slightly smaller and does not grow more than 3-5 cm in height. In addition, it also looks more elegant due to the shape of the above-ground part - it is not lobed, as in the furrowed one, but forked - that is, narrow, in addition, also twisted. However, when it rains, the "forks" swell up, turn around and become thicker and more massive.

This type of parmelia clings to life not as strongly as the furrowed one. If a strong wind picks up, it quite easily tears off whole pieces of the scaffold and carries them over a decent distance, where the wandering parmelia then takes root. This method of propagation is what gave it its name.

Harvesting and storage

For medicinal use, the entire parmelia stratum is harvested as a whole. Harvesting begins in late April and lasts through May. Always collect in dry weather when the epidermis becomes dry and not soaked with moisture.

Layers are separated from the substrate and spread out to dry. And unlike many other medicinal plants, parmelia is not afraid of drying in the sun and does not lose its useful properties. You can spread the raw material and in the shade, but there must be an influx of wind. Raw dries no more than 3 days. Its readiness can be judged by the color - it becomes brown.

Ready dried lichen raw material is almost odorless. Its taste is bitter and even a little bitter, the aftertaste is a little mucousy.

Dried raw material is stored in paper bags or cotton sacks for 3-4 years without loss of biological activity. After this period of useful substances begin to lose their power very quickly. Grind the raw material just before cooking curative compositions.

Medicinal properties of parmelia

The medicinal properties of parmelia are now recognized by both folk and official medicine. Since the XVIII century, it is officially included in the pharmacopoeia of many European countries and Japan.

Of the dozens of species, only one is suitable for medical purposes - parmelia wandering. Its second folk name is cut-grass.

On the basis of the usninic acid extracted from the lichen, even the pharmaceutical drug "Binan" was created (in essence, it is a sodium salt of usninic acid). This drug has bacteriostatic properties and even in low concentrations is able to kill the causative agents of tuberculosis. It acts both on bacteria and on a number of fungi.

1. Thanks to the substances included in parmelia, it has antiseptic, antioxidant and bactericidal effects on the human body. In addition, the list of capabilities of the lichen is the ability to stimulate the immune system, stop the blood, heal wounds and expel parasites.
2. Parmelia remedies treat diseases of the respiratory system, it is especially effective for relieving coughs because it has an expectorant action. As a means of treatment and prevention, the lichen is used against acute respiratory infections and flu - thanks to the general restorative and immunostimulatory effects. The same properties of parmelia are used for infectious diseases - drugs based on it are included in the complex therapy.
3. Lichen decoctions are prescribed for internal use for gastric ulcer, dyspepsia, acute colitis and enterocolitis and a number of other pathologies of the digestive system.
4. Diseases of the heart and blood vessels are another area of lichen application.
5. There is evidence that for the nervous system lichen is very useful, because it has a calming effect.
6. Wound healing, anti-inflammatory and styptic abilities of lichen are used for washing decaying wounds, burns, frostbite, bedsores and ulcers. When the gums are bleeding, the decoction is rinsed out of the mouth.
7. Lichen remedies are also used to solve delicate problems - so, they are used for bacterial cystitis in the form of sprinkling. And when hemorrhoids can do baths or lotions - also get a good effect.
8. In addition to purely medicinal properties, parmelia is also used for general tonic purposes. Thanks to the remedies prepared on its basis it is possible to cleanse the body from harmful microbes and saturate it with vitamins, which increases the overall resistance of the person not only to infections but also to non-infectious pathologies, speeds up the recovery.

Parmelia in folk medicine

Herbalists have long learned to heal with the help of lichen various internal diseases, primarily of the respiratory system: stale cough and tuberculosis. For example, to treat tuberculosis with parmelia is a common practice of the mountaineers of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, for which they make decoction with milk. The medicinal plant is not bad for soothing inflamed mucous membranes in the respiratory tract.

Diseases related to digestive disorders, such as acute colitis, various dyspepsia, intestinal diseases, also lend themselves to compositions of lichen prepared by folk healers.

From time immemorial, herbalists prescribed parmelia to support the body's immunity during illness, treated purulent wounds, ulcers, and burns with decoctions. Historically, it is known for certain that even before the October Revolution, in the Urals, among the Cossacks Parmelia was famous as a medicine that stops the blood much faster than other means. Today, poorly healing purulent wounds are smeared with a special composition - a paste of petroleum jelly based on it.

Folk medicine uses lichen either as a monotherapy, alone, or in combination with calendula, hyssop, mallow. This enhances antibacterial and antiviral properties.

To preserve all the healing substances lichen, it is necessary to prepare the compositions correctly. This means that they can not be boiled for too long, and even better - heat only in a water bath, so that the biologically active components were preserved in maximum quantity. There will be no harm from overboiled remedies, but the treatment will not work either.

Beginning treatment with lichen, we must remember: as an independent remedy, it can not be used, despite the mass of useful medicinal properties. It is better to use it only as part of the complex therapy, making sure to agree with the doctor.

In Japan, as well as in progressive civilized Europe (in countries such as France and Germany), dried and ground into a powder lichen is added to baking flour, and also sprinkle it on meat dishes during cooking.

Parmelia has a peculiarity - it swells up in hot water, and after cooling it turns into a jelly, which is used for preparing medicinal kissels. The bitterness can be interrupted with fruit juice. With lichen powder even make marmalade and jelly from fruit or berry juice.

For tuberculosis.

This is the same recipe widely used by the Kazakh and Kyrgyz highlanders. In a saucepan with a thick bottom, pour 3 tbsp. dry crushed raw material of parmelia. Pour into the same pot 0.5 liters of milk. Bring to a boil and, turn down the heat, continue to simmer the composition for 15 minutes over low heat. Remove from the stove, cool, strain and take a third of a cup three times a day. It also helps to relieve coughs with colds, bronchitis, pneumonia.

For a stale cough.

Pour 1 tbsp. dried shredded parmelia into an enamel bowl, pour 1 liter of water there and bring to a boil. Then turn down the heat to minimum and let it simmer for 20 minutes. Make sure that the liquid does not boil and does not boil over, because it is desirable to save its original amount. Remove from the stove, strain, cool, pour into a glass or porcelain dish and drink a third of a glass half an hour before breakfast, lunch and dinner. Continue treatment until coughing has completely disappeared.

For children for coughs.

The cough medicine for children is prepared according to a different recipe than for adults. It is necessary to take 1 tbsp. Dry herbs, pour 1 liter of boiling water and send the composition to a water bath for a couple of hours. Remove from the heat, strain. Give the medicine to children 3 times a day for a third of a cup. For better absorption of the remedy and get a greater effect, drink half an hour before a meal. Store the medicine in the refrigerator, and before use warm it up to a warm state. If you treat the cough in this way, it will pass faster.

If after taking the composition the child suddenly got a rash on the skin, the treatment should be stopped. It is possible that the baby is allergic to lichen.

To treat wounds

To prepare the product 5 tbsp of dried milled lichen should be poured into a saucepan, pour there the same 0.5 liters of water and bring to a boil over high heat, then turn it down slightly and then simmer with a fairly good boiling for about 20 minutes. Then leave it to infuse with the lid closed until it cools completely. Only now strain it and use it to wash difficult wounds, trophic ulcers or make lotions based on the composition. Treat until the wound has healed.

For large wound surfaces, bandaging with a dressing soaked in this composition is useful.

Digestive Problems

To cure diarrhea, colitis or enterocolitis, you need to prepare 3 tsp of dry lichen raw material. Pour them in a pouring bowl with 300 ml of freshly boiled water, put on the stove and simmer for another 10 minutes over low heat. Remove from the heat and infuse for 2 hours, then strain. Ready to drink 1 tbsp. before meals, 3-4 times a day. Keep it in the refrigerator no longer than a couple of days. Do not continue the course of treatment longer than a month.

For diseases of the stomach.

With peptic ulcer in remission to prevent exacerbations, you can drink a tincture of lichen. Take 3 tsp. The mixture of crushed dried lichen and mix it with 200 ml of freshly boiled water. Cover and insist for 2 hours, then filter and take 1 tbsp. drink better 30 minutes before a meal, the duration of the course - at least 5 and no more than 20 days. Thanks to the jelly-like consistency of the tincture quickly restores the mucosa and improves digestion.

Paste for wounds

You will need a couple of spoons of lamp oil (purified petroleum jelly), which should be mixed with a very fine powder of lichen. Add parmelia until you get a mixture similar in consistency to a thick sour cream. The resulting paste should be applied at night to pustular wounds, ulcers, then cover with a gauze cloth, which should be secured with a bandage. Before applying the paste, it would be good to treat the ulcer or wound with a liquid composition of parmelia - decoction or infusion.

Syrup for the stomach

This remedy is troublesome to prepare, in several stages, but it is good to restore the mucous membrane of the stomach with gastritis, peptic ulcer.

Pour a glass of water at room temperature 15 g of dried lichen raw material. Leave to soak for 10-15 minutes. Then boil this composition for 2 minutes and leave to infuse for 2 hours. Strain, set the liquid aside, and pour the cake with a glass of water. Repeat the procedure: Boil for 2 minutes and infuse for 2 hours. Again strain, combine both liquids and add 0.5 kg of sugar and honey. Next, heat the composition in a water bath, while stirring until the honey and sugar completely dissolve.

Pour the finished product into a clean dry glass jar, cover with a lid and put in the refrigerator. Use after each meal of 0.5 tsp.

Types of medicinal compositions

Healing compositions based on lichen can be prepared yourself at home. It can be both tinctures, decoctions, infusions and teas. When preparing home remedies, you must remember that parmelia stains liquids and, accordingly, dishes in which compositions are prepared, in a brown-orange color. It washes off, but not from all surfaces and not completely. Therefore, it is better to take that pot or that ladle, which is not very sorry if it darkens from the inside. Since medicines based on parmelia have a bitter taste, they can be taken, supplemented with honey, sugar, jam. And when treating a cough, honey is highly recommended.

Do not forget that parmelia remedies can be not only therapeutic, but also a great preventive tool. Fans of a healthy lifestyle often include them in their diet, in order to increase the body's defenses.

The reception of compositions from lichen is recommended to those who spend most of the day in rooms with air conditioning, drying the mucous membranes of the throat and bronchi. Useful such means speakers, singers, teachers - that is, those whose work is associated with constant strain on the vocal cords. Parmelia is recommended if the voice is disrupted.

Infusion .

To prepare the infusion, you need 1 tbsp. lichen pour a cup of boiling water and insist for 2 hours. The vessel in which the solution insists, wrap for warmth. Strain and drink with diarrhea 1 tbsp. 30 minutes before a meal.

Tincture

Pour 100 grams of dried lichen in 200 ml of alcohol. Insist the medication for a week in a glass jar in a dark place. Strain and take during periods when plagued by coughing fits. Rate of reception - 15 drops.

Decoction

Decoction is the most common medicinal form of lichen. They are prepared both with water and with milk.

On milk. It is necessary to take 6 tbsp. lichen raw materials, pour them with 1 liter of milk. Boil the mixture for 20 to 25 minutes in a water bath. Strain - and the medicine is ready to use. It is recommended to drink it 20 minutes before a meal, a third of a glass. Relieves the cough even with tuberculosis.

In water. 1 tbsp. lichen pour boiling water and send to a water bath. As it boils, hold for 5 minutes and remove from heat. Insist the composition of 1-2 hours. Strain, drink with the addition of honey. Keep the decoction in the refrigerator, but before using a little warm. Treat at least a month.

Tea

If a serious illness is not diagnosed and the cold is of a mild nature, a tea based on lichen will help. You need 1 tsp. parmelia pour a cup of boiling water and simmer the composition on a water bath for about half an hour. It is recommended to drink the tea before going to bed, in a snack with honey.

Contraindications for use

Parmelia is quite harmless and non-toxic remedy. It can be used even in children after the age of 6 years - but prepared in a way that is acceptable to the child. In this case, the rate of the drug should be calculated on the basis that the adult dose of 1 tbsp. is replaced by 1 tsp. For children under 6 years, lichen is not prescribed.

Allergic reactions to it are extremely rare and are manifested by a rash in the form of hives and skin itching. If such signs are found, then the patient has an individual intolerance to parmelia. Reception of means on its basis should be discontinued, and the symptoms will quickly disappear.

Particular caution when taking medication from the lichen need to be patients who suffer from hypertension. Obligatory consultation with the attending physician.

Since the effect of parmelia on the health and development of the future child has not yet been studied, you should not use it for pregnant and nursing mothers.

It is necessary to remember the rule: before making an independent decision to start treatment with preparations of this or that medicinal plant, it is necessary to consult with your doctor. This also applies to parmelia.

Photo of parmelia