Woolly Erva: medicinal properties and contraindications

Woolly Erva is a biennial plant with pronounced medicinal properties. It is used to treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, heart, kidneys, blood. The plant is used as a supplement to many gatherings, and is also used in the manufacture of natural caring cosmetics.

Chemical Composition

Erva woolly is officially recognized as a medicinal plant. This conclusion was reached by scientists who studied its composition. In the rhizome and the above-ground part there are active components that positively affect the functioning of the body. Chemical analysis showed that the plant contains in large quantities such substances:

• ervolanin;
• pectins;
• phenolic and organic acids;
• bitterness;
• complex of alkaloids of the indole group;
• glycosides;
• oleanoic acid;
• ervoside;
• organic acids;
• coumaroyl-tyrosides;
• triterpenoids;
• Lupeol compounds;
• potassium nitrate;
• magnesium and copper compounds;
• selenium;
• antioxidants.

By having a complex effect on the body, these components take care of the health of internal organs, restore the circulatory system, provide the body with the necessary trace elements for tissue regeneration and repair. The advantage of the herb is that all the ingredients are contained in a meaningful dose, that is, can positively affect the state of health when consuming medicines prepared on the basis of the herb.

What it looks like and where it grows

The plant is common in the tropics - it is found in the wild in Africa, Australia, South America. Erva woolly is one of the varieties that represent the genus Erva, a member of the Amaranth family. The plant has a two-year cycle of development. The botanical features of the species are described below.

1. The plant has a strong tap root that deepens to 80-100 cm.
2. The stems are very branched, up to 1.5 m long, with numerous offshoots.
3. Leaves are small, lanceolate or elliptical in shape, growing on short petioles and covering most of the stems.
4. Inflorescences of paniculate or spike-like forms, which contain dozens of small white flowers, form on the tops of the plant.
5. After the flowering period ends, small fruits form on the spike-like inflorescences - elongated bolls with seeds.

Erva woolly does not grow in the wild on the Eurasian continent. In the former CIS countries it is grown in small quantities culturally, in order to obtain medicinal raw materials. In 60-70s scientists made an attempt to naturalize the herb, but it was not successful. As a result, they managed to grow the plant under artificial conditions - on the territory of Georgia since 1977 it is cultivated on an industrial scale.

Collection and storage

Erva woolly is officially recognized as a plant that has a therapeutic effect. It is used for the manufacture of pharmaceutical preparations, infusions and gatherings. Pharmacopoeia regulates the rules of gathering and harvesting. The most valuable part of the plant is considered the top - inflorescences. Less active substances are contained in the stems and leaves. The collection is made according to the following rules.

1. Start harvesting raw materials not before the start of the flowering phase. As soon as the inflorescences are covered with rough, hairy flowers, you can begin to cut them.
2. Carry out the collection on sunny days, preferably in the morning hours, but only after the dew on the plants is completely dry.
3. Cut no more than 30-40 cm of the apex.
4. After cutting, take the inflorescences to where they will be dried, taking care not to damage them.
5. Raw material should not be subjected to wet processing. You need to remove debris and damaged pieces of herb without water, and the remaining inflorescences shred with scissors.
6. Dry the collection on a clean sheet of absorbent cotton, not in the open sun.
7. When the raw material dries completely, pack it for further storage and use - in a cardboard or tin box, glass jar.

Shelf life of herbal raw materials should not exceed 3 years, but only on condition that the herb has not lost its flavor and appearance. If traces and smell of mold appeared or the pronounced aroma of erwa disappeared, the collection should be thrown out and a new raw material should be harvested.

Given that the erwa is not found in Eurasian meadows and fields, there is quite a logical question - where to collect and harvest the raw material. Most connoisseurs of this plant grow it at home in their garden plots. Earwort can be grown, but it is quite demanding in care. You can make it easier by looking for prepackaged herbs. The collection is available in many pharmacies, as well as in stores where herbal products are sold. The cost of a box of raw materials is quite low, so it is not advisable to grow it yourself. Look for it by its official name (or by the folk name - "half-floor").

Therapeutic properties of the herb woolly erwa

In most countries, Erva woolly is included in the pharmacopoeia, and is also actively used in traditional medicine as an additional component in the treatment of diseases. This herb is not without reason so highly valued, it has 12 therapeutic properties that everyone involved in any area of medicine knows about.

1. The herb strengthens the immune system, helps to resist lingering diseases that have progressed to the chronic stage.
2. The plant contains components that react with salts of uric acid in gout. Decoctions and infusions dissolve salt deposits.
3. Diuretic effect promotes rapid removal of toxins and recovery from diseases of the urinary system.
4. Alkaloids and organic acids in combination with mineral compounds produce a protective effect on the cells of the brain and spinal cord, normalize the functioning of the nervous system.
5. Due to the active components, the use of erwa normalizes sleep, restores mental and emotional state, helps to quickly calm stress.
6. The plant stimulates the production of hormones responsible for good mood and activity, so it helps with depression, apathy, loss of strength and increased fatigue.
7. In hormonal disorders and disorders of the reproductive system erwa stabilizes and balances the body.
8. The plant is effective for malignant and benign tumors. It reduces the rate of division of abnormal cells, regenerates tissues and helps to cope more quickly with the removal of toxins during chemotherapy.
9. The herb protects against the negative effects of radiation, removes heavy metals and prevents the negative effects of carcinogens on the body.
10. The plant normalizes blood clotting, eliminates blood clots and cleans blood vessels.
11. Erva has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the lymphatic system. It cleanses the lymph, helps to restore lymph nodes.
12. The plant normalizes the water-salt balance in the body, is a source of potassium salts, which has a beneficial effect on the heart muscles.

The herb is used for prevention, purification of the body, as well as in the treatment of diseases. It is necessary to consult with a doctor. Do not be afraid of the skeptical refusal of physicians when asked to prescribe preparations of erwas woolly hair. The plant is actively used in traditional medicine and is included in the therapeutic chains for various diseases. Therefore, a specialist will only help to choose the right dosage, as well as give valuable recommendations regarding the use of the herbal medicine.

Woolly erwa in folk medicine

In folk medicine, there are almost no areas and directions where this plant would not be used. Earwort is a versatile herb that can serve as an auxiliary component in medicines for most diseases of the cardiovascular system. It can be used as a general tonic, tonic and restorative. But in each disease, the ways of use, as well as methods of preparation of medicines are different.

Liver cleansing

Improper diet, broken regime of the day, stress, alcohol - these are all factors that lead to a violation of the functioning of the main filter of the body. The liver can cope with the toxic load for a long time, but in an instant it will begin to show alarming symptoms. To help the liver recover from heavy loads, it is recommended to take a periodic hepatoprotective course of treatment with erva.

The plant gently cleanses the liver, renews cells and stimulates them to fight toxic substances. A diuretic effect helps to cleanse the body faster - the decay products of toxins, broken down in the liver, are quickly removed from the body due to the active work of the kidneys. Three variants of recipes are used to restore the liver.

1. Grinded into powder grass is mixed with turmeric, dried ginger and peppermint, add buckwheat honey (1:1). Take the resulting medication, 1 teaspoon three times daily before meals.
2. Infusion Erva is prepared in a thermos, 1 liter of boiling water take 20 grams of plant collection. Infuse for 3 hours. The finished liquid is strained and drunk 100 ml 3 times a day, also preferably before a meal.
3. Prepare a strong decoction from a mixture of herbs and inflorescences of the plant - 4 tablespoons of grass for 500 ml of water. The herb should be boiled in liquid for 30 minutes. You should not hurry to strain the ready decoction and wait until it cools, then pour it into a bottle and drink it by 2 tablespoons before meals.

Australian aborigines use erwas for liver treatment in a dry form - they eat the ground into a powdered collection on an empty stomach. They also use the rhizome of the plant to prepare decoctions.

Ervus woolly erwas eliminates the main symptoms of liver disease. But this plant is not able to help with cirrhosis, as well as with fatty liver disease in the later stages. It is desirable to combine treatment with a dietary diet and drinking plenty of fluids.

For gallstones

In Australia, gallbladder removal surgery is very rare. At the same time in the CIS countries gallbladder removal due to the formation of stones is not uncommon. Australians simply know what can help to cope with this problem and prevent the formation of stones or remove them from the body if they have already begun to form.

To treat cholelithiasis, they use tea from the inflorescence of woolly erwax. It has a pronounced choleretic effect. By stimulating the production of bile acids is a natural dissolution of the stones formed. Antispasmodic and tonic effect of the plant helps improve the motor function of the gallbladder, and because of this bile and broken stones are quickly eliminated naturally. Drink tea from the herb before a meal, and before each meal. Fresh drink is prepared for each meal - ½ teaspoon per cup (200 ml), insist and drink without sugar, you can with lemon. Continue treatment for at least 1 month.

Nervous disorders

Depending on the state of the nervous system, different recipes for preparing medicines can be used. Erva woolly in any form calms the nerves well, helps to cope with disorders of a depressive nature, apathy, stress, over-sensitivity and prolonged moping.

You can prepare an alcohol extract to make it more convenient and easier to use the medicine. To do this, you will need the following ingredients and containers:

• Medical alcohol 96% - 1 bottle (100 ml);
• 1 tablespoon of the herb;
• A bottle with a lid (you can take from the alcohol, if it is made of dark glass).

You need to insist the herb in alcohol, and after 3 weeks, strain. The cake discarded and the alcohol tincture to drink 10 drops 3 times a day. In the evening with insomnia, you can increase the dose to 20-30 drops to go to sleep faster.

The second version of the therapeutic agent is a tea from a combination of herbs, where erwa is the main component. It is necessary to take 20 g of erwa, supplement it with such herbs (5 g of each type):

• melissa;
• motherwort;
• yarrow;
• peppermint.

The finished collection is mixed, stored separately in a jar and used to brew a sedative tea. You can take it only at night, as it gives the effect of drowsiness.

Treatment of the kidneys and the urinary system

You can use erwa for all diseases related to the urinary system, but only if the function of the kidneys is not impaired and there is no bleeding. In such situations, the herb helps to effectively cope with nephritis, cystitis, urethritis, infectious diseases of the urinary tract. Only an aqueous infusion is used for recovery in such diagnoses.

The medicine can be prepared at once for 2 days. You need to take 400 ml of water, pour it cold into a ladle or saucepan and add to it 1 tablespoon of herbs. Boil over low heat this mixture for 20-30 minutes, and then cool and strain. In acute kidney and bladder disease take 100 ml every 3-4 hours. If the inflammation subsides, you can reduce the frequency of intake of up to two times.

With gout

It was mentioned above that erwa woolly is an indispensable herb for the treatment of gout. Like no other herb, erwa quickly copes with salt deposits, removes toxic elements from the body in a short period of time.

Preparations of erwa are appointed in many clinics as an additional means to the basic complexes. But before that, it is necessary to undergo diagnostics to make sure that such a natural treatment method is safe. If there is no reason to refuse herbal remedies, you can prepare them according to these recipes.

1. Mix in a deep container 2 tablespoons of erwas and 1 tablespoon of crushed rose hips. Pour cold water (2 liters) and bring to a boil on low heat. After boiling for 2-3 minutes, infuse for 2 hours and drink instead of water. Treat for 1 week.
2. Take licorice root (10 g), turmeric (5 g), erwa (20 g) pour all 1 liter of cold purified water. Heat on low heat until it boils, and then turn off and infuse. Ready remedy to drink before meals, three times a day. You can boil the cure for 2-3 days, but it must be kept in the refrigerator.

The herb combines unique substances, it is this complex that helps to effectively cope with gout. The combination of acids that cope with salts in the body, with a diuretic effect - a double blow to gout. But in order not to harm the body, you need to treat no longer than 2 months. It is important to monitor your health, have tests done, and see your doctor so that you can change your treatment in time if necessary.

For the pancreas

Erva in diseases of the pancreas helps to quickly remove foci of inflammation. It calms the tissues of the organ, inhibits the excessive production of enzymes, than protects the pancreas from the process of self-destruction. But the herb should not be used in the presence of:

• necrotic changes;
• malignant tumors of the pancreas;
• Inflammation in the acute stage.

In other situations, you can be treated with erva. Moreover, gastroenterologists recommend this plant as a preventive measure for those diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis. The herb is used to prepare an anti-inflammatory tea that normalizes the functioning of the pancreas and the secretion of enzymes. To prevent exacerbation and help the pancreas to recover faster, you can prepare such medicines:

1. Infusion - 1 teaspoon for every 250 ml, brewed in a thermos and drink a glass in the morning and evening.
2. Decoction - steeped and boiled in a water bath (1 tablespoon per 500 ml), drink 1 glass 2 times a day.

The effectiveness of treatment depends on many factors, but the determining nuance - the observance of dietary rules. It is necessary to give up any foods that may adversely affect the condition of this organ. It is also important to follow the diet regime - too long time gaps between meals can harm your health.

For the immune system

The general strengthening effect of the herb is so pronounced that it is often used to restore the body's defenses after diseases. It can also be used after treatment with antibiotics, radiation therapy and taking chemical, dangerous to health drugs.

For preventive purposes, the plant is used to make tea. You need to brew a small amount of the collection (1-1.5 tsp) in 300 ml of water. Insist such a medicine not too long - in 3-5 minutes the tea will be ready. You can add honey, lemon or lemon juice to it. Drink once a day, preferably in the morning. But if due to severe sleepiness you can not take this drink in the first half of the day, you can brew and before going to bed.

In gynecology

Erva also helps with various diseases of the female reproductive system, copes with uterine bleeding. It can be used for douches for myoma, excessive growth of epithelial tissue (erosions), cysts, neoplasms, polyps.

You can use a strong infusion for irrigation 2 times a day. But the procedure must be carried out so that everything is sterile, because there is a risk of getting infections. But it is more effective to take the infusion orally - with gynecological diseases it should be done twice a day by 50 ml. The duration of the course - from 10 to 30 days.

With diarrhea

Erva woolly is useful in diarrhea caused by intestinal infections or diseases of the digestive system. It is difficult to overestimate the usefulness of the herb, because it not only stops diarrhea and eliminates inflammation, but also makes up for the deficiency of mineral compounds. During diarrhea, due to the loss of fluid, a large amount of minerals are excreted from the body, which leads to general weakness. But the use of herbal medicine will help to quickly bring the body back to normal.

Tea and water infusion of the herb is used for diarrhea. Recipes for preparation:

• Tea - for 1 time, take 1 teaspoon of the collection for 200-250 ml of water;
• infusion - for 2-3 days, take 3 tablespoons of herbs for 1 liter of boiling water.

Tea should be drunk 2-3 times a day until the disappearance of symptoms, but not less than 3 days. With severe diarrhea, it is better to drink an infusion heated to room temperature - 50-100 ml every half hour, but this enhanced version is possible only for 24 hours, until the state stabilizes.

Types of medicinal compositions

It is possible to prepare medicines independently, using dry raw materials. It is necessary to know the recipes for preparation, which will help to reveal the therapeutic potential of the plant and use it as effectively as possible. The herb has active components that are afraid of high temperature, so not always preparing decoctions with prolonged heat is the best solution. But basic remedies can still be prepared without knowledge of the subtleties and nuances, using basic ways to prepare herbal medicines.

Infusion

On the packages with the herb manufacturers usually describe a classic version of the recipe - to brew in a glass of boiling water 2 teaspoons of the herb. The infusion prepared according to this recipe should be divided into 2 times, and after that a new portion should be prepared. But you can immediately brew for several days - take 3-4 tablespoons of the collection, pour 1 liter of boiling water and cover with a lid. It can be stored for up to three days, but preferably under a closed lid and in the refrigerator.

Decoction .

Preparing a decoction is a little more difficult, because it takes more time. You can cook it in a water bath or in a pot, on the fire. The recommended proportions - for 400 ml of water, 1 tablespoon of dry herbs. You can make it stronger or weaker, but to obtain a quality therapeutic broth should be boiled the mixture at minimum temperature for at least 30 minutes.

Cosmetic applications

Erva woolly is highly valued by the creators of eco-friendly organic cosmetics. It is used in the preparation of hygiene and grooming products. If you are not allergic to this plant, you can prepare effective caring cosmetics with your own hands.

Balm for hair

If the hair has lost its shine, became slower to grow or began to fall out, there is a solution. You need to rinse them every time after washing with a strong infusion of Erva woolly. It stimulates growth, strengthens hair follicles. But the effect is possible only if you make the liquid for rinsing sufficiently concentrated - 30-40 grams of grass per 1 liter of water will be enough.

Infusion for problem skin

It is difficult enough to cure acne, but even more difficult to prevent their appearance, if the skin is prone to rashes, pores dilated and clogged. You can remedy the situation if you start daily wiping with an infusion of three herbs:

• Erva woolly;
• calendula;
• chamomile.

You need to mix 1 spoon each herb, steep with a glass of boiling water. The infusion should be used for morning and evening wiping.

Brightening lotion

The organic acids that the herb contains penetrate the cell walls and destroy the pigment in them, and accelerate the regeneration of the skin. These properties of the herb are used to create lightening cosmetics. It is possible to prepare a lotion from erwa and other herbs. To create a remedy, you need the following ingredients:

• A teaspoon of Chinese lemongrass;
• A teaspoon of parsley seeds;
• pinch of juniper twigs;
• A teaspoon of erwa.

You need to boil these ingredients in 400 ml of water, evaporate to 200 ml. When cool, pour the remedy into a clean bottle of glass, use for rubbing 2-3 times a day.

Massage oil

Based on the plant, you can create a massage oil to combat cellulite and stretch marks on the skin. You just need to infuse 50 grams of grass in 200 ml of vegetable olive oil. The period of preparation of the oil extract - 3 weeks. During this period you should keep the oil in the refrigerator, and then strain it and use it for a massage. You can add a couple of drops of orange or bergamot essential oil to enhance the anti-cellulite effect.

It is better to use the oil after a shower or bath. It should be rubbed in problem areas of the skin with massaging movements until a feeling of warmth and light redness. Do not wash it off at night, but there should not be too much oil on the body, that is why the rests should be wiped off with a paper napkin. You can take this oil as a base for a can lymph drainage massage.

Contraindications to use

Not everyone is allowed to use the herb for therapeutic purposes. Despite its invaluable therapeutic value, erwa can be potentially dangerous for those with the following diagnoses:

• hypothyroidism;
• Kidney and liver dysfunction;;
• hypotension;
• rickets;
• bone dystrophy;
• Degenerative processes in the tissues of bones and joints;
• excess calcium in the body.

To a person without contraindications erwa woolly can harm in one case - when the dosage is exceeded. Usually in such situations there are side effects - nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. In rare cases, an overdose leads to dehydration, dizziness and weakness. In such states, you need to act without delay - flush the stomach, take a sorbent. In especially severe cases, it is worth to go to a doctor or call an ambulance team.

Erva woolly - a valuable tropical plant that can be used as part of the complex therapy for various diseases. The herb can be used only in the absence of contraindications, but it is important to adhere to the basic recommendations and rules of application. Otherwise, instead of a therapeutic effect, you can get harm.