How is Echinacea useful and how to use it properly

Infrequently in nature you can find plants that help from many diseases. One such home healer is Echinacea purpurea. The flower is widely used in pharmacology, traditional medicine and gardening.

Features and chemical composition of Echinacea purpurea

Echinacea purpurea is a tall, beautiful plant, all parts of which have medicinal properties. However, it is absolutely non-toxic. Echinacea flowers attract many insects and are good honey plants. They come in different colors: they can be yellow, white, orange, and also purple, lilac, and others.

Now there is a huge variety of varieties. Its stems are straight, rough, reaching 1-1.5 meters in height. The leaves are also rough, alternate. Flower baskets are single, large, 12 cm in diameter.

Echinacea purpurea in different regions may have different names:

• snake root;
• ore;
• red sun;
• comb hair;
• deer root;
• evening sun;
• purple cone.

Echinacea purpurea belongs to the Astrov family, which are mainly not toxic toxic properties. Along with this, there are many useful compounds present in the plant, causing its high therapeutic efficacy:

• essential oils;
• echinacides (the most useful components) destroy bacteria;
• flavonoids;
• phenolic compounds with various effects: antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, anti-oxidant;
• alkylamides have anesthetic properties;
• polysaccharides have anti-inflammatory, immunomodulating properties;
• saponins have a neutralizing, immunostimulating effect;
• tannins;
• resins;
• hydroxycinnamic acids: chicory - an immunomodulatory effect, coffee - antibacterial, antioxidant, antifungal;
• inulin (in roots and rhizomes up to 6%);
• phytosterols;
• minerals (K, Ca, Zn, Mg, Co, Se, Ag);
• alkaloids (tussilyagin, isotussilyagin).

Although the chemical composition of the plant is well studied and all sorts of medicines have already been created with it, however, scientists still discover some new properties. Thanks to them, the plant is good for the body.

Medicinal properties

Echinacea is used in many cases. Plant-based drugs cause increased interferon production in the body. For example, if a person falls ill with a viral infection, the loading dose of such a drug completely stops the process. Echinacea stimulates our nervous system in a stimulating manner and has an analgesic effect.

Apply a plant with:

• infectious diseases (meningitis, diphtheria, osteomyelitis, typhoid fever);
• tonsillitis, sore throat;
• mental and physical fatigue;
• septic conditions;
• furuncles, bedsores, burns or purulent wounds, ulcers (externally).

In the past, Echinacea even cured people of sepsis. But now the plant with many of these diseases is no longer used. Appeared antibiotics, which are considered more effective. Outwardly, the plant acts not only as an anesthetic, but also as a good healing agent.

Echinacea for men

For medicinal purposes, all parts of the plant are used. To raise potency, use the roots of plants and preparations based on them:

• alcohol tincture;
• hot water extracts (infusions, decoctions);
• juice from the inflorescences of the plant.

Especially useful for the prevention of impotence in men to take fresh juice, obtained from baskets of a flower. It also helps with depression, physical, intellectual fatigue.

Curative plant for women's health

Gynecological diseases occur in women throughout their lives. Echinacea can help in many cases:

1. Cervical erosion. Echinacea oil tincture: pour dry grass and flowers with vegetable oil (1:10), leave for 40 days, make tampons at night. For oral administration - oil tincture on the roots of the plant (1: 5), 3 p / day, 1 tbsp. l 2 hours after meals.
2. PMS. 30 drops of oil tincture three times a day seven days before and after.
3. Beli Drug collection of celandine, St. John's wort, echinacea, yarrow, oak bark, sage, burdock, meadow root - 100 grams, as well as the root of the mountaineer, plantain, cinquefoil root, chamomile, marigold - 50 grams. Take 1 tbsp. l. / 1 ​​cup of boiling water, insist half an hour, drink 1/3 to a meal.

Healing properties for children

Echinacea is used to treat adenoids. To do this, a child with a mass of about 15 kg should take 10 drops of oil drawing of flowers, do it three times. If nasal breathing is not completely blocked, the infusion can be drawn in through the nasal cavity and spat out. If the nasal passages are fully embedded, drip into each nostril several times, head thrown back.

In adolescence, alcohol extract of the plant will help to cure furunculosis. To clean the blood, take 40 drops per spoonful of water three times a day. At the same time make compresses with the same preparation.

Echinacea oil extract heals burns well. Lubricate up to five times a day, at the same time drink a vodka tincture inside of 30 drops 3 times a day. Oil or alcohol extract can lubricate the place of insect bites. It will also help prevent skin damage.

The use of a unique plant in cosmetology

Echinacea is useful as a cosmetic both in adolescence and in mature. In adolescence, the plant helps to care for problem skin, at a later age it prevents premature aging.

1. Fading skin. 0.5 teaspoons of honey per tablespoon of echinacea juice. Apply the mixture for ¼ hours, remove with a napkin soaked in the alcohol extract of the plant.
2. Arms. After washing, washing the dishes, rub in the cream with a few drops of echinacea tincture.
3. Body. Take a bath with echinacea infusion. Helps fight acne, accelerates wound healing.
4. Hair. Seborrhea is treated with a mask of freshly picked herbs, flowers. Grind to a mushy mass, add egg yolk. Apply the mixture to the hair, cover with polyethylene, hold for half an hour.
5. Teeth. Mix 1 tsp. shallow salt and soda, dilute infusion of plants to a pasty state.

Of course, you can buy ready-made funds. But there is nothing better than what nature has prepared.

Echinacea tincture

From Echinacea, you can prepare a variety of medicines. The easiest to use and effective alcohol extract of the plant. It is used for such health problems:

1. Stress, emotional overload.
2. Memory loss
3. Ulcers and other digestive problems.
4. Diseases of the female reproductive system.
5. Stones in the kidneys.
6. Adenoma.

The treatment is carried out on 15-30 drops three times daily intake. The full scheme of therapy consists of three small courses of 10 days with breaks of several days.

How to cook at home

To make an alcohol tincture yourself, you need to cut the inflorescences, put them in a suitable jar and fill it to the very foundation. After that, top up with vodka. Insist about a month in a dark place. After 30 days, when the tincture is ready, strain it. Drink before meals, adding to water or tea.

Attention! It must be remembered that the alcohol extract of echinacea contributes to an increase in pressure. If the patient has hypertension, this must be reported to the doctor.

Recipes of traditional medicine

There are many recipes for the preparation of echinacea drugs. It is only necessary to choose which form of the drug will be the most effective and safe in each case.

Healing broth

Echinacea water hoods are best prepared using a thermos. Pour into the dishes one tablespoon of dried flowers, pour 0.5 liters of boiling water. Close and leave overnight. In the morning, strain and take warm to 0.15 l each time before meals.

Infusion on cold water

Alcohol solutions are not suitable for the treatment of children. In this case, you can do differently:

• cut off the entire ground part during flowering (leaves, stem, flowers);
• grind thoroughly in a meat grinder or manually with a knife;
• pour cold water.

Let stand 30-40 minutes, and then strain through double gauze. The resulting tool is allowed to prepare in relatively large quantities for the whole winter. This can be done in the freezer, dividing the entire infusion into separate small portions. As required, use throughout the cold season.

Contraindications and side effects

Echinacea can sometimes serve as a trigger for the development of an allergic reaction, so you should not self-medicate. It should be treated with caution by people who have hypersensitivity to other plants in the Compositae family:

• daisies;
• daisy;
• marigolds;
• arnica.

Most people who take Echinacea drugs usually do not have any side effects. But in some patients, undesirable manifestations are possible:

1. Stomach upset. The most common side effect with echinacea treatment. Nausea, dizziness.
2. Rash, swelling. Usually caused by hypersensitivity.
3. Increased body temperature.
4. A sharp manifestation of asthma.

All new signs can not be ignored and continue taking medications. Treatment must be stopped and consult a doctor. There is a category of patients for whom taking Echinacea is strictly contraindicated:

1. People taking immunosuppressants, glucocorticosteroids. Echinacea prevents the development of the desired effect.
2. Patients who are assigned cytokines. The plant at times enhances their action, which can also be dangerous.
3. Women during pregnancy, lactation.
4. Patients with multiple sclerosis, tuberculosis, leukemia, autoimmune processes and connective tissue diseases.

Echinacea is not just a plant, beloved by gardeners for simplicity and beauty, it is known worldwide as a medicine for many diseases. First of all, the immunomodulating effect is appreciated.