Name: Dry tops zvichayn – Chernogolovka ordinary
Common dry cream (Prunella vulgaris, synonym — Brunella vulgaris); swallow; Lamiaceae (Labiatae) family; Common blackhead
Sukhovershki is one of the most widespread plants in the middle zone of Russia and Ukraine. Where can you not meet her! Woodlands, forest clearings, meadows, thickets of shrubs are typical places where this plant grows. In addition, dry grasses grow on lawns in gardens, orchards, and homesteads. If you do not monitor the number of plants in the garden, they quickly form dense curtains, weeding cultivated areas of the soil.
It is a herbaceous perennial, up to 60 cm tall, usually 10-30 cm. The leaves are petiolate, ovate or oblong, often blunt, entire or barely toothed at the edges. The leaves of the upper pair are sessile, located at the very base of the elongated spike-like inflorescence. Bracts and flower cups are usually colored dark purple. The flowers are 6-12 mm long, purple, rarely white, bloom from July to September. The fruit consists of four one-seeded nuts. Suhovershki are common in almost the entire territory of Russia, with the exception of the regions of the Far North, and grow almost throughout Ukraine, as well as in the nearest neighboring countries. Medicinal and honey plant.
For medicinal purposes, the aerial part of the plant is harvested during the flowering period. The collected raw materials are dried in the shade in the open air or in rooms with good ventilation.
The aerial part of the dried cream contains tannins (up to 1%) and resinous substances, essential oil (up to 0.5%), carotene (provitamin A) (6 mg%), vitamin K, ascorbic acid (30 mg%), rutin, ursolic acid , a triterpene saponin. The composition of the essential oil includes camphor.
The plant is used only in folk medicine. Traditional healers use the products of dry cream as a remedy that has antipyretic, astringent, antimicrobial and antispasmodic properties. They are able to lower blood pressure, increase urination, and stop bleeding. Useful use of plant infusion for inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, thyrotoxicosis (goiter), rheumatic polyarthritis, exudative diathesis (jaundice) and skin tuberculosis. This product soothes stomach pain, helps with diarrhea and swelling, heart and gynecological diseases, as well as epilepsy. As an external remedy, the infusion of dry tops grass is recommended for washing bedsores, washing wounds with bandages, and treating skin diseases (lotions and baths). In case of inflammatory processes in the oral cavity, the product is used for rinsing. Washing the head with an infusion of dry tops gets rid of dandruff. Boiled grass is applied to the neck in cases of sore throat.
In homeopathy, the plant is used for throat diseases.
Some authors believe that common sour cream has toxic properties, and warn against excessive use of their products.
The plant is a source of pollen and nectar for honey bees. A long period of flowering gives insects the opportunity to collect a small but constant bribe from the flowers of dry tops. They pollinate the plant. The method of pollination is interesting. The flowers of dry tops have a special device in the form of a lever or barrier, which opens access to nectar only after the pollen hits the insect’s back. Everything is cunningly arranged – for mutual benefit! The honey productivity of the plant is low – up to 36 kg from 1 hectare.
Herbal infusion. 1 teaspoon of raw material per 250 ml of boiling water. Insist for 2 hours, filter. Take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day. With diarrhea of various origins, the infusion is drunk hot for 1/2-1/3 cup 3 times a day.
Decoction of grass (external). 1 tablespoon of raw material per 1 liter of boiling water. Boil for 5 minutes, infuse for 1 hour, filter and use for washing, rinsing, lotions and baths.