An annual herbaceous plant of the asteraceae (complex-flowered) family. The stem is erect, simple or branched at the top, 10-50 (100) cm tall, bare or sparsely covered with short glandular hairs at the top. The leaves are opposite, sessile, whole, lanceolate or elongated-lanceolate, serrate-toothed on the edge. The flowers are collected in drooping, single baskets at the ends of the stems and branches, surrounded by a double-row wrapper (the width of the baskets exceeds the length); the outer leaves of the wrapper (5-9 of them) are green, leaf-shaped, elongated-linear, longer than the baskets, the inner ones are broadly ovate, brownish-green, almost the same length as the flowers. All the flowers in the basket are yellow; marginal ones are ligulate, infertile, middle ones are tubular, bisexual (when there are no ligulate flowers, then all the flowers in the basket are tubular, bisexual). The fruit is an achene with 4 toothed bristles on top.
Spread. It grows throughout the territory of Ukraine on the banks of rivers, lakes and swamps.
Procurement and storage . For medical purposes, the grass of the herd (Herba Bidentis tripartiti) is used, which is harvested during the budding period of plants. The tops, not longer than 15 cm, stems and side shoots and all the leaves are collected. The collected raw materials are dried in the shade in the open air or in a well-ventilated room, spreading a thin layer on a cloth or paper. Ready raw materials are stored in dry rooms. The shelf life is 2 years. The herd grass is on sale in pharmacies.
Chemical composition . The herb contains flavonoids (luteolin-D-glu-copyranoside, butein, sulfuretin, D-glucopyranoside of butein), condensed tannins (up to 6.5%), red phlobafen, carotene, coumarins (umbelliferone and scopoletin), ascorbic acid (60 —70 mg %), essential oil (traces), mucilage, amines, bitters, y-lactones, trace elements (in particular, manganese).
Pharmacological properties and use. Infusion of the grass of the herd has a diuretic, diaphoretic, choleretic and bactericidal effect, improves digestion, normalizes impaired metabolism. Oily extracts of sedum grass have anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties. Experiments on animals have established that the tincture of the herd when administered intravenously has a sedative effect, lowers blood pressure, increases the amplitude of heart contractions, and slightly increases the contraction of smooth muscle organs. As a means that improves metabolism, the infusion of the herb is used for various diatheses accompanied by urticaria, scrofula, neurodermatitis, seborrheic lesions of the scalp, arthritis, gout; as a diaphoretic – for colds; as a diuretic – for diseases of the genitourinary organs; as a vitamin remedy for lung diseases, ulcerative processes on the skin and ulcerative colitis. For the prevention of scrofula, children are bathed without soap in a bath made from a decoction of the herb once a week. For the treatment of scrofula, in addition to baths, which are taken 3 times a week, children are prescribed an infusion of 10 g of grass per 200 ml of water for half a teaspoon 3 times a day every day. In the treatment of psoriasis, adults are prescribed a decoction of 25-20 g of the herb per 200 ml of water, 2-3 tablespoons 3 times a day, and externally 2.5-3% ointment from the extract of the herd (prepared in 70% alcohol in the ratio 1:1) on a (equal) mixture of petroleum jelly and lanolin, which is rubbed into the skin once a day. Wounds are washed with the decoction, the skin is wiped to give it elasticity, and to eliminate blackheads and pimples. In gynecology, a decoction of the herb is used for baths and microclyses for inflammatory diseases of the female genital organs. Crushed leaves are applied to wounds and ulcers. Contraindications to the appointment of drugs of the series were not found.
Medicinal forms and applications.
Internally – infusion of the herb (15 g of raw material per 400 ml of boiling water, infuse for 30 minutes, strain) for half a glass 3-4 times a day before meals; pour two tablespoons of a mixture (equally) of the grass of the drooping row and lingonberry leaves with two glasses of boiling water, infuse for 45-60 minutes, strain and take a quarter of a glass 3-4 times a day 30 minutes before meals in case of furunculosis, eczema.
Externally – baths with decoction of grass (15-30 g of raw materials are boiled for 10 minutes in 1 liter of water, filtered and added to the bath);
washing, lotions and wiping with herbal decoction (3 tablespoons of raw material are boiled for 10 minutes in 400 ml of water, filtered);
hygienic bath for women (cleanses the skin of metabolic products, gives it elasticity and firmness, deodorizes, improves metabolism, has a calming effect): 500 g of a mixture of grass of the drooping herd, chamomile, flat thyme and common motherwort, leaves of nettle and currant black, taken in the ratio 5:3:2:1:5:2, pour 10 liters of cold water, bring to a boil, infuse for 40-50 minutes, filter and pour into the bath (water temperature 36-39°, duration of the procedure up to 20 minutes, taken every 2-3 days).