An annual herbaceous plant of the leguminous (cereal) family. The stem (straw) is upright, 30-135 cm tall, with well-defined nodes and hollow internodes, branching in the lower part – nodes of the tillers. The leaves are alternate, consist of a linear plate and a long tubular sheath, on the border of which there is a membranous tongue. The spikelet is oblong, four-sided or six-sided, consists of single-flowered spikelets, three of which sit on each protrusion of the spike shaft; lower flower scales with long spines. The fruit is a grain. Blooms in June – July.
Spread. Common barley is cultivated throughout Ukraine as a fodder and food plant.
Raw. Grain is used for medicinal purposes.
The plant is unofficial .
Chemical composition . Barley grains contain proteins (15.8%), carbohydrates (up to 76%), fat (up to 3.5%), fiber (up to 9.6%), enzymes, vitamins (groups B, D, E), carotene, ash substances.
Pharmacological properties and use . Preparations from common barley (decoction of grains or infusion of barley malt) have emollient, enveloping and anti-inflammatory properties and are indicated for inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, severe cough. Barley malt infusion is also used as a “blood purifier” for skin rashes, psoriasis, eczema, furunculosis, etc. Barley porridge and soups are useful for overweight people. Barley malt baths are effective for extensive inflammatory lesions of the skin. To obtain barley malt, barley grain is germinated, dried and ground into flour.
Medicinal forms and applications .
Internally – a decoction (20 g of grain is infused for 5 hours in a glass of cold water, boiled for 10 minutes, strained) 1 tablespoon 4-6 times a day;
infusion (2 tablespoons of malt flour are infused for 4 hours in 1 liter of boiling water) half a glass 4-6 times a day, sweetened with sugar or honey.
Externally – 1,500 g of barley malt is poured into 3 liters of boiling water, infused for 30 minutes, filtered and the resulting infusion is added to a full bath (500 g of malt is taken for a pouring bath).