Popular names: shepherd’s handbag, hearts, grandmother, field buckwheat, purse, henbane.
SHEPHERD’S BAG [Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medic.]An annual or biennial plant of the cruciferous family (Cruciferae), up to 60 cm high, with a thin fusiform root. Stem solitary, erect, simple or branched. Basal leaves in rosettes are first whole, and then pinnatipartite with triangular serrated lobes, on petioles; stem – sessile, whole, stalk-bearing. The flowers are small, white, collected in a vertical straight brush, which lengthens during the growing season of plants. The fruit is pods, obliquely triangular-heart-shaped, flattened. Seeds numerous, small, elliptical, yellowish-brown. It blooms from the second half of April to autumn, the fruits ripen from May to autumn. Plants that have become seeded in a warm, humid autumn often resume their vegetation and bloom again. One plant produces from 2,000 to 65,000 seeds per year, which retain field germination for up to 6 years. Propagated by seeds. Distributed throughout the CIS, with the exception of the Far North and the desert regions of Central Asia. It grows in wastelands, pastures, like a weed in vegetable gardens and crops. It is especially abundant on fallows, in vegetable gardens, young gardens and forest plantations. During the summer, 2-4 generations of shepherd’s purse grow, and in addition, there are also winter forms. Winter forms of shepherd’s purse grow in large numbers in crops of winter rye, clover and timothy clover. The spring form is common in crops of pea-vetch-oat mixtures, in potato fields. The plant develops better in clarified agrophytocenoses on loose soils rich in nitrate nitrogen. It has been known in traditional medicine of Greece and Rome since ancient times. Ancient Greek doctors used it as a mustard plant. Ancient doctors were more interested in seeds.
COLLECTION AND DRYING OF RAW MATERIALS
The aerial part (grass) (Herba bursae pastoris) is used as a medicinal raw material. The collection is carried out during the flowering of the shepherd’s bag, in dry weather, after the dew has dried, cutting the grass with a knife or secateurs or pulling out with the root along with the basal rosette of leaves. The roots are then cut off and discarded. It is unacceptable to collect plants with mature (opened) fruits, as well as plants affected by the fungus (with white bloom on the leaves). When collecting a shepherd’s purse, an admixture of field yaruka (Thlaspi arvense L.), which often grows with it, is not allowed. In contrast to the shepherd’s purse, the field rosette leaves of the yarutka are oblong-obovate, obtuse, dying off early; the fruits are round-elliptical with a narrow notch at the top. They dry the shepherd’s bag under sheds or in attics under an iron or tiled roof with good ventilation, spreading it loosely in a thin layer up to 5-7 cm thick on paper or fabric. In good weather, the grass dries up in 5-7 days. You can also dry it outdoors in the shade. The end of it is determined by the fragility of the stems. Dryers should be dried at a temperature not exceeding 45°C. The shelf life of raw materials is 3 years. The smell of raw materials is weak, the taste is bitter.
PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES
Herbal products of shepherd’s purse have a pronounced hemostatic effect, especially in hemorrhages caused by insufficient formation of fibrin. In addition, they increase the contractility of the smooth muscles of the uterus and intestinal motility. Aqueous and alcoholic extracts of the plant have hypotensive properties.
APPLICATIONS IN MEDICINE
Roots. A decoction is a hemostatic agent. The aerial part. In scientific medicine, infusion and liquid extract – in gynecological practice with uterine atony and as a hemostatic. In Chinese medicine – for dysentery and eye diseases; in Tibetan – antiemetic; in Mongolian medicine – in gynecological practice; as a hemostatic, sedative (for neuropsychiatric diseases) and wound healing. In our folk medicine, a decoction is used for dysentery, gastritis, bleeding, pulmonary tuberculosis, malaria, heart disease, liver, gynecological and venereal diseases, osteoalgia, vomiting, colds, metabolic disorders, for the treatment of purulent wounds; infusion – with hypertension, colitis, bleeding (uterine, pulmonary, renal); wash bleeding wounds, tongues. Extracts lower blood pressure, enhances intestinal and uterine motility, accelerates blood clotting. Juice – for malignant ulcers and cancer of the stomach, tumors, cancer and uterine fibroids, diarrhea, especially bloody, gallstone and urolithiasis, gout, rheumatism, diseases of the ureters, malaria, diseases of the heart, liver, bone pain, vomiting, metabolic disorders substances for the treatment of purulent wounds; to delay ovulation, also as a contraceptive. Used in homeopathy. Leaves. Astringent and antiscorbutic, in diseases of the ureters and malaria. Seeds. In Indian medicine – astringent, stimulant, antiscorbutic, diuretic for ascites. rheumatism, diseases of the ureters, malaria, diseases of the heart, liver, bone pain, vomiting, metabolic disorders, for the treatment of purulent wounds; to delay ovulation, also as a contraceptive. Used in homeopathy. Leaves. Astringent and antiscorbutic, in diseases of the ureters and malaria. Seeds. In Indian medicine – astringent, stimulant, antiscorbutic, diuretic for ascites. rheumatism, diseases of the ureters, malaria, diseases of the heart, liver, bone pain, vomiting, metabolic disorders, for the treatment of purulent wounds; to delay ovulation, also as a contraceptive. Used in homeopathy. Leaves. Astringent and antiscorbutic, in diseases of the ureters and malaria. Seeds. In Indian medicine – astringent, stimulant, antiscorbutic, diuretic for ascites.
DOSAGE FORMS, METHOD OF APPLICATION AND DOSES
Shepherd’s purse herb infusion (Infusum herbae Bursae pastoris): 10 g (2 tablespoons) of raw materials are placed in an enamel bowl, pour 200 ml of hot boiled water, cover with a lid and heat in boiling water (in a water bath) for 15 minutes, cool at room temperature for 45 minutes, filter. The remaining raw material is squeezed out. The volume of the resulting infusion is adjusted with boiled water to 200 ml. The prepared infusion is stored in a cool place for no more than 2 days. Take 1 tablespoon 4-5 times every day after meals as a hemostatic agent. Liquid extract of shepherd’s purse (Extractum Bursae pastoris fluidum) in 70% alcohol (1:10) is a transparent greenish-brown liquid with a pungent taste, with a peculiar smell. Take 20 drops 3 times every day for uterine atony and uterine bleeding.♦ Shepherd’s purse herb decoction: 10 g of raw materials are boiled in 300 ml of water for 30 minutes on low heat, then filtered. Take 1 tablespoon or 1/2 cup 3 times every day. ♦ Fresh shepherd’s purse juice: squeezed from the aerial parts of young plants. Take 1-2 teaspoons with honey 5-6 times every day after meals. CONTRAINDICATIONS AND POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: thrombophlebitis, pregnancy.
APPLICATIONS IN OTHER FIELDS
In veterinary medicine, the aerial part is used for diarrhea and internal bleeding. Leaves are used for food – in soups, borscht and for salting. The fatty oil of the seeds is suitable for technical purposes. Cake can serve as a substitute for mustard, it is also used for medicinal purposes in the form of mustard plasters. Feed for rabbits. Honey plant. It is cultivated in China on poor waste lands as an unpretentious vegetable plant, where there are even different varieties of it.
TASTY TIPS
Shepherd’s purse salad.
Finely chopped young leaves of shepherd’s purse (100 g) put on slices of cucumbers (60 g) and tomatoes (60 g), top with slices of hard-boiled eggs. Before serving, pour over sour cream (40 g). Salt – to taste.
Shepherd’s purse soup.
In boiling broth or salted water (600 ml), put sliced \u200b\u200bpotatoes (200 g) and cook until soft. Add chopped shepherd’s purse leaves (100 g), onions (20 g) fried in fat (20 g) and bring to readiness. Before serving, season with sour cream (20 g).
Shepherd’s purse puree.
Wash the young leaves of the shepherd’s purse, pass through a meat grinder, add salt and pepper (to taste). Keep refrigerated. Use to season soups and fried meat dishes.
Shepherd’s purse paste.
Pass the shepherd’s purse greens (50 g) and celery (30 g) through a meat grinder, add mustard (1 tablespoon), salt (to taste) and mix with butter (50 g). Use for sandwiches.
Shepherd’s purse powder.
Dry the young leaves of the shepherd’s purse, chop and sift, add red ground pepper to them at the rate of 1 teaspoon per 2 cups of powder. Use for seasoning first courses.