Perennial shrub with curly brownish shoots, opposite, glabrous, leathery, ovate or oblong, lower – obtuse, upper – sharp, dark green above, lighter below – lighter leaves. The flowers are small, brownish-greenish, in apical few-flowered umbellate inflorescences. Corolla of 5 leaflets, alternating with five inner, filiform on top, with white hairy appendages along the edges. Fruits are placed in pairs at the ends of branches, long (5-10 cm long), fusiform-cylindrical, brown, pointed upwards, with a large number of seeds.
In its distribution, it is confined to near-river forests and shrubs. It is found in significant numbers in the forests along the Kuban valley, in Checheno-Ingushetia, Dagestan. In the open ground gives a large mass of branches, blooms and bears fruit. Frost-resistant.
In early spring, during the period of sap flow, the bark and young stalks of the obvonik are harvested for medicinal purposes. The collected raw materials can be dried outdoors or in attics.
In addition, the shrub contains the glycoside periplocin. By the nature of the action on the heart, periplocin is very similar to foxglove and is used as a substitute for foxglove. The pharmaceutical industry obtains pure periplocin from the bark and releases it in solution in ampoules for intravenous and subcutaneous administration to heart patients.
Since the milky juice of the bark contains a lot of glycoside periplocin, for medical purposes, an alcohol tincture of the bark is also used for oral administration. Used to treat acute heart failure in doses (powder) less than 1 mg.
Application
Tincture on 40% alcohol (1:10) is taken 5-10 drops 2-3 times every day for cardiovascular insufficiency I and II degree, with organic defects of the mitral valve.