Tree or strongly branched shrub with brownish bark, with alternate, linear-lanceolate, entire-ray leaves. Flowers unisexual, dicotyledonous. Stamens – collected in short spikes, within their flower bed consists of 2 rounded-elliptical leaves, four stamens. Pistillate flowers are collected 2-5 in the axils of the branches, within the flower bed they are tubular, yellowish, pistil with an upper single-nested ovary. The fruit is a drupe. Flowering in April-May, fruiting in August-September.
Sea buckthorn is common in the southern regions of the European part of Russia, in Transbaikalia, the Sayan Mountains, Central Asia, etc. It occurs on the sandy and pebbly shores of reservoirs.
Medicinal raw materials are fruits, fruits, seeds and leaves are used in folk medicine. Collection is made as the fruit ripens. The fruits are dried first in the shade in the air, then dried in dryers. The leaves are harvested young, dried in the shade in the air.
In the fruits of sea buckthorn it is within 2% of sugars, in the fruit pulp it is within 8% of fatty oil.
The leaves contain over 10% tannin. Sea buckthorn is rich in vitamin C (120 mg%) and carotene (8 mg%) and can be used to obtain a carotene product.
Sea buckthorn oil is obtained from the fruits of sea buckthorn. It consists of a mixture of glycerides, oleic, linoleic and palmitic acids, contains vitamin E (up to 165 mg%). B, carotene (up to 100 mg%), carotenoids (up to 250 mg%). It is a red-orange liquid with a characteristic odor and taste. Store in well-corked bottles in a cool, dark place.
Sea buckthorn oil is used externally for skin damage by x-rays and radioactive rays. It is very much appreciated by gynecologists in the treatment of colpitis, endocervicitis, endometritis, with uterine erosion and other inflammations of the female genital organs, they recommend vaginal tampons with oil. Tampons are changed every day.
With gastric and duodenal ulcers, sea buckthorn oil also gives certain positive results.
In folk medicine, fruit juice, tinctures, water tinctures, syrup and fruit oil are used for all kinds of beriberi, a simple decoction of fruits for the treatment of stomach diseases. The fruits, brewed together with the leaves, are used as a remedy for rheumatism. A decoction of the seeds is a good laxative. Sea buckthorn oil or decoction is popularly used for skin diseases. With hair loss and baldness, also cosmetically, decoctions from fruits and branches are used for internal and external use.
Sea buckthorn fruits can be eaten raw, they are used to make jelly, jam, jam, liqueurs, tinctures. Kissel is cooked from them.
Patients with acute cholecystitis, disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and with diseases of the pancreas, taking sea buckthorn oil is contraindicated.