Kushcheva, a 2-3 m tall plant of the rose family with annual vegetative shoots and lignified two-year stems on which flower-bearing twigs are formed. Annual shoots are mostly arched, strong; completely naked, without hair, scaly, 7-10 mm in diameter, with straight, slightly deviated or sickle-shaped spines on the ribs; the next year they bloom and bear fruit, after which they die. Flowering shoots are sparsely or densely hairy, with large, sickle-shaped or hooked, very expanded spines at the base. The leaves are alternate, petiolate, five-fold (on vegetative shoots) or three-fold (on flowering shoots), with narrowly lanceolate stipules; leaves are almost leathery, glabrous on top or hairy on the veins, grayish-pilose below, unevenly serrate on the edge. serrated; the terminal leaflet of leaves of annual shoots is wide, heart-shaped at the base. The flowers are regular, bisexual, 5-petalled, white, up to 3 cm in diameter, in a multi-flowered wide panicle-like inflorescence. The fruit is a complex drupe of spherical shape and black color. Blooms in June – July.
Distribution . Endemic of Crimea. It grows in the Southern and Mountain Crimea on meadows, forest edges and slopes.
Procurement and storage. Fully ripe fruits (Fructus Rubi fruticosi), leaves (Folia Rubi fruticosi) and roots (Radix Rubi fruticosi) are used for medicinal purposes. Fruits are consumed fresh or dried. For drying, the fruits are sorted (removal of extraneous impurities, overripe and damaged fruits), cleaned of flower stalks and partially of the peduncle (tear off together with its upper part) and dried in the sun or in the oven, first at a temperature of 30-40°, and finally at a temperature of 60°. The leaves are collected fully developed throughout the summer (cut or cut so that the rest of the total petiole does not exceed 2-3 cm) and dry under shelter in the open air. 30-33% of dry leaves are obtained. The roots are dug in autumn, washed, cut into 10-15 cm pieces and dried. Ready raw materials (fruits, leaves, roots) are stored in a dry room, which must be ventilated.
The plant is unofficial .
Chemical composition . Fresh blackberry fruits contain 4.53% sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose), 0.96% organic acids (malic, tartaric, citric, salicylic), pectin (0.37-0.56%), 0.18% tannins and dyes, potassium, copper, and manganese salts and vitamins (in mg %): provitamin A — 0.5—0.8, nicotinic acid — 1.6; ascorbic acid – 5.0-38.0; thiamine – 0.033; riboflavin — 0.03; vitamin K – 0.5. Blackberry leaves contain tannins (up to 14%), flavonoids, inositol, ascorbic acid, organic acids (citric, isocitric), mucous substances and essential oil (traces); the root contains a significant amount of tannin and starch.
Pharmacological properties and use. For medicinal purposes, blackberries are used very widely. People are well-known for its astringent, anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, diaphoretic and diuretic properties, its ability to have a calming effect on the central nervous system, and to reduce the amount of sugar in the blood of people with diabetes. Experiments have proven that water extracts from blackberry leaves have antiviral activity and cytotoxic properties. An infusion of dried fruits or leaves is recognized as a useful remedy for diarrhea, dysentery and catarrh of the gastrointestinal tract, for acute respiratory diseases and pneumonia, in case of increased nervous excitement, especially in hysterical fits, pathological climax (frequent rushes of blood to the head, insomnia, neurasthenia, neurosis) and nephropathy. Leaf infusion also helps with hemoptysis, gastric hemorrhages, hyperpolymenorrhea, appendicitis, dropsy and diabetes. Often, blackberry leaves are used in a mixture with marigolds, sweet marjoram, dry marsh flower, five-lobed dog nettle, blood-red hawthorn, etc. Fresh fruits of the plant are used as a tonic, sedative and antipyretic. Overripe fruits have a mild laxative effect. An infusion from the leaves of the plant is used for local treatment. It is used for gingivitis, aphthae and throat diseases, for eczema, ringworm, ulcers and purulent wounds, for whiteheads and chronic inflammation of the vagina (candidiasis, trichomoniasis, etc.). Blackberry roots are used much less often. In the form of a decoction, it is taken internally for diarrhea, dysentery, hemoptysis, hyperpolymenorrhea, appendicitis, dropsy, and varicose veins.
Medicinal forms and applications.
Internally – infusion of leaves (2 tablespoons of raw material per 500 ml of boiling water, infuse for 1 hour, strain) half a glass 4 times a day before meals;
root decoction (1 tablespoon of raw material per 500 ml of boiling water, boil for 10 minutes, strain) half a glass 4 times a day before meals;
infusion of dried fruits (2 tablespoons of raw material per 200 ml of boiling water, infuse for 15-20 minutes) 2-3 cups for 1-2 hours as a diaphoretic;
powdered dried fruits for half a teaspoon 3 times a day for diarrhea in children, sweetened with sugar; 4 teaspoons of a mixture of blackberry leaves and marigold flowers, taken in a ratio of 2:1, infuse for 10 minutes in a glass of boiling water and drink a quarter of a glass 4 times a day before meals as an anti-putrefactive, depurative and improving intestinal peristalsis. eliminates heartburn and treats intestinal catarrh, remedy;
1 tablespoon of a mixture of blackberry leaves, St. John’s wort grass and white nettle flowers, taken in a ratio of 2:3:2, infuse for 3 hours in a glass of boiling water and drink 3 glasses a day for anemia;
1 tablespoon of a mixture of gray blackberry leaves, marjoram herb, common thyme, five-lobed dog’s nettle and dried marsh flower, taken in a ratio of 2.5:2:1:2:1.5, infuse for 10 minutes in a glass of boiling water and drink 3 glasses a day with increased nervous excitability, especially with hysterical attacks;
1 tablespoon of a mixture of gray blackberry leaves, fragrant marjoram grass, five-bladed dog nettle, dried marsh flower and blood-red hawthorn flowers, taken in a ratio of 2.5:2:2:1.5:1, infuse for 10 minutes in a glass of boiling water and drink a quarter of a glass 4 times a day with pathological climax;
1 tablespoon of a mixture of gray blackberry leaves, sweet marjoram grass, five-bladed dog nettle, dried marsh flower, blood-red hawthorn flowers and young branches with white mistletoe leaves), taken in a ratio of 2.5:2:2:1.5: 1:1.5, infuse for 10 minutes on a glass of boiling water and drink for a long time, 3-4 glasses per day in case of hypertension complicated by atherosclerosis.
Externally – rinsing, lotions and douching with an infusion of leaves (50 g of raw material per 1 liter of boiling water).