Perennial herbaceous plant up to 1 m tall. The rhizome is small, thick, with thin numerous roots. Stem ribbed, hollow. The leaves are alternate, the lower ones are petiolate, the upper ones are sessile, pinnate, glabrous. The flowers are collected in paniculate inflorescences, regular, blue or purple, with spike-shaped corolla, separate petals. The fruit is a tricuspid, multi-seeded pod. Blooms in July-August.
Blue cyanosis is found in the South-East, in more northern regions, more often in the zone of deciduous forests. Grows in wet meadows, river banks, edges, shrubs and forest clearings, without forming continuous thickets.
Medicinal raw materials are rhizomes with roots and grass. Collect rhizomes with roots of one-, 2-year-old age in August-September, quickly washed and necessarily cut along and dried in dryers, or in the sun, or in attics. Grass is popularly harvested during flowering, but it is less valuable. Ready-made raw materials are thick, cut along the rhizomes with gray roots, yellowish-white at the break. Storage period 3 years.
Roots and rhizomes contain up to 20-30% saponins, essential and fatty oils, resins and unknown substances that act on the nervous system.
The cyanosis azure completely replaces the senega and ipecac. Due to the presence of a large number of saponins, it is used as an expectorant, analgesic and sedative. The sedative effect of cyanosis is 8-10 times stronger than that of valerian. Its property has also been found to significantly increase the rate of blood clotting. The preparation of cyanosis in combination with the grass cudweed marsh has been put into practice for the treatment of peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum. The course of treatment is 3 weeks. The preparations of these plants are used as follows: 30 minutes before meals, a decoction of marsh cudweed (10 g per 200 ml), 3 tbsp. spoons, after 2 hours after eating – a decoction of cyanosis roots (6 g per 200 ml) – 1 tbsp. spoon 3 times every day. At the same time, swamp cudweed is added to calm the nervous system.
In folk medicine, cyanosis azure is used for diseases of the respiratory tract, especially chronic ones, the root extract acts very effectively, especially when taking the medicine immediately before a coughing fit. These products act as an expectorant, analgesic, and sedative. They are especially useful for whooping cough and insomnia. The latter speaks of the special property of cyanosis root products to influence the central nervous system.
With these diseases, in folk medicine, blue azure is used in the form of decoctions, simple or condensed (instead of extract), from the root, and sometimes from the herb of the plant, or in a mixture of roots and herbs equally.
Application
Decoction: 3, 6 or 8 g per 200 ml; 1 st. spoon 3 times every day 2 hours after eating (for the combined treatment of peptic ulcer; as an expectorant – 4-5 times every day) or 3-5 tbsp. spoons every day.
Extract: 25%; 15 drops 3 times every day (expectorant).
Homemade extract (i.e. a decoction condensed to half or to a considerable thickness), 1 teaspoon 3 times each day.
Infusion: 3 g of roots and 8 g of grass per 200 ml of boiling water, 1 tbsp. spoon 3-5 times every day. The extract is used for diseases of the bronchi and lungs (tuberculosis, acute, chronic bronchitis, lung abscess, bronchopneumonia and lobar pneumonia).