Dense, upright, up to 1.5 (2) m tall bush of the rose family. Stems, as well as flowering shoots, are covered with the same type of straight, often slightly deflected upwards, less often downwards spikes. Flowering shoots, in addition, are sometimes covered with small needle-like or bristly glands. The leaves are spiral, odd-pinnate, large (8.5-9 cm long), with a main stem studded, like the stipules, with hairs mixed with glands; leaves (7 of them, rarely 5 or 9) are broadly elliptic, large, 4-5 cm long and 2.5-3 cm wide, on both sides, especially from the bottom, abundantly covered with hairs with an admixture of glands. The flowers are regular, bisexual, in few-flowered corymbose inflorescences, rarely single, on short (up to 10-15 mm) glandular-bristle peduncles; sepals on the back are glandular-bristle, outer – with pinnate, less often filamentous appendages, after flowering, they rise up, close and remain with ripe fruits; petals (5 of them) are dark pink, shorter than the sepals. The fruit is a hypanthium, purple, spherical or almost spherical, large, glandular-bristle. Blooms in June – July.
Distribution . Apple rosehip grows almost throughout the territory of Ukraine in thickets of shrubs, on the edges of forests, in sparse forests, as well as on cliffs and along forest streams.
Procurement and storage . For medical purposes, the fruits of rose hips (Fructus Rosae) are used, which are collected in the stage of full ripeness (but not overripe) by hand in canvas gloves. The collected fruits are dried in a dryer or oven at a temperature of 80-100°, spreading them in a thin layer. 50% of dry fruits are obtained. The finished raw materials are stored in dry, cool rooms. The shelf life is 2 years.
Chemical composition . Rosehip fruits contain ascorbic acid (up to 17% on dry matter), carotene (0.7-8 mg%), vitamins B 1 , B 2 , PP, K, pantothenic acid, flavonoids (hyperoside, astragalin, quercitrin, kaempferol, etc. .), phenolic acids, pectin substances (1.8-3.7%), sugars (0.9-8.1%), organic acids (0.9-3.7%), salts of iron, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium.
Pharmacological properties and use. The fruits of rose hips have anti-scurvy, anti-sclerotic and anti-inflammatory effects, activate enzyme systems and redox processes in the body, have a beneficial effect on carbohydrate metabolism, enhance hormone synthesis and tissue regeneration, stimulate the body’s resistance to adverse environmental factors, increase bile secretion, and increase diuresis. Rosehip fruits are used for the prevention and treatment of hypo- and vitamin C and R deficiency, acute and chronic infections, atherosclerosis, nephritis, acute and chronic diseases of the liver, intestines, peptic ulcers, hemorrhagic diatheses, hemophilia, bleeding (pulmonary, uterine), with an overdose of anticoagulants, hyperthyroidism and adrenal insufficiency, traumatic shock. A good therapeutic effect is obtained with pneumonia, bronchopneumonia, bronchiectasis, in the case of bronchial asthma, in the treatment of eye diseases (hemorrhagic retinitis, choroiditis, hemorrhage in the vitreous body). As a choleretic agent, rosehip is used to treat chronic hepatitis, cholecystitis, and cholangitis. Rosehip fruits are part of vitamin teas. A syrup made from a concentrated aqueous extract of rose hips – holosas is prescribed for cholecystitis and hepatitis. Oil (Oleum Rosae) is made from rosehip seeds, which is used as an external remedy for wound healing, in dental practice (gingivitis, stomatitis), for cracked nipples, bedsores, trophic ulcers of the leg, dermatoses, and in the form of microclyses for non-specific ulcerative colitis. As a choleretic agent, rosehip is used to treat chronic hepatitis, cholecystitis, and cholangitis. Rosehip fruits are part of vitamin teas. A syrup made from a concentrated aqueous extract of rose hips – holosas is prescribed for cholecystitis and hepatitis. Oil (Oleum Rosae) is made from rosehip seeds, which is used as an external remedy for wound healing, in dental practice (gingivitis, stomatitis), for cracked nipples, bedsores, trophic ulcers of the leg, dermatoses, and in the form of microclyses for non-specific ulcerative colitis. As a choleretic agent, rosehip is used to treat chronic hepatitis, cholecystitis, and cholangitis. Rosehip fruits are part of vitamin teas. A syrup made from a concentrated aqueous extract of rose hips – holosas is prescribed for cholecystitis and hepatitis. Oil (Oleum Rosae) is made from rosehip seeds, which is used as an external remedy for wound healing, in dental practice (gingivitis, stomatitis), for cracked nipples, bedsores, trophic ulcers of the leg, dermatoses, and in the form of microclyses for non-specific ulcerative colitis.
Medicinal forms and applications.
Internally – fruit infusion (10 g, or 1 tablespoon of raw material per 200 ml of boiling water) half a glass 2-3 times a day before meals;
cholosas (Cholosas) 1 teaspoon 2-3 times a day, children – a quarter of a teaspoon 2-3 times a day.