Dittany

Perennial herbaceous plant 40-80 cm high with an unpleasant strong odor. The stem is upright. The leaves are alternate, compound, pinnate. The flowers are numerous, large, white or pink with purple veins, collected in a long apical raceme. Blooms in May-July. The fruit is a five-celled capsule with black shiny seeds that ripen in July-August. The root is powerful, lignified.

Distributed in the European part of Russia. It grows on sunny rocky slopes, in light shrubs, groves and oak forests, mainly on calcareous soil.

Medicinal raw materials are the roots, which are dug up after the plants wither and dried at a temperature not exceeding 30 ° C, as well as leaves and flowers.

Preparations from the root in the form of an infusion or tincture are drunk for gastritis with low acidity, jaundice caused by inflammation of the biliary tract, acute and chronic cystitis, urolithiasis and bladder stones, hysteria, melancholy, epilepsy, asthenic conditions, fatigue, poor sleep, insomnia (in combination with valerian, lemon balm or motherwort) and as a tonic for the whole body, they drink an infusion for fever of various origins.

Application

Outwardly: tincture of leaves and flowers is used for rubbing with sciatica and rheumatism. An aqueous extract of the plant is used to treat various skin diseases (scabies, eczema, hair loss) and varicose veins.

Infusion: 6 g of root per 1 cup of boiling water, drink in 1 day in sips, or 1 spoonful of root insist 1-2 hours and drink 1/3 cup 3 times every day.

Tincture: 10%; 40-50 drops 3 times every day before meals.

It should be remembered that the touch of fresh flowers and leaves of ash-tree to exposed parts of the body causes severe burns and inflammation of the skin (dermatitis). The results of the lesion are visible after 10-15 hours. Lesions resemble thermal or chemical burns. In order to avoid burns, exposed parts of the body after collecting the ash tree will need to be washed with water in the next 10-20 minutes. Burns and pain pass slowly, after 3-6 months.

It will be necessary to work with ash grass with gloves. Do not smell flowers!