AIR TROSTINOVY
(ORDINARY LETEPHA, TATAR POTION) –
Acorus pen L.
Aroid family – Agaseae
What does it look like? Perennial herb 60-120 cm tall. The rhizome is thick, up to 50 cm long, knotty, white inside, soft, spongy, yellow or yellow-green on top, bitter-burning in taste, pleasant smell. The stem at the base is reddish with a purple tint, the flowers are gathered in a thick, fleshy inflorescence – the beginning, which is popularly called a cob. Leaves with pronounced veins, sword-shaped, linear, pointed, fleshy. The fruit is an oblong dry berry. In the conditions of Ukraine, it is not enough. Blooms in June.
Where does it grow? Throughout the territory of Ukraine in stagnant waters, near the banks of rivers, ponds, swamps, in places with large thickets, except for the Carpathians and Polynyno Steppe.
What and when are collected? Rhizomes, digging with pitchforks, in the fall or in the spring. they are washed in cold water, sorted, cut into small pieces and dried.
When is it used? As a tonic for depression of the central nervous system; in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, sluggish digestion (increases the excitability of the taste buds and salivation), diarrhea, as a diuretic, in diseases of the biliary tract, kidney stones; as an anti-inflammatory agent for malaria (action of calamine alkaloid, acorine glycoside, phytoncides, volatile oil, sesquiterpenes, terpenes, azarone, chamazulene, eugenol, trimethylamine, resinous substance acoretin, tannins, etc.); when the menstrual cycle is disturbed in women for its regulation; to increase sexual arousal; with nervous diseases with convulsions, with chronic diseases of the spinal cord with loss of sensitivity, with increased heartbeat.
Used in the form of tea. To do this, add 1 teaspoon of crushed rhizome of ayru to 1 glass of cold water, bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. They drink (depending on the need) 1-3 cups a day in sips for rheumatism, dropsy, pale weakness, menstrual cycle disorders in women. To regulate the activity of the intestines, brew 2 tablespoons of a mixture of yarrow rhizome, valerian root, buckthorn bark, cold mint leaves and nettle (in a ratio of 1:1:3:2:3) in 2 glasses of water for 10 minutes, filter through cheesecloth and drink half a glass in the morning and in the evening (action of volatile oil and bitterness).
The juice of the root is used to strengthen vision, to improve memory and to get rid of the habit of smoking (causes vomiting). Instead of a decoction, you can drink an alcohol tincture of the root of the yarrow in a ratio of 1:5—10—30 drops three times a day with water or on a lump of sugar, and rinse your mouth with the same infusion for toothache. For heartburn, powder (0.3-0.5) from the rhizomes of ayrus is used; 2-3 g three times a day — to reduce the processes of fermentation in the intestines, anemization and analgesia of the mucous membranes. This powder is also used externally. Purulent wounds and ulcers are covered with it. For gargling with laryngitis (sore throat, hoarseness) and glossitis (inflammation of the tongue with swelling, cracks, temperature, and difficulty swallowing), use a decoction of a mixture of yarrow rhizomes, sage leaves, oak bark, and nettle leaves (in equal amounts). Decoction for rinsing is prepared as follows. Take 1 tablespoon of the mixture per 1 glass of cold water, cook in a covered vessel for 10 minutes. This decoction is used to gargle the throat and mouth three times a day for scurvy and amphodontosis.
A decoction of a mixture of the rhizomes of ayrus, burdock root (one handful each) and cones of ordinary hops (two handfuls) – in 3-4 liters of water – wash the head with hair loss, dandruff twice a week.
Fresh leaves of yarrow have an insecticidal effect against fleas and other insects.