Veronica spicata (Veronisa spicata); Veronika spiky
Perennial herbaceous glandular pubescent plant of the morning glory family. The stem is ascending, simple or branched at the top, 15–30 cm high. The leaves are opposite, sometimes the upper ones are alternate, lanceolate or linear, entire, petiolate or sessile. The flowers are bisexual, irregular, bright blue or purple, sometimes white, in apical dense tassels. The fruit is a box. Blooms in June – September.
Spread. It occurs in pine and mixed forests, on the edges of forests, meadows, on sands, in fields throughout the territory of Ukraine, but less often in the south.
Procurement and storage . Herb (Herba Veronicae officinalis) collected during flowering of the plant is used. Dry under a tent or in a dry, ventilated room. 1 kg of dry grass is obtained from 5 kg of raw grass. Store in a dry place.
The plant is unofficial.
Chemical composition . St. Veronica herb contains glycosides aucubin and veronicin, saponins, essential oil, tannins and bitter substances, organic acids (malic, citric and lactic), vitamin C (230 mg%), flavonoids, etc.
Pharmacological properties and use . Veronika spiky preparations show analgesic, antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory effects. They have hemostatic, antitoxic, fungicidal, depurative, expectorant and wound-healing properties. In folk medicine, Veronika colossus is used for colds, cough, sore throat, asthma, bronchitis, and pulmonary tuberculosis, for reduced appetite, stomach ulcers, diarrhea, for diseases of the liver, spleen, kidneys, and bladder, for insomnia, nervous exhaustion, rheumatism, and aches and internal bleeding, in the climacteric period, from the bites of vipers and rabid animals. The use of Veronika spiky is especially effective for skin diseases (rash, eczema, pyoderma, various types of itching, fungal lesions, etc.).
Medicinal forms and applications.
Internally – an infusion of Veronica spiky grass (10 g per 200 ml of boiling water) for half a glass three times a day 1 hour before meals;
a mixture of St. Veronica grass and three-color violet and three-part sedum in a ratio of 1:1:1 is prepared as an infusion (3 teaspoons per 200 ml of boiling water) and drunk 4 glasses a day 1 hour after meals for skin rashes, eczema, scrofula, fungal lesions, pyoderma.
Externally – an infusion or decoction of the herb (20 g per 200 ml of boiling water) for washing and local baths for various skin diseases: acne, pustules, itchy rashes, fungal diseases, wounds, burns, etc.;
Infusion of freshly collected Veronika spiky grass in vegetable oil (infused for 10 days in a 1:1 ratio) is used for burns, boils and purulent wounds.