Veronica ivy (Veronica hederifolia); ivy veronica
An annual herbaceous, scattered hairy plant of the morning glory family. The stem is prostrate or erect, very branched at the base, 10–30 cm tall, with long lateral shoots. The leaves are rounded, petiolate, slightly heart-shaped at the base, with 3–5 (7) notched blades at the front. The flower is irregular, bisexual, lilac or blue, single, in the axils of the leaves; corolla shorter than calyx. The fruit is a box. Blooms in April – June.
Spread. It grows in forest glades among shrubs, in gardens, in fields almost throughout the territory of Ukraine.
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 . The herb Veronica ivy 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 . Preparations of Veronica ivy have analgesic, antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory effects. They have hemostatic, antitoxic, fungicidal, depurative, expectorant and wound-healing properties. In folk medicine, Veronica ivy is used for colds, cough, sore throat, asthma, bronchitis and tuberculosis of the lungs, for reduced appetite, stomach ulcers, diarrhea, for diseases of the liver, spleen, kidneys and bladder, for insomnia, nervous exhaustion, rheumatism, aches and internal bleeding, in the climacteric period, from the bites of vipers and rabid animals. The use of Veronica ivy is especially effective for skin diseases (rash, eczema, pyoderma, various types of itching, fungal lesions, etc.).
Medicinal forms and applications.
Internally – infusion of Veronica ivy herb (10 g per 200 ml of boiling water) for half a glass three times a day 1 hour before meals;
a mixture of Ivy-leaved Veronica grass and tricolor violet and tricolor 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 Veronica ivy herb in vegetable oil (infused for 10 days in a 1:1 ratio) is used for burns, boils and purulent wounds.