Biennial bare plant up to 40 cm tall. Stem single or several, branched above, tetrahedral. Leaves basal in rosette, lanceolate-ovate; stem – elliptical-oblong, entire, entire, with five veins. The flowers are bright pink in a corymbose-paniculate inflorescence – dichasia. The fruit is an oblong capsule. Blooms in June-August.
Grows in water meadows, along river banks, between bushes, fallow lands, fields, roadside ditches. The plant is widely distributed in the non-chernozem zone of Russia.
In folk medicine, it is called centauria herb. A similar species – a beautiful centaury – is found in meadows, and is also subject to collection. It is distinguished by a small height (up to 15 cm), stems branching from the base, and smaller flowers.
Medicinal raw material is a herb collected at the beginning of flowering along with basal leaves. The raw material is tied into bundles and dried in the air in the shade or in a well-ventilated area. There is no smell, the taste is bitter. The shelf life of raw materials is 2 years.
The alkaloid gentiamin contained in the plant has a pronounced anthelmintic effect.
Centaury is used as bitterness, stimulates the secretion and peristalsis of the organs of the digestive apparatus, stimulates appetite, is used to improve digestion and revitalize intestinal motility, and also has a mild laxative effect.
It is used for achilia of the stomach, constipation, flatulence, heartburn, liver diseases, insufficient secretion of bile.
In folk medicine, centaury herb is widely used as a means of improving digestion, for gastrointestinal diseases, for gastritis with increased secretion of gastric contents, heartburn, constipation, accumulation of gases in the intestines, diseases of the liver and biliary tract, vomiting, as an antihelminthic, for lung diseases (for pulmonary tuberculosis – they drink it like tea), hearts, for headaches, anemia, as a means of restoring strength after diseases accompanied by a prolonged severe febrile state, with jaundice, malaria, diabetes, some helminthic infestations and alcoholism.
Application
Tincture: 25%; 15-20 drops 3 times every day 30 minutes before meals.
Decoction 1: 10 per 15 g per 200 ml; 1 st. spoon 3 times every day 30 minutes before meals.
Infusion: pour 3 g of herbs into 0.5 liters of boiling water, leave for 10-15 minutes, strain and take 1-1.5 hours before meals (daily dose).
Decoction 2: a mixture of centaury, cumin and tansy equally; 15 g of the mixture per 200 ml of boiling water; drink 1 tbsp. spoon 3 times every day, also used for small worms in the caecum.
Powder: centaury herb pounded into powder is prescribed 1-2 g several times every day.
Infusion: 1 teaspoon of herbs per cup of boiling water, insist 10 minutes and drink 1/4 cup 3 times every day.
And also give respect to the statue