IRIS PALE (iris)
A perennial herbaceous plant from the iris family, with a rather large horizontal rhizome and adventitious roots extending from it. Stems up to 90 cm high, slightly branched at the top. The leaves are xiphoid, long (up to 60 cm), gray-green. The flowers are large, pale blue, solitary, almost sessile. The fruit is an oblong triangular capsule with numerous flattened seeds. Blossoms in June, fruits ripen in August.
Widely distributed as a flowering plant in all regions of Russia. In addition, iris is cultivated as an essential oil crop. In medical practice, it is allowed to use other decorative irises: German and Florentine.
Medicinal raw materials are rhizomes (“violet root”). The active substance in them is considered to be essential oil (yield up to 0.2%), in which the main active component is ketone iron. Rhizomes are harvested for raw materials in the fall in the third year after planting. They are washed in water, cleaned of lateral roots, aerial parts and bark. The cleaned raw materials are washed again, after which they are dried under an iron roof or in dryers. The upper, youngest part of the rhizomes can be used as planting material.
In folk medicine, in the form of an infusion, iris is used for dropsy, toothache, and externally – for rinsing the mouth with scurvy.
Under the name “violet root” iris rhizomes are part of breast tea.
In homeopathy, iris is used mainly for the treatment of inflammation of the pancreas and salivary glands, as well as for vegetative neuroses.
Application
Infusion: 10-15 g per glass of boiling water. Inside take 1 tbsp. spoon 5-6 times every day.