Camphorosma of Montpellier – Camphorosma of Montpellier

Camphorosma monpeliaca (Camphorosma monspeliaca); Camphorosma Montpellier 

A semi-shrub, with a camphor-like smell, a plant of the lovage family, 10-50 cm tall. It forms a thick sod, from which annual whitish or white-pillow flower-bearing shoots emerge, branched only in the inflorescence. The leaves are alternate, filiform-acuminate, keeled, hairy, later almost bare. The flowers are small, bisexual, single, in the axils of the bracts, forming a dense spike-shaped inflorescence. Perianth simple, oval, four-leaved, 3-3.5 mm long, densely hairy; its two side teeth are green, the middle teeth are membranous. The fruit is indehiscent, with a membranous fruit; seeds are vertical, elongated-oval, with scattered glands. Blooms in July – September.

Spread. Camphorosma montpeliiska grows in the Donetsk Forest-Steppe and Steppe, in the Crimea, especially on the South coast; occurs in the southern steppes on salt marshes, especially on sandy and gravelly slopes.

Raw. For the manufacture of medicines, grass is used, which is collected during the flowering of the plant. Dry in the shade in the open air or in a room with good ventilation.

The plant is unofficial .

Chemical composition . The aerial part of the plant contains 0.2% essential oil with the smell of bitter almonds.

Pharmacological properties and use . Montpellier camphorosa has stimulating, diaphoretic and diuretic properties. In folk medicine, the infusion of camphorosma herb is taken internally for nervous diseases, whooping cough, chronic runny nose, colds and dropsy, in the absence of menstruation; locally — For wound healing. Poultices from the grass are used as a means that promotes the resorption of tumors.

Medicinal forms and applications .

Internally – herbal infusion (1 tablespoon of raw material per 200 ml of boiling water, infuse for 1-2 hours, strain) 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day.