(Asarum euroraeum); horse’s hoof, underleaf; the Hvylivnyk family (Aristolochiaceae); hoof European
Beware POISON!
Most often, this plant is used as an anti-alcohol agent, but it also has other, no less important, medicinal properties. The European ungulate is also interesting because it is probably the only liana in our middle zone. The height of the plant is 5-10 cm, the rhizome is creeping, branched. The stem is recumbent, the leaves are basal, long-petiolate, kidney-shaped, heart-shaped, entire, leathery, evergreen. The flowers are bisexual, regular, single, on short drooping peduncles, located between the leaves near the soil surface, inconspicuous, brownish-red, three-petaled. They bloom in May-June. The fruit is a box, ripening in July-August.
All sources indicate that the hoof tree grows mainly in broad-leaved and mixed forests. Indeed, it occurs there, but in coniferous, more often spruce forests, a continuous carpet of this plant is impressive. In Ukraine, it grows throughout the territory, except for the Crimea.
For the preparation of medicines, leaves and rhizomes with roots are collected during the flowering period. The collected raw materials have toxic properties, so they are dried separately from other herbs in a well-ventilated, shaded place.
The roots contain essential oil (1%), alkaloids, the main of which is azarone and its derivatives (in large quantities). The leaves contain alkaloids, flavonoids and organic acids.
Most often, hooves is used as an emetic and expectorant. The emetic action is most pronounced in the roots and fresh leaves, which are used in the treatment of alcoholism. The roots are so poisonous that even a small amount (5 g of dry root powder) causes vomiting. Powder of dry leaves has laxative properties.
It would be a mistake to think that hoof is only an anti-alcohol agent. It is known that it improves cardiac activity, narrows arterial vessels, increases the tone of venous vessels and slightly increases blood pressure, exhibits diuretic, choleretic, anthelmintic, anti-inflammatory and sedative effects. In addition, plant products regulate the work of the stomach and normalize the menstrual cycle. The positive therapeutic effect of the use of hooves in peptic ulcer disease, liver disease, bladder disease, and chronic eczema of mainly nervous origin has been experimentally proven. Preparations from the roots are also used as an expectorant for bronchitis. In folk medicine, an infusion of leaves and fresh crushed leaves are used externally to heal wounds.
Contraindications to treatment with hoof products are pregnancy and angina pectoris.
Infusion of roots. 2 g of raw material per 200 ml of boiling water, infuse for 6-8 hours, filter. Take 1 tablespoon 2 times a day as an expectorant.
Infusion of leaves. 1 g of raw material per 200 ml of boiling water, infuse for 6-8 hours, filter. Take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day for hypotension.
Decoction of roots. A tablespoon of decoction, prepared at the rate of 5 g of dry roots per 200 ml of boiling water (overdose is unacceptable!), is added to 100 g of vodka and offered to drink to a patient with alcoholism. The mixture causes vomiting. The duration of treatment is several days, until the appearance of a persistent aversion to alcohol.
2 g of raw material per 200 ml of boiling water. Heat in a water bath for 10 minutes, cool. 1 teaspoon 3 times a day before meals with scanty menstruation.
Fresh crushed leaves (external). Apply to the affected areas of the skin.