K remena bila (Petasites albus); white butterbur
A perennial herbaceous plant of the asteraceae (complex-flowered) family. It has a fleshy, evenly thickened rhizome. The stem is flowering, thin, white-fluffy-hairy, 30-60 cm tall, with scaly, elongated ovoid, cobweb-white-fluffy pointed leaves on the edges and in the upper part. Basal leaves are round-heart-shaped, large-toothed, whitish from below, soft-flaky-hairy. The flowers are tubular, yellowish-white, in baskets, which form a loose, almost shield-like inflorescence at the beginning of flowering, later – a paniculate inflorescence. The fruit is an achene. Blooms in April – May.
Spread. It occurs in the Carpathians, Transcarpathia and Prykarpattia in wet forests and ravines, along the banks of rivers and lakes.
Procurement and storage . Leaves (Folia Petasitis officinalis) and rhizomes (Rhizoma PetaSitis officinalis) are used to make medicines. The leaves are collected in June-July, before the appearance of rusty spots on it, by cutting the leaf plates without petioles. They are dried under a tent or in the attic until the thickest veins of the plate become brittle. 14-15% of dry raw material is obtained. The shelf life is 3 years. The rhizomes are dug in autumn. They are washed and dried outdoors, under a tent or in warm rooms. 20% of dry raw materials are obtained. Pharmacies do not release raw materials.
The plant is unofficial .
Chemical composition . Rhizomes contain triterpene saponins (6.7-7.6%), tannins (more than 5%), essential oil (0.1-0.18%), traces of alkaloids, flavonoids (0.23-0.34%) , resinous substances, petazol, petazin, inulin and a significant amount of manganese. The leaves contain the same substances, but in smaller quantities. On the other hand, there are almost twice as many flavonoids in the aerial part (especially in the inflorescences).
Pharmacological properties and use . It has been experimentally proven that products made from the rhizomes of White Cress have an antispasmodic effect. The leaves of the plant are included in the mixture for the preparation of the mixture according to the prescription of M. N. Zdrenko, which is used in the treatment of papillomatosis of the urinary bladder and anacid gastritis. In folk medicine, an infusion of leaves or a decoction of rhizomes is used for dry cough as an expectorant, for peptic ulcer disease of the stomach and duodenum, nervous spasms, shortness of breath, hysterical fits, flatulence, and constipation. Externally, fresh leaves are used to heal wounds and reduce swelling, poultices from leaves are used to reduce gouty and rheumatic pain.
Medicinal forms and applications .
Internally – infusion of leaves (2 teaspoons of leaves per 200 ml of boiling water) 1 tablespoon 3 times a day;
decoction of rhizomes (1 teaspoon of raw material per 200 ml of boiling water) drink 2 glasses a day, in sips;
decoction of rhizomes (2 teaspoons of rhizomes per 200 ml of decoction of barley or pearl barley, boiled for 10 minutes on low heat) drink with honey 1 tablespoon 3 times a day;
a mixture of the rhizomes of White flint (25 g) and creeping wheatgrass (20 g), veronica herb (20 g) and tricolor violet (30 g) is prepared as an infusion (2 tablespoons of the mixture per 1 liter of boiling water, boil for 15 minutes) and drink after eating for gout;
a decoction of the rhizomes of white flint (25 g of rhizomes per 1 liter of boiling water) is drunk warm for a quarter of a glass 3 times a day for 2-6 months in case of peptic ulcer disease.
Externally – poultices from fresh or dry leaves.
It is not recommended to harvest the leaves of the white Kremena for the preparation of the mixture according to the prescription of M. N. Zdrenko.