Popular names: water pepper, pepper buckwheat, frog, wild mustard, forest mustard, turnip.
Highlander Pepper (Polygonum hydropiper L.)An annual herbaceous plant of the buckwheat family (Polygonaceae), with a sharp, hot and peppery taste. The stem is erect, reddish, branched from the base, up to 90 cm in height. The leaves are alternate, oblong-lanceolate, green, with bare reddish bells at the base. On the upper side of the leaf, one can traditionally notice translucent dots of essential oil glands. The flowers are pink or red, small, collected in long, thin, often drooping spiky racemes. The fruit is an ovoid nutlet, flat on one side and convex on the other. Blooms from late June to September, fruits ripen from July to October. Propagated by seeds. It grows as a weed throughout the CIS, with the exception of the Far North. Grows on moist fertile soils in alder forests, shrubs, swampy depressions, meadows, ditches, along the damp banks of rivers and lakes, garbage places, along roads. Often found as a weed. The plant is poisonous! Highlander pepper has been used in medicine since ancient times. It was used as a medicinal plant by the ancient Greeks and Romans. Alchemists used it for medicinal purposes, attributing magical properties to it.
COLLECTION AND DRYING OF RAW MATERIALS
For medicinal purposes, the grass of the mountaineer is used, which is harvested during the flowering period of the plant, cut off at a height of 10-15 cm from the soil. Dry in the shade in the air, laying out in a thin layer and often turning over, as the grass quickly turns black during slow drying. It is best to dry in dryers at 40 – 50°C. Drying is considered complete if the raw material breaks when bent. When harvesting, several plants are left for reproduction in 10 m 2 . The shelf life of raw materials is 2 years. Dried raw materials do not have a peppery taste. The main harvesting areas are located in Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Voronezh region of Russia.
PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES
Galenic products of the pepper mountaineer have hemostatic properties. Volatile essential oil slightly lowers blood pressure. Flavonoid compounds reduce the permeability of the vascular wall of arterioles and capillaries. The hemostatic effect of the plant is combined with the ability to stimulate contractions of the uterine muscles like ergot, but these properties are much weaker in the pepper mountaineer. Galenic products also have some cardiotonic and diuretic effects and slightly increase the tone of peripheral vessels.
APPLICATIONS IN MEDICINE
Roots. With low acidity and other gastrointestinal diseases, with impotence. Aerial part. Widely used in scientific and traditional medicine. The medical industry makes liquid water pepper extract and water pepper herb infusion. The extract is part of the Anestezol antihemorrhoid suppositories. Water and alcohol extracts – a hemostatic agent for many types of bleeding (uterine, menstrual, gastric, bladder). The decoction has bacteriostatic properties; taken for malaria, difficulty urinating, rashes and scrofula, tumors and bruises, also as an astringent, analgesic; fresh externally – as a substitute for mustard plasters; inside – with ulcers and stomach cancer. In the form of tea – with a headache. In Georgia, it is included in the collection against rheumatism. However, the products of the pepper mountaineer are currently not often used on their own. Usually they are used as an aid in complex therapy for uterine and internal bleeding. Sometimes – with diarrhea and enterocolitis in combination with various medicinal plants. In complex collections, it is prescribed for patients with chronic colitis, accompanied by erosive and ulcerative lesions of the mucous membrane, also for the treatment of hemorrhoids. As part of a collection of medicinal plants, they are used to prepare baths for the external treatment of hemorrhoids. In complex collections, it is prescribed for patients with chronic colitis, accompanied by erosive and ulcerative lesions of the mucous membrane, also for the treatment of hemorrhoids. As part of a collection of medicinal plants, they are used to prepare baths for the external treatment of hemorrhoids. In complex collections, it is prescribed for patients with chronic colitis, accompanied by erosive and ulcerative lesions of the mucous membrane, also for the treatment of hemorrhoids. As part of a collection of medicinal plants, they are used to prepare baths for the external treatment of hemorrhoids.
DOSAGE FORMS, METHOD OF APPLICATION AND DOSES
Liquid water pepper extract (Extractum Polygoni hydropiperis fluidum) is a transparent green-brown liquid with an aromatic odor, a bitter-astringent taste. Assign 30-40 drops 3-4 times every day as a hemostatic agent. Infusion of water pepper herb (Infusum herbae Polygoni hydropiperis): 20 g (2 tablespoons) of raw materials are placed in an enamel bowl, pour 200 ml of hot boiled water and heat in boiling water (in a water bath) for 15 minutes, cooled at room temperature for 45 minutes, filtered, the remaining raw materials are squeezed out. The volume of the resulting infusion is adjusted with boiled water to 200 ml. Take 1/3 cup 3-4 times every day before meals as a hemostatic agent. Water pepper herb (Herba Polygoni hydropiperis) is available in packs of 100 g. Store in a cool, dry place. CONTRAINDICATIONS AND POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: since the plant has a strong blood-clotting effect, patients with thrombophlebitis should not take it. Contraindicated in inflammation of the kidneys and bladder. The use of water pepper without the advice of the attending physician is undesirable. * Poisoning horses with mountaineer is observed. Symptoms: general weakness, diarrhea, ataxia, fever, weakness of the heart. First aid consists in the appointment of laxatives, enveloping agents, and for diarrhea – astringents. With general oppression, caffeine, camphor and other products are introduced. * Poisoning of horses by mountaineer is observed. Symptoms: general weakness, diarrhea, ataxia, fever, weakness of the heart. First aid consists in the appointment of laxatives, enveloping agents, and for diarrhea – astringents. With general oppression, caffeine, camphor and other products are introduced. * Poisoning of horses by mountaineer is observed. Symptoms: general weakness, diarrhea, ataxia, fever, weakness of the heart. First aid consists in the appointment of laxatives, enveloping agents, and for diarrhea – astringents. With general oppression, caffeine, camphor and other products are introduced.
APPLICATIONS IN OTHER FIELDS
Highlander pepper is used in veterinary medicine. It is used for dyeing fabrics depending on the mordant in colors: yellow, golden, black, khaki. It is used as a spicy seasoning for food (especially in China).