Popular names: Turkish carnation, grass, tirlych-grass, centauria, scrofula, seven-strength.
Centaury umbellatum Gilib.Annual or biennial herbaceous plant of the gentian family (Gentianaceae), up to 40 cm high. Taproot, weak. The stem is straight, solitary (rarely 2-5), tetrahedral, sometimes forked-branched at the top. Basal leaves are collected in a rosette, oblong-obovate; stem – few, opposite, sessile, lanceolate. The flowers are bright pink, tubular, with a flat, five-part limb, collected at the top of the stem in a corymbose-paniculate inflorescence. The fruit is a narrow, cylindrical, 2-cell capsule with a beak-shaped spout at the top. Seeds are small, irregularly rounded brown. Flowering in June-August, fruiting in August-September. Propagated by seeds. Distributed in the southern and middle stripes of the European part of the CIS, in Central Asia and Altai. Grows in upland meadows, fallow lands, forest edges, clearings, among bushes, in clearings, on the outskirts of swamps. It occurs mainly in small curtains. There are many legends associated with this plant. So, in the Middle Ages, the legend of the miraculous healing of a rich man became widespread. This man suffered for a long time from a serious illness, and even the doctors lost hope of alleviating his suffering. In desperation, the rich man made a vow in case of healing to donate one hundred gold pieces in favor of the poor. In a dream, an angel appeared to him and said: “You will be healed if you take the herb that I brought, but do not forget your vow,” and disappeared, leaving a bunch of herbs to the sick man. The sick man gave a hundred gold pieces to the poor, and he himself began to be treated with the grass left to him and soon recovered. Since then, the name Centaurium has been attached to the plant (from 2 Latin words: centum one hundred and aurum gold). In Russian mythology, tirlych-grass is one of the nine magical herbs. She, along with aconite, belladonna, henbane, dope, hellebore, was an indispensable part of the magic ointment, with the help of which any witch could “fly to Bald Mountain, descend into the underworld, reincarnate into any creature.” Hippocrates, Theophrastus report on the medical use of centaury , Dioscorides, Avicenna.
COLLECTION AND DRYING OF RAW MATERIALS
For medicinal purposes, the herb centaury umbrella is used along with the roots (Herba Centaurii). It is harvested at the beginning of flowering, before the leaves of the rosette turn yellow. When harvesting grass, the entire aerial part of the plant is cut off along with the rosette leaves. The harvested grass is dried in the open air in the shade, laying it out in a thin layer (3-5 cm), or in dryers at a grass heating temperature of 40-50°C. It is impossible to dry centaury grass in bunches, as this traditionally leads to decay inside the bunch. The shelf life of raw materials is 2 years. The taste of raw materials is bitter, there is no smell. Of the other species, the beautiful centaury [Centaurium pulchellum (Sw.) Druce] is used in medicine.
PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES
Centaury is used as a bitter to stimulate appetite and improve digestion. The plant stimulates the secretion of the digestive glands, increases the peristalsis of the intestinal organs and has some laxative effect, has antihelminthic and choleretic properties.
APPLICATIONS IN MEDICINE
Aboveground part. Infusion, decoction – bitterness to stimulate appetite and enhance the activity of the digestive organs, is part of the appetizing tea, gastric fees; as part of a bitter tincture – with hypacid and chronic atrophic gastritis, with anorexia due to nervous diseases, after surgery. In practical medicine, infusion, decoction (as part of collections) – for chronic enterocolitis, peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, gastroduodenitis, dyspepsia, spasms of the stomach and intestines, flatulence, diseases of the liver and gallbladder; with gynecological diseases, for involution of the uterus after childbirth, with metrorrhagia after abortion, early toxicosis of pregnant women, algomenorrhea; to strengthen the walls of blood vessels, as an antiseptic, desensitizing; with pathological menopause with a tendency to hypertension and dysmenorrhea; infusion (assembly for aerosol inhalation) – for chronic sinusitis; infusion, tincture – wound healing in diseases of the oral cavity. In Bulgaria, infusion, powder (as part of fees) – for heartburn, diabetes, constipation, anemia and as a tonic; infusion externally – for skin rashes, poorly healing wounds; tincture of olive oil – with leg ulcers. In homeopathy – for diseases of the stomach, liver, gallbladder. In folk medicine, infusion, decoction (independently, more often as part of fees) – basically similar to the use in scientific medicine; in addition, with jaundice, diarrhea, malaria, pulmonary tuberculosis, heart disease, hypertension, edema, headache; with gastroptosis, kidney disease, alcoholism, eczema, furunculosis; scrofula, influenza, helminthiasis. In the Republic of Belarus – with typhoid fever; in medieval medicine of Armenia – with neuritis, epilepsy; in the Caucasus, tincture (in the past) – for pediculosis. In Bulgaria, infusion, decoction, powder (independently, more often in collections) – for intestinal tuberculosis, gastrocardial symptoms, for regulating stools for hepatitis, for women’s diseases, hemorrhoids; locally for allergies; wound healing with purulent wounds. In some states of Central Europe – with gout, neuroses; in medieval medicine, juice, decoction (tea) – for tumors and seals of the spleen, liver, stomach cancer; locally – with cancer of the breast, lips, tongue, warts. powder (on its own, more often in collections) – for intestinal tuberculosis, gastrocardial symptoms, for regulating stools for hepatitis, for women’s diseases, hemorrhoids; locally for allergies; wound healing with purulent wounds. In some states of Central Europe – with gout, neuroses; in medieval medicine, juice, decoction (tea) – for tumors and seals of the spleen, liver, stomach cancer; locally – with cancer of the breast, lips, tongue, warts. powder (on its own, more often in collections) – for intestinal tuberculosis, gastrocardial symptoms, for regulating stools for hepatitis, for women’s diseases, hemorrhoids; locally for allergies; wound healing with purulent wounds. In some states of Central Europe – with gout, neuroses; in medieval medicine, juice, decoction (tea) – for tumors and seals of the spleen, liver, stomach cancer; locally – with cancer of the breast, lips, tongue, warts.
DOSAGE FORMS, METHOD OF APPLICATION AND DOSES
Bitter tincture (Tinctura amara). Obtained from 60 parts of centaury herb, 60 parts of three-leaf watch leaves, 30 parts of calamus rhizomes, 30 parts of wormwood herb, 15 parts of mandarin peel, 40% alcohol in sufficient quantity to make (percolation method) 1 liter of tincture. It is a transparent liquid of brownish color, bitter-spicy taste, aromatic smell. Assign inside 10-20 drops 2-3 times every day 15-20 minutes before meals to increase appetite and improve digestion. Infusion of centaury herb (Infusum herbae Centaurii): 10 g (2 tablespoons) of raw materials are placed in an enamel bowl, poured 200 ml of hot boiled water, cover with a lid and heat in boiling water (on a water bath) for 15 minutes, cool for 45 minutes at room temperature, filter, squeeze out the remaining raw materials. The volume of the resulting infusion is adjusted with boiled water to 200 ml. Taken warm, 1/3 – 1/2 cup 2-3 times every day 30 minutes before meals as bitterness to stimulate appetite and improve digestion with reduced function of the gastrointestinal tract. Appetizing tea No. 4. Ingredients: water shamrock leaves and wormwood herbs 7 parts each, centaury herbs 6 parts. A tablespoon of the mixture is brewed in 200 ml of boiling water, insisted for 20 minutes, then filtered. Take 1 tablespoon before meals 3-4 times every day.♦ Centaury herb decoction: prepared at the rate of 20 g of raw material per 1 liter of water. Appetizing tea No. 4. Ingredients: water trefoil leaves and wormwood herb 7 parts each, centaury herb 6 parts. A tablespoon of the mixture is brewed in 200 ml of boiling water, insisted for 20 minutes, then filtered. Take 1 tablespoon before meals 3-4 times every day.♦ Centaury herb decoction: prepared at the rate of 20 g of raw material per 1 liter of water. Appetizing tea No. 4. Ingredients: water trefoil leaves and wormwood herb 7 parts each, centaury herb 6 parts. A tablespoon of the mixture is brewed in 200 ml of boiling water, insisted for 20 minutes, then filtered. Take 1 tablespoon before meals 3-4 times every day.♦ Centaury herb decoction: prepared at the rate of 20 g of raw material per 1 liter of water.
APPLICATIONS IN OTHER FIELDS
In veterinary medicine – stimulating appetite, improving digestion. Spice, hop substitute. A decoction of the herb is added to homemade beer to give it bitterness. It is used as an ornamental, suitable for sowing in flowerbeds and in discounts.
ELEMENTS OF AGROTECHNICAL CULTIVATION
For growing centaury, choose areas with highly fertile, sandy or light loamy soils, with a low level of groundwater (no higher than 2-3 m from the soil plane). Seeds are sown in spring on well-cultivated and rolled soil in an ordinary way, to a depth of 0.5-1 cm. Row spacing – 45-60 cm. mixed with creeping clover.