COLLECTION AND DRYING OF RAW MATERIALS
For medicinal purposes, clover inflorescences (heads with apical leaves) and grass are used, which are harvested during the full flowering period. They tear off with their hands or cut off with a knife a whole inflorescence with a wrapper, without peduncles. Some of the plants are left to restore natural thickets. Dry in the air, under sheds, in attics, laying out in a thin layer, or in dryers at a temperature of 60-70°C. It is not recommended to overdry, so that the heads do not crumble. The shelf life of inflorescences is 2 years, herbs 1 year. In plant communities, along with meadow clover, creeping clover (Trifolium repens L.), which is characterized by a creeping stem and white inflorescences, is also often found, also hybrid clover (Trifolium hybridum L.) with pink, but smaller than that of meadow clover, inflorescences. In contrast to the later
PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES
Clover flowers have anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic, expectorant, antiseptic, hemostatic, astringent, desensitizing effects.
APPLICATIONS IN MEDICINE
Roots. In folk medicine, a decoction is used for hernia, inflammation of the appendages, as an antitumor agent. An antifungal substance, trifolirizin, was isolated from the roots. The aerial part. Antisclerotic, antiseptic, antiscorbutic, antirachitic, astringent, appetizing, antimalarial, diuretic; with headache and dizziness. In folk medicine, decoction, infusion – for asthenia, anemia, metrorrhagia, bronchial asthma, shortness of breath, atherosclerosis with normal pressure; anticarcinogenic; juice – similarly, also for bronchitis, chronic cough, gout, poisoning, acute colds, also as an antitumor agent; externally in the form of poultices, compresses, plasters – for diathesis, malignant tumors, abscesses, burns, rheumatic pains, as a wound healing, antitumor, emollient and analgesic. Besides, juice is used in the treatment of panaritium, hernia, diseases of the ear and eyes. In the Caucasus, infusion – for gynecological diseases. Essence from fresh flowering plants is used in homeopathy. Leaves. Fresh externally – hemostatic, wound healing; juice – with scrofula; decoction locally – for abscesses, burns, rheumatic pains, as an antitumor, emollient, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, wound healing agent. Inflorescences. Outwardly – wound healing, from paronychia and panaritium, with diseases of the ear and eyes, frostbite, bedsores, abscesses, ulcers. Inside (decoction) – with urolithiasis, chronic cough, bronchial asthma, anemia, scrofula; decoction – for chronic cough, gastritis, skin diseases, colitis, cholecystitis, diathesis. In the Caucasus, infusion – for gynecological diseases. Essence from fresh flowering plants is used in homeopathy. Leaves. Fresh externally – hemostatic, wound healing; juice – with scrofula; decoction locally – for abscesses, burns, rheumatic pains, as an antitumor, emollient, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, wound healing agent. Inflorescences. Outwardly – wound healing, from paronychia and panaritium, with diseases of the ear and eyes, frostbite, bedsores, abscesses, ulcers. Inside (decoction) – with urolithiasis, chronic cough, bronchial asthma, anemia, scrofula; decoction – for chronic cough, gastritis, skin diseases, colitis, cholecystitis, diathesis. In the Caucasus, infusion – for gynecological diseases. Essence from fresh flowering plants is used in homeopathy. Leaves. Fresh externally – hemostatic, wound healing; juice – with scrofula; decoction locally – for abscesses, burns, rheumatic pains, as an antitumor, emollient, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, wound healing agent. Inflorescences. Outwardly – wound healing, from paronychia and panaritium, with diseases of the ear and eyes, frostbite, bedsores, abscesses, ulcers. Inside (decoction) – with urolithiasis, chronic cough, bronchial asthma, anemia, scrofula; decoction – for chronic cough, gastritis, skin diseases, colitis, cholecystitis, diathesis. wound healing; juice – with scrofula; decoction locally – for abscesses, burns, rheumatic pains, as an antitumor, emollient, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, wound healing agent. Inflorescences. Outwardly – wound healing, from paronychia and panaritium, with diseases of the ear and eyes, frostbite, bedsores, abscesses, ulcers. Inside (decoction) – with urolithiasis, chronic cough, bronchial asthma, anemia, scrofula; decoction – for chronic cough, gastritis, skin diseases, colitis, cholecystitis, diathesis. wound healing; juice – with scrofula; decoction locally – for abscesses, burns, rheumatic pains, as an antitumor, emollient, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, wound healing agent. Inflorescences. Outwardly – wound healing, from paronychia and panaritium, with diseases of the ear and eyes, frostbite, bedsores, abscesses, ulcers. Inside (decoction) – with urolithiasis, chronic cough, bronchial asthma, anemia, scrofula; decoction – for chronic cough, gastritis, skin diseases, colitis, cholecystitis, diathesis. abscesses, ulcers. Inside (decoction) – with urolithiasis, chronic cough, bronchial asthma, anemia, scrofula; decoction – for chronic cough, gastritis, skin diseases, colitis, cholecystitis, diathesis. abscesses, ulcers. Inside (decoction) – with urolithiasis, chronic cough, bronchial asthma, anemia, scrofula; decoction – for chronic cough, gastritis, skin diseases, colitis, cholecystitis, diathesis.
DOSAGE FORMS, METHOD OF APPLICATION AND DOSES
♦ Decoction of clover roots: 20 g of crushed raw materials are poured into 200 ml of hot water, boiled in a closed enamel bowl in a water bath for 30 minutes, filtered hot through 2-3 layers of gauze, squeezed and brought to the initial volume with boiled water. Take 1 tablespoon 4-5 times every day before meals. ♦ Infusion of clover inflorescences: 20 g of raw material is poured into 200 ml of boiling water, insisted for 1 hour, then filtered. Take 2-3 tablespoons or 1/2 cup 3 times every day. ♦ Decoction of clover inflorescences: 20 g of raw material is poured into 250 ml of water, boiled for 15 minutes, insisted for 30 minutes, then filtered. Take 1/4 cup 3-4 times every day. ♦ Infusion of clover grass: 40 g of raw material is poured into 200 ml of boiling water, insisted for 1 hour, then filtered. Take 1/4 cup 3-4 times every day. ♦ Red clover juice: harvested from the aerial part of the plant along with inflorescences.
APPLICATIONS IN OTHER FIELDS
The aerial part stains the fabrics green. Young fresh leaves are used as a salad, boiled as a substitute for spinach. The dry, crushed leaves were added to flour in the past when baking rye bread, and were also used to make sauces and cheeses. In the Caucasus, young unblown flower heads are fermented like cabbage and added to winter salads. In Kyrgyzstan, red clover leaves are a national dish. Inflorescences give a yellow color. One of the most valuable forage grasses. 100 kg of red clover hay contains 52.2 feed units. The plant is widely used for green fodder, hay, haylage and silage. After harvesting the seeds, the straw is used for fodder. Vitamin concentrates are obtained from the leaves. Enriches the soil with nitrogen. Honey plant; from 1 hectare bees collect up to 200 kg of honey. One flower contains 0.25-0.45 mg of nectar. Honey is light, fragrant, reddish-yellow in color, slightly candied. Widely cultivated, there are varieties.
TASTY TIPS
Clover Leaf Powder.
Dry the leaves first in the air in the shade, and then in the oven, grind into powder and sift through a sieve. Use to season soups (1 tablespoon per serving), sauces and other condiments.
Salad with clover.
Rinse young clover leaves (80 g) thoroughly with cold water, chop. Add chopped carrots (100 g), boiled potatoes (100 g), hard-boiled egg, salt. Season with sour cream (mayonnaise, vegetable oil) (25 g).
Clover garnish.
Stew clover leaves (500 g) over low heat in a small amount of oil (30 g) and water (100 ml), add pepper, dill, cumin, bay leaf, salt (everything to taste), season with sour cream (mayonnaise, vegetable oil, tomato sauce) (25 g). Use as a side dish for meat and fish dishes.
Clover and sorrel soup.
In salted meat broth or water (500 ml), boil chopped potatoes (80 g), carrots (50 g), onions (50 g) until tender. Then add chopped clover (100 g), sorrel (100 g) and cook over low heat until tender. Season with browned onions (50 g). Before serving, put slices of hard-boiled eggs, sour cream (25 g) in plates.
Shchi with clover.
Add chopped clover (100 g) and sorrel (100 g), sautéed onions (40 g), fat (20 g) and spices to potatoes (100 g) boiled until half cooked in water or meat broth (500-700 ml) . When serving, put a finely chopped hard-boiled egg (1/2 pc.) into the plates and season with sour cream.
Vegetable soup with clover.
In salted meat broth or water (500 ml), boil chopped potatoes (150 g), carrots (50 g), onions (50 g), parsley root (15 g). 5 minutes before readiness, add chopped leaves and clover heads (80 g). Season with browned onions (50 g), tomato sauce (25 g). Before serving, sprinkle with dill and parsley, put sour cream (25 g).
Clover casserole with potatoes.
Boiled potatoes (60 g) wipe. Boil clover leaves (50 g) in salted water, strain and chop. Add chopped cheese or cheese (10 g), mix. Grease a baking sheet, spread half of the potatoes in an even layer, put clover on top and cover with the remaining potatoes. Pour 1/4 egg beaten with milk (10 ml), melted margarine (10 g) and bake in the oven.
Roast pork with clover.
Boil until half cooked, and then fry meat pork (200 g). Stew in a small amount of water, adding fat (20 g), clover leaves (400 g) to it, add salt, pepper (to taste) before being ready and season with hot sauce.
Clover cutlets with rice.
Combine boiled rice (120 g) with chopped clover (600 g), parsley (40 g), lightly fried onion (80 g), egg (4 pcs.), pepper and salt. Cut cutlets, breaded in flour (60 g) and fry. Serve with curdled milk or milk sauce.
Vegetable cutlets.
Chop and stew cabbage leaves (100 g) until softened. Shredded clover and quinoa leaves (100 g each) stew separately, as they soften much faster. Prepare white sauce from flour (5-10 g), butter (10 g), milk (50 ml) and eggs (1 pc.). Mix stewed cabbage and greens with sauce, add salt (3-4 g), form cutlets from the resulting mass, roll in breadcrumbs (10-15 g) and fry in a hot frying pan.
Cupcake with clover leaf powder.
Grind the yolks (1 egg) with granulated sugar (15-30 g) and butter (15-30 g), add wheat flour (45-60 g), clover leaf powder (45 g) and raisins (15-20 g ), mix with whipped protein (1 egg). Put the resulting mass into molds and bake.
Kefir with clover flowers and parsley root.
In boiling water (40 ml), put finely chopped clover flowers (3 g) and parsley root (4 g), bring to a boil, cool. Add pasteurized kefir to the resulting broth and beat well.
Clover drink.
1. Boil fresh clover heads (40 g) in water (200 ml) for 20 minutes, then cool completely. Strain the broth, add granulated sugar, stir and leave for 2 hours. Serve chilled.2. Clover heads (200 g) put in boiling water (1 l) and cook for 20 minutes. After cooling, strain the broth, add granulated sugar (500 g) and stir. Serve chilled.
Tea with clover.
Pour boiling water over a porcelain teapot, pour in a mixture consisting of dried clover flowers (25 g), St. John’s wort (5 g), raspberry leaves (5 g), pour boiling water (200 ml), leave for 8-10 minutes.
Combined tea with clover.
Dry at room temperature in the shade of clover heads (2 parts), St. John’s wort (1 part) and black currant leaves (1 part). Mix and use for brewing.