Larkspur - General Description
Larkspark is a poisonous one- or perennial of the buttercup family. Plant height depends on the place of growth and can vary from 10 to 300 or more centimeters. Erect stems with pressed hairs complement the next leaves, dissected into serrated lobes, and pyramidal inflorescences, consisting of many flowers. Blue, white, purple, blue or pink flowers have an irregular shape, consist of 5 colored sepals.
Many species of liveliness are good honey plants, pollinated by insects. The plant begins to bloom and bear fruit from the very beginning of summer. The fruit is a leaflet, the length of which varies between one or two cm. Dark brown ovoid seeds can germinate both in autumn and spring. Larkspur is a very beautiful plant and is often the subject of admiration for many florists of the world.
Larkspur - species and places of growth
The genus includes more than three hundred species of plants, growing mainly in the Northern Hemisphere, the mountainous regions of Africa. About half of the varieties can be found throughout Southeast Asia, mainly in the PRC.
About a hundred species inhabit the Russian state and neighboring countries, but the following are considered the most common:
- Field wildlife - an annual with a simple, rare inflorescence, growing on vacant lots, land, weedy places, gardens, vegetable gardens, on roadsides;
- high liveliness - perennial with sparse inflorescence located at the very top of a high (2-4 meters) stem. Grows absent-mindedly, prefers light forests, clearings, ravines, slopes, meadows and river banks; in the mountains it occupies a subalpine region.
Larkspur - healing properties
The toxicity of liveliness is due to the content of curariform alkaloids in it (curare is a plant poison that wild tribes use to paralyze wild animals during hunting). However, high toxicity does not interfere with the use of the plant for medicinal purposes.
In addition to alkaloids, field larkspur contains tannins, flavonoids, a complex of vitamins, organic acids and mineral salts. It is well established that it has a powerful antiparasitic, analgesic, diuretic effects. Relieves suffering with severe pain, treats rheumatism, cramps, and when applied externally, it promotes faster healing of tissues and eliminates parasites. Recent studies have confirmed the presence of anticancer and blood-purifying substances in the stomach.
Larkspur - dosage forms
Medicinal raw material is the upper part of the shoots with inflorescences. The collection is made during budding, as well as at the beginning of flowering. In principle, larkspur can be cut throughout the summer, capturing the top and flowers without pedicels. The raw materials are dried in an open space, in shady places at a temperature not exceeding 40 degrees. Sometimes for healing purposes, roots and seeds are used, which are harvested as they mature.
Larkspur - traditional medicine recipes
Blood-purifying infusion for bleeding, worms, cystitis: add 30 g to a liter of boiling water. chopped flowers, process in a water bath for 5 minutes. Let it brew, cool, then strain. Bring the volume to the original figures using boiled water and take an infusion of one second (100 ml) cup three times a day before meals.
Anesthetic and anticonvulsant broth: 1 g. pour the crushed roots into boiling water (200 ml) and boil for 20 minutes over low heat. Next, carry out a typical procedure - filtering. Drink a decoction of tea l. from 2 to 5 times a day. It is also advisable to use healing fluid for compresses as wound healing and painkillers.
For hepatitis, dropsy, hernia, burns, and all kinds of tumors: use the field larkspur variety. 20 gr. chopped flower heads are added to two hundred ml of boiling water and boiled for 10 minutes, no more. Then filter. Bring to the original volume by means of boiled water and use a decoction of tea l. three times a day.
Larkiness - contraindications
- muscle tone reduction syndrome;
- pregnancy and lactation;
- age up to eighteen years;
- low blood pressure;
- myasthenia gravis.
Exceeding the dosage provokes the development of intoxication, which is characterized by a decline in cardiac and respiratory activity, vomiting, dyspeptic symptoms, and convulsions. With pronounced symptoms, the patient needs to rinse the stomach and call an ambulance.
