Common St. aire (Acorus calamus L.)
Aire marsh, lepekha, yavora, ukr.: tatar zilla.
Common aire is an herbaceous perennial from the aroid family. Propagated by rhizomes.
In Donbass it is rare in standing water, along river banks. It is bred in the Donetsk Botanical Garden and by some amateurs.
Rhizomes are harvested in summer and fall (June - October). They contain essential oil (up to 4.8%), glycoside akorin, choline, ascorbic acid, phytoncides and other substances.
Marsh St. Airea
Galenic preparations of St. aira have tonic, antispasmodic, sedative, soporific, expectorant, choleretic, analgesic, diuretic actions and possess antimicrobial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, anthelmintic, anthelmintic, vetrogontic properties.
In medicine, Galenic preparations of aira are used as aromatic bitterness to stimulate appetite and improve digestion - in gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, colitis accompanied by flatulence, less often in cholecystitis, hepatitis and oppression of the central nervous system.
It is included in the tablets Vicalin and Vicair, bitter tincture, in medicinal collections (tea), and the essential oil is included in the preparation olimetin, used in biliary and kidney stone diseases.
Methods of application:
1. Infusion or decoction of 10-15 g of crushed rhizome in 2-3 cups of water (boil 10-15 minutes in a closed enameled bowl) - 50-100 ml 3-4 times a day for 30 minutes before meals in warm form, or 10% infusion of 1/4 cup per reception for peptic ulcer.
2. 10-20% tincture of 40% alcohol - 1/2-1 tsp. spoon 3 times a day for hypoacid gastritis.
3. Tincture of bitter - 20 drops 2-3 times a day (appetizing).
В. Г. Kukes in kidney stones and pyelonephritis gives the following recipe: st. spoonful of powder of aira in a glass of honey heated on a water bath for 15 minutes, the cooled mixture is mixed until a homogeneous mass and take 1 tsp. spoon 3-4 times a day before meals.
H. И. Solomchenko studied the effect of 3% decoction in 34 patients with chronic gastritis with increased and decreased acidity. The decoction was administered half a cup 30 min before meals for 2 months. The majority of patients had a positive result of treatment.
Common St. aire is contraindicated in pregnancy.
In folk medicine, St. aire is popular and is used besides the above in hysteria, hypochondria, convulsions, fainting, dropsy, bronchitis, pulmonary tuberculosis, colic of the stomach and intestines, heartburn, diarrhea, increased heartbeat and other diseases.
Externally, decoction of rhizome is used for gargling, lotions, baths and in the form of powder. The juice of the rhizome of ayrah is consumed to enhance vision, hearing, improve memory and for smoking. Decoction of a mixture of aira rhizome, burdock root (one handful each) and hop cones (two handfuls) in 3-4 liters of water wash the head twice a week for hair loss and dandruff (V. В. Karhut). In diseases of the urogenital organs make sitting baths in a decoction of 30 g rhizome to 1 liter of water. Prolonged chewing of the rhizome increases the gag reflex, which is used to get rid of smoking.
Althea medicinalis (Althaea officinalis L.)
Prosvirnyak, Ukr.: althea medicina, rye.
A large perennial from the mallow family, up to 1 m or more tall. Leaves are ordinary, petiolate, velvety-hairy. Flowers are pink or almost white, collected several at a time in the axils of leaves. It blooms from June to September (Tab. 3). It grows along the banks of rivers, reservoirs, in wet meadows everywhere. It grows well in culture. Unwooded roots and herb are used for medicinal purposes.
The roots of medicinal althea contain mucilaginous pectinous substances (up to 35%), starch, sucrose, betaine and other substances.
Preparations of medicinal althea have anti-inflammatory, enveloping, expectorant, protective and softening effect (especially in pediatrics). Used in medicine for diseases of the respiratory tract with persistent cough (catarrh of the upper respiratory tract, sore throat, bronchitis, tracheitis, laryngitis, pneumonia, whooping cough, bronchial asthma) and gastrointestinal tract (gastritis and peptic ulcer with hyperacidity, enterocolitis with diarrhea).
It is recommended to make the infusion with cold water to get only mucilage, without starch or bitterness.
Methods of application:
1. 1 Art. spoonful of root insist 4 hours in 0.5 liters of cold water - 100 ml 4 times a day, preferably with sugar or honey: or 2-3 tbsp. spoonfuls of root + 0.5 liters of boiling water to insist in a thermos for 10 hours - 1/2 cup before meals as an expectorant.
2. Flowers or leaves of althea 1-2 tbsp. spoons insist 1h in 0.5 liters of boiling water - 1/2 cup 2-4 times a day as an enveloping.
3. Extract dry or liquid in a mixture (1 : 15) - 1 tbsp. spoonful in 2 hours as an expectorant.
4. Mukaltin 0.05 g - 1-2 tablets to take after meals (acts stronger than infusion and extract of althea) as an expectorant.
5. Syrup of althea - children 1 tsp. a spoonful per appointment.
6. 2 Art. spoonfuls of roots, flowers or leaves insist 2 hours in 0.5 liters of water (for external use), hot infusion for mouthwash, throat gargle with inflammation of the gums and tonsils, and for bouts, and in the form of infusion, obtained by cold infusion, inflammation of the mucous membranes of the eyes and skin, burns, lichens, as well as diarrhea (in enemas) and for spritzing (with the addition of oak bark).
7. Powder of root or flowers and leaves of althea - 1h. spoonful per intake for respiratory and intestinal diseases.
С. Я. Sokolov and others recommend in eczema and psoriasis infusion or extract of 15 ml 3 times a day after meals for 1-3 weeks.
Similar to the althea act the flowers of the black stem-rose (A. rosea L.) and forest mallow (Malva silvestris L.), but weaker. They are bred in flower beds, near houses and roads..
