Rose hips, which belong to the Cinnamomea cinnamon group, are the richest in vitamin C. They are characterized by a calyx consisting of entire marginal and upwardly directed leaflets, remaining in almost all species, when fruiting (Fig. 90).
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Cinnamon rosehip is the ancestor of all species of cultivated roses.
Widespread in almost the entire European part of the former USSR, in Western and Eastern Siberia up to Baikal, throughout Europe. It grows along river banks, in forests, between bushes, along edges, glades, clearings and ravines. Cinnamon briar is cultivated as a medicinal, vitamin, food, honey-bearing, dyeing, ornamental, ameliorative, hunting plant.
Used rosehip fruit, harvested at the time of full maturity. No odor, taste slightly astringent, sour-sweet. Light orange fruits - the best quality, brown coloration indicates the death of vitamins.
Chemical composition
.Rosehip fruit is a multivitamin with a predominance of vitamin C - ascorbic acid (4- 6%), in some species it is up to 18%; there are vitamins P (rutin), B1, B2, K, carotene, in the seeds - vitamin E. In addition, the fruit contains flavonol glycosides kaempferol and quercetin, sugars - up to 18%, tannins - up to 4.5%, pectins - 3.7%, organic acids: citric acid - up to 2%, malic acid - up to 1.8% and others.; lycopene, rubixanthin, essential oil, significant amounts of potassium salts, iron, manganese, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium.
Rose hips have about 10 times more ascorbic acid than black currant berries and 50 times more than lemons. Rose hips have phytoncidal and powerful bactericidal properties. It has been noted that the amount of ascorbic acid is generally higher in the fruits of this plant, which is common in the northern and eastern regions of the forest zone. The roots and leaves are rich in tannins.
Action and application
.Rose hips, in addition to multivitamin properties, have choleretic, anti-inflammatory, regulating the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as diuretic action, not accompanied by irritation of the renal epithelium (C. А. Tomilin).
Vitamin C, ascorbic acid, is involved in many redox processes in the body. Experimentally established that it weakens the development of atherosclerosis: under its influence, the content of cholesterol in the blood naturally decreases, slows down the deposition of atheromatous masses in the blood vessels. Vitamin P helps to reduce the permeability and fragility of capillaries, improves the body's utilization of ascorbic acid. Vitamin A - carotene - has an effect on increasing the body's overall resistance. Vitamins Bl, B2 are involved in the construction of yellow enzyme, contribute to the synthesis of visual purpura, affect the hematopoietic organs. Vitamin K is involved in the formation of prothrombin and contributes to normal blood clotting.
Rose hips are used in the form of infusion, syrup, extract, powder, in the treatment of diseases caused by the lack of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and some other vitamins in the body, with anemia and exhaustion, atherosclerosis, as a means of increasing the body's resistance in the fight against local and general infectious and intoxication processes (scarlet fever, diphtheria, pneumonia, whooping cough, etc.).), with sluggishly healing wounds, help accelerate bone fracture fusion, are used for uterine bleeding, with liver stones, kidney stone disease, low gastric secretion, affect the function of the bone marrow and the general metabolism in the body. From rosehip fruit is produced the drug holosas. In Poland, GDR and FRG rose hips are used for kidney and bladder diseases and as a vitamin remedy.
In Bulgaria, rose hips are also widely used as a high-vitamin remedy, which protects against loss of strength, exhaustion and increases the body's resistance to infectious diseases, especially in late fall, winter and early spring.
Chinese medicine uses rosehip roots as a digestive aid and anthelmintic.
Tibetan medicine uses the fruit to treat pulmonary tuberculosis, neurasthenia, atherosclerosis.
Rose hips are included in the State Pharmacopoeia of the USSR in 1968.
In domestic folk medicine infusion of rose hips is especially widely used as a tonic for all serious diseases and wounds, with liver stones, kidney stone disease, stomach ulcers and duodenal ulcers, gastritis, colitis, anemia, malaria, female diseases.
In the folk medicine of Siberia, rosehip fruits have found use in colds. The petals of the flowers, boiled with honey, - with swelling inflammation, and the roots - in the form of foot baths.
Crushed cinnamon rosehip fruit used by us as a multivitamin, bactericidal, regulating the secretory-motor function of the gastrointestinal tract, promoting bile flow and improving the overall metabolism means. Used in hypertension, atherosclerosis, anacid gastritis, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer. In our opinion, rose hips (crushed) should be included in all collections of medicinal plants. It is useful consumed separately as an infusion, especially in early spring.
We recommend preparing rosehip infusion in this way: 20 g of fruits pour 500 ml of boiling water (can be in a thermos), take 100 ml half an hour before meals 2 times a day (be sure to strain through gauze or silver strainer). Cook for no more than 2 days.
We have repeatedly managed to observe how people who began to constantly, with short breaks, to use rosehip infusion, significantly increased performance and general resistance to various infectious diseases (especially in children).
In addition, it is useful to consume strong green tea with rosehip extract instead of sugar, especially for headaches.
From fresh fruits and petals are made jam, in the form of kissels are prescribed to children in various childhood diseases.
Rose hips are used in the food industry and for cosmetic purposes. The fruits are used to give wines a spicy flavor, and rose hips are used to make nalewkas, rose water and toilet rose vinegar.
In the eastern provinces of France - in Lorraine and Alsace - rose hips are made into preserves and jams, which are used as a pleasant food product and to treat a variety of diseases..
