It is necessary to distinguish non-medicinal species of horsetail; horsetail of the forest, in which branches arch downward and re-branched, stem sheaths 4-5 toothed; horsetail of the meadow, growing in meadows and fields, on the top of its stem there is a noticeable wrinkled dark remnant of the spore-bearing spike, stem sheaths 10-15 toothed; Horsetail, which has thick stems up to 1 m high, sheaths with 15-20 spurred denticles; Horsetail bog (very similar to field horsetail, but differs by its hollow branches and the presence of a spore spike at the top) (Fig. 81).
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Field horsetail is distributed everywhere in the former USSR, except for the desert of Central Asia. It grows in sandy meadows, floodplain forests, among thickets and shrubs, in fallow fields, on ravine slopes and river banks, along forest edges and along forest fens.
Summer vegetative green shoots harvested during June, July, August are used. The dried plant has no odor, the taste is slightly sour.
Chemical composition
.Horsetail herb contains the little-studied saponin equisetonin (about 5%), alkaloids (equisetin), flavonoids, ascorbic acid, carotene, malic, aconitic, oxalic, silicic acids, calcium salts, bitter, tannins, resinous substances, proteins, carbohydrates, fatty oils.
Action and application
.Horsetail preparations have styptic and pronounced diuretic properties. Used in the form of infusion and liquid extract as a diuretic for edema due to circulatory insufficiency, inflammatory processes of the bladder and urinary tract, pleurisy with a large amount of exudate, hemorrhoidal and uterine bleeding, as a styptic. In acute nephritis, the use of horsetail preparations is not indicated, as it may cause irritation of the kidneys. Horsetail herb is included in the anti-asthmatic mixture according to Traskov's prescription and in diuretic collections. According to E. М. Rudakova, horsetail has a pronounced diuretic effect, causes an increase in heart function and accelerate blood flow, while the excretory capacity of the kidneys is improved. In an experiment on dogs, horsetail infusion accelerates and increases the excretion of lead from the body.
Horsetail herb is included in the State Pharmacopoeia of the USSR in 1961.
In Bulgaria, horsetail herb is used as an astringent, hemostatic, diuretic and antirotinous agent. It is used internally for pulmonary tuberculosis, diseases of the urinary organs, and is also widely used externally in the form of decoction.
According to some German scientists, horsetail herb has disinfectant, antitussive, strengthening and wound healing effects. Used internally for lung diseases, kidney and bleeding, in the form of tea (4 teaspoons to 2 cups of boiling water, take sips throughout the day). Externally - in the form of baths and herbal lotions with sluggish wound healing, with boils, sore throat, inflammation of the gums as a gargle, with nosebleeds as a rinse (Bassler, 1957). In folk medicine of the GDR herb horsetail was used as a diuretic, but experimentally this action was not confirmed, is used only as a styptic. Field horsetail became widely known through the writings of Kneip, who recommended it as a styptic and for cystitis (Dorfler and Roselt, 1964).
In Chinese medicine, horsetail decoction is used for eye inflammation. In Poland, as a diuretic. Externally for baldness.
In Austria, young horsetail shoots are used as a styptic, improving blood composition, for lung diseases, externally - to heal wounds. Infusion, cold extract and decoction of horsetail are widely used. The silicic acid in the herb causes an increase in white blood cells. Fresh juice of the herb increases blood clotting and is recommended for uterine bleeding. In lung disease (non-severe forms of pulmonary tuberculosis) herb horsetail also finds use, as it accelerates epithelialization of tissues. Diuretic effect of horsetail, according to Austrian researchers, is insignificant. It is used in the form of infusion (3-4 g per 250 ml of boiling water, insist 2 hours - daily dose). The extract is prepared as follows: 50 g of herb insist 12 hours, strain. Horsetail decoction is prepared for rinsing: 6 g per 500 ml, boiled for 30 minutes (Neithaller, 1964).
In France, horsetail is widely used as a styptic, diuretic. It is also recommended by doctors in cases of nocturnal urinary incontinence in equal parts with millepertuis. In case of sweating feet it is applied externally in the form of foot baths or rubbing with tincture.
Hemostatic effect is well achieved by drinking horsetail wine: 15-20 g of horsetail insist in 1 liter of white wine for a long time. Take 100-150 ml in the morning on an empty stomach. Externally, this wine can be used as a cleansing lotion.
Powder prepared from horsetail and dissolved in boiled water (30-50 g per 1 liter) is effective in diarrhea, hemoptysis, as a diuretic and regulating menstruation means. Take 150 g in the morning and evening.
Avicenna recommended the juice of fresh horsetail externally for the treatment of ulcers and wounds; infusion of the herb on wine - with tumors in the liver and stomach, with dropsy and bloody diarrhea.
In the past, the young shoots of horsetail were consumed as food, our ancestors were constantly eating them. Archaeologists find horsetail in burial mounds.
In domestic folk medicine herb field horsetail has long been used for bleeding, pulmonary hemoptysis, hemorrhoids, for the treatment of hard-to-heal wounds. Due to the presence of silicon, it is recommended for pulmonary tuberculosis.
We use the herb field horsetail as a styptic, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, anti-rotten and tonic blood vessels, in hypertension, atherosclerosis, kidney disease (in small doses), liver and gastrointestinal tract..
