Hopeweed
.Burdock wheatgrass is an annual herbaceous plant from the family of Complexaceae, the stem is prostrate from the base, densely covered with white felt, especially under the flower baskets, 5-20 cm high. Leaves are ordinary, small, linear, oblong, blunt at the base, narrowed into a petiole. Flowers are very small, light yellow, collected in baskets, bunched in tight bunches at the top of the stems. Wheatgrass blooms in June-August (Fig. 75).
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Widespread almost everywhere in the USSR, except in the south. Wheatgrass grows in swampy and damp places, on the banks of lakes and rivers, on flood meadows, along ditches, in floodplain forests, in arable lands, near roads and near dwellings.
The above-ground part of the plant, collected during the flowering period, is used. The odor of the dried plant is faint, the taste is salty.
Chemical composition
.The herb wheatgrass is not yet sufficiently studied. In the herb found alkaloid gnaphalin, phytosterols, carotene, ascorbic acid, thiamine, traces of vitamin B1, tannins and fatty substances, pigments, essential oil, resins.
Action and application
.Preparations of wheatgrass have vasodilating and hypotensive properties, weakening the tone of smooth muscle, antibacterial activity, promote healing of wounds, ulcers, burns, erosions, stimulate granulation and epithelialization of damaged tissues. In experiments wheatgrass preparations when administered intravenously cause dilation of peripheral vessels, decrease in blood pressure, slowing of heart rate, acceleration of blood coagulation and intestinal peristalsis. Oil extracts from the herb when applied topically enhance the regenerative processes of damaged tissues. Preparations of wheatgrass are used in the initial stage of hypertension, angina pectoris, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer. According to clinical observations, the majority of patients in this treatment stop pain, improve general health, patients gain weight, become more calm, disappear symptom of the niche. It is used in the form of decoction (6-8 g to 200 ml of boiling water, insist 30 minutes, take 4 tablespoons 4 times a day half an hour before meals). Externally, wheatgrass is used as a remedy for wounds, burns, fistulas, trophic ulcers, in the form of tampons soaked in the infusion, or as a bath (bath duration up to 30 minutes at a temperature of 35 °).
The herb wheatgrass is included in the State Pharmacopoeia of the USSR in 1968.
In domestic folk medicine, preparations of wheatgrass is used for thoracic toad, pulmonary tuberculosis, diabetes, nervous excitability, palpitations, hypertension, stomach and intestinal diseases in the form of decoction, extract and ointment. In hypertension herb decoction is used internally in combination with foot baths (150 g of herb brewed in 3 liters of boiling water, stew for 30 minutes, take a foot bath for 30 minutes).
Wheat straw is used by us as a vasodilator, hypotensive, sedative, analgesic and wound-healing agent for hypertension, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, as well as externally for trichomonad colpitis and cervical erosions (in the form of spritzing).
Forest wheatgrass
.Wood wheatgrass is a perennial herbaceous plant from the family of Complexaceae, 20-50 cm tall. The stem is erect, simple, covered with gray or white felt. Root leaves are long-petiolate, lanceolate, stem leaves, almost linear, gradually decreasing toward the top of the stem; on the lower surface, and sometimes on the upper surface, they are woolly. Small cylindrical baskets sit singly or in bunches in the axils of upper leaves and all together form a long spike-like inflorescence; leaves of the envelope are webbed, brownish, flowers are yellowish-white, thread-like, pistillate outside and tubular-funnel-shaped in the middle. Seeds are oblong with a brittle tuft. Forest wheatgrass blooms in July-September (Fig. 76).
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Occurs in the northern and middle belt of the European part of the USSR, Western Siberia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. Forest wheatgrass grows on sandy places, in forests, along forest edges.
The above-ground part of the plant is used, collected during the initial flowering period.
Chemical composition
.Woodland wheatgrass is little studied. Small amounts of tannins are found in the herb.
Action and application
.In folk medicine decoction of wheatgrass used for general weakness, powder of the herb is used as a wound-healing (sprinkle wounds), it is sprinkled on places affected by sooty mold.
We use the above-ground part of woodland wheatgrass for anemia, liver disease and neuroses..
