The useful properties of sorrel were described back in the days of ancient Greek healers, as well as ancient Slavic healers. This plant from the buckwheat family in our territory grows almost everywhere: in forest glades, flood meadows, along roads. You can meet him in almost any garden or country house. The beneficial properties of sorrel are inherent in the whole plant: its roots, leaves, stems, seeds and flowers. Its popular name is sour, although this is erroneous. It grows up to 1.5 meters, the stem of the plant is erect, the rhizome is multi-headed. The lower leaves are wide large, the upper ones are narrow small. The root is powerful, weakly branched. The flowers are greenish and small.
The beneficial properties of sorrel are due to the substances contained in it. Its leaves contain flavonoids, hyperoside and rutin, which has P-vitamin activity, potassium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, copper, fluorine, molybdenum, strontium, nickel, arsenic, and ascorbic acid. The roots are also rich in useful elements. They contain emodin, chrysafanol (anthraquinone constituents),
tannins, rumycin, nepodine flavonoids and neposide. In all parts of the plant there is malic, citric, coffee and
oxalic acids. Horse sorrel deserves special attention
, its medicinal properties are considered the most powerful because of its high content of vitamin C and essential oils.
For medicinal purposes, grass and roots collected in the fall are used. In traditional medicine, the beneficial properties of sorrel are used to combat first and second stage hypertension. In small doses, it has an astringent effect, and in large doses it is a laxative. It is prescribed for
spastic colitis (chronic), to relieve stool with cracks in the anus, hemorrhoids, to prevent constipation due to
intestinal atony. Sorrel is added to drugs for the fight against ulcerative stomatitis, scurvy, gingivitis (the medicinal properties of this plant are useful in these cases).
In folk medicine, this plant is used much more widely. It is recommended for scabies, as an anthelmintic and astringent for diarrhea. A decoction of sorrel roots is used to combat skin ailments, rashes, depriving, ulcers, as a wound healing preparation. Its effectiveness for the treatment of bloody and childhood diarrhea is high. In addition, decoction from the root is used for irritation of the larynx, pharynx, catarrh of the upper respiratory tract, runny nose, cough, and frontal sinusitis.
Infusion of seeds is used as an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agent. In addition, it is believed that preparations from sorrel have a hemostatic effect. With diathesis and tuberculosis, it can also be used as a healing agent. There are studies that confirm that sorrel preparations contribute to the treatment of bladder papillomatosis, anemia, kidney ailments, alcoholism, pellagra, neoplasms (including malignant ones), syphilis, and nicotinic acid deficiency. Tibetan healers use sorrel for flatulence, polyarthritis, edema, fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity.
He also has contraindications, in case of excessive use of sorrel, metabolic disorders of mineral substances in the body may occur, gout, urolithiasis may worsen. Drugs from it are also not recommended during pregnancy.