Bitter wormwood is one of the common remedies in traditional and traditional medicine. This is because it has a whole list of useful properties. But do not forget about contraindications, as this is a poisonous plant. Its properties are also characteristic of decoctions, tinctures and wormwood extracts. What exactly does this plant stand out, what is its chemical composition, what indications and contraindications for use, where to buy and how to make preparations of herbs on your own, we will tell further.
What is it?
Wormwood extract, respectively, is produced from the grassy part of the plant of the same name. It is quite unpretentious, has a specific smell. In Russia, you can meet it everywhere: in personal plots, along roads, on the lawns of residential areas, in meadows, abandoned agricultural fields.
The plant also has a fellow - common wormwood. Bitter is distinguished from it by a soft silver fluff, with which the leaves and stems of the plant are covered. In height, it can reach both 50 and 200 cm. It all depends on the soil where wormwood grows.
The flowers of the plant are yellow, located on short branches. gather in small panicles. By the end of summer, small brown fruits with seeds ripen on them.
Chemical composition
Why are tinctures, decoctions, wormwood extracts so valued? It's all about the unique chemical composition of the plant:
- Tannins. They have antibacterial, strengthening and regenerating effects.
- Resinous substances. Designed to strengthen the structure of cell mass.
- Slime. They have both anti-inflammatory and healing effects.
- Palmitic, malic, succinic, isovalerianic acid. By nature, they are natural antioxidants. Therefore, wormwood extract improves digestion, helps to remove heavy salts and toxins from the body.
- Bitterness. Stimulate peristalsis of the digestive tract, improve appetite. Therefore, we can say that the wormwood extract improves the secretory activity of the pancreas, stimulates the detoxification activity of the liver, and the filtering function of the kidneys. Bitterness is also known for its anabolic, tonic, restorative effect on the human body. Note that they strengthen the immune system, help the body successfully adapt to new conditions, normalize the central nervous system. Because of all this, wormwood extract is often indicated for food, alcohol and other types of poisoning.
- Flavonoids. They are a powerful antioxidant that even helps to mitigate the effects of radiation on the body. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, it is often made a component of antihistamines.
- Volatile These components in the annual wormwood extract help the body recover from heavy physical exertion. They are also appreciated for their antibacterial effect, a calming effect on the nervous system.
- Lignans. So called phytoestrogens, normalizing the hormonal background.
- Saponins. They have an anabolic effect, contribute to the adaptation of the body.
- Alkaloids. Natural antispasmodics that are valued for their soothing and soothing effect. Moreover, they have an expectorant, choleretic effect.
- Coumarins. These substances in a thick extract of wormwood bitter reduce blood coagulability.
- Carotene. The element is a powerful antioxidant.
- Vitamins A, B, C, PP.
- Micro and macro elements. Calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, magnesium, sodium, manganese, selenium, copper, zinc.
Useful features
The properties of wormwood extract are quite diverse. Therefore, it is so appreciated among naturopaths and phytotherapists. We list the main ones:
- Antibacterial, wound healing, disinfectant, anti-inflammatory effect. Because of this, wormwood is indicated for colds, burns, purulent wounds, boils, frostbite, eczema. The grass is also used for urticaria, diathesis, psoriasis, fungal infections.
- Hemostatic effect.
- Antihistamine effect. The extract helps to alleviate such unpleasant allergy symptoms as skin itching, inflammation of the mucous membranes, and skin rashes.
- Antiparasitic effect. The tool helps to deal with tapeworms, pinworms and other helminths. It is indicated for candidiasis and giardiasis.
- A depressing effect on pyogenic infections, chlamydia, gonococcus, trichomonas.
- Restorative, tonic, anabolic effect. Because of this, wormwood extract is prescribed after active exertion, as well as with sprains, dislocations, and swelling.
- Strengthening the barrier functions of the body, the normalization of metabolic processes. The extract helps strengthen lymphatic and connective cells, blood vessel walls, and bone marrow. Wormwood effectively cleanses blood and tissues from toxins. Enhances the protective functions of phagocytes.
- Calming and tonic effect on the nervous system. Therefore, it is often used as a soft sleeping pill and sedative. It is indicated for insomnia, depression. But at the same time, the drug should be taken with caution in case of nervousness and epilepsy.
- Stimulating effect on blood formation, as well as on the work of the heart and vascular system.
- Cancer Prevention This property is possible due to the content of artemisinin in the extract.
With gastrointestinal problems
Wormwood extract in capsules and other plant-based products are primarily indicated for problems with the gastrointestinal tract. They are able to stimulate the work of all organs of the digestive tract, normalize appetite. Helps to get rid of bad breath, heartburn, cope with sharp weight loss after operations and serious illnesses.
Stimulates peristalsis and secretory activity of both the stomach and pancreas. Regulates the production of enzymes and hormones that prevent obesity. A person returns to normal weight due to the normalization of metabolism. The drug is indicated for diabetes, food poisoning, dysentery, general intoxication of the body.
The use of wormwood extract is indicated for gastritis, cholecystitis, as well as biliary duct dyskinesia. Valued for choleretic, carminative, antispasmodic effect. Because of this, the extract is used for diseases of the liver and kidneys, urolithiasis (except for the stage of exacerbation).
Contraindications
Turning to funds based on bitter wormwood, one should not forget that this is a moderately poisonous plant. Why treatment should be done only under the supervision of your doctor. In the event of an incorrect dosage, an incorrect treatment schedule, it is easy to harm your body.
It is necessary to keep in mind the contraindications to the use of this natural medicine:
- Internal bleeding.
- Bronchial asthma.
- Anemia, anemia, thrombophlebitis.
- Hyperacid or erosive gastritis.
- Enterocolitis, peptic ulcer.
- Hypertonic biliary duct dyskinesia.
- Cholecystitis and pancreatitis in the acute stage.
- The increased acidity of gastric juice.
- During pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- Epilepsy.
- Mental disorders.
- Nervous Disorders.
- Age to 12 years.
Medication
We have already noted that the composition of this plant contains mildly toxic and slightly toxic substances. Therefore, self-medication with it is contraindicated. The therapeutic course with wormwood extract is carried out only under the supervision of a competent specialist.
The plant maximally shows its healing properties only if these rules are observed:
- The course of treatment does not exceed two weeks.
- A break between therapeutic courses: 2-3 weeks.
- If you purchased wormwood extract in a pharmacy, be sure to follow the recommendations in the instructions for the drug. In particular, this concerns the dosage of the drug. It is different for various tinctures, extracts, decoctions - it depends on concentration.
- The course of treatment is not recommended to be combined with the use of dairy products, eggs, alcoholic beverages and smoking.
Side effects
In case of overdose, violation of these instructions, the following consequences are possible:
- Strong headache.
- Cramps.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Hallucinations.
- Convulsions.
- Oppression of consciousness.
Available drugs
In folk medicine, wormwood has been used since ancient times because of the whole list of healing properties. For the manufacture of various preparations, leaves, stems, inflorescences, and plant roots are used. The following tools come out:
- Powders (milled grassy part).
- Liquid wormwood extracts are annual, bitter.
- Alcohol tinctures.
- Water infusions.
- Home decoctions.
- Ointments.
- Essential oils.
Such products are prepared for both external and internal use. On their basis make lotions, compresses, grindings, rinsing solutions.
Non-medical use
But this raw material is used not only for medicinal purposes. It is the basis for the manufacture of "wormwood vodka", better known as vermouth or absinthe. Dry grass is used as a spice in cooking. This is a great seasoning for a fatty meat dish.
Wormwood is also in demand in cosmetology. It is included in the composition of face and scalp care products. If you have a garden or garden, you must have used this tart grass to deter agricultural pests.
The drug in the pharmacy
Grass is used not only in folk, but also in traditional medicine. In the recipe, a thick extract of wormwood in Latin will be written as Extractum Absinthii spissum. It is accordingly extracted from the grass. It is dark brown in color, dense mass with a characteristic smell of grass. It tastes bitter. When mixed with water, it forms a cloudy solution.
In addition to the extract, in the pharmacies there are also alcohol tinctures of wormwood, essential oils, dry grass powder. Medicinal fees are also popular, which includes wormwood: for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, biliary tract, liver, diseases of the musculoskeletal system, and circulatory system. No less popular are anthelmintic fees, where the same wormwood is present in the components.
All of the above is dispensed without a doctor’s prescription. But self-medication is not worth it, since the list of contraindications and side effects in case of improper therapy is quite extensive.
Feedback
A lot of positive reviews about wormwood extract. Most of all, it is popular as an anthelmintic drug. There is also a benefit in the treatment of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. However, there are reviews that wormwood often causes exacerbation of gastritis, discomfort in the stomach, which is why it should be used with caution.
Many reviewers use this tool as a natural sleeping pill. It is not addictive, does not leave a feeling of a "heavy head" in the morning. But it is worth referring to the extract only in case of insomnia, and not constantly.
The reviewers turned to a similar treatment for skin problems. Ointments, wormwood-based compresses really contribute to healing, scarring of wounds.
Cases of poisoning with the drug are not described in the reviews. This is directly related to the fact that the authors used the extract only on prescription as an aid in drug therapy.
Wormwood extract is a fairly effective remedy. But it can not be used uncontrollably, because it is a poisonous grass. Follow your doctor's recommendations to get the most out of this natural treatment.