Popularly, the hemlock plant is sometimes called dog angelica, wild parsley. This is a herbaceous plant, biennial. Belongs to the umbrella family. It is widely distributed in Europe, Asia and North Africa. In Russia, it grows in abundance in the presence of a temperate climate and warm zones.
Where does hemlock grow and what does it look like?
Hemlock spotted is classified as a medicinal herb. It can be found often enough in nature, in various places. It grows in the forest, successfully lives near human housing. It grows abundantly in landfills and wastelands. Clogs gardens and fields.
In the first year of his life, hemlock is a small rosette with carved leaves. After the vegetative cover dies in the fall, a large and powerful root remains in the ground. In the second year of life, hemlock produces a high stem crowned with inflorescences, from which the fruits ripen with seeds.
The hemlock root is similar to a spindle. Its color is whitish. The plant is tall, the length of the stem reaches 60-180 cm.
Sometimes there is a mucous coating on the hemlock stem, and red-brown spots form at the foot. The hemlock stem is straight, branched, hollow inside. Its leaves have petioles, their leaf plates are dissected, have some similarities with parsley leaves.
The leaves are arranged alternately from the stem and reach a length of 30-60 cm. The flowers are usually white in shades, their sizes are small. Umbrellas form inflorescences. In one inflorescence there are from 12 to 25 rays, they are rough to the touch.
At the bottom of the stem, the leaves are usually larger, with long cuttings. Heading up, the leaves become smaller, the petioles are shortened. Hemlock inflorescences are umbrellas that are collected from small flowers.
The umbrellas of the spotted hemlock can be confused with the dill umbrellas. Flowering of this plant usually occurs in June. In late summer - early autumn, ripened seeds form.
Hemlock as a medicine, unlike cultivated plants
As a medicinal plant, spotted hemlock is popular in European countries and the CIS. Its name is due to the presence of red-brown dots and the beginning of the stem. As noted above, hemlock is similar to individual garden crops, namely dill, parsnip, parsley, anise. Distinguish it from these plants by smell. So, if the seeds, flowers and leaves of the hemlock are rubbed, then they exude a sharp and unpleasant odor, reminiscent of the "aroma" of mouse nests.
In classical medicine, until recently, an alcohol tincture of spotted hemlock was used, which was mainly used to relieve a variety of strong pain sensations. Now pharmacology uses the plant less actively. This is due to the fact that hemlock is characterized by high toxicity of all its components.
However, he remained on the list of medicinal plants. It is mainly used in traditional medicine.
The unusual properties of the plant were known in ancient times. The ancient Greeks described hemlock as a supplier of strong, curare-like poison. These properties of it are explained by the fact that it contains a variety of alkaloids, among which there is konyin - a poison of neuroparalytic action. The strongest concentration of toxic constituents is in the seeds, less in the leaves. When the hemlock is dried, its toxic components do not disappear.
Features of the collection
Hemlock spotted - a plant everywhere. Often it grows in environmentally disadvantaged conditions. In this case, you should not collect it in roadside ditches near roads and in landfills.
To use a hemlock as a medicine of traditional medicine, leaves, flowers and fruits are harvested at home. The optimal time for harvesting leaves and flowers is from May to July. Hemlock seeds are harvested in late summer - early fall. It should be borne in mind that in working with this plant it is advisable not to allow it to come into contact with exposed skin. Respiratory organs are recommended to provide protection, for which use a respirator or gauze bandage.
Drying of the collected parts of the hemlock is carried out in shaded conditions in the fresh air. When harvesting seeds, cut umbrellas are also dried in the open air. It is recommended that stored prepared raw materials be stored for no more than two years in tightly sealed vessels (banks).
Negative and dangerous properties of hemlock
Medicinal hemlock is a very dangerous plant. Improper handling can lead to serious and deplorable results. As a result, it is strongly not recommended to use it in self-medication. Before you start using drugs made on the basis of hemlock, it is necessary to consult with a specialist, who will also determine the presence of any contraindications.
And indeed, given the strong toxicity of the hemlock and the specifics of its effect on the human body, drugs prepared from it are noted by the presence of contraindications.
The following symptoms are signs of poisoning by this plant:
- dry mouth;
- sore and burning throat;
- shortness of breath, difficulty breathing out;
- gagging;
- muscles respond with a specific twitch;
- indigestion is present;
- nausea, bloating;
- increased sweating;
- the presence of signs of hyperemia of the skin of the upper part of the head;
- dizziness.
It should also be borne in mind that when taking drugs based on a hemlock, blood pressure usually rises, the rhythm of heart contractions and their saturation increase.
Medical Applications
Since ancient times, medicine has tried to use hemlock to treat various ailments. Currently, based on long-term statistics, there is a list of problems in the human body that, when using the preparations of this plant, showed positive dynamics for recovery, namely:
- the presence of tumor processes and seals of certain glands (lymph nodes, thyroid, prostate and mammary glands);
- oncological diseases, mainly of a gynecological nature;
- in the treatment of advanced processes, treatment of tumor consistency in the stomach, liver, spleen, pancreas;
- certain diseases of the nervous system;
- ongoing processes of an infectious nature;
- diseases of the genitourinary system and hemorrhoids;
- the use of hemlock agents for external ailments as compresses, poultices, baths.
Hemlock Medicines
Currently, there are several varieties of medicines that are made from hemlock. It should be noted that traditional medicine mainly uses freshly cut leaves of this plant, as well as tinctures for alcohol and water.
The ointment based on the hemlock spotted is also very popular.
Ointments, oils, tinctures, decoctions made on the basis of this plant can retain their qualities for a long time.
Spotted hemlock ointment
It is recommended for use in the presence of internal and external neoplasms (malignant and benign). Including with brain tumors. It is effective in the complex treatment of diseases of other organs and vital systems of the body. The healing properties of hemlock are proven with:
- thyroid diseases (cancer, cyst, nodes, goiter);
- in the presence of inflammatory diseases of the lymph nodes;
- cracks in the anus;
- hemorrhoids;
- mastopathy;
- breast malignancies;
- diseases of the prostate gland;
- testicular tumors;
- a variety of skin diseases (eczema, psoriasis, cancer, skin sarcoma, dermatitis, etc.);
- various gynecological diseases as the main component of tampons (endometriosis, fibroids, sexually transmitted infections, ovarian cysts, etc.).
Hemlock ointment is effective in the presence of wounds, cuts, burns, problems with moles and warts. It is recommended for the elimination of joint pain, with osteochondrosis, vertebral hernias.
This ointment is considered an effective tool in the complex treatment of fibrous growths of breast tissue, having a pronounced antitumor effect.
Features of the manufacture of ointments
Hemlock ointment is made by a variety of technologies. So, one of them provides for its creation on the basis of palm oil. The composition includes, in addition to the hemlock extract, fir oil, extracts of birch bark, silver ions.
Also on the pharmaceutical market are hemlock ointments made from natural ingredients according to old Russian recipes. Moreover, they include only plant extract diluted in cottonseed oil and beeswax. It is believed that in this combination the healing properties of the hemlock are effective.
It should also be remembered that treatment with drugs made on the basis of this plant necessarily requires coordination with the attending physician.
It is also necessary to strictly control the conditions and shelf life of the hemlock ointment.
Reviews
From the content of reviews about hemlock-based drugs, it follows that opinions on them are divided almost equally. Mostly positive ones come from people who preach traditional medicine. However, medical professionals are rational and restrained. They do not recognize the effectiveness of hemlock drugs, including in the treatment of cancer.
Modern medicine states that no proven antitumor effects of the alkaloids of this plant on the body have been identified. Recently, according to the results of studies, more than 50 effective drugs have been put into practice, but not one of them has a hemlock alkaloids.
Doctors explain the positive results in the treatment of a variety of diseases and the use of spotted hemlock drugs exclusively by the emotional mood of patients.