In folk medicine, the healing properties of a plant, sometimes called eye grass, have been known since ancient times. But eyebright is used to treat not only the eyes, but also many other diseases. The rich chemical composition of this herb makes it simply indispensable in eliminating the signs and consequences of many diseases.
Short description of the herb: eyebright, photo
This medicinal plant belongs to the family of Norichniki, grows in forest and forest-steppe zones. The eyebright is a herb, annual, with a straight, about 15 cm stalk, pubescent with short hairs. The flowers are her small size. Ovoid leaves are usually bare, small, with sharp teeth along the edge.
This grass blooms from early June to mid-September with pale purple or white. Fruits of eyebright are small capsules, hairy, with brownish seeds. The plant has no smell, but there is a certain bitter, salty taste.
Eyebright parasitizes on other herbs, especially meadow ones. It also grows on slopes, peatlands and shrubs.
Useful properties of eyebright
For medicinal purposes, flowers and leaves of the plant are used. The substances they contain have a beneficial effect on the body. It:
- fatty and essential oils;
- glycosides;
- tannins;
- coumarins;
- flavonoids;
- anthocyanins.
Eyebright grass contains many different trace elements (zinc, silicon, boron, magnesium, iron, manganese and others).
Application of eyebright
The plant is used in alternative medicine to treat many diseases. Preparations from the eyebright have the following actions:
- anti-inflammatory;
- enveloping;
- antispasmodic;
- painkiller;
- soothing;
- hypotensive.
Based on this, the drug eye is used to treat the following diseases:
- colds, fever, bronchitis, asthma, cough;
- epilepsy;
- hernia, gout;
- swelling of the glands in the cervical region;
- digestive system diseases and problems with the gastrointestinal tract (gastritis, constipation, high acidity, colitis of the catarrh of the colon, etc.);
- liver disease
- problems with the cardiovascular system, hypertension;
- headaches, hysteria;
- rheumatism;
- tumors, cancer, jaundice;
- sclerosis, distraction, slowing down the process of thinking;
- eczema and diathesis in children;
- skin tuberculosis and other skin diseases;
- prostate disease.
This plant strengthens the body with its action, tones the skin well, improves blood flow in the human brain. In addition, with regular use of eyebright, an increase in appetite is observed, hair growth is stimulated.
Eyebright medicinal for eyes
In alternative medicine, this plant is widely used to treat diseases of various etymologies:
- inflammatory processes of the eyes, lacrimal sacs and eyelids;
- spots and clouding on the cornea;
- tumors and abscesses;
- rhinitis, barley, conjunctivitis;
- trachoma, glaucoma, cataract.
In addition, coping with age-related changes in vision helps the eyeball officinalis. Reviews of elderly patients indicate its ability to perfectly eliminate eye fatigue. It should also be noted that this plant is prescribed as therapy in the postoperative period, for the treatment of eye injuries.
Treatment of diseases with the help of eyebright. Recipes
To treat diseases with the help of this plant, different methods are used. Eye diseases are treated with compresses from the eyebright or rinses, powders and poultices are done for panaritiums, abscesses, cancer, warts, scrofula, dermatoses. In the case of theoderma, patients are prescribed baths with an eyeball. For cardiovascular diseases, to eliminate tobacco dependence, to increase appetite, it is recommended to use infusions from the plant internally.
Some recipes from the trap:
- For the treatment of eye diseases: it is necessary to apply compresses to sore eyes. For this, 5 tbsp. l without a hill of dry grass is steamed in a liter of boiling water. To enhance the effect, it is recommended to drink a glass of fresh milk daily, along with lotions, where to add about two grams of plant powder.
- For the treatment of diseases of the upper respiratory tract: in half a liter of boiling water, insist 3 tbsp. l dry chopped eyebright. To take such an infusion (filtered) is recommended every 6 hours in 50 ml.
- Quit smoking helps rinse the mouth three times a day with tincture from the plant (per liter of boiling water take 50 g of dry grass).
- With impaired digestion and increased appetite, a special infusion helps very well, which is done as follows: in a glass of boiled water, about three hours 10 g of dry eye are infused. It is advisable to use the infusion in the morning, at lunch and before going to bed half a glass (be sure to strain).
- The following infusion remarkably eliminates eye fatigue: in a glass container, it is necessary to brew about 50 g of grated dry leaves of the plant 220 ml of alcohol (preferably 70%). He insists one and a half weeks, be sure to in a cool place without exposure to sunlight. Infusion should be applied to cotton swabs and lightly wipe their eyes. The shelf life of such a medicine is about five years, if stored in the refrigerator.
Eyebright: collection and harvesting
Flowers and leaves of the plant are ideal for the medicine. Their harvesting is carried out during the flowering period, that is, from June to early fall (mid-September).
It is recommended to dry the grass in a place where sunlight does not fall. The most optimal temperature for drying is 40 degrees Celsius. After drying, the plant loses its green color and becomes grayish.
It is advisable to store harvested eyebright grass in jars that are tightly closed, always in a dry place. It should be remembered that humidity adversely affects dry eyebright raw materials. You can also store the dried plant in paper bags.
The shelf life of such a medicinal preparation is not more than one year.
Contraindications to the use of plants for medicinal purposes
Ophiuchus herb is not used to treat diseases in the following cases:
- with individual intolerance by the body of this plant;
- when observing signs of hypotension, because the pupil narrows the capillaries (water extract of the herb);
- with hypertension, it is contraindicated to use precisely alcohol tinctures of eyebright;
- during pregnancy;
- with symptoms of anacid gastritis;
- with reduced acidity of the stomach, do not take tinctures from the plant inside.
Eyebright is an excellent and effective tool for combating many diseases. But it should be noted that it is still not advisable to prescribe it for the treatment of diseases on their own, without consulting a doctor. Only as part of complex therapy, on the recommendation of a doctor, this plant will bring maximum benefits to the body.