This dicotyledonous plant, belonging to the genus Thistle (Carduus), has many popular names - thorn, thistle, red-headed, grandfather, hedgehog, thistle, prickly burdock. Many people know about the damage this weed causes to cultivated plants in a country or home garden, but not everyone knows that this plant has a number of useful properties.
Spread
Curly thistle is widespread throughout Eurasia, as well as North America. On the territory of our country, it is found in almost all regions.
This is a photophilous plant that prefers well-lit areas, although it can be seen in moist forests, along roadsides, on the banks of water bodies. The crops usually occupy the upper tier, which leads to the suppression of cultivated plants.
Accurate description of the thistle curly
A biennial weed herb, the height of which can be from twenty to one hundred and twenty centimeters. The stem is round, erect, furrowed, covered with sharp spines and “wings” to the top, branched from the middle (or just above).
Leaves are oblong-ovate or lanceolate, four to ten centimeters long and five centimeters wide. The lower leaves are larger (up to twenty centimeters in length and up to fifteen centimeters in width). Petiole winged, up to twelve centimeters long. Leaves are wavy-notched, serrated along the edge. From above they are covered with small thin spines, and from below they are slightly pubescent.
Peduncles prickly, white-white (length up to fifteen centimeters). They come out of the sinuses of the leaves. Baskets are spherical and slightly flattened, collected at the top of branches or stems. Their width is a little more than two centimeters. The basket bed is flat, fleshy, with bristles.
The wrapper is usually broadly ovoid, noticeably shorter than the flowers. In young baskets, the leaves of the wrapper are straight, during flowering, the outer leaves are bent back, linearly awl-shaped and hard. The inner leaflets of the wrapper are pressed, finely membranous. All their tops inside and outside are covered with barely noticeable, short, pressed hairs.
The flowers are small, tubular. The whisk is colored in purple. Fruits - very small achenes of a grayish color, with clearly visible longitudinal lines of a dark color, and a sitting tubercle. Crest is much shorter than the corolla. Curly thistle blooms in July-August. Until that time, gardeners and summer residents are trying to get rid of this plant in their areas.
Curly thistle: useful properties
Scientists have examined curly thistle. The description of the results of their work suggests that drugs based on this plant increase immunity, as well as the resistance of the human body to the adverse effects of environmental conditions.
Composition
Curly thistle, the photo of which you see below, contains:
- terpenoids;
- alkaloids (0.5%);
- ascorbic acid in the leaves (up to 30%);
- in the roots - inulin polysaccharide;
- semi-drying fatty oil in seeds (up to 29.3%).
The plant is suitable for use in food and for technical use.
Procurement and storage of raw materials
For the manufacture of medical preparations, thistle curly is used almost completely - stems, leaves, roots. The tops of the plant are harvested during active flowering (July-August), and the roots are harvested in September. They should be washed well under running water, cut into small pieces, spread out in a thin layer on paper, in a well-ventilated place. From time to time, the raw materials must be stirred and turned over.
The grass is harvested in the same way, but it dries faster. It is necessary to store raw materials in canvas or paper bags. The aerial part of the plant retains its beneficial properties for two years, and the roots for three.
Use in traditional medicine
Traditional healers have long and successfully used curly thistle. The recipes presented in this article will help to cure many diseases, but before starting treatment, you need to consult a doctor.
From insomnia and neurosis
Place one spoon (tablespoon) of crushed dry inflorescences in a bowl and pour 250 ml of water, boil for three minutes. The broth should be infused for about an hour, after which it can be filtered. Such a decoction is taken in a third of a glass twice a day.
With bronchitis
Grind the thistle roots (one tablespoon), pour them with 300 ml of water and bring to a boil. Leave over low heat for ten minutes, then strain. Take 1/2 cup three times a day.
Rheumatism and Gout
Curly thistle can help with these diseases that plague many people. To do this, you need to pour a tablespoon of crushed dry leaves of the plant with 250 ml of boiling water. The composition should be infused for about an hour, after which it can be filtered. Twice a day, take half a cup of infusion thirty minutes before meals.
Powder
For production, dry baskets and thistle leaves (without thorns) taken in equal parts are used. They must be carefully ground with a blender. The powder is taken on a teaspoon, washed down with boiled water, three times a day for anemia, oncological diseases of different localization, hemorrhoids, intestinal diseases.
The juice
It is prepared from young fresh thistle leaves, previously well washed and peeled. Raw materials are placed in a blender and crushed. You can use a meat grinder. Squeeze the resulting mass through several layers of gauze.
Juice is recommended for tuberculosis, anemia, asthenia, hypotension, after suffering a serious illness, surgery as a restorative.
For washing wounds, boils, ulcers
Pour two tablespoons of the raw materials with a glass of boiling water, wrap and leave in a warm place for about two hours. After this, strain the composition, and can be used.
Flower syrup
This is a very effective tool that is used in complex therapy for the treatment of colds, bronchitis, bronchial asthma. To prepare the syrup you need:
- curly thistle (inflorescences) - 150 g;
- granulated sugar - 100 g;
- boiling water - 300 ml.
Inflorescences pour boiling water and sugar. The resulting mass in an enameled container must be put on low heat and evaporated to half the initial volume under a closed lid, then strain. Take a teaspoon before meals.
Food use
Young leaves of the plant can be added to the vitamin spring salad.
Cheese salad
Remove the thorns from the leaves, scald them in salted water for ten minutes, cut, sprinkle with grated cheese and season the salad with sour cream or mayonnaise. Add salt and spices to taste.
Sorrel Salad
After peeling the leaves from the thorns, boil them in salted water and cut. To them add boiled potatoes, sliced, and chopped sorrel leaves. Place onion rings and chopped egg (boiled) on a plate (side). Sprinkle the salad with finely chopped dill, season with mayonnaise. Add spices and salt if desired.
Mashed soup
Boil young leaves and thistle shoots in slightly salted water for ten minutes, then chop in a blender. Make mashed potatoes, fry onions. Prepared foods are placed in broth or water, add sautéed onions, and bring to readiness. Before serving, season with sour cream and serve croutons.
Where else is the plant used?
Curly thistle - a beautiful honey plant. Budyakovy honey is considered one of the best. It has a beautiful golden color, crystallizes slowly, has a pleasant delicate aroma.
In addition, young thistle (without thorns) is a favorite cattle treat.
The use in medicine of different nations
We have already talked in sufficient detail about how the traditional healers of our country use the curly thistle. Its use has long been widespread in many countries of the West, as well as in the East. There, a decoction of the roots is used in the treatment of epilepsy, neurosis.
Belarusian and Nanai herbalists use dry grass smoke, fumigating children with frights, and also add bathing patients with nervous disorders.
Chinese traditional healers believe that decoction of inflorescences is indispensable in the treatment of colds and rheumatism. In folk medicine of Tibet and Transbaikalia, an infusion of the roots and inflorescences of a thistle is prescribed for diarrhea, bronchitis, gastroenteritis, pneumonia, and also as an emetic.
Contraindications
Based on the studies of the thistle, we can say that the medicines of this plant do not cause side effects with prolonged use.