Useful properties of sorrel have been described intimes of ancient Greek healers, as well as ancient Slavic medical institutions. This plant from the buckwheat family on our territory grows almost everywhere: on forest glades, flood meadows, along roads. It can be found in almost any vegetable garden or country house. Useful properties of sorrel are inherent in the whole plant: its roots, leaves, stems, seeds and flowers. Its popular name is acid, although this is erroneous. It grows to 1.5 meters, the stem of the plant is erect, the rhizome is multi-headed. The lower leaves are broad and the upper leaves are narrow. The root is powerful, slightly branched. Flowers are greenish and small.
Useful properties of sorrel are due tosubstances contained in it. In its leaves there are flavonoids, hyperoside and rutin having P-vitamin activity, potassium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, copper, fluorine, molybdenum, strontium, nickel, arsenic, ascorbic acid. Roots are also rich in useful elements. They contain emodin, chrysophanol (constituents of anthraquinone), tannins, rumicin, flavonoids neodin and nepozid. In all parts of the plant there are apple, citric, coffee and oxalic acids. Particular attention deserves horse sorrel, its medicinal properties are considered to be the strongest because of the content in it of a large proportion of vitamin C and essential oils.
For medicinal purposes, grass and roots are used,collected in autumn. In traditional medicine, the useful properties of sorrel are used to combat hypertension of the first and second stages. In small doses, it has an astringent effect, and in large doses it is laxative. It is prescribed for spastic colitis (chronic), to relieve stools in the fissures of the anus, hemorrhoids, to prevent constipation due to intestinal atony. In preparations for the control of ulcerative stomatitis, scurvy, gingivitis, sorrel is added (the medicinal properties of this plant are also useful in these cases).
In folk medicine, this plant is usedmuch wider. It is recommended for scabies, as a protivoglistnogo and astringent for diarrhea. Decoction of the roots of sorrel is used to combat skin ailments, rash, weed, ulcers, as a wound-healing preparation. Its effectiveness for the treatment of bloody and childish diarrhea is high. In addition, decoction from the root is used for irritation of the larynx, throat, catarrh of the upper respiratory tract, runny nose, coughing, front.
The infusion of seeds is used as aantiseptic and anti-inflammatory agents. In addition, it is believed that preparations from sorrel have a blood-restoring effect. With diathesis and tuberculosis, it can also be used as a healing agent. There are studies that confirm that drugs from sorrel contribute to the treatment of bladder papillomatosis, anemia, kidney ailments, alcoholism, pellagra, neoplasms (including malignant), syphilis, and nicotinic acid deficiency. Tibetan healers use sorrel for flatulence, polyarthritis, edema, fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity.
There are contraindications for him, in the case ofexcessive use of sorption can occur a violation of the exchange of minerals in the body, exacerbate gout, urolithiasis. Do not recommend drugs from it and during pregnancy.
