The lavatera

Useful properties and applications of lavatera

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Description lavatera

The lavatera a perennial or annual herb, sometimes a shrub up to two meters high. The leaves are alternate, lobed, covered with stellate hairs. Single flowers form at the ends of the stems, spicate or racemose inflorescences, they come in yellow, pink or crimson color. The lavatera blooms profusely from mid-July to autumn. The plant is native to South America, Syria, North Africa. In the wild the lavatera grows in Western Siberia, in the Central regions of the European part of Russia.

Useful properties of lavatera

The chemical composition of plants are not well understood. It is only known that in all parts of lavatera contains a lot of mucus and kauchukopodobnoe substances. In addition, the roots are found starch, and the leaves are alkaloids and ascorbic acid. In folk medicine uses the roots and leaves. The roots are harvested in autumn, and the leaves – during flowering. In the official medicine the plant is not used.

The use of lavatera

Various formulations of plants widely used in folk medicine. Decoctions and infusions have excellent shielding and anti-inflammatory properties. Funds from lavatera is used for colds, cough, diarrhea and some other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

A decoction of the leaves is lavatera is recommended for diseases of the respiratory system, infusion treats diseases of the stomach and intestines. When you cough a decoction is used as an expectorant. A decoction of the roots helps with headaches, it is also prescribed as a binding agent in diarrhea. In skin diseases and scrofula used a decoction of the whole plant.

Decoction: 10 g dry or fresh raw materials, pour two cups of boiling water, boil for 5 min. in a sealed container, leave at least four hours, strain through cheesecloth. Make the tool recommended 4-5 times a day for 1 tablespoon.

The lavatera Thuringian

This tall perennial pubescent plant. The leaves are large, three - or five-lobed, grey-green in colour, grow alternately. Flowers have notched petals and numerous stamens of a beautiful pink hue. They are located singly in the angles of the upper leaves, collected in loose brush. The fruit grows in the form of a disk, divided into sectors, insidecontains 20-25 seeds.

The lavatera Thuringian distributed in the European part of Russia, Belarus, Central Asia, Moldova, Ukraine and the Caucasus. It grows in thickets, clearings, open forests, dry meadows and rocky steppes. The plant can be found in the mountains at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level.

In medicine uses the aboveground part of the plant and roots. Grass contains a lot of mucus and starch, alkaloids, flavonoids, fatty oil and vitamin C. preparations on the basis of lavatera have enveloping, expectorant and anti-inflammatory action. They are used in gastritis, tracheobronchitis, skin diseases and scrofula. Fresh leaves of the plant are used in the treatment of purulent wounds, a decoction of flowers drink upon the stomach pain and respiratory infections.

Contraindications to the use of lavatera

Before the use of medicines on the basis of lavatera desired a consultation with the doctor. Contraindication is hypersensitivity and idiosyncrasy. It is not recommended to use preparations of their lavatera during pregnancy and breastfeeding.