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Euphrasia officinalis

Useful properties and applications of eyebright


Botanical characteristics of eyebright

Eyebright is a small annual plant of the figwort family with straight, branched from the middle, soft-pubescent, reddish-brown stems with heights from 5 to 50 cm Leaves small, opposite, egg-shaped, with spinous teeth along the edge. In the lower part of the stem leaves of early fall. In the axils of the leaves develop flowering stems with pale purple or white two-lipped flowers. The flowers in the length does not exceed 6-10 mm, their hallmark yellow rounded spot on the lower three-lobed lip.

Eyebright semiparasitizing plant, its roots sucking nourishment from the grasses. Its flowering period is from late summer to mid-autumn. Eyebright can be found in meadows, along roadsides, in open forests, in mountainous areas, on dry slopes, in peat bogs. It is prevalent mostly in Central and southern regions of Germany, Italy, the Balkans, Russia, Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus.


The benefits of eyebright

For medicinal purposes harvested the aboveground part of plants – flowers and leaves. They contain essential and fatty oils, flavonoids, tannins, coumarins, glycosides, anthocyanins, and vitamins. Euphrasia officinalis is a real storehouse trace elements such as silicon and magnesium, zinc and boron, iron, chromium, manganese, magnesium and others.

To preserve the healing properties of the plant, it is collected during flowering, dried under sheds in the open air or in premises with good ventilation. For drying herbs you can use the special dryer at the operating temperature of 40 °C. After drying, the grass is crushed and stored in boxes in a package of heavy paper. The finished material is afraid of water, so should be stored in a dry, well-ventilated place.


The use of eyebright

Eyebright has found wide application in folk medicine. It has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, enveloping, antispasmodic, hypotensive and calming effect. In addition, the preparations of eyebright improves circulation to the brain, reduce eye pressure, improve immunity and relieve swelling.

The use of infusions and decoctions of herbs is justified in cough, cold, bronchitis, sore throat. They help in disorders of memory, problems with the gastrointestinal tract, with catarrh of the stomach, enterocolitis, gastritis with high acidity,Allergy. Eyebright is also used for hypertension, rheumatism, gout. The plant is majority heart herbal due to the presence in its composition of cardiac glycosides group.

Medicinal properties of eyebright proven in the treatment of eczema and Allergy. It has a positive effect on the scalp promoting hair growth and improve their structure.


Eyebright for eyes

Preparations of eyebright treats various eye diseases ranging from simple eye strain during prolonged work at the computer or while reading in dim lighting and ending with such serious diseases as cataracts and glaucoma.

For internal use use herbal teas, tinctures, tea or juice for topical – various compresses, baths and lotions. With hyperopia or myopia the first sample, you can add calendula flowers that will enhance the effect of the drugs. In the treatment of barley is recommended to add the chamomile. Increase the antiseptic properties of glow-worms, the fruits of fennel.


Tincture of eyebright

Tincture of eyebright is also a good preventive measure for maintaining vision, it can be taken and children. Tincture relieves fatigue and a feeling of "sand in the eyes", it is effective against glaucoma and cataract. Drug treatment takes place at the tissue level, it is an advantage of tincture of eyebright. It is a good antiseptic and analgesic.

Recipe 1. 50 g dry herb eyebright is necessary to use 220 ml of 70% alcohol, ten days to insist in a glass container in a cool and dark place at a temperature of 20-25 degrees Celsius, once in two days to shake. The maximum shelf life of tincture five years.


Eyebright extract

The eyebright extract has medicinal properties, many times the properties of the herbs. In laboratory studies, it became known that the plant extract has a positive effect on visual acuity, reduces inflammation, and even has a therapeutic and preventive effect on degenerative processes in the membrane of the eye and reduces puffiness of the eyes and slows age-related metabolic disorders.

Eyebright extract cure such respiratory diseases as angina, influenza, asthma, bronchitis. It is used for inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, diseases of the genitourinary system, in cardiovascular diseases. The product can be used in baths, poultices andlotions, dry extract in the form of powder. Similarly treated skin diseases – dermatitis, eczema, warts. In the treatment of these diseases the preparation is used both internally and in the form of lotions, drops, washes.

Extract is the extract of the plant, which is prepared in alcohol or water, it can be purchased at homeopathic pharmacies.

Infusion of eyebright

Infusion of eyebright folk medicine uses for eye diseases, indigestion or lack of appetite.

Recipe 1: to 200 ml of boiling water take 10 g of dry chopped herbs. It is filled with boiling water and allow to infuse for three hours, then filtered. The infusion, taken three times a day half a Cup.

Recipe 2: 200 ml of cold water is needed, pour 2 teaspoons of chopped eyebright, bring to the boil and infuse for 2-3 minutes. Drink the tool recommended half a Cup four times a day.


Eyebright erect

Eyebright erect plant – polyprotic, the roots he has a sucker with which it clings to the roots of other plants, and thus takes water from them. A stalk of eyebright erect straight, the lower part sometimes branched. Plant height is from 1 cm to 50 cm It can be red or purple. The leaves along the entire length of the barrel have a different shape from the bottom they are wedge-shaped with notches on each side, and upper and mid – wide, very sharp. The flowers are pale purple, on short stems, blooming throughout the length of the barrel.

At the top flowers clustered in a bundle. The fruits are oblong – oval box. This species blooms from June to October. It grows in Ukraine, Belarus, the Caucasus, the European part of Russia. Eyebright erect can be found almost everywhere: in the meadow, in the woods and among the rocks, it grows also on the sandy slopes.

This species is very widely used in folk medicine. Use the whole plant. The infusion is recommended for gastritis, diarrhea, hemorrhoids. A decoction is used as anti-inflammatory and otharkivajushche tool. Warm decoction is used in cough, flu, sore throat, asthma. The broth can be used as a lotion for ulcers, wounds and burns. Powder prescribed for epilepsy and dyspnoea. He also applied and alcoholism. But mostly eyebright is used in eyediseases.

Recipe 1: 200 ml of boiling water are required to pour 1 tablespoon of chopped herbs, to insist 2 hours and then strain. Take medicine for half a Cup four times a day, washed them forever.


Eyebright common

It is a small annual plant with a straight stem, often branched. In this type many small green leaves, sharp in the middle of the stem. Flowers white, slightly yellow inside, in a bun on the top of the plant. It blooms from June to October, grows throughout the European part of Russia.

In the eyebright contains such useful substances such as glycoside aukubin, essential oil, disinfectant resin, tannins. Dried or powdered leaves are used in the form of lotions, rinses.

Recipe 1. A quarter Cup of cold water you need to pour 1-2 teaspoons of the herbs, bring to boil and let stand 2 minutes. When the medium is cool, it is instilled in the eye corners or use as a lotion and a half hours a day.

Recipe 2. 250 g cold water you need to pour 3 teaspoons of a grass ochanki, bring to boil and cook on low heat for 10 min. Composition is used to warm baths.


Contraindications to the use of eyebright

In the use of eyebright for therapeutic purposes, it is necessary to know that the aqueous extract of the herb constricts blood vessels and increases the pressure. And Vice versa alcohol tincture lowers blood pressure.

Eyebright should not be used by pregnant women and people suffering from gastritis anatsidnyh.