Handrail

Handrail – a perennial plant from family of the Mint family (Yasnotkov). In height the plant reaches 40-60 centimeters. The plant can be divided into three types on coloring of stalks: with red, pink-violet and green leaves. The perill contains many useful substances and essential oils. So, for example, on the content of carotene the plant can safely argue with carrots.

Distinguish two types of a perilla:

• Basilic which is preferential grown up on seeds for production of essential oil;
• Nanking, or salad which is used in cookery as spice.

Handrail has beautiful outward, its krasnolistny types which often use for decoration of dishes are especially good.

The plant has much-branched structure, leaves big, to the touch dryish and wrinkled. In Japan a handrail is indispensable attribute of decoration of gardens.

Russia preferential uses grades of the Japanese selection. Akashiso and Aoshioso's grades give good productivity. From grades of the Russian selection the grade the Dewdrop as it cold-resistant, early also has the long period of vegetation – 150 days is popular. Now domestic selectors are busy with removal of new grades of a plant.

Handrail loves the friable, well fertilized soils. Grow up a plant generally seedling, by means of a pottery method. Seeds of a plant burgeon very slowly therefore before crops they for several days are presoaked, and water is changed by not less than three times a day.

On seedling seeds sow in April-May, and with the advent of two real leaflets saplings dive in hotbeds or film greenhouses at distance of 20-30 centimeters from each other.

Start cleaning of greens in an initial blossom. Escapes cut off at the height of 10 centimeters from the earth. During the season do, as a rule, two cuts. Depending on cultivation conditions, average productivity makes 0,5-5 kg on square meter.

Fresh greens remain up to seven days if to put it in the refrigerator in a glass jar and to cover. The perilla is not recommended to be stored in plastic bags as it quickly rots. For long storage use traditional preparations of greens.

Use of a perilla in cookery

Greens of a perilla have soft anisic and lemon aroma, on taste – juicy and gentle, with easy peppery taste. Use leaves of preferential fresh young plants. Also leaves pickle, salt and add at preparation of various drinks and sauces.

Do powder which is used as spice of dry leaves of a perilla, adding to vegetable and a meat dish. Generally as spice use zelenolistny grades of a plant.

Krasnolistny grades add to a various pickles for giving of coloring to them. In Japan, for example, the krasnolistny perilla is added at a stachys pickles. At the same time tubers of a stachys gain delicate specific aroma and a beautiful rose-red shade.

Medicinal properties of a perilla

Essential and fat oils of a perilla which in a large number contain in seeds and leaves of a plant have the main medical effect. Do various infusions and broths which possess the antiseptic, calming and soothing action of seeds and leaves. Use them at cough, cold, bronchitis, and also apply as sudorific and diuretic.

Perilla oil has big medicinal properties. Receive it from plant seeds by a cold extraction.

As a part of oil of a perilla a large amount of alphalinolic acid – about 64% contains. This acid is the major unsaturated acid necessary for full functioning of a human body. Olein and linoleic acids are presented in perilla oil in number of 15% and 17% respectively. It is also necessary to note that perilla oil – the only vegetable oil as a part of which the omega-3 of acids, than in fish oil is twice more.

The use of oil helps at various skin diseases, reduces cholesterol level in blood and arterial pressure, positively influences a condition of a nervous system, reduces an inflammation of joints.

Oil of a perilla contains tannins and phenolic connections (лютеолин, catechin, rosemary acid, апигенин), and also glycosides, flavonoids, terpenes which have powerful antiinflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral and antioxidant properties.

Rosemary acid protects skin from harmful effects of ultraviolet, stabilizes cellular membranes, fights with free radicals in this connection also anticarcinogenic property of oil of a perilla is connected.

Besides, in Southeast and Japanese cosmetology and the perfumery industry widely apply perilla oil. It well humidifies and nourishes skin, removes an itch and irritation. On the basis of oil prepare various creams, srubs and face packs, and also conditioners and hair shampoos.