The Iceland moss is the Icelandic

Iceland moss Icelandic or the Icelandic moss – the long-term lichen belonging to Parmeliyev' family.

Description

The plant is symbiosis of two microorganisms – seaweed and mushrooms. Both microorganisms are so closely connected among themselves that represent a uniform complete organism.

Moss the Iceland moss externally represents upright bushes with wrong and tape-like blades, narrow, leathery and cartilaginous, in width reaching 0,3-0,5 cm, and in height – 10 cm, olive-brown color, with short dark cilia. Edges of blades are slightly wrapped to top.

Sometimes on the ends of blades fruit bodies, a tarelkoobrazny form with slightly gear edge, a brownish shade develop an apothecium, or. In apotetion bags with disputes develop. Disputes are colourless, one-celled, an epileptic form, on 8 pieces in each bag.

Distribution of an Iceland moss Icelandic

The moss of an Iceland moss is eurysynusic in Australia, America, Asia and Europe. Meets in Central and Northern Europe, in a forest zone and the tundra of Siberia, in Ukraine – in the Carpathians. In Europe grows in the Alps, the Pyrenees and the Balkans. In a northern part of Russia it is more widespread in the European part. Grows in mountains of the Far East, Sayan Mountains, Altai and the Caucasus. Is the typical representative of sterile open spaces and pineries. Grows in the tundra, in highlands (up to the height of 1500 m above sea level above), on grassy and stony sites, in mountain forests, mountain glades.

The Iceland moss prefers the sandy not shaded areas, forming pure thickets. It is possible to meet in heather thickets where it grows at small groups, and on moorlands.

Collecting and preparation of medicinal raw materials of an Iceland moss

In the medical purposes use the dried-up Iceland moss thallus. It has bitterish and mucous taste and a slight peculiar smell. Dry up a thallus in a shadow or in the sun, displaying a thin layer on fabric or paper. Preparation of raw materials is carried out generally to the summer period.

Raw materials are stored in densely closed banks or in boxes with paper laying in the dark dry cool place.

Chemical composition

Began to investigate chemical composition of an Iceland moss several hundred years ago, and today it is rather well studied.

The thallus consists preferential of carbohydrates among which there is an isolichenin, lichenin, умбилицин, Mannitolum галактоманнат, chitin, sucrose, erythritol, hemicellulose and others.

The thallus of the Icelandic moss is capable to accumulate to 80% of polysaccharides which at extraction with hot water are dissolved, forming dense weight. At hydrolysis lichenin gives glucose.

Mocha an Iceland moss contains organic acids which received the name of lichen. Acids give to a plant bitterish smack and cause its antibiotic and toning properties.

In addition to acids, the thallus contains proteins, gum, wax, fats, ascorbic acid, B12 vitamin, pentacyclic тритерпен фриделин, naphthoquinone (юглон), mineral substances and pigments.

The interesting fact – in Mocha an Iceland moss contains antiscorbutic vitamin C in easily acquired form, and it remains in the dried-up plant for three years.

Use of an Iceland moss Icelandic in traditional medicine

There are data that the plant in the medical purposes was applied in Ancient Egypt, for two thousand years BC.

In the Middle Ages the Iceland moss Icelandic in traditional medicine in countries of Northern Europe – Sweden found broad application, for Norway, Iceland. It was used as the enveloping cure for bronchitis and catarrhal diseases.

In the form of broths and infusions in the Scandinavian countries the plant was applied to arousing appetite, and also as fortifying, nutritious and an emollient.

Widely applied an Iceland moss Icelandic at treatment of a pulmonary tuberculosis, laryngitis, whooping cough, bronchial asthma, bronchitis and other bronchopulmonary diseases.

The moss an Iceland moss was used at malignant new growths, at bleedings, and also as the means capable to suppress excessive sexual excitability at women.

Outwardly in the form of lotions the Iceland moss was applied at ulcers, wounds, burns, abscesses, eels, furuncles, microbic eczema.

Use of an Iceland moss Icelandic in official medicine

As medicinal raw materials use of an Iceland moss Icelandic began in the 17th century. In the period of the second half of the 18 and first half of 19 centuries use of a moss an Iceland moss was very widespread in official medicine. This plant was traditional means at treatment of a pulmonary tuberculosis, and the thallus was a part of many medicines.

The first pharmaceutical drug on the basis of lichen acids was created in the fifties the 20th centuries in Germany and Evozin carried the name. It had antimicrobic activity, thanks to availability in it of usnic and everniyevy acids. It was appointed for the treatment of a lupus erythematosus and other diseases caused by pathogenic microorganisms.

Against a pulmonary tuberculosis the German scientists offered the drug Eosine-2 as a part of which, except usnic and everniyevy acids, there were such lichen acids as kaperatovy, physodic, atronarinovy.

From skin diseases and tuberculosis successfully used mix of streptomycin and usnic acid.

In Japan the antibiotic means from an Iceland moss used at treatment of an actinomycosis was developed.

In therapeutic practice the Iceland moss Icelandic, thanks to the also found application for the expectorating and softening properties caused by high content in it mucous substances. It is used at many bronchopulmonary diseases.

In Finland from an Iceland moss the way of receiving means from cold, cough and asthma, by means of a dandelion, extracts from a grass of a yarrow, rhizomes of a silverweed, a grass of coltsfoot, bark of a willow, leaves of a bearberry, juniper fruits is patented.

In the USSR in 1956 sodium drug уснинат on the basis of usnic acid which was applied as antimicrobic means at treatment of cracks, burns and wounds was received. On the basis of sodium of an usninat drug Balm Binan was produced.

Also many other drugs which part the Iceland moss is are known:

• Bronkhikal plus for children (cough syrup);
• Bronchialtee 400 (the tea drink applied at cold);
• Isla-Mint Pastillen (pastils for cough);
• Salus Bronchial-Tee (tea from an inflammation of respiratory bodies);

Contraindications to use of an Iceland moss Icelandic

Use of an Iceland moss Icelandic and drugs with its contents is contraindicated at pregnancy and a lactation, at stomach ulcer, and also at gastritis with a hyperoxemia.