Black-fruited mountain ash (chokeberry)

Chokeberry – the listopadny tree belonging to family of the Rose family.

Description

The plant reaches in height of 10 meters. Bark smooth, gray color. On branches felt and fluffy kidneys. Leaves are next, with the trimmed scapes, almost sedentary. In an upper part leaves on edge saw-toothed, from above opaque green, from below – a grayish shade. Inflorescences are located on the ends of branches. The plant in May-June flowers of white color blossoms. Fruits have the baccate form, ripen in August-September and remain to the frosts.

The homeland of a chokeberry is North America. In the 18th century the chokeberry was delivered to Europe, and in the 19th century – to Russia. Before the beginning of the 20th century the chokeberry was considered as exclusively decorative culture.

Later the black-fruited mountain ash in different types found application: berries are eaten fresh, in dried, ground with sugar. Do jam, kissel, jam, fruit jelly of them. Also from a plant prepare juice, tinctures, wines and liqueurs.

In the medicinal purposes use mountain ash fruits. They have pleasant sourish and sweet, slightly tart smack. They contain a large number of the vital microelements and vitamins.

Medicinal properties of a black-fruited mountain ash are not lost when processing.

Chemical composition

Useful properties of a black-fruited mountain ash are caused by content of carbohydrates in it (10%), the whole complex of vitamins (B6, B2, B1, A, E, K, C, P), flavonoids, organic acids, pectins, tannins.

In addition, berries contain a large amount of iodine (four times more, than in a gooseberry, raspberry and a wild strawberry) and other microelements (chrome, nickel, molybdenum, zinc, manganese, cobalt, boron, copper, iron, fluorine and others).

Than the black-fruited mountain ash – so it high content of vitamin P in it is useful (the first place among vegetable and fruit and berry cultures). One kilogram of fresh berries is capable to satisfy daily need of the person for this vitamin. The chokeberry also surpasses many fruit plants in the content of vitamin C.

Than it is useful to a human body?

The chokeberry improves work of cardiovascular and respiratory system, strengthens walls of vessels. Thanks to medicinal properties of a black-fruited mountain ash, its juice is applied at treatment of atherosclerosis and an initial stage of a hypertension.

Than the black-fruited mountain ash still, so it is useful that it is capable to reduce high blood pressure while normal pressure remains at the previous level.

Recommend combined use with a black-fruited mountain ash of a dogrose and blackcurrant. These plants are rich with ascorbic acid that promotes the best digestion of vitamin P.

Outwardly the black-fruited mountain ash at burns found application and at allergic damages of skin (dermatitis, eczema, neurodermatitis).

At a diffusion toxic craw, in particular, at a thyrotoxicosis, as a part of complex therapy apply this plant.

Useful properties of a black-fruited mountain ash increase body resistance to infections so it is a powerful immunostimulator, raising a tone of an organism and improving the general state.

Use of a black-fruited mountain ash promotes digestion improvement, increase in appetite, increases secretion of a stomach. This fine means for fight against the lowered acidity of a stomach and against gastritis.

Berries of a chokeberry possess cholagogue and diuretic action. And leaves of a plant normalize work of a liver, promote education and biliation.

Water infusion of a chokeberry is shown for patients with a diabetes mellitus. And cancer patients use a chokeberry because of the antotsianin which are contained in it.

Contraindications and cautions

Because of high content in berries of ascorbic acid the black-fruited mountain ash is contraindicated at a hypertension and stenocardia. Their excessive use leads to hypercoagulation, and, as a result, to formation of blood clots.

The black-fruited mountain ash is categorically contraindicated to people with the increased coagulability of blood and tendency to thrombophlebitises.

The use of berries of a chokeberry is undesirable also at an ulcer of a 12-perstny gut and a stomach, at gastritis with a hyperoxemia.