Yarrow

The yarrow – a perennial herbaceous plant of family of the Thistle family, something like that is more than 150 types. The most widespread of them: the yarrow is ordinary, a yarrow naked, a yarrow setaceous and a yarrow Asian. The area of growth is wide: from North America to the Himalayas and New Zealand.

Curative properties of a yarrow are used since ancient times, in literature is described that else Achilles during the Trojan war applied this plant as wound healing means to treatment of the soldiers. In the medical purposes in the basic the yarrow ordinary is used, the yarrow Asian or setaceous is more rare.

Useful properties of the Yarrow

Medicinal properties of a yarrow cause its wide use in traditional medicine, both for treatment of diseases, and for their prevention. The structure of this plant is unique, it contains tannins (tanning matter), phylloquinones (vitamin K), carotene (provitamin A), essential oil, alkaloids, flavonida, vitamin C, amines, flavonovy glycosides, ant and acetic acids.

Tannins as a part of a yarrow have the bactericidal, antiinflammatory, knitting effects, are capable to remove irritation and to tone up integuments. It is used at the increased perspiration, seborrhea, acne rash, and also in the cosmetic purposes at wide skin pores of the person and for strengthening of hair bulbs.

Vitamin K strengthens walls of capillaries that leads to reduction of bleeding and improvement of coagulability of blood. Also vitamin K helps with healing of wounds and trophic ulcers. The yarrow is applied to treatment of wounds, burns and ulcers, and also at liver diseases, jaundice and some diseases of blood.

Carotene contains in this plant in rather large number therefore use of a yarrow is justified at signs of deficit of vitamin A in an organism (fragility of hair, a xeroderma and its peeling, fragility of nails, etc.).

Essential oil of this plant has rich chemical composition, it includes camphor, cineol, baras camphor, ахиллин, karyophyllene and many other substances. Essential oils of a yarrow help to deal with the problems of skin and a hair, and also render positive effect at frostbites.

Despite rich structure and a set of useful properties the yarrow is contraindicated for use by pregnant zhenshchinama, and also at some other states. It is necessary to consult to the doctor if you are going to use this plant in the medical purposes.

Use of the Yarrow in traditional medicine

The yarrow is applied as bactericidal, kroveostanavlivayushchy, antiinflammatory, astringent, it also improves bile secretion.

This plant is used for a stop of bleedings (for example, nasal, uterine, tooth, pulmonary, etc.). the yarrow helps at gynecologic diseases which are followed by plentiful periods (a fibromyoma, endometriosis), its gormonopodobny action allows to normalize a menstrual cycle.

The knitting properties of a yarrow help to struggle with diseases of the alimentary system (acute intestinal infections, colitis, enterita, a proctosigmoiditis). As pitches, silicon and tannins are a part of this plant, use it for treatment of inflammatory diseases of skin, and also at injuries and burns of soft tissues.

Treatment by a yarrow is justified at inflammatory processes of urinary tract (cystitis, pyelonephritises), and also at an urolithiasis.

Infusion and liquid extract of this plant apply to appetite improvement. Broth of a yarrow is used at liver diseases as cholagogue and anti-inflammatory drug.

At treatment of viral respiratory infections this plant helps the sudorific and all-promoting effect.

Use of a yarrow is justified also for treatment of cardiovascular diseases, its diuretic action contributes to normalization of arterial pressure, improvement of blood circulation and reduction of hypostases. Besides this plant helps also at disturbances of venous blood circulation (chronic venous insufficiency at a varicosis), thrombophlebitises, hemorrhoids.

Treatment by the Yarrow: recipes

Infusion of a yarrow is shown at a hyporexia, at a peptic ulcer, gastritis, diarrhea. It is made as follows: 1 tablespoon of the dry crushed grass is filled in by 250 ml of boiled water and insist within 1 hour, previously having wrapped up. It is necessary to take infusion on 1 tablespoon 3 times a day for half an hour to food. Also infusion of a yarrow can be used at inflammatory processes of urinary tract and diseases of a liver, for this purpose it is appointed on 50 ml 4 times a day before meal. At bleedings (nasal, uterine, hemorrhoidal) infusion is applied on 120 ml 4 times a day before meal.

Juice of a yarrow is applied as wound healing and kroveostanavlivayushchy means since ancient times. Also juice can be used at pulmonary and uterine bleedings, and as laktogonny means. At cold juice of a yarrow can be dug in in a nose as a microbicide.

At a skin furunculosis, a hair loss, seborrhea treatment by a yarrow helps the antiinflammatory, bactericidal and all-stimulating effect. For this purpose use its fresh juice together with olive oil (a ratio of components 1:10). At pustulous diseases of skin of a bandage change 1 time a day.

At eczema strong broth of a yarrow helps, it needs to be applied locally to washings and compresses, and also inside on 1 tablespoon three times a day.

At diseases of a large intestine, a meteorism use yarrow infusion together with a sage, mint and a camomile. All herbs undertake in equal proportions (on 1 tablespoon) are filled in with abrupt boiled water, infuse before cooling. It is necessary to accept such infusion on ½ glasses 4 times a day.

At phlebitis, thrombophlebitises treatment by a yarrow helps to remove an inflammation, hypostasis and to improve venous blood circulation. This plant is applied in mix with leaves of cowberry, a birch, an immortelle and bark of a buckthorn: 50 g of a yarrow, 200 g of flowers of an immortelle, on 100 g of other components are filled in with boiled water (1 glass), heat up within 5 minutes and 4 more hours infuse. It is necessary to accept broth on 120 ml 3 times a day before meal.

Yarrow: contraindications to use

At treatment by any herbs it is necessary to know about contraindications and possible side effects.

As this plant possesses kroveostanavlivayushchy action, the yarrow is contraindicated at the increased coagulability of blood, at pregnancy on any terms, and also it is not necessary to apply it to people with the lowered arterial pressure. At prolonged treatment by a yarrow developing of dizzinesses, a headache, rash and nausea is possible.