2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
The sumac / Cotinus coggygria Scop./ is one of the most famous medicinal herbal plants in our country. There is probably no person who has not taken advantage of its strong healing properties at least once. It is also known as oak, tetra and cuckoo. Sumac is a shrub or tree up to about four meters high that can be found among shrubs and oak forests. It grows on stony, dry and calcareous soil.
Sumac is widespread in the warmer parts of our country, up to 800 meters above sea level. It is also found in southern Europe.
The branches of sumac have a reddish smooth bark and yellow wood.
The leaves are elliptical or ovate, with well visible veins. The leaves are gray-green below and dark green above. They have a characteristic odor and turn red in autumn. The flowers of sumac are bisexual, pale green, gathered in an inflorescence.
Composition of sumac
Sumac leaves contain 25% halothanin, gallic and ellagic acid. The essential oil of sumac has a very pleasant aroma, and its chemical composition is extremely complex: camphene, linaleol, tirpeneol, alphapinene, myrcene. The sumac stem contains the flavonoid fizetin. Contains tannin, which is concentrated in the leaves.
Collection and storage of sumac
For medicinal purposes, the leaves are collected, which must be picked at the beginning of flowering before fruit formation. They are detached very carefully without being crushed or dried. It is good to collect in the morning, after the dew has risen, in dry and sunny weather. Only healthy and fresh leaves are collected, and the best time for this is between June and August.
The leaves should also not be allowed to get wet, because in this case they lose much of the tannin content. Sumac can be purchased from any pharmacy, and its storage is standard - well packaged, in a dry and cool place, away from direct access to sunlight.
Benefits of sumac
The sumac is there very good antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and astringent action. The anti-inflammatory action of sumac makes it a universal remedy for a bunch of diseases. The leaves of the young sumac twigs are mainly used for treatment.
Sumac is an amazing remedy for various acute and chronic inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity. These are periodontitis, canker sores, bad breath, stomatitis, gingivitis and others. Sumac is almost always present in the composition of toothpastes and mouthwashes.
Baths with sumac are suitable in the presence of hemorrhoids, but are most often used to treat persistent white discharge (colpitis) in the form of vaginal douches.
Sumac has the same beneficial effect on cystitis. It is good to do the washes twice a day.
Attention! If you have recently given birth, do not use a ladies' shower! Just wash with the healing decoction.
The sumac is one of the most effective herbs in terms of skin irritations such as eczema, skin wounds, boils, swelling, sweating feet and the like.
Folk medicine with sumac
In Bulgarian folk medicine sumac is used for hemoptysis, inflammation of the stomach and intestines, diarrhea, kidney disease, hemorrhoids, heartburn.
For internal use put 1 tbsp. leaves of the herb in 500 ml of water. Boil for 10 minutes and drink 1 tsp four times a day. For sumac bathswhich are used in the above conditions - white discharge, slow-healing wounds, diseases of the oral cavity, boils, sweating of the feet, the following decoction is made:
1 full tablespoon of sumac leaves are poured with 500 ml of boiling water and boiled for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain after cooling. The resulting mixture is made baths, rinses, gargle once a day. You can use the decoction for frostbite and chopping.
The herb has a powerful antifungal effect. You can make baths or compresses with sumac decoctionto get rid of the fungus.
You can use sumac decoction for chickenpox. Apply a compress that will stop the annoying itching and reduce the painful sensation.
Beautification with sumac
For sensitive skin, sumac can be used very often because it not only strengthens the protective functions of the skin, but also removes the unpleasant sensations of tightness and warmth, as well as redness of the skin. If you decide, you can easily prepare a face mask at home.
Wash and lightly mash a small amount of thyme leaves and add honey, preferably linden. Stir and apply on face, leave on for 20 minutes. Wash off with lukewarm water and moisturize the skin with a suitable cream.
The combination of thyme and sumac used for oily skin. Mix equal amounts of herbs, pour 500 ml of boiling water. Strain and store the finished decoction in a cool place. You can use as a cleansing tonic for oily skin.
You can treat pustules, boils and difficult-to-heal wounds with sumac and not see them on your skin in the morning. In case of swollen and swollen legs, the sumac will come to the rescue again, releasing the legs from the accumulated tension and, accordingly, from the swelling.
In case of inflammation of the eyelids, apply a few drops of sumac decoction and soon the problem will disappear. This treatment is extremely effective in barley. You can wash the eye with a decoction or put gauze soaked in the decoction for about 15 minutes.
If you suffer from acne, you can buy a cosmetic product - face cream, lotion, tonic with sumac extractwith which to clean the skin daily. If you have the herb, even better. Make a steam bath with sumac leaveswhich will open clogged pores. Then apply a little of the decoction on a cotton swab and apply it to the affected areas on the face. Leave for 15-20 minutes and wash your face with water.
Sumac is an integral part of a number of face, hand, foot creams, intimate wash creams and anti-itch creams. Sumac is used to treat acne: make a compress of 50 g of sumac, which boil for 20 minutes in 2 tbsp. water.
In cold weather it is very important to use cosmetics with sumac. Sumac creams keep the skin healthy and protect it from the aggressive conditions of the cold months.
Harm from the sumac
Sumac can be used for internal use only in small amounts, otherwise severe irritation of the internal mucous membranes may occur. Some believe that it should not even be used for internal use, but only for external rinsing.
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All The Benefits Of Sumac In One Place
Sumac is one of the most common herbs in Bulgaria. It is also known as tetra, cuckoo and oak. It is a shrub that grows up to 4 meters. It is most often found among shrubs and oak forests, on stony and calcareous soil. Sumac has a universal anti-inflammatory effect, which makes it a cure for many diseases.
Folk Medicine With Sumac
Sumac has astringent, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effects, in larger doses it can lower blood pressure. Externally used for sores, white discharge, gingivitis. - If you suffer from gingivitis, which is accompanied by bleeding and pus, you can make the following decoction - mix 120 g of sumac leaves, sage, calendula flowers.
Collection And Storage Of Sumac
Sumac has many names. It is also known as tetra, but in different parts of Bulgaria you can find it as smradlek, smradlyak, tetere, tetrya and others. The sumac is a widespread herb in our country. However, its overexploitation is increasingly threatening the deposits.
What Does Sumac Tea Help With?
Herbs are the greatest gift given to us by nature. They are easily taken in the form of medicinal teas. Proper application brings both healing and strengthening of the human body. One of the universal herbs known to everyone is sumac or tetra.
Sumac Heals Us And Makes Us Beautiful
Sumac or Tetra is found on calcareous soils throughout the country. It is a shrub with dark green leaves and reddish bark. It always carries a specific aroma. The usable part of the sumac is its leaves, which turn red in autumn when they bloom.
