2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Whip / Agrimonia eupatoria L. / is a perennial herbaceous plant that is widespread throughout Europe, Southwest Asia, the Mediterranean. It occurs up to an altitude of 1500 meters. It grows on grassy places and bushes. The whip is also known as agrimony, burdock, cut grass, hopper and others.
The whip is covered with soft hairs, has a short and thick rhizome. The stem is fibrous and erect, unbranched or very slightly branched. It reaches a height of 30-120 cm. The fruits of the whip are 5-10 mm long, hanging down with long hooked growths. It blooms in June-September.
Whip composition
Whip contains vitamins B, C, K and P, mucous substances, silicates, coumarins, bitter and tannins, steroid saponins, essential oil, tannins.
Whip collection and storage
The above-ground part of the herb is collected for medicinal purposes, but without the hardened part of the stem. The best time to collect is June-August. Collected before or during flowering, but without collecting overblown stalks, as they do not have the same healing properties.
The above-ground part is cut about 30 cm from the top down. The collected whip dried in the shade. The dried drug has an astringent taste and a faint odor. From 4 kg of fresh stalks 1 kg of dry ones are obtained.
Benefits of whip
The whip has a very good anti-inflammatory and astringent effect. The astringent properties combined with the properties of a bitter tonic make the herb valuable for treating a number of conditions. This applies in full force in cases where astringent properties are needed to support the digestive tract.
It is used to treat irritable bowel syndrome and diarrhea. It is ideal for childhood diarrhea because it has no side effects in this regard.
Whip helps with colitis, cystitis and urinary problems. Traditionally, the whip is used as an excellent spring tonic. Used for gargling with laryngitis and sore throat.
Studies in humans have shown that the whip has a positive effect on acute porphyria. The excellent astringent effect of the herb is due to the contained gallotannins and tannins.
Whip It is used for heavy menstruation, kidney stones and cystitis, inflammatory processes of the throat and oral cavity, heavy menstruation, biliary diseases, anemia, skin problems, rheumatism, gout, involuntary urination in children, hemorrhoids, rashes, etc.
Folk medicine with a whip
Bulgarian folk medicine recommends extracts from whip in gastrointestinal diseases that are accompanied by diarrhea. The significant presence of tannins provides a good antidiarrheal effect.
When applied topically, the whip drug has a good hemostatic and anti-inflammatory effect in angina, bleeding gums, inflammation of the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, as well as for vaginal lavage.
3-4 tbsp. of the herb is poured with 500 ml of boiling water. After cooling, the mixture is filtered and the already prepared extract is drunk for 1-2 days.
Damage from a whip
Whip should not be used by people suffering from kidney and liver problems, constipation. Cases of allergic reactions with itching and rash have been reported in people who treat dried or fresh whip. The whip belongs to the rose family, and people with allergies to roses may also be hypersensitive to the whip.
If the whip is taken at the same time as other herbs that lower blood pressure, the risk of it becoming too low increases. This also applies to herbs that lower blood sugar levels, as well as those that affect blood clotting.
It is recommended that the whip be used on prescription and under medical supervision to avoid negative side effects.
