2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
The communion / Melilotus L. / is a biennial herbaceous plant of the legume family, which has a tall, erect stem, reaching a height of 1 meter. The colors are yellow or white. They are collected in several clustered inflorescences, which develop on the tops of the stem of the herb or its lateral branches. The fruit of the plant is a bean with yellow-green seeds.
Communion can also be found under the names big star, yellow bull and honey shamrock. It grows in moist and grassy places, in many crops as a weed and around roads as a weed. It is found throughout Bulgaria, most often up to 1000 meters above sea level.
Types of communion
Yellow communion / Melilotus officinalis / - blooms in June-September. Its flowers are elongated racemes, nestled in the axils of the upper leaves of the plant. Corolla yellow, with five petals. In addition to being found throughout the country, the yellow commune grows throughout Europe, excluding the far north.
White communion / Melilotus albus / - a very dry and cold-resistant plant that has a highly developed root system with many tubers that reach 2 meters deep. The colors of the white communion are small, white and numerous. The fruit is a yellow-brown pod that has a seed pointed towards the top. Each plant has a very large number of flowers - about 1500 pieces. It ripens in August. Like the yellow communion, the white one blooms in June-September. White communion grows around moist grassy areas such as weeds throughout Europe, North Africa and Asia.
Composition of the communion
The yellow communion contains coumarin glucosides, from which during the hydrolysis are obtained approximately 0.2% melilotonin, 1% coumarin, various resins, tannins and mucous substances, flavonoids.
The composition of the white communion includes almost the same compounds - coumarin glucosides, resinous, mucous and tannins, mineral salts, saponins, crude fats.
Collection and storage of communism
The communion is collected in the period from May to August. The usable parts of the herb are the top stems with flowers and leaves. It is necessary to cut the flowering tops of the stem, which are 15-20 cm long. They are tied in bundles and dried in a shady but ventilated place. The dried herb has a very pleasant aroma of coumarin, which resembles the smell of dried hay. The taste is slimy, slightly salty-bitter.
Benefits of communism
White communion is a very valuable honey plant. The yield of honey from one decare of communism varies from 30 to 80 kg. It gives a very large amount of nectar. White communion honey has an excellent taste and is also extremely good for health. Apart from being a honey plant, the white communion is also a valuable fodder for farm animals. Used both fresh and dried.
Both white and yellow communion bring a number of health benefits. Studies have shown that coumarins, which are contained in the communion, suppress the action of the central nervous system, have a strong narcotic and anticonvulsant effect. Experiments performed on rats showed that coumarins improved conditioned reflex activity in artificially induced encephalopathy. Internally applied yellow communica extract improves liver function in experimental animals. Yellow communica extract lowers blood pressure.
In experimentally induced inflammatory edema and arthritis, it was found that the coumarin extracted from yellow communion has a strong anti-inflammatory effect.
Communal stems are used to treat varicose veins, ischemic heart disease and other pathological conditions that are associated with circulatory problems and lymph edema. The coumarin and troxerutin in the herb have a strong protective effect on the mucous membranes of the vessel walls. They thicken the capillaries and improve the ability of the blood to move by increasing the plasticity of erythrocytes. In addition, these substances have a very good antithrombotic effect.
Coumarin has a cleansing effect on blood vessels, in terms of free oxygen radicals, which are the main culprit for damage to the vessel wall. It is this effect that prevents inflammation of the wall and the appearance of compaction and fibrosis.
White communion brings a number of health benefits. It has a very good sedative and hypnotic effect, has analgesic and anticonvulsant effects. It is useful for women in menopause, painful menstruation, intestinal problems and boils, various inflammatory processes, swelling from insect bites, shortness of breath, hemorrhoids. White communion is used to increase milk in lactating women.
Folk medicine with communism
The yellow communion is widely used in Bulgarian folk medicine. It is most often used as an analgesic and sedative for insomnia and irritability. Both white and yellow communion are used externally for boils and purulent wounds. Communion is useful in inflammation of the middle ear and discharge from the ears. For this purpose, money is brewed from the herb.
In rheumatic edema of the joints apply local baths with infusion of communion. Internally applied communion is useful in inflammatory processes in the upper respiratory tract, flatulence and high blood pressure. In folk medicine, communism is very widely used for headaches. For this purpose, its flowers and leaves are used, which are soaked in brandy or alcohol and after standing for about 10-15 days are filtered. This extract is used externally by wetting cotton and applying it to the head.
For internal use it is necessary to make a decoction. In 400 ml of boiling water put 1 tbsp. of the herb and soak for half an hour. The resulting infusion is filtered and taken 3 times a day before meals.
In inflammatory processes of the oral mucosa, tea is used, which consists of equal parts of chamomile flowers, rose roots, the terrestrial part of the communion, mallow flowers and three parts of flaxseed. One tablespoon of this mixture is poured into a glass of boiling water and boiled for 15 minutes. The mixture is filtered through gauze and while it is still warm, the throat and mouth are smeared with it.
Harm from the communion
Prolonged intake of communion can cause side effects and serious side effects - nausea, drowsiness, headache and vomiting. In case of violation of the technology of storage and drying of the herb, very severe poisonings can occur. This is explained by the process of putrefaction of the communion, during which dicoumarin is formed - a substance that prevents the formation of prothrombin and other coagulation factors. As a result, very heavy bleeding can occur.
