2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Sea buckthorn or sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) is a perennial plant of the fragrant willow family. Sea buckthorn is a thorny shrub or small tree up to 6 m tall. The plant has a highly developed root system. Sea buckthorn leaves are small, linear or linear - lanceolate, glabrous and green above, up to 8 cm long, narrow, entire, with short stalks.
Both the leaves of the herb and its young twigs are covered with silvery-white scales. The flowers are unisexual, yellowish, located on individual plants. Female flowers are solitary, small, located in the axils of the leaves. They have a tubular, weakly bipartite perianth and a single-celled ovary.
The masculine colors of sea buckthorn are gathered in lateral, almost spherical groups. Each flower is provided with two perianth petals and four stamens. The fruits of sea buckthorn are globular, orange-yellowish, juicy, shiny, with only a small stone. The taste of fresh fruit is slightly bitter. Sea buckthorn blooms in early summer, and its fruits ripen from September to December.
Sea buckthorn is distributed throughout Europe, Afghanistan, the Himalayas, Tibet, Mongolia, Russia. In Bulgaria it grows around Varna, near the sea and the border areas with Turkey, and the stocks of the plant in Bulgaria are relatively small.
History of sea buckthorn
The ancient Greeks called sea buckthorn Hippophae, which means shining horse. The reason is that the leaves of the plant were an integral part of the diet of race and fighting horses. Legend has it that Pegasus, the mythical winged horse from ancient Greek mythology, acquired his miraculous ability after eating sea buckthorn fruit.
In the past, it was believed that Genghis Khan's wars owed their strength and flexibility to the regular consumption of sea buckthorn oil. But the glorious story of the sea buckthorn does not end here. In the 80's, sea buckthorn juice became the first fruit juice consumed in space.
Composition of sea buckthorn
The composition of sea buckthorn is quite diverse. The fruits contain vitamin C (up to 450 mg%), B (up to 0. 20 mg%), B2 (up to 0. 38 mg%), E (up to 14. 3 mg%), folic acid (up to 0. 79 mg%)), isoramnetin, a fatty oil containing glycerides of oleic (10.5%), stearic (10.4%), linoleic and palmitic acid.
They also contain carotenoids (up to 0.3 mg% carotene), as well as cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin and physal. All found flavonoids have the same aglucone - isoramnetol. Two of the flavonoids (3-glucoside and 3-rhamnoglucoside) correspond to the flavonoids found in the flower heads of Calendula officinalis L. They also contain tannins, sugars, organic acids, fatty oil.
Isoramnetin-3-glucoside, 3-rutinoside, kaempferol, quercetin and kaempferol, etc. were also isolated from fresh sea buckthorn fruits.
The seeds of sea buckthorn contain your vitamins B2 and E, carotene (provitamin A) and fatty oil. The leaves of the plant contain a significant amount (up to 370 mg%) of vitamin C, carotene (provitamin A), tannins and more.
5 flavonoids were found in the leaves and fruit bush.
The branches of sea buckthorn contain the same substances as its leaves, as well as a significant amount of tannins.
The bark of the herb contains significant amounts of tannins. Serotonin and the alkaloid hypofein are isolated from it.
Growing sea buckthorn
The hedge of sea buckthorn provides great wind protection in coastal gardens. Sea buckthorn has no pretensions in terms of soil and climate. It grows in almost all bright, humid and sandy places. The herb is cold-resistant and drought-resistant.
Sea buckthorn is resistant to drought, the sea air does not affect it, and its dense and prickly branches withstand both harsh winters and severe pruning. The plant is propagated by root shoots. Sea buckthorn is suitable for growing hedges, but not as a single shrub. To have fruit, you need both a male and a female plant.
Collection and storage of sea buckthorn
For medical and culinary purposes, the ripe fruits / Fructus Hippohae / of sea buckthorn are used. The fruits are harvested from October to December or in the winter after they have frozen. Then they lose their tart and bitter taste, it becomes sweet - sour, with a pineapple smell.
When picking, cut the whole twigs together with the ripe fruits, pile them on a stand about 15 cm from the ground and leave them to thaw. In winter, frozen fruits are pounded from the twigs and then used. The ripe fruits after thawing are juicy, globular, berry-shaped, golden-yellow, orange or reddish, with a dark brown ovoid stone.
Benefits of sea buckthorn
The sea buckthorn is an extremely useful herb for health, thanks to the action of more than 190 active ingredients. Sea buckthorn has an epithelial effect. The herb accelerates the healing of wounds on the mucous membranes and skin. Sea buckthorn has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects. The healing effect is fast. It is used in the treatment of cervical erosion, as well as in inflammation of the vagina.
It has a tonic effect and helps the body fight severe infections. The herb is used for burns, skin diseases, hair loss, gastric and duodenal ulcers, rheumatic diseases, anemia and hypovitaminosis. Treats dermatitis, eczema and psoriasis. The herb keeps the mucous membranes healthy and protects them from free radicals, which lead to gastric ulcers, dryness of the genitals (especially in menopausal women), eyes and mouth.
The fatty oil contained in sea buckthorn is used in gynecological practice, for slow wound healing and radiation damage. It can stimulate tissue regeneration and reduce premature skin aging.
In cosmetics it is used to soften the skin, increase its elasticity and protect it from free radicals. Chinese scientists have proven that sea buckthorn oil is able to affect the development of cancer cells and also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
The leaves and bark of sea buckthorn can also be used as a means of processing leather at home. The young twigs and leaves with iron salts emit a black-brown color, and the fruits - yellow. Sea buckthorn is also a good honey plant and is a suitable soil strengthener.
Folk medicine with sea buckthorn
Bulgarian folk medicine recommends the fruits of sea buckthorn as a multivitamin in the form of pulp, preserved with sugar / 45 parts of fruit and 55 parts of sugar / or in the form of various juices, purees, marmalades, wines, etc.
Sea buckthorn jelly is prepared as follows: Allow 500 g of chopped fruit to swell in 1 teaspoon of water. Bring the fruit paste to a boil with 1 teaspoon of sea buckthorn juice, juice of 1 lemon and 200 g of sugar. Seal the resulting jelly hot in jars and take it regularly.
Sea buckthorn has anti-inflammatory and antibiotic effects, which is why our folk medicine recommends sea buckthorn juice to relieve and prevent colds. It is given to one tablespoon to children during the winter months.
To make juice from sea buckthorn, grind about 600 g of fruit and leave them overnight to swell in 1 teaspoon of water. Then bring the mixture to a boil a little and strain it. Sweeten the resulting juice and pour it into airtight jars. Store in a cool place and take 1 tablespoon a day.
It has been proven that these products retain the valuable vitamin properties of the fruit, their pleasant taste and their characteristic pineapple aroma.
Sea buckthorn prevents hair loss. For fast hair growth, Bulgarian folk medicine recommends taking 1/3 cup of tea 2 times a day after meals.
Sea buckthorn tea with honey
Necessary products: water - 500 ml, sea buckthorn - 150 g, honey - 2 tablespoons, black tea - 2 tablespoons
Preparation: Mash 2/3 of the fruit with a spoon until a puree is obtained. Put it in a suitable container along with the uncrushed fruit and black tea. Cover the mixture with boiling water, cover with a lid and let the tea brew for 10-15 minutes. Strain the finished drink, add honey and consume.
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Buckthorn
Buckthorn / Frangula alnus Mill / is a shrub or tree up to 6 meters tall and shiny gray-brown bark. Older branches have a darker bark. The leaves are elliptical, entire, and pointed and shiny towards the top. The flowers of buckthorn are small and pale green, located in the axils of the leaves.
Medicinal Recipes With Buckthorn
Fenugreek is often used externally in the form of infusion - removes dandruff and helps with hair loss. If used internally, it must be taken under medical supervision. The decoction is prepared with ½ tsp. rhizomes of cornflower - pour them in half a liter of water and boil them for ten minutes.
Health Benefits Of Sea Buckthorn
They stuck is one of the most useful herbs known in the world. It has been used since ancient times and is widely used in Chinese medicine. The plant contains more than 190 active ingredients, is used for the prevention and treatment of a host of diseases and supplies the immune system with unimaginable strength and protection due to its content of vitamin C, which is 10 times more than what is found in other sources of the element .
