2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Lattice / Carlina acanthifolia / is a perennial stemless, monocarpic, herbaceous plant of the family Compositae. The herb is also known as wild cabbage sheremetka, butrak, stemless grate, strainer, thorny gulia, fairy sieve.
The lattice has a thick, juicy, up to 1 m long, yellow-brown root. The leaves of the plant are 10-30 cm long, about 2 times longer than wide, deeply pinnately cut, prickly toothed, located in a ground rosette, in the middle of which develops a large basket, 3-7 cm in diameter. The outer covering leaves of the basket are leaf-shaped, the middle ones are comb-shaped, and the inner ones are spread out.
All the colors of the lattice are tubular, at first pale yellow, later reddish to purple. The fruits are oblong, with a kite of feathery hairs. The lattice blooms from June to September. It grows in dry grassy and stony places, in forest meadows throughout the country, mainly in the mountains. It is spread all over the country up to 2000 m above sea level. Apart from Bulgaria, it is also found in Southern Europe.
History of the lattice
The lattice protects from evil forces and brings good luck in the home. It is a special herb that invokes goodness and prosperity. In the past, the herb was used to make talismans to protect homes. The made mascot was placed in a prominent place in the house to protect from all dark thoughts, as well as from thieves, evil forces, diseases and evils.
According to folk beliefs, the color of lattice he pierces the evil with his sharp thorns. At the same time, it attracts God's grace, brings home health, understanding, wealth, happiness and luck. This plant does not lose its magical powers and the longer it inhabits a home, the stronger it protects it. It is placed in the home or office so that whoever enters it, his attention first comes to the mascot.
Grid composition
The lattice contains up to 2% essential oil. Alkaloids and tannins were found throughout the plant. Flavonoids and saponins are found only in the aboveground part. Cardiac glucosides are identified in the leaves. The root contains resinous substances, up to 20% inolin, a clotting enzyme. An substance with antibacterial action is isolated from the essential oil.
Collection and storage of the grid
For medical manipulations the root of is used lattice - Radix carlinae. This part of the plant is harvested in late summer and autumn (September - October), after the seeds ripen. The roots are dug with a digger or other suitable tool. They are shaken off the soil, the above-ground part is placed in bags. The collected roots are washed quickly in running water and allowed to drain. They are cut into pieces about 15 cm long. For more intensive drying, the thicker ones are cut lengthwise. They are placed for drying in a thin (3-4 cm) layer on frames or other mats in highly ventilated warehouses. When using a dryer, the temperature should not be higher than 35 degrees.
Benefits of a grid
The lattice is a traditional medicine in folk medicine. The root of the herb is used as a stimulant of secretions, facilitates digestion, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, expectorant and anthelmintic. It is also applied externally for rashes and other skin diseases.
The lattice has an analgesic effect in hemorrhoids. It is less often prescribed for fatigue, exhaustion, nervous exhaustion, etc. It can be used in the treatment of bronchitis, kidney inflammation, difficult to heal wounds, hemorrhages, nerves, fatigue and worms.
It is used to treat edema of various origins, fluid in the abdomen (ascites), indigestion, inflammation of the urinary tract. In Bulgarian folk medicine, the lattice is used for boils and pimples, lichens on the skin, against seizures, fatigue, paralysis (especially on the tongue), stomach pain and heartburn and more.
The herb has a beneficial effect on colitis, gastritis, cystitis, irregular menstruation and others. From the flower heads (baskets) after removing the roof petals, the shepherds make grids for filtering the drinking water, which is associated with the name "grid".
The decoction of the roots of lattice is drunk for dropsy, colds, diseases of the kidneys and bladder, to purify the blood, for yeast, skin rashes, lichen, fatigue, seizures, paralysis (especially on the tongue.) The lattice is defined as Bulgarian ginseng. The whole plant is used, especially the roots.
The grid is also used in folk veterinary medicine as an effective means of treating the disease "butrak" in horses and for the treatment of the disease "throat" in pigs. The herb is used in pets mixed with food.
Folk medicine with a lattice
Bulgarian folk medicine offers a decoction of lattice as a means of treating the edema that accompanies liver cirrhosis. In addition, a decoction of the drug is used as an expectorant in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as an anti-inflammatory agent in diseases of the urinary tract and renal parenchyma.
20 g of roots are placed in 900 ml of boiling water, neck for 10 minutes, drink in 4 doses of 200 ml.
The drug is also used as an alcoholic extract in a ratio of 1:10 in a dose, taking 15-20 drops 2-3 times a day, as well as in the form of infusion, prepared as follows: 15 g of finely chopped drug is poured with 500 ml of boiling water. It is extracted for 20 minutes. After cooling the liquid and filtering, drink the prepared amount for two days.
It is also recommended to take the tip of the knife on a powdered root for several months 2 to 3 times a day.
The grid is also available for external use in the treatment of infected wounds and furunculosis. For external use, it is recommended to boil 50 g of chopped drug (root) in 500 ml of water for 30 minutes.
Our folk medicine recommends the following recipe with a grid against hemorrhoids. Take only the aboveground part of the plant and put in 2.5 liters of water. The mixture boils until 2 liters remain. Drink up to 48 hours.
In case of cold conditions, the grid is taken in the form of infusion: 2 tablespoons of the roots are poured with 500 ml of boiling water and soaked for 20-30 minutes and drunk for 2 days, 50-80 ml, 30 minutes before eating.
