The benefits and harms of coltsfoot are directly related to its medicinal properties. Potent substances herbs can provide significant assistance to the body in many diseases, but its inept or excessive use can cause harm to health. Having studied beneficial features grass coltsfoot in front independent use, it is also worth familiarizing yourself with the features of its action and contraindications.

What does coltsfoot look like and where does it grow?

The yellow, bright coltsfoot flowers are among the first to bloom in the spring, often as early as April. On stems covered with brown scales, one inflorescence opens. Small, tubular petals are collected in baskets of small diameter.

After flowering ends, palm-sized leaves appear, with large teeth along the edges. Top part The plates are smooth and glossy. The lower one is covered with white fluff, velvety, warm. For this property the grass was named coltsfoot. The Latin name says more about the application; it literally translates as “dispelling cough.”

The perennial prefers clay soils near water bodies, in vacant lots, and can settle in the garden. The beneficial coltsfoot grass is considered a weed and often grows in uncultivated lands.

Chemical composition of coltsfoot

The benefits of coltsfoot for the human body are determined by the complex balance of a large number of components in the composition. Medicinal properties have been found in flowers, seeds, roots and leaves of coltsfoot.

Basic active substances herbs and their beneficial properties:

• essential oils have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory properties directed against viruses, fungi, protozoa;
• mucus envelops inner surface oropharynx, larynx, esophagus, stomach, intestines, promoting their healing and reducing swelling;
• phytosterones help build muscle mass, tone, strengthen protective forces body, are antioxidants, normalize cholesterol;
• glycosides exhibit liquefying properties bronchial secretion, help remove mucus from respiratory system, improve digestion;
• organic acids prevent cell wear, accelerate regeneration, treat purulent processes, strengthen the immune system;
• tannins disinfect, relieve inflammation, narrow and strengthen blood vessels, reduce bleeding;
• flavonoids, carotenes, saponins, sterols, inulin, rutin, vitamin C, and many other valuable compounds.

Important! Beneficial effects provides a whole range of substances that enhance and complement medicinal properties each other. Therefore, the range of uses of simple grass is simply huge.

Why coltsfoot is useful

The actual property of coltsfoot is the treatment of coughs of any origin. Any part of the herb can enhance the production and removal of sputum, which is successfully used for dry coughs, bronchitis, pneumonia, and rhinitis.

The benefits of coltsfoot flowers are determined by the presence of essential oils, tannins, phenolic acids, and phytosterol. The substances destroy many pathogens and accelerate metabolism.

Coltsfoot leaves accumulate more plant mucilages, carotenes, vitamins, and microelements. Their benefits are more noticeable in the treatment of anemia, vitamin deficiency, and asthenia. The enveloping, antiseptic, healing properties of the herb are used externally and to help internal organs with affected mucous membranes.

What does coltsfoot treat?

An ordinary weed has outstanding qualities, can help in the treatment of several dozen diseases, strengthens a weakened body and even increases muscle performance.

Home remedies from coltsfoot are beneficial but do not cure diseases on their own. Herbal formulations are used as an auxiliary in the main therapy prescribed by the doctor. Unauthorized combination medicinal substances may cause harm.

Coltsfoot grass is prescribed for the following diseases:

• any inflammation respiratory tract with cough, swelling of mucous membranes;
• tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema;
• dermatitis, erysipelas, varicose veins, trophic ulcers, ulcers, wounds;
• stomatitis, periodontal disease, gingivitis, inflammation in oral cavity;
• gastritis, enterocolitis, diseases of the stomach, intestines, hemorrhoids;
• inflammatory processes in the genitourinary system.

The general strengthening effect of coltsfoot remedies on the body can be useful for cardiovascular disorders and diseases nervous system. The immunostimulating, antihypoxic, antioxidant properties of the herb are used in recovery from illness.

Is coltsfoot beneficial during pregnancy?

The herb appears to be a harmless substitute for pills during pregnancy. But during the period of bearing a child, the medicine turns out to be not entirely harmless. The benefits and harms of coltsfoot herb must be carefully balanced for the mother and the fetus.

During pregnancy, the ability of alkaloids to penetrate the placental barrier is especially dangerous. This may harm the fetus, cause spontaneous abortion, or cause premature birth. During lactation, alkaloids enter the breast milk, so taking the herb internally is prohibited.

The composition of coltsfoot for pregnant women includes not only useful compounds. Alkaloids are harmful to a woman’s body. At long-term use they accumulate in the liver, destroying it. Herbal treatment lasting longer than 6 weeks causes harm.

It is acceptable to use coltsfoot during pregnancy to correct skin problems (acne, dermatitis) or hair care.

Mother and stepmother to children

Reviews about coltsfoot grass regarding the benefits and harms for children are quite contradictory. Some parents recommend it from the first days of a child's life. Doctors are more categorical. Due to its strong composition and the presence of poorly understood components, official medicine prohibits treatment before 2 years of age, when treatment will cause more harm.

It is useful to give a decoction or water infusion of the herb to children under 7 years of age for colds, coughs, fever, infectious diseases ear, nose and throat: 1 tbsp. l. up to 6 times a day. Only if the main treatment is selected by a pediatrician, useful remedy from coltsfoot reduces recovery time, copes with lingering, unproductive cough.

Important! Useful amount of product for children school age– up to 250 ml per day. It is advisable to divide it into several steps.

Recipes with coltsfoot in folk medicine

If you need a softening, healing, enveloping effect, a herbal decoction is useful. When it is more important to preserve essential oils, glycosides, micro- and macroelements and their beneficial properties, it is better to make an infusion.

Coltsfoot decoction for cough and bronchitis

As an expectorant, emollient for acute and chronic bronchitis, tracheitis, laryngitis, a decoction of coltsfoot herb is effective.

Cough recipe:

1. Crushed or crushed leaves (1 tbsp.) pour 0.5 l. hot water.
2. Warm up for no longer than 5 minutes.
3. Leave covered until cool and strain.

Take the medicine in two doses - morning and evening, 250 ml before meals.

A stronger composition will be beneficial for problems in the gastrointestinal tract, to maintain heart function and vascular tone: 2 tbsp. l. herbs pour 1 tbsp. boiling water and boil for up to 15 minutes. The resulting product should be drunk in small portions throughout the day.

For diathesis, a decoction of the herb is prescribed to children over 2 years of age: 1 tsp orally. three times a day; externally - for wiping inflamed areas.

Infusion of coltsfoot

An infusion of coltsfoot is useful for rinsing the mouth, throat, and rinsing the nasal passages. The recipe is very simple: 1 tbsp. l. crushed raw materials are poured with boiling water (250 ml) and left for 20 minutes.

It is useful to take the strained composition 1 tbsp. l. up to 10 times a day for respiratory infections. Rinse your mouth when dental inflammations or throat for a cold, you can use an infusion of herbs and flowers many times.

Coltsfoot tincture with vodka

For alcohol infusion You will need fresh coltsfoot flowers.

Preparation of tincture:

1. The raw materials are mixed with high-quality vodka as 1:1 or with alcohol as 2:1.
2. The mixture is poured into a glass container and sealed tightly.
3. Leave for a week without access to light, otherwise the grass will lose its properties.
4. Filter off the precipitate and store alcohol solution in a dark place.

Dermatologists note the benefits of tincture for acne. By treating your face several times a day, you can reduce the number of rashes in a few days. If it is noticed that alcohol irritates the skin, the product can be diluted with water. The benefit as an antiseptic will decrease slightly, but the harm will be minimal.

Coltsfoot tincture is taken orally: 20 to 30 drops before meals. Alcohol formulations of any herb can cause harm to a sore stomach and are contraindicated in alcoholism.

Tea from coltsfoot

The benefits of coltsfoot tea are invaluable during the cold season. For the prevention of influenza, with dry prolonged cough, chills, brew 1 tbsp. l. flowers 1 tbsp. boiling water Useful herb used separately or as part of a collection, no longer than 3 weeks.

Fresh coltsfoot juice

Fresh juice from young leaves has vitamin and healing properties if you collect the grass in June.

Application and beneficial properties:

• 1 tsp each up to 4 times a day for a course of at least 1 week for vitamin deficiency, loss of strength;
• 10 drops of juice into each nasal passage, up to 3 times a day for a severe runny nose;
• externally - for lichen, burns, ulcers on the skin, boils.

To prepare the product, the washed herb is crushed with a blender or passed through a meat grinder, the mixture is diluted with filtered water (50/50), and the beneficial liquid is squeezed out through cheesecloth.

Applications

Mashed fresh coltsfoot disinfects and heals when applied to damaged areas of the skin. Apply the herbal mass directly to the wound, burn, inflamed veins and cover with a clean cloth.

Leaves compress

The coltsfoot compress is prepared as follows: 5 tbsp. l. leaves with flowers are steamed with 1 tbsp. boiling water After infusing for half an hour, the steamed herb is ground. Gauze is placed on the skin, then the mass is applied evenly and covered with a cloth on top. It is useful to fix such a compress and leave it overnight. The course of treatment for significant damage is about 10 days.

Foot baths with coltsfoot

The antifungal, anti-inflammatory, tonic properties of the herb are beneficial for infections of the skin of the feet, calluses, wounds, and swelling.

Decoction for external use:

1. Fresh or dried coltsfoot (2 tbsp) is poured with boiling water (2 l).
2. Simmer on low heat for 45 minutes.
3. Filter and cool to a comfortable temperature.

Take foot baths with herbal decoction for 15–20 minutes before bedtime. With varicose veins lower limbs, fragility of blood vessels, it is recommended to regularly treat the surface of the legs with the same decoction.

Dried leaf powder

Finely ground herbs are convenient for treating wounds when other types of disinfection are not available. Coltsfoot powder, as a dry concentrate, can also be taken orally.

Comment! When drying and grinding raw materials, medicinal herbs quickly lose their beneficial properties and are harmful for harvesting sunlight. Powders should be kept in a tightly closed container or prepared as needed.

Coltsfoot syrup

The medicine in the form of syrup is well stored in the cold, does not lose its properties for a long time, and children like it. In June, when the benefits of the herb are most pronounced, a preparation is made from mother and stepmother for the whole year.

A simple preparation: the juice from young leaves is mixed with powdered sugar. For 2 parts liquid – 1 part sugar or honey. Healthy syrup from medicinal herb stored in the refrigerator.

Apply 1 tbsp. l. up to 4 times a day for tuberculosis, pneumonia, chronic bronchitis. Children are given 1 tsp. or tbsp. l. sweet medicine a day. The dose depends on age and pediatrician's recommendations.

Coltsfoot in home cosmetology

The coltsfoot herb, its decoctions and infusions are added to masks with a rejuvenating and lifting effect, to enrich creams, tonics, lotions, and hair products.

For facial skin

Coltsfoot preparations gradually but deeply cleanse pores and eliminate inflammation small vessels, treat acne. Alcohol tincture herbs have the property of whitening dark spots, lighten freckles.

Cosmetic ice:

To 50 ml of decoction add 2-3 drops of rosewood essential oil and 10 ml linseed oil. Enhances beneficial properties by adding 10 ml fresh juice coltsfoot. The ingredients are mixed and frozen in special forms.

Massage with ice cubes in the morning quickly relieves swelling and puffiness. Regular use restores the oval of the face, rejuvenates and refreshes the skin. But cryotherapy, instead of benefit, can cause harm in case of rosacea, enlarging spider veins.

Anti-wrinkle mask with seaweed: for 50 ml of warm coltsfoot broth you will need 30 g of chopped kelp. Preparation:

1. Algae powder is mixed with liquid and left for 15 minutes to completely swell.
2. Add 10 g of oil to the mixture and mix.
3. The finished mass is distributed on the face and left for 30–40 minutes.

The mask has the ability to improve microcirculation in blood vessels, restore cells, enhance nutrition and oxygen saturation of the skin.

For hair beauty

An infusion of coltsfoot with nettle will help with severe dandruff and hair loss. Herbs taken 2 tbsp. l. each, pour a liter of boiling water, leave for half an hour, filter. Rinse hair after each wash.

Contraindications and side effects

Coltsfoot is a plant with powerful properties that can be beneficial or harmful. You need to drink it with caution, without increasing the dosage in recipes.

Contraindications to taking the herb:

• coltsfoot intolerance;
• renal failure, liver dysfunction;
• allergic diseases;
• pregnancy and lactation;
• age up to 2 years.

Between courses there is a break of 4 months. Long-term use Without medical control, it does not bring benefit, but harm, disrupting liver function and poisoning the body.

Collection and drying of coltsfoot

Grass accumulates toxins, resins, salts heavy metals. The harvesting of leaves and flowers should be done away from roads, enterprises, and polluted places. Toxic raw materials harm, not help, health.

Flowers are collected fully open, without stems. The leaves are torn off with a small petiole. The herbs are dried in the air, under cover from sunlight. If stored in tight packaging, away from light and moisture, the beneficial properties of coltsfoot will last for about 2 years.

Conclusion

The benefits and harms of coltsfoot have been well studied over centuries of its use. A simple herb can relieve symptoms of illness, improve appearance, and help you lose weight. But only proven recipes can be used without harm to health.

And all this is due to the fact that this plant grows, in the literal sense of the word, everywhere and is one of the first to bloom. At the same time, coltsfoot has beneficial properties and is medicinal plant, which contains a huge amount of substances. The benefits and harms of the plant, as well as its properties and methods of use, are discussed further in the article.

Brief characteristics of the plant

Coltsfoot - perennial herbaceous plant, which belongs to the Astrov family. This is one of the first spring flowers, which is famous for the originality of its flowering. First, a thick stem with a yellow flower is formed, which after some time becomes a white fluffy ball.

As soon as the plant fades, the basal leaves collected in a rosette are revealed to the human eye. On one side they are covered with a soft, warm fluff, and on the other side the surface is somewhat different - smooth to the touch and cool. It is because of this characteristic feature of the plant that it is nicknamed the “coltsfoot”, where the “mother” is the warm and fuzzy side, and the “stepmother” is the cool and smooth side.

The plant is popularly called: mother grass, cold burdock, two-leafed grass, and camouflage grass. Flowering occurs in early spring.

To understand how coltsfoot is useful, you need to know how to harvest this plant. All parts of the plant are considered healing. Therefore, you can harvest: flowers, leaves, rhizomes, and even seed fruits. Flowers must be collected in March and early April. As for the leaves, it is recommended to collect them at the beginning of the summer. But it is advisable to harvest the roots with the arrival of the first frost.

The collected raw materials must be thoroughly dried before being sent for storage. It is very important that the room is ventilated.

The shelf life of flowers is two years, leaves – three, rhizomes – one year.

Application

The benefits of coltsfoot for the human body are undeniable. In addition to the fact that the plant is widely used in both folk and traditional medicine, it is also used for cosmetic and culinary purposes. The leaves of the plant are added to various salads and sauces. In this way people strengthen immune system and fight various ailments.

The plant is used to prepare various healing decoctions, infusions, herbal infusions, make tea. In addition, coltsfoot extract is added in the manufacture of lotions, masks and creams.

Chemical composition and medicinal properties

Since any part of coltsfoot is a medicinal raw material, this means one thing: the plant contains a large number of useful substances. But you should know that each part of the plant has a slightly different chemical composition, it’s not for nothing that they need to be stored separately.

Thus, the leaves contain a sufficient amount of:

• mucus;
• bitter glycosides;
• saponins;
• carotene;
• vitamin C;
• insulin.

Tannins, phenolic acids, essential oils, phytosterol and organic matter- all this is present in the flowers of the plant.

The substances that make up coltsfoot have:

• enveloping;
• softening;
• liquefying;
• restorative;
• expectorants;
• antipyretic;
• anti-inflammatory;
• diaphoretic properties.

The mucilage contained in the plant helps coat and protect the oral mucosa from various kinds irritations, including stomatitis. The presence of saponins and organic acids in the plant significantly improves the process of sputum discharge.

Glycosides and sterols promote healing of the mucous membrane of burns and wounds.

Coltsfoot will get rid of all troubles

The most popular and effective recipes

A healing infusion will help cure persistent cough. Take the dry mixture of flowers and leaves and brew it in a glass of boiled water, then leave to infuse for half an hour. After straining, consume 1/4 cup three times a day.

In addition to infusion, inhalations can be used for the same purposes. The mixture is prepared according to the above recipe. Pour the warm infusion into a bowl, cover yourself with a warm towel, bend over and inhale the vapors.

There is also an ancient and very effective way eliminating tuberculosis cough. Take the coltsfoot leaves, put them in a three-liter bottle and fill them with sugar, literally two pieces. In this way, layer by layer, fill the entire jar. In this state, the product should be infused for several months. After this, drain the resulting viscous mucus and add a couple of spoons of honey to the healing part. Take one spoon three times a day.

Take the flowers, put them in a jar, fill them with vodka, and then close them tightly. Leave for a week in a dark place. Take thirty drops of the product half an hour before sitting down at the table.

A decoction of the leaves of the plant. Pour one handful of raw materials with a liter of boiled water, place on the stove and simmer over low heat for ten minutes, then leave to steep for half an hour. Filter and use for compresses, baths, rinsing and washing.

Infusion for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. This remedy will help cure organ diseases gastrointestinal tract. Take a few spoons of the mixture of flowers and leaves and pour boiled water, leave to infuse for a couple of hours, then strain. Take 50 ml of medication before each meal.

Nasal drops from coltsfoot. Take fresh leaves of the plant, wash and squeeze the juice from them. Place two drops of this juice in each nasal passage.

Mother and stepmother's milk and juice - excellent remedy From cough. You need to squeeze out juice from the fresh leaves of the plant, about three spoons. Then connect it with warm milk and have a drink. This remedy must be taken once a day. Cannot be stored.

Coltsfoot in cosmetology

This flower is also used in for cosmetic purposes. Prepared from the plant various decoctions, which help strengthen the roots and accelerate hair growth. Eliminating dandruff and preventing hair loss - this healing plant can cope with all these problems.

Baldness treatment

Take fresh coltsfoot grass and nettle leaves, chop well and mix. Then pour boiled water over this mixture, put it on the stove and boil for a couple of minutes, then let it sit for an hour, strain and use for rinsing.

An infusion that needs to be rubbed into the roots can also help with hair loss: take the herb of the plant and pour a glass of boiled water. After the product has infused, it is ready for use.

Recipe for a toning face mask

Mix coltsfoot herb with boiled, cooled water to a paste-like consistency. Then add a couple of tablespoons of honey to this mass and mix thoroughly. Thin layer Apply the product to your face. The duration of the procedure is twenty minutes. After time has passed, wash off the residue with warm water.

If you have a dry skin type, then replace honey with cream, if oily - with a mixture of egg white and lemon juice.

This plant has not only medicinal properties, but also contraindications. It is not recommended to use coltsfoot-based products for small children, pregnant and breastfeeding women. If you have liver disease, then it is also better for you to refrain from using medicines them of this plant.

In addition, do not self-medicate under any circumstances or take any medications without first consulting a specialist.

Beautiful plant with original name and unique healing properties! People learned about its existence many years ago, back in ancient Greece and Rome. widely used for effective treatment colds, viral diseases, despite contraindications. Warriors before the campaign, on the road, applied it to wounds and cuts, relieving inflammatory processes on cellular level.

It is a perennial plant with thick stems and rhizomes. The flowers are yellow and lush when ripe, similar to dandelions. Coltsfoot grows in marshy areas, near rivers and lakes. She is the first to begin to break out from under the snow and delights the world with wonderful heads of sunny inflorescences.

Photo

Medicinal properties of the plant

Due to its chemical composition, coltsfoot is considered the strongest herbal medicine that helps fight various diseases, has antispasmodic, antipyretic, antibacterial actions. The plant has long been used to treat the respiratory tract and eliminate mucus and phlegm from the lungs.

Important! For therapy, often, less often, the rhizomes and flowers of the plant; the juice is also squeezed out to rinse the nose, open wounds etc. Read and what helps

For digestion

The plant increases intestinal motility and improves food processing. Normalizes metabolic processes in the body, promotes the free passage of urine. After only 3-4 times of taking a decoction of coltsfoot, the patient experiences flatulence and spastic colic. The stool returns to normal, the digestibility of food improves.

For vessels

Infusions and decoctions based on mother herbs help reduce. The plant is used to prevent the treatment of atherosclerosis and helps cleanse the body of excess cholesterol.

For diseases of the oral cavity

This remedy is popular for periodontal disease, stomatitis, and sore throat. Astringent properties plants will help heal minor wounds, relieve inflammation, remove pus and cleanse abscesses. In therapy, it is first of all important to eliminate the source of the disease and heal the organ.

Recipe for seborrhea

Rubbing lotions, which include coltsfoot, into skin, you can get rid of itching and flaking due to seborrhea, eczema, various dermatitis, and also restore the skin at the cellular level in damaged areas of the body.

For cosmetic purposes

The product is used to cleanse pores, eliminate acne in teenage years. It penetrates deep into the scalp and improves growth hair follicles. Helps strengthen the structure of the nail plate. After just a few uses it is noticeable high efficiency herbal preparation in the fight against dandruff and other skin disorders. Coltsfoot is a wonderful substance for treating venous congestion in the legs; decoctions and lotions reduce the “blueness” and have a beneficial effect on the joints.

Contraindications

Attention! As when treating with any medicinal plant, before starting to take the drug, you need to consider everything possible contraindications and side effects.

• pregnant and lactating women, so that the components do not affect the development of the child;
• children under 12 years old;
• at serious illnesses liver and kidneys;
• with individual intolerance.

It should be used only after consulting a doctor and in compliance with all dosages.

Indications for use of coltsfoot

1. For disturbances in the functioning of the respiratory system, for pneumonia, sore throat, pneumonia, tuberculosis.
2. If a person is regularly bothered by problems with stool, frequent constipation, flatulence, peptic ulcer, problems in the functioning of the kidneys and gallbladder.
3. With an infectious lesion of the genitourinary system.
4. To eliminate symptoms allergic manifestations, improvements general well-being body.
5. For dental diseases, to reduce toothache, relieve inflammatory process, disinfection.
6. Decoctions help with fluctuations blood pressure, normalize blood circulation, have a beneficial effect on cholesterol metabolism. It is recommended to use for atherosclerosis and other diseases of the cardiovascular system.
7. Lotions help with mastitis, but in this case it is important not to rely only on folk remedy, consult a doctor promptly.
8. Coltsfoot is effectively used to improve hair structure and get rid of dandruff.
9. As a general strengthening and tonic after illness and for prevention.

Methods of using the plant

Popular recipes for using the plant.

Decoction for solving dermatological problems

To prepare it, you need to take 2 tablespoons of crushed leaves, pour boiling water over it, and leave in a water bath for 15 minutes. Leave for one hour and then take 50 ml every day as an expectorant.

For bronchitis

Pour one tablespoon of chopped rhizome into 200 ml of boiling water and leave in a thermos for several hours. Course of treatment: 2 tbsp. l. 5 times a day. Use within a week with medications before full recovery.

For lichen

For these purposes, you need to make compresses from the leaves of the plant, take 5 tablespoons of the herb and brew it in a glass of hot water. Moisten the gauze and apply a compress at night and again during the day until the bandage is completely dry. After 10–12 days, the first results will be visible: the skin will clear and begin to gradually shrink.

For colds

At the first signs of seasonal illness, you need to take an infusion based on coltsfoot. 15 g of herb pour 2 tbsp. boiling water and leave in a thermos for 1 hour. Store the product in the refrigerator and warm to room temperature before use.

Attention! This mixture will be useful for children, but only under the supervision of the attending physician and parents. The dose for adults is 2 tablespoons, and for children – half as much.

For the genitourinary system

It is useful to drink decoctions of the plant instead of tea, preferably before eating. The intestines will be cleansed urinary tract. Through a short time work is returning to normal Bladder, and problems with stool will disappear.

For hemorrhoids

Coltsfoot is an excellent solution for treating such sensitive issue, How . You can do baths and douching. The procedures should be done every day until the body has fully recovered.

Important! The product should be at room temperature so as not to harm the patient.

In inflammatory processes

Pour 20 g of flowers with a liter of boiling water and leave for one hour. Apply the composition when superficial wounds, trophic ulcers, others inflammatory disorders.

Juice and leaves of the plant

Prepare as follows:

• fresh young leaves are taken at the time of flowering of the grass, washed thoroughly and doused with boiling water;
• finely chopped and placed on cheesecloth;
• juice is squeezed out.

Before use, you need to dilute it with boiling water at a ratio of 1:1 and boil thoroughly. Drink the resulting drink one spoon 3 times a day. The course of treatment is 7 days.

Herbal teas with coltsfoot

For immunity

To improve, you need to take a tablespoon of herbs, add plantain, sage, pour a glass of boiling water and leave for 30 minutes. Can be taken during colds, as well as for prevention.

For the same purpose, a decoction based on coltsfoot leaves, oregano, and fresh raspberries is suitable. Brew in the same way. Dilute with boiling water before use and drink instead of tea after the main meal.

For colds and coughs

Another popular recipe: Mix 2 tablespoons of marshmallow root with a tablespoon of coltsfoot and add another teaspoon. Mix everything thoroughly and pour into a glass cold water for 2 hours. Then boil in a water bath, strain and sip for colds.

To prepare an expectorant, take a composition based on coltsfoot leaves, mix everything and boil for 20 minutes. The decoction is ready to use!

Harvesting grass

Attention! To give decoctions and tinctures from coltsfoot positive result, you need to know how to properly prepare raw materials.

It is important to do this during their growing season, in late May-early June. During this period the stems are succulent, root system not so dry, and the leaves have not yet turned black and are not saturated with various toxins.

The inflorescences and leaves are torn off carefully so as not to pull the plant out by the roots. Lay out on a wire rack and dry on the balcony so that straight Sun rays did not end up on raw materials. If some of them begin to develop spots, you need to throw them away immediately so that other leaves do not become infected. After this, thoroughly grind all the ingredients and place them in a linen bag or glass jar with a tight lid.

The root system should be collected after full flowering - dig up the roots, clear the soil and dry thoroughly. Then cut into small slices and put in a paper box. Make sure over time that the roots do not become moldy and begin to rot.

Attention! They must be washed immediately before use!

Let these recipes help you always be healthy and in a great mood!

Nature is essentially rational - everything living and growing on Earth has its own benefit. Man (also a part of nature) has learned to use flora for his own benefit. Among the herbal plants healing properties Coltsfoot stands out, which can be called a paradoxical culture.

It grows everywhere, and some summer residents do not know how to finally get rid of it. But the more experienced ones understand how beneficial coltsfoot is not only for human health, but also for vegetable beds, so they actively cultivate flower grass in their plots.

Coltsfoot is difficult to confuse with another plant thanks to characteristic form leaves - rounded-heart-shaped, framed at the edges by a serrated-notched border. The basal leaves (which are precisely used in folk medicine) are leathery on top and dark green in color, pubescent with white felt below.

At the top of the flowering stems, reaching a height of 25 cm, the leaves are smaller, scale-like, and reddish in color. Tubular-reed yellow flowers appear at the top of the stem in early spring. The plant produces a fruit by the beginning of June - an oblong ribbed achene.

The medicinal value of basal leaves is determined primarily by bitter glycosides - they contain about 2.6%. Coltsfoot is rich in organic acids - ascorbic, tartaric, malic, gallic. The herb is widely in demand in folk medicine and thanks to its polysaccharides - dextrin and inulin.

Vitamins, mineral compounds, carotenoids, saponins, tannins, mucilages, coumarin derivatives and traces of essential oil contained in coltsfoot leaves are also essential components that provide the plant with beneficial properties. Flowers are sometimes used for treatment because high content they are routine.

Coltsfoot has good expectorant properties. The herb is also used as an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory agent. IN medicinal purposes The herb can be used not only by adults, but also by children.

For children

• Coltsfoot comes in herbal teas for the treatment of bronchitis and relief of inflammation of the nasopharyngeal mucosa, as an expectorant (in the form of a drink).
• Protracted sore throat can be cured by using a decoction of the leaves to gargle (or by inhaling its vapors in the form of inhalations).
• If you have difficulty breathing and shortness of breath, it is recommended to inhale the smoke emanating from the burnt dry leaves of coltsfoot.
• Sometimes herbal tea is prescribed for intestinal disorders accompanied by diarrhea.
• When used externally, this herb is used to treat bruises, burns and abscesses (using compresses).

For women

• Women also use coltsfoot for colds, throat and bronchi problems.
• The flowers of this plant will help get rid of thrombophlebitis and varicose veins.
• Herbal decoctions are recommended for the treatment of hypertension.
• Not only are they useful in the treatment of gynecological infections: herbal teas, but also douching with coltsfoot decoctions.
• Rutin, which is part of the flowers, is a riboflavonoid that has antioxidant properties that will actively fight against old age.
• It is recommended to wash your hair with a decoction of flowers to get rid of excessive oily hair and dandruff.
• Having prepared coltsfoot from leaves and flowers eau de toilette, it should be wiped regularly problematic skin face (for inflammation, oiliness, acne).
• Foot baths in a decoction of herbs will help fight fungal diseases of the feet.

Harm, contraindications

Before using this plant, you should find out if you are allergic to any of the components that make up the leaves or flowers.

Pregnant women (especially in the first trimester) are contraindicated to use coltsfoot orally.

And others shouldn’t get too carried away traditional medicine – long-term use herbs will negatively affect the condition of the liver.

The raw materials are used to prepare infusions and decoctions, which are then used internally for various diseases. It can also be brewed as tea and used for preventive purposes - this good remedy to improve immunity. Coltsfoot is also used in the form of lotions, compresses, and baths to treat inflamed skin.

Traditional medicine recipes

• For respiratory diseases Several recipes are recommended breast fees, in which there is also a mother-stepmother. Here is the simplest of them: for 4 parts of plant leaves, take 3 parts of plantain and the same amount of licorice root. Pour 1 tbsp. collecting half a liter of boiling water, leave for 5-8 hours, and then take 2 tablespoons every 3 hours, after straining.
• Coltsfoot leaves, oregano, raspberries are a good diaphoretic. for colds. The collection is brewed like regular tea and drunk hot at night.
• Gargle recommended with the following composition - coltsfoot leaves, mullein and mallow flowers, marshmallow root (all in equal parts). The infusion is prepared from 1 tsp. mixture poured with a glass of boiling water. Gargle with warm solution.
• In the treatment of hypertension You should drink diuretic tea (half a glass) in the morning, prepared from the leaves of coltsfoot, birch (1 part each), blackberry or raspberry leaves, and heather flowers (4 parts each). A collection of 4 tablespoons, poured with a liter of boiling water, is steamed in a thermos for 4-5 hours, then filtered.
• Having supplemented the coltsfoot with raspberries, linden flowers, anise seeds and willow bark, prepare healing tea in the treatment of rheumatism.
• If present inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, you should take a third of a glass of decoction of dry leaves (3 tablespoons per half liter of boiling water) before meals.
• To cope with inflammation of the veins in the legs, It is recommended to make warm lotions from a decoction of coltsfoot leaves (proportion 1:10).
• A decoction of nettle and coltsfoot leaves can be used to wash your hair for hair loss.
• By preparing an herbal infusion with any of convenient ways, a cotton swab is moistened in it, which is inserted into the vagina at night with thrush.

It is not realistic to list all the recipes used in traditional medicine - they great multitude. Will render invaluable benefits and that small part, which is given here.

Coltsfoot can be found everywhere, so when going outdoors, you should familiarize yourself with this plant in advance. Being at the dacha far from civilization or on a hiking trip, you can get hurt and catch a cold. This is where this plant comes in handy:

• coltsfoot leaves can, like plantain, be applied to wounds;
• fresh plant juice will help relieve the itching that appears after mosquito bites;
• Herbal tea will help cope with illness and prevent an incipient cold from developing.

Before using the leaves of the plant, it is recommended to rinse them with boiling water (or simply wash them), clearing them of accumulated dust and dirt. You should not use grass that grows near roads or near industrial facilities - the plant can absorb heavy metals.

Useful raw materials are collected after the plant has flowered, i.e. in early summer, if basal leaves are needed. This is done manually, tearing off the plate with a part of the petiole 4-5 cm long. If flowers are also needed, they are collected at the end of April - beginning of May, until the fruits begin to form.

The collected raw materials are carefully laid out in one layer on clean paper. In summer, the leaves are dried on fresh air under a canopy. In spring, flowers are dried in a ventilated room at a temperature not lower than +22°C.

While the grass dries, it is periodically inspected, removing spotted and browned leaves. Dried normal raw materials are packaged in glass jars or boxes, which are then hermetically sealed. The best place storage - pantries and closets, i.e. where it is dry and there is no light.

In an apartment, these could be mezzanines or kitchen cabinets. At the right conditions When stored, dried coltsfoot does not lose its properties for 3 years, and then it is better to get rid of the excess.

The special medicinal properties of coltsfoot are reflected in some of its names (“ kamchuga herb" - medicine for kamchuga (gout), generic " Tussilago" literally means "expelling cough"). The widespread use of the plant is due to the many chemical compounds with high biological activity contained in leaves and flowers. However, thoughtless coltsfoot treatment can be dangerous.

general description

Biological characteristics

The coltsfoot has many names, determined by how it appearance, place of growth, and properties ( Pobel, Kamchuzhnaya grass, two-leaved grass, butterbur, near-river grass, etc.).

This plant from the Asteraceae family is the first to bloom after the snow melts. Its yellow basket-shaped flowers, when ripe, turn, like dandelions, into fluffy crowns.

The variegated leaves, which appear only after the flowering period, are smooth green on top (“cold”, like the stepmother), and covered below with a layer of white soft hairs (“warm”, like the mother).

Chemical composition

The plant contains many active components:

In minimal concentrations, the chemical composition of the plant includes some pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which have carcinogenic properties.

Biological activity

First of all, the bioactivity of the plant is due to high content mucus, thanks to the enveloping effect of which, it can be used to protect against irritation of the membranes of the oral cavity, larynx and throat.

Organic acids, saponins and essential oils provide the expectorant effect of coltsfoot when coughing by thinning sputum and increasing motor activity epithelial cilia of the trachea and bronchi.

Phytosterols, carotenoids, tannins have anti-inflammatory and antiseptic activity.

Coltsfoot also has a diaphoretic effect when taken orally, and when used externally acts as an enveloping, emollient.

Both the leaves and the flower part of the plant are used in pharmaceuticals.

In order for herbal medicine to be effective and safe, you must first discuss all the subtleties and possibilities of treatment with the help of medicinal herbs with a doctor.