Adonis or spring Adonis is a medicinal plant of great interest to medicine. On the basis of its extract, tinctures and tablets are made, which have proven to be effective in treating the heart, alleviating the condition with vegetovascular dystonia, and kidney diseases.
The healing properties of this plant have been known for a long time. Today they are used not only by herbalists and traditional healers: the plant has found wide application in industrial pharmacology. In the herbal books, which were compiled by healers back in the 16th century, the spring adonis plant and its healing properties are mentioned. Healers successfully used it in the treatment of dropsy, fever, pain in the heart. In the old days, it was believed that if a person managed to see the flowering of adonis for the first time, then he should collect the flowers, dry them and smoke their eyes with healing smoke. This will save you from night blindness.
Spring Adonis has been listed in the Red Book for many years. Under natural conditions, it is under the strictest protection. With private collection, Adonis can only be cut selectively: it is necessary to leave at least three stems per square meter. For industrial harvest, it is grown on plantations.
Legend of Adonis
The plant got its name in honor of the beloved goddess Aphrodite. Somehow Princess Mirra angered the beautiful goddess of love and sent terrible misfortunes on her, turning her into a tree. But when a child was born from the cracked trunk of this tree, Aphrodite could not restrain herself and abducted him. In a small chest, she delivered the baby to the underworld to Persephone and begged to hide the child from prying eyes. But very soon, the charming baby won the heart of the wife of the gloomy Hades.
Persephone refused to return the first beauty of Olympus Adonis. The angry goddess demanded Zeus to restore justice. And he decided this: Adonis would live with Persephone for six months, and Aphrodite for six months. Adonis grew up, turned into a beautiful young man and became the beloved of Aphrodite. Jealous Ares could not endure this: he ambushed Adonis, who was hunting in the mountains, and killed him, turning into a boar.
Aphrodite was inconsolable, mourning her beloved. From the drops of his blood, the goddess grew anemones, and in the very place where the lifeless body of her beloved fell, she commanded on the day of mourning to bloom annually a beautiful and delicate yellow flower, which people called Adonis.
Where does spring adonis grow?
The plant is distributed in Europe and Asia, in the southern regions of Russia in the Mediterranean, in the east of Western Siberia. Its strength is due to incorrect collectionis constantly shrinking, and it may soon disappear. In some regions of our country, temporary restrictions are being imposed on the collection of Adonis in order to restore its numbers.
Spring Adonis: description and photo
This herbaceous plant, belonging to the Ranunculaceae family, includes about 45 species of perennial and annual herbs. Spring Adonis, the photo of which we posted in this article, is a perennial plant. Its flowers are rich yellow. Adonis has many names - adonis, mohnatik, yellow-thousander, yellow flower, upland outcast, old oak, hairy grass, hare poppy.
The height of the spring adonis is small - no more than half a meter. The plant has a well-developed root system, erect or slightly deviated stem, which may branch slightly. It has a small number of shaggy palmately dissected sessile leaves. Basal leaves, which resemble scales, are divided into several lobes, about 6 cm wide. They are colored brown.
Description of the spring adonis plant is published in almost all reference books on medicinal herbs. They pay special attention to the flowers of the plant.
Flowers
Flowering begins in April, when small bushes are covered with bright yellow, beautiful single flowers located at the top of a branch or stem. They are quite large - up to 8 cm in diameter. Like bright lanterns, they are clearly visible on gray spring edges. Interestingly, the flowers appear at the same time asleaves. They have a five-leaf hairy base and many fiery yellow petals.
Interesting fact: spring adonis has not only yellow flowers. In the mountains of Mongolia and Tibet, there are species with white, bright blue and pale lilac petals.
Fruits
The spring Adonis plant bears fruit, depending on the region of growth. In the southern regions, this occurs in June, in the more northern regions - in July. Flowers replace wrinkled nuts with hook-shaped spouts.
Chemical composition
Spring Adonis contains up to 0.83% cardiac glycosides. Most of them are found in leaves and green fruits. In addition, the aerial parts of the plant contain cymarin and K-strophanthin, a specific cardenolide of this plant - adonitoxin.
Phytosterol, dimethoxyquinone, flavonoids, steroid saponins, organic acids, ascorbic acid, carotene, choline, adonite alcohol, coumarins are isolated from the herb. The highest biological activity is observed during flowering and fruiting. In the roots, glycosides accumulate at the very end of the growing season.
Healing properties
Despite the fact that healers from ancient times used this plant to treat many diseases, a scientific study of the medicinal properties of spring Adonis was carried out much later, in the clinic of S. P. Botkin. According to its results, the plant was recognized as an effective natural remedy for the treatment of many heart diseases.
Today, spring adonis, a photo of which you cansee below, as well as preparations based on it are used both in folk and traditional medicine. Preparations based on the herb Adonis have beneficial properties for the body:
- diuretic;
- vasodilating;
- stabilizing heart rate;
- normalizing sleep;
- anticonvulsant;
- painkillers;
- cardiotonic.
Indications for use
Preparations of Adonis spring are prescribed for patients suffering from diseases such as:
- heart failure (chronic) with circulatory disorders;
- vegetovascular dystonia;
- ischemic heart disease;
- hysteria;
- heart neuroses;
- epilepsy;
- exhaustion of the nervous system;
- lung diseases (tuberculosis, bronchitis, etc.);
- parkinsonism;
- acute cystitis,
- complicated by edema of renal origin.
Preparations based on Adonis
"Adonis-bromine" - tablets recommended as a sedative in the treatment of the initial form of heart failure, heart neuroses. They are taken 1-2 tablets three times a day.
"Adonizide" - available in the form of an aqueous solution or in tablets. It is prescribed for vegetative-vascular diseases.
Ankylosing spondylitis medicine - known for its powerful sedative effect. Adult patients are prescribed 30 drops four times a day.
This is not a complete list - many effective drugs are made from Adonis, used intraditional medicine.
Use in traditional medicine
You should know that along with its healing properties, spring adonis is poisonous, therefore, before using drugs based on it, you need to consult a doctor and strictly follow the dosage.
Tea
For heart and infectious diseases, they drink tea every hour on a spoon (two tablespoons of adonis are poured into 800 ml of water and steamed).
Infusion 1
Pour two tablespoons of chopped Adonis grass with four cups of boiled warm water and put in a warm place overnight. The infusion is recommended for getting rid of stones in the bladder and kidneys. During the day, the composition is taken in a tablespoon, but not more than an hour later.
Infusion 2
All who suffer from cramps, we recommend using the following recipe. Pour a tablespoon of dry adonis with boiling water (300 ml) and let it brew for about two hours. Take medicine by spoon three times a day.
Infusion 3
With a painful dry cough, pour a teaspoon of dry adonis into 100 ml of boiling water. After two hours, the drug will be ready for use. Take it by spoon before every meal.
Infusion 4
Pour 7 grams of adonis (heaped teaspoon) with a glass of boiling water. An hour later, you can take a tablespoon a day with myositis. The course of treatment is one month, then you should take a break for 10 days, and after it, treatment can becontinue.
In most cases, infusions from the leaves and flowers of spring Adonis are prepared in almost the same proportions - 5-7 grams of Adonis is brewed and allowed to brew.
Alcohol tincture
This tincture will help in the fight against insomnia. You can use medical alcohol diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 1 or high-quality factory vodka. Pour 100 grams of dry grass with a liter of alcohol (or vodka) and place in a dark place at room temperature. Take 15 drops of the tincture three times a day.
Fees
Adonis is widely used in many medicinal herbal preparations. For kidney diseases, mix finely chopped herbs: adonis (7 g), birch buds (6 g), bearberry (10 g) and horsetail grass (4 g). Pour the mixture with 600 ml of hot water and let the composition brew for two hours. Then put the container with herbs on a slow fire and boil for 5 minutes. Take a tablespoon after an hour.
This remedy must be taken lying down, food should be limited to dairy products and s alt should be completely abandoned.
To lower blood pressure
Spring hawthorn flowers (2 tablespoons), motherwort grass, cudweed, adonis, horsetail (1 tablespoon each) mix. Two tablespoons of the mixture pour 500 ml of boiling water. Close and wrap the jar tightly. After three to four hours, strain the composition, and take a spoonful three times a day.
Hepatitis
Two different collections are used for this disease, we will present you the recipes for both.
The first composition includes adonis, yarrow, horsetail (according to40 g), celandine grass (80 g). Pour a spoonful of a mixture of these herbs with 200 ml of boiling water. Three to five minutes, the composition should warm up over low heat under a closed lid. After this, the broth is infused until completely cooled. It is taken in 100 ml morning and evening.
Another collection for the treatment of hepatitis. Adonis grass, juniper and rose hips, aloe root (25 g each) mix. Two tablespoons of the collection should be poured with boiling water (500 ml) and put in a water bath for two minutes. The decoction is infused for no more than half an hour and is taken in a glass twice a day.
Heart disease
For the treatment of the heart, a collection of the following herbs is used:
- adonis;
- melissa;
- motherwort;
- birch leaves;
- horsetail;
- weed grass;
- clover and marigold flowers;
- mistletoe shoots.
All components are taken in equal parts. Mix them thoroughly and measure out 12 grams of the collection. Fill the collection with 350 ml of boiling water, and insist for three hours. Strain, divide into four parts and drink during the day. We must repeat once again that adonis is poisonous, so it is necessary to be extremely careful when treating with this plant. To prevent poisoning, you can use ready-made medicines containing adonis spring, which are sold in pharmacies. But in this case, it is necessary to remember about the exact observance of the dosage. Taking any medications must be agreed with the doctor.
Side effects
Because of the poisonousness of its spring Adonisoverdose can cause negative consequences. In this case, the symptoms are manifested by weakness, drowsiness, fatigue, cramps, gastrointestinal disturbances and a rapid or slow heartbeat. Having found these symptoms, it is necessary to take drugs that remove harmful substances from the blood: saline laxative medicines. Emetics are not recommended.
Contraindications
Adonis herb and preparations based on it have contraindications for use. With peptic ulcer, gastritis, with increased blood clotting, enterocolitis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, ventricular arrhythmias - taking drugs is prohibited. In addition, they should not be taken during pregnancy, lactation and children under three years of age. Older children are allowed, but only as prescribed by a doctor and in a dosage appropriate for age.
Collecting raw materials
In folk medicine, almost the entire plant is used, with the exception of the bare part of the stem: when harvesting raw materials, it is recommended to cut the plant from the middle, where the leaves begin to grow. The herb is harvested during the fruit ripening or flowering season. The rest of the time, the healing properties are lost.
It is very important to dry the adonis correctly: tied in bunches in a ventilated, shady place. Under no circumstances should this be done in the sun. You can use the oven, oven. Temperature from +40 to +50 °C is ideal for drying. Dried raw materials are stored for about a year in a ventilated room in paper or canvas bags.
Spring Adonis is a very delicate and beautiful plant that candecorate a flower bed in your garden, lift your spirits and, thanks to its medicinal properties, help cure many serious diseases.
