MEDICINAL PLANTS

The Caryophylleae is a small herbaceous plant belonging to the family Rosaceae. It is perennial plant: the dry winter and is reborn in spring. Its stems can reach up to three feet high. The rhizome is short and color it black and brown roots numerous tear. The leaves of the base have a very long corner, but instead you have the stem shorter and less divided. The flowers are about one centimeter in diameter and have a corolla of five petals yellow. The fruit consists of a fuzzy set of closely spaced bumps, each of which terminates in a long awn. One grows in shady places, with ruins and among rocks, along nearly the entire Iberian Peninsula.

FLOWERING

Flowers from early May to late summer, depending on the area where you are. Is harvested for medicinal purposes the root and rhizome. This should be waiting for both the stem and the leaves are dry or are about to do. If you want to collect the entire plant, then you must wait at the beginning of flowering.

APPLICATIONS

In the composition of the herb found abundant tannin materials, that at the root reach 30%. It also contains a glucoside, which was found to disappear when the root is dried. This glucoside, as it decomposes, it produces eugenol, and this is the reason why it smells like oil of cloves, especially when the result is fresh and freshly crushed. Among the pharmacological actions that are blamed on the herb is being astringent, antidiarrheal, appetizers, general tonic and antipyretic. Is indicated for gastroenteritis, anorexia, fever and externally in pharyngitis, conjunctivitis, and injuries. Is considered as a powerful astringent, with its high percentage of tannins. As antipyretic properties Caryophylleae root, we can say that was discovered late, not before the eighteenth century. It is said that the whole plant crushed and put into infusion in 1 / 4 l. Of wine per room a night, casting and squeezed slightly, sweat mightily excited, immediately lowering fever.

ADMINISTRATION

Infusion: Bring tea 50 gr. Root in 1 liter of boiling water. Filter and drink the slightly sweet, along the day.
Tincture. Macerate for 5 days, 10 gr. Root in 50 gr. Alcohol of 60 grados Celsius . Filter the liquid and pour into a dropper bottle with stopper. The dose to be administered is 20 drops before meals.
For external use. The crushed fresh plant can be applied as a poultice on wounds. Also, the decoction of 30 gr. Plant per liter of water can be applied as compresses.

SUMMARY

FAMILY: Rosaceae
HABITAT: Dark places
FLOWERING: May
PART USED: Root and rhizome
CASTILIAN: Hierba de San Benito
CATALAN: Flor de Sant Benet
GALICIAN: Herba de San Bento

USES

Strong astringent, Antidiarrheal Moderate, Antipyretic Leve.