MEDICINAL PLANTS

The cinquefoil is a creeping herb, belonging to the family Rosaceae. It has a thick strain of leaving some branches that creep along the ground, these branches are thin, hairy and reddish. From time to time form a knuckle casting a sheet supported by a long corner, this sheet being constituted by five leaflets (hence its name). The knuckles of the stem also born flowers, one at a time, not together in a bouquet. It is an herb very similar to the strawberry, only take this instead of strawberries packed loose a few small seeds and juice with nothing. It breeds in wet fields and well irrigated.

FLOWERING

It begins to bloom from April and often continues until late autumn. Is harvested for medicinal purposes the root, rhizome and leaves. The strain is given at the end of the growing season, just before the grass starts to dry. The leaves have a very pleasant grassy flavor and are slightly mucilaginous.

APPLICATIONS

The composition of this graceful grass is not very clear. Is known to contain abundant tannins catechists, very small amounts of a substance, alcohol and little else. Tannins exert an astringent, as popularly used as an antidiarrheal. Action also has hemostatic, gastrointestinal, anti-inflammatory and healing. All these virtues favor is indicated as a remedy for diarrhea, hemorrhoids, canker sores and mouth ulcers, bruises, sores and, in general, all those evils which they need to get an astringent. Popularly is also used to reduce blood pressure, although this use has no scientific basis. This plant is often compared to the tormentila, another herb of the same genus, in fact if not much in-depth study of this kind, it was to have always been regarded as a cousin of tormentila - which seems sufficiently justified because they are very similar.

ADMINISTRATION

Infusion for rinse. Pour in one cup boiling water 2 g. Dried leaves, filter the liquid after ten minutes and use it to practice repeated rinses.
Decoction for internal use. 30 g / l, boil for 10 minutes and take three to four cups a day.
Powder. Free or encapsulated, at a rate of 2 to 4 g. Per day, divided into doses of 500 mg.
Decoction for external use. Same as above for internal use, but more concentrated. It can be applied in lotions, towels, mouthwash or irrigation.

SUMMARY

FAMILY: Rosaceae
HABITAT: Wet fields
FLOWERING: April
PART USED: Root, rhizome and leaf
CASTILIAN: Pie de Cristo
CATALAN: Cinc-en-rama
BASQUE: Bostorri

USES

Astringency, Antidiarrheal Moderate, Mild Antihemorroidal.