MEDICINAL PLANTS

This plant can grow to up to two feet high and there are distinguished two types of stems: the first to emerge from its underground rhizome, which is maintained over the years are called fertile, far less resistant than second type of stem, the so-called sterile, being useless to exercise reproductive mechanisms. These occur along a series of grooves and have a greenish color, many of them out side shoots. It can be found in moist, sandy areas of the northern half of the peninsula.

FLOWERING

Being a fern can not talk about flowering time, because it lacks flowers, but instead has some reproductive organs, characteristic of the fern, called sporangia, within which are the spores. These sporangia appear in the fertile stems in spring months, the spores fall to the ground, leaving no one but a tiny seedling fern prothallium call that can only be seen through the microscope. As there prothallium of the two sexes, men are responsible for fertilizing the female of that now, shall arise a new fern. To collect this horsetail first thing to do is determine exactly the kind to which he belongs, as there are physically very similar other ferns such as swamp horsetail, which is poisonous, so if it is reasonable doubt is not harvested . This operation should be carried out in the last months of summer.

APPLICATIONS

It has a large amount of salts of silicon, responsible for their remineralizing properties, so it is used in cases of fatigue and convalescence; also increase the number of leukocytes and enhance the resilience of connective tissue, so it is used as antirheumatic, consolidating broken bones. Potassium chloride and aluminum are responsible for their strong diuretic action and thus is used in cases of hypertension, hyperuricemia, oliguria, urolithiasis and obesity. It also has traces of vitamin C, alkaloids, resins, and in greater quantity, as equisetonina saponosides and flavonoids. Together they will provide all hemostatic properties and healing of ulcers and wounds.

ADMINISTRATION

Decoction of dried plant. Fifteen grams are added to a quart of boiling water, leaving it in contact for twenty minutes. The dosage in children is 20 ml per day and 200 ml per day in adults.
Decoction. Add 50 grams of fresh plant in a quart of boiling water, leaving it at that temperature for 30 minutes, the resulting liquid-then left to cool to 35 grados CelsiusC, is applied as compresses or washed, as in healing wounds and hemorrhoids .

SUMMARY

FAMILY: Equisetaceae
HABITAT: Sandy places, wet
FLOWERING: Mature sporangia in spring
PART USED: Aerial parts
CASTILIAN: Cola de caballo menor
CATALAN: Cua de cavall
BASQUE: Eztañu-belar
GALICIAN: Rabo-de-cavalo

USES

Moderate remineralizing, Mild diuretic, Mild haemostatic.