MEDICINAL PLANTS

The chervil is a perennial plant, with its branched rhizome, brown and provided with buds. The stem is branched, hairy and hollow. The leaves are tender and light green in color, though the youngest is gray. The inflorescences are on the end of the stem and are dense umbels with a single floral involucre, formed by bracts lanceolate and pointed. The flowers are white and have heart-shaped petals, the largest being at the periphery of the umbels. The fruit is an achene black, shiny, cone-shaped and elongated. In the wild is found in southern Russia and in different regions of western Asia, but also cultivated in much of Europe.

FLOWERING

It blooms from May. To use the whole plant medicinal interest fresh: it should be collected before or during flowering, when more active ingredients found in drugs. This plant is little used in Spain, so it is not known in depth the process to follow for proper collection and treatment. Normally, the plant can be purchased already prepared and ready for use.

APPLICATIONS

The chervil leaves contain a bitter matter, which currently know very little is known to contain a glycoside called apiína. In the fruit are small amounts of a substance and seeds can yield up to 13% oil. Actually, chervil is more of a plant used in cooking, although she recognizes some medicinal properties, and favors the elimination of urine, is an aperitif, tonic and stimulant. The stem, fresh and crushed, can be applied topically to relieve rheumatic pains, and those produced by the drop. In some countries, smoking dried stem, thus exerting an expectorant action. Has also been used internally to treat asthma and breathing difficulties of pulmonary origin. In any case, it is a little known plant in our culture and their properties can be found in many other species whose effects are better studied.

ADMINISTRATION

Crushed fresh plant. Ratatouille juice is extracted in a mortar. This juice can be served directly.
cooking. With a small amount of roots and fruits can prepare a tea that is administered in case of sore throats and in some bladder disorders. The tea made from dried stem extracts used for sleeping.
Compresses. Infusion is put in a handful of fresh leaves in a pan of hot water. Allow tuning, filtered and is used to apply liquid to compress on swollen eyes by the wind, cold or sun.

SUMMARY

FAMILY: Umbelliferae
HABITAT: South Russia
FLOWERING: May
PART USED: Plant fresh
CASTILIAN: Cerefolio
CATALAN: Cerfull
BASQUE: Perraitz

USES

Diuretic Moderate, Appetizer Moderate, Mild tonic.