MEDICINAL PLANTS

Plant annual cycle, with a height varying from eight inches to five feet. Its stem is very straight, but under certain circumstances can be tilted to the floor in this case, each node generates a new root that holds the plant together tightly to the soil, to eventually return to raise other vertical and straight stems . The leaves are characterized by their dark green shade and shape of the spear, whose center has a small blackish spot.

FLOWERING

Flowering occurs from July to October, providing a series of very small flowers and pinkish hue that lie at the upper ends of the stems. I should mention that, unlike the leaves that have long glandular hairs, the flowers do not have any type of gland. The fruit that is generated after fertilization is a very small size, usually flattened and with a certain brightness.

APPLICATIONS

The stem and leaves contain a small amount of tannin, which does no more than two per cent of the total weight of the plant. It also contains gallic acid, so-combined with the previous amount of tannic acid there is a synergism of their effects, and thus derive both its local astringent and haemostatic properties. It also contains small amounts of calcium oxalate, which represent no more than three percent and are responsible for the formation of kidney stones if this plant is used in excessive amounts. We can also find among the many compounds in this plant representative quantities of acetic acid, butyric acid and persicariol. All this makes this kind is employed at the topic, it is quite effective in healing sores and skin ulcers. Orally administered antidiarrheal effect may be produced by tannic acid, which helps to cut these types of conditions.

ADMINISTRATION

Decoction. Add 25 grams of crushed stems and leaves and dried prior to a quart of boiling water, maintaining this temperature for ten minutes, then remove from heat, proceeding to filtering. Fluid obtained can take up to three cups a day, to sever diarrhea processes.
Decoction external use. They take two ounces of chopped leaves and stems of this plant and added to a quart of boiling water, leaving it like this for fifteen minutes. The liquid obtained is used to wet compresses to be applied on sores, wounds and ulcers in order to achieve its rapid healing.

SUMMARY

FAMILY: Polygonaceae
HABITAT: On the banks of the canals
FLOWERING: Summer and autumn
PART USED: Stems and leaves
CASTILIAN: Duraznillo, pimentillo
CATALAN: Presseguera
BASQUE: Txiñurri-belarr
GALICIAN: Persicária

USES

Fort Vulnerary, Strong astringent, Antidiarrheal Moderate.