Useful and medicinal properties of the mountaineer snake( coil, cancer cervix)
Family Buckwheat - Polygonaceae
The generic name in Greek means multicellular, since in many plants of this genus the stem is expanded at the nodes. Species definition in Latin means double stranded( according to the shape of the rhizome).Hence the Russian name - serpentine. Cancer necks are called a plant because of the similarity of the rhizome to the "tail" of the cancer.
Botanical description. A perennial herb plant, with twice twisted rhizome in the form of the Latin letter "S", from which thin subordinate roots leave. In the upper part it is raised and turns into an upright stem up to 100 cm in height. The stems are arched, widened at the nodes. Leaves alternate, oblong-lanceolate, lower - with winged petioles, upper - sessile with plethoric sockets. The latter, like all buckwheat plants, are formed on two stipules, which join together in a tube, surrounding the stem above the node. Flowers pink, collected on the tip of the stem in a cylindrical spicate inflorescence with short pedicels. The perianth is almost five-parted, not falling down to the base. Stamens 8 with long filaments, pistil 1 with upper single-cavity ovary and three columns. The fruit is a brown trihedral nutlet.
Blossoms in May - June;fruits ripen in June - July. During flowering, the meadow takes a pink background.
Geographical distribution. It grows on floodplain meadows and meadows beyond floodplains of rivers, grassy marshes, along shores of swampy water bodies, along fringes, among bushes. Distributed in the forest belt of the USSR almost throughout its territory. The main areas of blanks - Belarus, Ukraine, Sverdlovsk, Perm and Vologda regions of the RSFSR.
In the Caucasus, a close look grows - the meat-red mountaineer - Polygonum carneum S. Koch., Which is used on a par with the mountaineer snake.
Collection and drying. Prepare the roots of the coil immediately after flowering to the first cut of grass. They dig them out with shovels, shake the ground, cut off or break off the stem, carefully cleaned of roots, dry leaf scales and washed. To preserve thickets during harvesting, leave 1-2 copies on an area of 10 square meters.m. Alternating blanks-produce in 8-10 years.
Raw materials should be dried quickly so that tannins are not oxidized and the rhizomes inside do not become brown. In good sunny weather, you can dry on the sun, laying a thin layer and turning every day, in attics under an iron roof, but even better in ovens.
Medicinal raw materials. Rhizoma Bistortae is a hard, serpentine curved, cylindrical in cross section or flattened and then often on top with a wide groove with numerous transverse scars, and on the underside with annular scars - traces of cut off roots. Outside, the rhizome is dark, reddish-brown, with pink or brownish pink in the fracture. Broken and blackened inside the rhizome are unfit for use. Odor is absent, the taste is strongly astringent. Decoction of rhizomes 1: 10 gives a solution of iron ammonium alum black and blue coloration.
Art.580 GF X allows a moisture content of not more than 13%;ash not more than 10%;rhizomes, blackened in the fracture, no more than 10%;poorly peeled from the roots, remains of stems and leaves no more than 5%;organic impurity not more than 0.5%;mineral impurity not more than 1%;tannins not less than 15%.
Chemical composition. Rhizomes contain up to 25% of predominantly hydrolysed tannins, free gallic and ellagic acids, catechins, flavonoids, oxymethylanthraquinones, etc.
Action and application. Tannins partially precipitate proteins, forming dense albumin. On the mucous membrane at the same time, a film is formed that protects the end of the sensitive nerves from irritation, so the feeling of pain is weakened. The consequence of astringent action is the narrowing of the vessels, a decrease in their permeability and a decrease in exudation. All this leads to a decrease in the inflammatory response.
Tannins also have an antimicrobial effect, which is due to the deposition of cytoplasmic proteins of microorganisms. Recently, the antitumor activity of tannins not only of serpentine, but also of other plants has been indicated.
Prepare a decoction of the roots of the coil( 20 g of raw material per 200 ml of water) for rinsing with stomatitis, gingivitis and other diseases of the oral cavity;prescribe inside 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day before meals with diarrhea nondisenteric origin, with acute and chronic bowel diseases.
The coil is not toxic, but with prolonged use inside it causes constipation.