Myrtus communis
This plant belongs to the myrtle family( Myrtaceae).The family includes about 100 species and more than 3 thousand varieties. Among its members there are such famous ones as eucalyptus, tea tree, feijoa, clove tree and many other plants that are valued for their food, medicinal, aromatic, and sometimes simply for decorative properties.
The birthplace of myrtle is not exactly defined, but in nature it is widely distributed in the territory of Africa and in the south of Europe, throughout the Mediterranean. In our country, myrtle first appeared in the Crimea in 1815 - his specimen was planted in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden. The southern tree is not well tolerated by cold and drought, at -13-14 ° C already freezes. Therefore, it is rare in the Crimea, only in the warmest places - such as Simeiz, Alupka, Foros, Massandra.
Among the lush southern vegetation you will notice it not immediately - an evergreen low tree or shrub with small dark green leaves and tender, fragrant white flowers.
Nevertheless, this humble plant in Ancient Hellas was revered as a symbol of supreme power. The bureaucrats in Athens wore peace-loving wreaths on their heads, they also crowned the statues of the fallen heroes. In addition, myrtle was dedicated to the Greek goddess of love and beauty - Aphrodite, and the Romans - Venus. At festivities in honor of Aphrodite, everyone decorated themselves with wreaths of myrtle, they were also placed on the head of the bride and groom on the day of the wedding.
Myrtle trees were planted around temples and palaces, while their crowns were given the most fantastic shapes. It was noticed that the air in the myrtle groves is always clean. Now we know why - this plant produces phytoncides, special substances that kill pathogenic microbes. It was believed that the branch of myrtle, torn in the way, will give the traveler vivacity and strengthen his strength. Going on the road, she was sure to take with her or put on her finger a ring made of myrtle.
The fragrant plant was credited with the miraculous ability to maintain the freshness of the face and body. The Roman matrons washed themselves with water, insisted on peace, to restore the old features of the former beauty. Tincture of the fruit of myrtle in ancient Rome was used as an elixir of vivacity and health. On the island of Crete there is still a belief that a person does not age while holding a myrtle twig in his hand.
Images of weeping women with myrtle branches in hands are found in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs. Myrtle is mentioned in the Bible. Among the ancient Jews, he was the emblem of peace, and they were decorated at home during the celebration of Easter. Wreaths
from myrtle wore Jewish brides for good luck. In many European countries, the plant was also considered a symbol of maidenliness and chastity. And in the warm Mediterranean lands, and in the far North, its twig was an indispensable wedding attribute - it was decorated with the bride's headdress. It was customary for the Baltic peoples to put on the bride's head even two wreaths-a large one, on top of the veil, and beneath it a small one-a symbol of purity and innocence. Those who married again for a second time did not have the right to wear a small wreath. Myrtle bush for decorating a wedding dress was grown by a girl at home or in the garden, and on her wedding day she wove a wreath from it. In France, this plant is also an obligatory attribute at a wedding, especially a village one. But here a small bush in a clay pot is carried by the father of the bride, as a symbol of the fortress of conjugal embraces.
The popularity of myrtle was explained not only by its decorativeness and aroma of flowers, but also by its medicinal properties. Myrt was from ancient times a sign to both Western and Eastern healers. In translation from the Hebrew Myrtle means "beautiful, beautiful", and from the ancient Greek - "balm, myrrh."Preparing medicinal products from fruits, leaves and young shoots of the plant. The ancient Egyptians insisted on his wine leaves and used the drug to treat fever and intestinal disorders. They also used myrtle water as an effective cosmetic product, capable of cleansing the skin and restoring its elasticity. In France, for a long time, women also knew about these properties of the myrtle to preserve youth and beauty. The Italian charmers took aromatic baths with the addition of myrtle essence, also hoping for the wonderful properties of "living water".
Chinese military doctors used the so-called "powder of seven colors" to treat wounds. It was obtained by mixing such exotic components as dragon bones, ivory leather, dragon blood, ginseng roots, ginura( Gynura pinnatifida), olibanum oil, and myrtle oil.
In Britain, myrtle first appeared in the middle of the XVI century, he was brought from Spain by the ambassadors of her royal majesty. Together with the fragrant tree they brought news of the formation of the Spanish "Invincible Armada" and thereby upset the conquerors' plans for a sudden attack on their northern neighbor. Since then, myrtle - one of the revered by the British plants, because it is associated with the salvation of the nation.
In folk medicine myrtle leaves were used for colds. The method of treatment was very simple, but effective - when the first signs of the disease appear, chew 3-4 leaves of myrtle several times a day after eating. Juice from myrtle leaves was smeared with scratches and abrasions.
Since the XIX century in Europe myrtle have been used and in official medicine - first for the treatment of disorders of the genitourinary system and hemorrhoids, and then to fight a variety of infections.
Botanical portrait of
Myrtle is a plant with an erect stalk, on which small oblong leaves with pointed tips are located in opposition. The leaf plates are dense, leathery, shiny, dark green in color and exude the delicate aroma inherent in many plants of the myrtle family.
Blossoms in May-June, the whole tree is covered with white, reddish or yellowish flowers. Flowers are single, small, with four petals and a whole cloud of fluffy stamens. Myrtle fruits are dark blue berries, crowned with sepals remaining after flowering;These berries are inedible, but nevertheless for the preparation of medicines they are used.
Of course, it is hardly possible to completely clean the air in an apartment or office from all pathogenic bacteria. Nevertheless, if you plant 1-2 myrtle plants, then in your home atmosphere there will be no place for such a hard-to-kill microbe as staphylococcus. This same fragrant tree with its phytoncides can ruin a yeast-like fungus, which causes thrush - candidiasis( this disease is difficult to treat even with antibiotics).Tincture of myrtle leaves is also an effective tool for the treatment of fungal diseases. Inhalation of myrtle leaves is recommended for migraine attacks. Flowers of myrtle can be brewed as a healing tea, and regular use of this fragrant drink will help to adjust the work of the gastrointestinal tract.
In addition, the aroma of myrtle improves mood, stimulates mental activity, memory performance, improves intellectual productivity. It is an indispensable companion for those who constantly work with a computer, various electrical appliances, creating around us a far from safe electromagnetic and electrostatic field. To this is added the ionizing and ultraviolet radiation of the displays. And also - the noise from various devices, even, insignificant, seemingly, but acting on our mental state gradually.
In addition, electrostatic charges appearing on the monitor, attract dust from the air. She settles on the screen, and remains on the face and the airways working at the computer. In the dust, as we all know, contains many different microorganisms. This means that spending hours sitting at the computer not only overloads our vision and nervous system, not only sends us harmful radiation, but also weakens our antimicrobial protection. Therefore, it is recommended to place green fragrant plants near the working computer - they remove static electricity well, and their phytoncides build an additional barrier against infections. One of the most effective plants is myrtle.
Chemical composition of
The healing properties of myrtle are mainly due to essential oils contained in the leaves, as well as polyphenols, flavonoids and saponins. Myrtle contains eugenol, a substance found in cloves and other plants of the eucalyptus family. Eugenol is an essential oil of a very pleasant aroma. Due to the bactericidal properties of this essential oil, myrtle tincture is successfully used for inhalation with the same infectious diseases, in which eucalyptus leaves are also recommended. In addition, the myrtle contains a particular polyphenolic substance of myrtilin, perhaps it is an immunomodulating and anti-cancer drug, as well as pinene, limonene, cineole, linalool, terpineol, myrtinol.