Useful and medicinal properties of potatoes
Perennial herbaceous plant up to 60 cm tall. Root stem, strongly branching. The stems are numerous, raised or erect, slightly pubescent. Underground stems - white, form at the ends of fleshy, strongly starched tubers, edible. Leaves intermittently odd-pinnate with 7-11 leaves of ovoid shape with oblique base, pubescent. The flowers are rather large, whitish or lilac, with a star whisk, in forked curls. The fruit is green, black and violet, a very poisonous berry. Blooms from June to August. Bred in the kitchen gardens. Homeland - South America.
Medicinal raw materials are mature underground tubers and flowers. The tubers contain carbohydrates, proteins( globulin, tuberin, albumin, proteins and peptone), fiber, pectic substances, as well as oxalic, malic, citric and other organic acids, a significant amount of potassium( 568 mg%) and phosphorus( 50 mg%).In addition, potato tubers contain vitamins: C( 26-42 mg%), B, B2, B6, folic and nicotinic acids, as well as vitamin A( in small amounts).Potato is a source of vitamin C in the human diet. One of the components of the peel of the potato is the poisonous glycoalkaloid solanine, which can cause poisoning. The largest amount of solanine contains sprouted tubers, as well as tubers that have green peel.
Potato tubers are a good food product, and are also used to produce starch, alcohol and other products.
In the literature, there is an indication that in the experiment, the infusion of potato flowers lowers the blood pressure
and causes respiration. It should be remembered that in the aboveground part of the potato( especially in the fruits) contains a significant amount of solanine( 1%) and nitrites( 4%), which can cause severe poisoning.
Application of
In folk medicine, the juice of raw tubers of potatoes( squeezed from raw red potatoes, 1/2 cup three times a day on an empty stomach, half an hour before meals and at bedtime) is recommended for gastritis and peptic ulcer with high acidity and with persistent headachespain. An ancient folk remedy is the inhalation of potato steam( steam from potatoes welded in uniform or cooked peel of potato) with diseases of the upper respiratory tract, angina, etc. Fresh potatoes, applying it to the skin, treat skin diseases - eczema, etc.
Preparation of potatojuice: washed and dry wiped potatoes with peel wiped through a grater. Juice with starch is squeezed out, it is recommended to use only with the juice. Starch is used as an enveloping, anti-inflammatory agent for gastrointestinal diseases, burns.