Coltsfoot leaves. Medicinal properties and contraindications of coltsfoot grass How to get rid of coltsfoot in the garden: weed control

(lat. Tussilago) - a genus of perennial herbaceous plants of the Asteraceae, or Asteraceae (Asteraceae) family ( Asteraceae). The only kind is Common mother and stepmother (Tussilago farfara). Popularly, this plant has many names - mother grass, water burdock, icy burdock, burdock, two-leaf, butterbur. The grass is widespread in Eurasia (Western Europe, Siberia, Kazakhstan, the mountains of Central and Asia Minor), North Africa and North America. For growth, mother and stepmother prefer clay and moist soils, free of turf. Although it can be found on pebble and sandy river shallows. It grows along the banks of rivers, lakes, in meadows, along embankments, the slopes of ravines and landslides. The coltsfoot is the most harmful in vegetable crops, as it develops very quickly and grows intensively, which leads to the complete displacement of other plants.

Mother and stepmother description

The root system is in the form of a long, creeping, branched rhizome, which goes deep into the soil by about 1 m. Two types of shoots are formed from the buds located on the rhizome: vegetative and flowering. Already in early spring, flowering shoots begin to develop; they are erect, low, up to 30 cm high. Each shoot has a head (flower), which withers after flowering. The heads are bright yellow, 2-2.5 cm in diameter. The flowers are both hollow, but sterile. When ripe, the heads become fluffy, very similar to dandelions. The flowering period begins as soon as the snow melts, in early spring.

Fetus- a slightly curved cylindrical achene with a tuft. Flowering shoots die off after flowering.

Vegetative shoots begin to develop some time after flowering begins. These shoots bear several rounded, heart-shaped, irregularly toothed leaves on long petioles that form a rosette. The upper surface of these leaves is smooth, and the lower surface is white tomentose. If you touch a leaf with your palm, you can feel that the leaf is warm below and cold on top.

The plant is very prolific. The maximum number of seeds that one plant can produce is approximately 19 thousand seeds. The seeds have high germination capacity and germinate in the soil from a depth of up to 2 cm.

Mother and stepmother harmfulness

Mother and stepmother harms agriculture, littering plantations with cultivated vegetables. Measures to combat this weed should be aimed at destroying young rosettes. The maximum effectiveness of this method will be achieved in the early stages of plant development. A combination of surface treatment techniques with layer-by-layer deep loosening and pruning of rhizomes shows very good results in the fight. Mother and stepmother are resistant to widely used herbicides. It is necessary to use substances that penetrate the rhizome. For example, tordan, banvel.

Mother and stepmother medicinal properties

Since ancient times, mother and stepmother has been considered a medicinal plant. In Ancient Greece and Rome it was prescribed for the treatment of bronchial asthma and bronchitis. In Paris, the emblem of pharmacies was an image of this plant. Such emblems were hung above every shop that sold medicinal herbs.

The above-ground part of the plant is used as a medicinal raw material. Flower heads are collected during flowering, that is, in March-April. They are usually separated from the stem. It is necessary to dry in the shade, spreading it on paper in one layer. The collection of leaves begins after flowering, when they become smooth, but have not yet begun to become covered with brown spots. The best time for this is the beginning of summer. Leaves need to be dried just like flowers, in the shade and in one layer. Dried inflorescences are stored for two years, and leaves for three years.

The plant is very rich in beneficial microelements. The leaves contain zinc, which makes it possible to use coltsfoot as an anti-inflammatory agent in the treatment of sore throats, hoarseness, laryngitis, colds and other infectious diseases. The herb tincture is used externally to treat skin infections, wounds, and burns. Coltsfoot has a beneficial effect on the digestive system, relieves diarrhea and is an appetite stimulant.

Also, mother and stepmother are an indispensable assistant in maintaining and restoring the beauty of skin and hair. This plant has a high content of amino acids - cystine, sulfur and silicon dioxide. Cystine promotes hair strengthening and growth, high levels of silicon soothe the scalp, eliminates dandruff and dead skin cells, and gives elasticity and shine to the hair. Mother and stepmother extract will help increase skin elasticity; thanks to this extract, the functioning of the sebaceous glands is regulated.

Mother and stepmother are able to normalize metabolism. Sometimes it is used for weight loss.

The use of medicines based on this plant has contraindications. You should not use infusions and decoctions for a long time, more than 1.5 months. Do not give to children under two years of age. It is also prohibited to take mother and stepmother during pregnancy and breastfeeding women. People with liver diseases should never consume this plant in any form.

Be careful! Self-medication is dangerous to life and health. Before using medications, you should definitely visit a doctor.

Mother and stepmother photo

Common mother and stepmother (Tussilago farfara) Leaves of common coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) Seeds of coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara)

Water burdock and camouflage grass are all the same plant, which is used in the treatment or prevention of various diseases. It has a strange leaf structure: the surface is hard and cold on top, and warm and tender underneath, hence the name. Coltsfoot herb - medicinal properties and contraindications for use, how to prepare healthy infusions, decoctions from leaves and flowers at home, find out further.

What is coltsfoot

Common coltsfoot (from Latin - tussilago farfara) is a perennial herbaceous plant. Features: yellow small flowers that look like tongues. They are collected in baskets. The leaves are scale-like and large. The leaf is smooth on top, pubescent and white-tomentose underneath. The plant reaches up to 20 cm in height. From afar, the root leaves look like burdock. Flowering begins in early spring, and sometimes it can grow between unmelted snow.

Chemical composition

The herb is used in folk medicine and has a rich chemical composition. Useful substances are contained in fresh and dried leaves and flowers. Using the medicinal raw materials of the plant, you can prepare decoctions, infusions, teas and other remedies for the treatment of diseases. Next, let's look at what is contained in the flowers and leaves of coltsfoot:

mucilage-polysaccharides;
dextrin;
bitter glycosides;
inulin;
organic acids;
ascorbic acid;
vegetable essential oils;
carotenoids;
sitosterol;
saponins;
tannins;
flavonoids.

Water burdock flowers contain the following beneficial substances:

triterpene faradiol;
tetraterpene taraxanthin;
arnidol;
heptacosane hydrocarbon;
stigmasterol;
sitosterol;
tannins.

pharmachologic effect

Dry leaves of coltsfoot have an expectorant and anti-inflammatory effect. Mucus and acids help thin the viscous secretion that is secreted in the upper respiratory tract and improve sputum production. Flowers with leaves of the plant:

have a diaphoretic effect;
provide a mucolytic effect;
eliminate inflammatory processes;
speed up recovery.

Fresh leaves are used like plantain - applied to festering ulcers, purulent wounds and abscesses. The effects of the plant include:

antihypoxic;
multivitamin;
antioxidant;
cleansing

Healing properties

The medicinal properties of the plant have a beneficial effect on the skin and human body. Fresh leaves are applied to sore spots, and infusions, decoctions, teas, and ointments are made from dry raw materials. Fresh juice is taken for inflammatory diseases. The herb has a medicinal effect on the adult and children's body:

improves the immune system;
strengthens the body;
stimulates the functions of the endocrine glands;
provides a diaphoretic, wound-healing effect;
expectorant effect;
stimulates the healing of wounds on the skin.

Indications for use

The beneficial properties of coltsfoot help to cope with many diseases. In the following list you will find out what diseases the plant copes with. The above list is not complete, because many traditional healers hide recipes from coltsfoot, which help get rid of many diseases. Indications for the use of water burdock are as follows.

Respiratory diseases and viral infections

A person and a child can get sick with various respiratory infections throughout the year, and sometimes several times. These are acute infectious diseases that occur after viruses penetrate the human respiratory system. Inside, pathogenic organisms multiply, causing an inflammatory process. Coltsfoot - its medicinal properties and contraindications, will help cure diseases such as:

laryngitis;
bronchitis/pharyngitis;
Chronical bronchitis;
tracheitis;
bronchopneumonia;
pneumonia;
whooping cough;
bronchiectasis;
lung abscess;
ARVI.

Diseases of the gallbladder and urinary tract

Kidneys are essential for the normal functioning of human body systems. Organs perform excretory, metabolic, osmoregulatory and other functions. If a person has diseases of the urinary tract or gall bladder, this negatively affects the functions of the entire body. Coltsfoot helps to cope with many problems of these organs and systems:

chronic prostatitis;
atherosclerosis;
prostatic hyperplasia;
thrombosis;
embolism;
aneurysms;
prostate adenoma;
hemorrhoids;
urolithiasis;
kidney cyst;
arthritis;
cystitis.

Medicinal properties for cardiovascular diseases

Thanks to systemic circulation, the functions of the heart are performed, vascular tone is maintained, and blood circulation throughout the body is maintained. In folk medicine, water burdock is used to treat diseases of the cardiovascular system. If the functions of the heart and vascular tone are impaired, this can lead to the fact that the required amount of blood and oxygen does not reach the organs and tissues, and the following may occur:

ischemia;
myocardial infarction;
stroke;
angina pectoris;
arrhythmia;
peripheral vascular diseases;
hypertension;
nervous system disorders.

Skin damage

The skin is an integral part of our body: the “consequences” of a person’s diet and lifestyle appear on it. The skin is also vulnerable, like our other organs, to various pathogenic microbes. Subsequently, the skin may suffer from psoriasis, dermatosis, and dermatitis. In folk medicine, coltsfoot copes with various skin diseases:

psoriasis;
dermatitis;
dermatosis;
dandruff;
hair loss;
boils.

For weight loss

A medicinal plant can be not only a panacea for all diseases, but also a means for weight loss. You can use coltsfoot to eliminate excess fat - it has a good effect on the gastrointestinal tract (gastrointestinal tract). But this effect can only be obtained in combination with exercise and proper nutrition. The plant is used as a stimulant to help the stomach and intestines.

Features of use for children

Children under two years of age are prohibited from using preparations based on water burdock orally without consulting their pediatrician. Sometimes mothers simply add plant decoctions to baths while bathing. Dry leaves and flowers of water burdock should not be brewed for children with a prolonged cough, diathesis or high body temperature; it is better to consult a doctor. Fresh leaves can be applied, like plantain, for minor injuries.

For women

Water burdock can be used to treat various problems related to gynecology. The plant and its composition can have anti-inflammatory effects on the female reproductive system. During pregnancy, you can do enemas for douching or wash yourself with a decoction. For oncology, an ammonia solution based on elecampane root is used. Coltsfoot is not used during lactation.

Coltsfoot grass – application

Water burdock is used to treat various diseases, but not everyone knows when, in what form and what dosage is needed for various ailments. Coltsfoot - medicinal properties and contraindications, described earlier in the article, below are recipes for preparing infusions, decoctions, fresh juice and other uses of the botanical plant, dosage for various diseases.

Leaf infusion

For poor digestion, cholecystitis, inflammation of the intestinal mucous membranes, it is necessary to prepare the following infusion:

20 g of the plant should be crushed, pour a glass of boiling water, leave for half an hour, strain through a cloth.
Reception – 1-2 tablespoons 4 times a day.

For coughs, acute or chronic bronchitis, pharyngitis, bronchial asthma, hoarse voice, gastrointestinal diseases, prepare an infusion of plant leaves:

4 tsp. The leaves are crushed, brewed in a glass of boiling water, and left for half an hour.
Then strain the infusion and drink a quarter glass three times a day.

Broth of coltsfoot

For bronchitis, prepare a decoction with milk. To do this, take a tablespoon of chopped herbs, pour in 500 ml of milk, add fresh lard (on the tip of a knife), and cook in a sealed container for about 10 minutes. Then the product is strained and taken at night, 50 ml. For shortness of breath, take 15 grams of crushed dry leaves, brew them with boiling water (0.2 l), leave until cool, and strain. Take a tablespoon every 3 hours.

For pneumonia, you need to take 3 tablespoons of chopped herbs, pour a liter of boiling water in an enamel pan. Then the infusion should be boiled in a water bath in a sealed container for about 15 minutes, left until it cools. Afterwards, the mixture is squeezed out and strained. Add boiled water to the infusion, add a tablespoon of honey, and take half a glass three times a day.

For bronchial asthma, pour a glass of dry leaves with a glass of boiling water, leave for half an hour and strain. You need to take ¼ cup four times a day. For colpitis, you need to prepare everything for douching. To do this, take a tablespoon of crushed leaves, pour a glass of boiling water, leave for half an hour, strain, and add boiled water again. Douching is carried out with a warm decoction twice a day.

Fresh Juice

Fresh juice is squeezed from the fresh leaves of the plant. They can cure a runny nose. To do this, you need to put 2-3 drops into your nose in each nostril throughout the day. The juice is effective during seasonal illnesses. To boost the body's immunity, you need to drink fresh juice from the leaves of the herb. You need to drink 1-2 tablespoons of juice 4-5 times per day. The course of treatment is 1 week in a row for several seasons.

Tea

You can buy tea in cloth or paper bags, or collect leaves from the garden. The botanical appearance of the plant, without any impurities that may be in tea packaging, will have a beneficial effect on your body. Tea is taken for dropsy, choking, chest illnesses, and cough. To brew, take a teaspoon of chopped herbs, pour boiling water (a glass), cover with a lid and leave for up to 10 minutes. The tea then needs to be filtered. Drink a cup three times a day, hot.

Alcohol infusion

An alcoholic tincture is prepared from the flowers of the plant and vodka. It can help with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. For preparation, it is recommended to collect flower baskets immediately after they appear. The ratio of flowers and vodka is 1:1. The mixture is infused for a week in the shade. Take 35-40 drops before meals. If there are remains of flowers in the preparations, you can prepare tea or a new alcohol tincture. Store in a thermos.

Powder

The powder is taken for colds, in the form of compresses for thrombophlebitis, and for gargling. If you have a cold, you need to take a third of a teaspoon of powder three times a day, washed down with regular boiled water. To rinse, take two tablespoons of plant powder, pour a glass of boiling water, leave for half an hour, and strain. Then gargle with warm infusion 5-6 times a day.

Methods of use at home

Water burdock is used at home in different forms: baths, applications, compresses or inhalations for various respiratory diseases. To do this, you do not always need to boil the mixture. You need to collect the leaves of the plant during flowering, when the grass contains a large amount of useful substances. The following describes home remedies.

Applications

Applications from the plant are used for polyarthritis, rheumatism, furunculosis, ulcerative lesions, infected wounds, scrofulous ulcers, calluses. To use coltsfoot, you need to collect fresh leaves of the plant, knead, and squeeze. The mixture is spread on the affected area, wrapped in parchment paper, and secured with a bandage. Sometimes you can brew dry leaves with boiling water, cool, and apply to sore spots.

Inhalations for respiratory diseases

During colds, inhalations based on chamomile and water burdock are used. Take a teaspoon of herbs and 2 teaspoons of chamomile. Then pour 0.5 ml of boiling water, boil over medium heat, cool to a warm state. Next, bend over the pan, cover your head with a towel, and inhale the steam for 7-10 minutes. At the same time, not only cold symptoms disappear, but also acne and acne.

Foot baths

Foot baths not only help to cope with fatigue and tingling feet. The plant can help with varicose veins in the legs. Baths can be taken several times a week. The duration of the procedure is about 25 minutes. To prepare a bath, pour boiling water over two full handfuls of leaves and leave for a little while. Then the infusion is poured into a bowl of hot water.

Leaf compress during lactation

During lactation, a woman’s body decides when breast milk collections are required and in what quantities. In order to reduce the appearance of milk, facilitate this process, and prevent the appearance of hardening and other pathologies of the breast, it is necessary to apply compresses directly to the breast. To do this, take washed water burdock leaves and apply them with the shiny side on your chest. Coltsfoot - its medicinal properties and contraindications, is used very often for these problems or possible diseases.

Contraindications and side effects

Despite the usefulness of coltsfoot, its medicinal properties and contraindications also exist. This also applies to side effects. The use of this plant may not always bring the desired effect from the course of treatment. The instructions say that herbal products should not be taken:

with hypersensitivity to the components of the drug;
during pregnancy, lactation;
children under 12 years old;
liver diseases;
delayed menstruation;
eczema.

In case of overdose, symptoms of side effects may be observed: fever (fever), pain, abdominal discomfort, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, nausea. At the first signs, you should consult your doctor. At home, you need to perform gastric lavage with warm milk or activated carbon in order to eliminate the symptoms of side effects.

In herbal medicines

Due to its qualities, coltsfoot - medicinal properties and contraindications, is used in various herbal remedies. The products contain plant materials. Coltsfoot preparations can be used to treat various diseases of the respiratory system. The treatment includes Broncholit, which contains sage, coltsfoot, Crimean rose, linden, mullein, elecampane root and other tinctures.

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Attention! The information presented in the article is for informational purposes only. The materials in the article do not encourage self-treatment. Only a qualified doctor can make a diagnosis and make recommendations for treatment based on the individual characteristics of a particular patient.

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Coltsfoot(lat. Tussilago) is a genus of perennial herbaceous plants of the Asteraceae family. The only kind is Common mother and stepmother(Tussilago farfara). Popularly, this plant has many names - mother grass, water burdock, icy burdock, burdock, two-leaf, butterbur. The grass is widespread in Eurasia (Western Europe, Siberia, Kazakhstan, the mountains of Central and Asia Minor), North Africa and North America. For growth, mother and stepmother prefer clay and moist soils, free of turf. Although it can be found on pebble and sandy river shallows. It grows along the banks of rivers, lakes, in meadows, along embankments, the slopes of ravines and landslides. The coltsfoot is the most harmful in vegetable crops, as it develops very quickly and grows intensively, which leads to the complete displacement of other plants.

Mother and stepmother description

Fetus- a slightly curved cylindrical achene with a tuft. Flowering shoots die off after flowering.

Mother and stepmother harmfulness

Mother and stepmother medicinal properties

Mother and stepmother are able to normalize metabolism. Sometimes it is used for weight loss.

Be careful! Self-medication is dangerous to life and health. Before using medications, you should definitely visit a doctor.

Mother and stepmother photo

Common mother and stepmother (Tussilago farfara) Leaves of common coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) Seeds of coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara)

Common coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara L.)

The weed belongs to the Asteraceae (Asteraceae) family.

Cultures. Often found in fields of grain and row crops.

Prevalence.

Distributed everywhere.

Description.

Cotyledons are 4…6 mm long, 1…2 mm wide, oblong. Leaves are 15...20 mm long, 12...18 mm wide, rounded-ovate, with teeth, pubescent. The epicotyl is not developed. The hypocotyl is thickened. The plant has a bitter, astringent taste.

The root system is in the form of fragile rhizomes covered with scales, penetrating into the soil to a depth of 1 m. The stem is straight, pubescent, covered with leaf scales. Leaves are alternate, basal round-heart-shaped, toothed, white-tomentose underneath, long-petiolate, stem lanceolate, smaller than the basal leaves. The flowers are yellow, pistillate, fertile, in baskets, marginal ligulate, internal tubular, bisexual, but sterile. The fruit is a cylindrical or tetrahedral, slightly curved pale yellow or brown achene with a white fragile fly, length 3...4, width 0.4...0.5, thickness 0.2...0.3 mm. Weight of 1000 achenes is 0.2…0.3 g.

Weed biology.

Rhizomatous perennial.

Shoots from achenes and shoots from rhizome buds appear in March - May. It blooms before the leaves appear in March - April. Fruits in April - May. Max. fertility is 17,000...19,500 achenes, which germinate in the soil from a depth of no more than 2 cm. Freshly ripened achenes are viable.

Conditions affecting weed development.

Moisture-loving plant. Aboveground organs are damaged at minus 2 °C.

Drugs for protection

View crop protection systems

How to get rid of coltsfoot in the garden: weed control

People often try to remove coltsfoot from their gardens and flower beds, but it also has useful applications. In addition, it is extremely difficult to remove all of it from the land.

1 Features and reproduction 2 Control methods 3 What are the benefits of grass

Features and reproduction

Coltsfoot is a herbaceous plant from the family of perennials belonging to the Asteraceae. It is well distributed on such continents as: Eurasia, North America and North Africa. This is an extremely unpretentious plant that can grow almost anywhere.

It begins to bloom in spring, when the snow melts. Golden-yellow flowers can often be seen next to the still melting snow cover. The fruits ripen by the end of May, beginning of June. It is not tall in itself, about 25 cm.

Coltsfoot loves the sun very much, so she prefers unshaded areas. Will grow well in clay or loamy soil. But, despite its unpretentiousness, it does not grow in areas densely covered with turf.

It reproduces mainly vegetatively, but can also use rhizomes, which occupy the entire territory it can reach. The leaves are arranged so densely that they form a cover in which it is very difficult to find other weeds.

When the plant matures, it looks like a dandelion. Coltsfoot seeds can be carried by gusts of wind. One plant can drop up to 20,000 seeds per season.

Coltsfoot has a very well developed root system. On its long petiole there is heart-shaped foliage. The leaves are smooth and green on the outside, and whitish and pubescent on the inside. The stem is about 20 cm long and ends in a flower.

Fighting methods

Every gardener knows this plant very well, since most have an eternal struggle with it. During digging and plowing, the weed roots are cut into smaller ones, from which independent plants will sprout. There are several methods to combat this weed:

The essence of the first method is to completely clear the dug up soil of all roots. In spring and summer, it is recommended, albeit occasionally, to dig up the coltsfoot. At the same time, get rid of your dreams.
Weed control solutions. Only the emerging shoots are poured with solution and dug up when the earth turns yellow, and only then they begin to form the beds. This usually happens around 2 weeks.
Cover the ground with an opaque material (black film or roofing felt), since they will not have enough sunlight, the weeds will die out. But this will happen in about 6-8 weeks.
It will be necessary to trim the weeds for 2-3 months (applicable only to perennials) with a shovel or hoe, adhering to a 2-week interval.
You will need a blowtorch. You can burn the above-ground parts of perennial weeds at intervals of 15-20 days.
We use herbicides on particularly active weeds.
This can only be done in dry weather and in areas with soft, loose soil. Using a rake, the surface of the bed is treated to remove weeds.
Applies only to fruit crops. After the plant seedlings have appeared on the surface, it will not be a bad idea to mulch the ground with peat, humus or straw. The layer must be at least 5 and no more than 8 cm.

The main measures to combat weeds should be aimed specifically at young shoots. A good result will be achieved by surface treatment with layer-by-layer deep loosening and cutting off the rhizome with a moldless tool.

What are the benefits of grass?

Flowers with leaves differ to a small extent, but still differ in their composition. They contain: malic and tartaric acid, carotenoids, vitamin C. Decoctions and tinctures with this plant are used as a good remedy with an anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effect that can disinfect.

Coltsfoot flowers can only be collected in spring, but leaves can be collected in early summer. After which they should be dried. This can be done either in a slightly cooled room, in the fresh air or in a dryer. The main thing is that the temperature does not exceed 30 degrees.

Preparations from coltsfoot are successfully used for cosmetic purposes.

FoliaFarfarae- Coltsfoot leaves

Mother- And- stepmother- Tussilago farfara L.

Aster family - Asteraceae

Other names:

- water burdock

- camouflage grass

- iced lapuga

- mother grass

- one-sided

- forest lapushnik

- two-faced

- rannik

- flowering grass

Botanical characteristics. A perennial herbaceous plant 10-25 cm high. The rhizome is creeping, succulent, branched, with thin roots. In early spring, numerous flowering stems grow with underdeveloped scaly leaves, which bear one apical basket. The flowers in the baskets are golden-yellow: the marginal ones are reed-shaped, the middle ones are tubular. The fruit is a tetrahedral achene with a long white tuft. The leaves are basal and develop later, after the fruits ripen. The plate is dense, juicy, rounded-heart-shaped, unevenly jagged along the edge, dark green above, white-tomentose below with dense hairs. The venation is palmate with three prominent bundles of veins. Blooms in April-May, bears fruit in May-June. Possible impurities: butterbur (butterbur) officinalis; Sometimes during the assembly process even small burdock leaves mistakenly get into the raw materials.

Spreading. The plant is found in forest and forest-steppe zones.

Habitat. It grows along the banks of rivers, reservoirs, in fields, in vegetable gardens, in wet meadows, near roads, and on quarry dumps. The plant forms dense thickets in places.

Procurement of raw materials, primary processing, drying. The leaves are collected in the first half of summer (June-July), when they are still relatively small, tearing off a part of the petiole no more than 5 cm long. You should not collect leaves that are too young, have pubescence on the upper side, or leaves that are affected by rust and beginning to turn yellow.

Flowers (flower baskets) are collected at the beginning of flowering, plucking them at the very base with no more than 1 cm of peduncle remaining. The collected raw materials are placed in baskets, without pressing them, and quickly delivered to the drying site. Special security measures to protect the thickets are not yet required.

The leaves are dried in attics under an iron roof or in the open air under a canopy, spreading the raw material in a thin layer (1-2 sheets) on fabric or sheets of plywood. In the first days, it is recommended to turn them over 1-2 times to ensure uniform drying. Drying in dryers with artificial heating at a heating temperature of 50-60°C is allowed. The raw material easily absorbs moisture and turns brown, so it must be protected from dampness.

Standardization. The quality of raw materials is regulated by the State Fund XI.

Distinctive features of coltsfoot and butterbur officinalis

Security measures. Not used. The plant is a weed and actively reproduces by seeds and especially by rhizomes.

External signs. According to GOST and GF XI, the leaves should be rounded-heart-shaped, 8-16 cm long, 10 cm wide, unevenly toothed along the edges with finger-like venation. The remainder of the groove-shaped petioles are about 5 cm long. The plates are green above, bare, white-tomentose below with numerous hairs. There is no smell. The taste is bitter and mucous. The quality of raw materials is reduced by the admixture of brown spotted leaves, parts of other plants, sand, soil, and grinding. The authenticity of the raw material is easily determined by external signs and microscopically (densely intertwined, thin, whip-shaped on the underside, often four-celled with a terminal very long and tortuous cell, and at the base a swollen cell).

Microscopy. The main diagnostic features of the coltsfoot leaf are large polygonal cells of the upper epidermis with straight, often clearly thickened walls, simple cord-like hairs on the underside of the leaf, consisting of several (3-6) short basal cells and a long terminal one. The hairs are often intertwined with each other. The spongy tissue of the leaf is of the nature of aerenchyma.

Numerical indicators. For both whole and crushed raw materials, the humidity is no more than 13%. The total ash content is quite high - up to 20%. The amount of browned leaves is up to 5%, the content of leaves affected by rust spots is up to 3%. Organic and mineral impurities are allowed no more than 2%. The crushed raw materials are pieces of various shapes ranging in size from 1 to 8 mm.

Chemical composition. Mucus is the main component - up to 8% (its hydrolysis produces glucose, galactose, pentoses and uronic acids). The leaves and inflorescences of plants contain bitter glycosides (2.63%), triterpene saponins, organic acids (gallic, malic, tartaric, ascorbic), sterols (sitosterol, stigmasterol, etc.), as well as flavonoids (rutin, hyperoside), polysaccharides ( inulin, dextrin), carotenoids, traces of tannins and essential oils.

Storage. In a dry place on racks, packed in bags or bales. Shelf life up to 3 years.

Pharmacological properties. Coltsfoot preparations have an expectorant, anti-inflammatory, emollient and disinfectant effect. The anti-inflammatory and emollient effect of coltsfoot preparations is due to mucus. Spreading over the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract, mucus forms a protective film that protects the epithelium from the irritating effects of cold, bacterial toxins, viruses, and irritating food ingredients. Under the protective film of mucus, the activity of the inflammatory process is reduced, damaged epithelium is regenerated, its functions and cilia movements are normalized.

Plant saponins and organic acids dilute pathological secretions of the respiratory tract, formed as a result of inflammation, the activity of microorganisms and viruses, promote their faster evacuation, cleanse the respiratory tract and restore gas exchange. The anti-inflammatory effect is enhanced by carotenoids and tannins. The sum of coltsfoot polysaccharides in experimental models of inflammation gives a clear anti-inflammatory effect, the most pronounced anti-exudative effect. In terms of anti-inflammatory activity, coltsfoot polysaccharides are not inferior to indomethacin, although their pharmacodynamics are different.

Medicines. Leaves, infusion, granules. Included in chest and sweatshop collections.

Application. An infusion of coltsfoot leaves is used in the complex treatment of patients with bronchitis, laryngitis, pneumonia, bronchial asthma, emphysema, to prevent exacerbations, and to prevent postoperative pulmonary complications. Infusion of coltsfoot is also used for diseases of the upper respiratory tract, chronic runny nose, and for occupational lung diseases and for their prevention. Typically, coltsfoot leaves are included in medicinal preparations with yarrow and plantain.

In addition, coltsfoot is used internally in the form of aqueous extracts for gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, and colitis.

The infusion is used for rinsing and application for dystrophic-inflammatory forms of periodontal disease, catarrhal and hypertrophic gingivitis. For furunculosis and pustular rashes, lotions, compresses are made from coltsfoot decoctions, and the affected areas of the skin are washed. In gynecology, the infusion is used for douching for colpitis.

An infusion of coltsfoot and nettle leaves, taken in equal parts, is used for rubbing into the scalp for dry seborrhea and hair loss. The infusion and decoction are prepared in a ratio of 1:10, taken orally 1-2 tablespoons 2-3 times a day.