Lice grass: medicinal properties and contraindications

Woodlice is an unpretentious herbaceous plant that has other names. It is also called cardiac, canary grass, bird mint, woodlice, stomp and hernia. In many areas, this common grass has its own name, different from that adopted in botany. The plant belongs to the clove family, in the scientific classification it is called medium stellate (Stellaria media). Not everyone knows that unpretentious grass is edible, has medicinal properties and contains substances that are beneficial to the body.

Chemical composition

The plant contains vitamins, acids, trace elements. The content of ascorbic acid, according to data from various sources, ranges from 65 to 114 mg. There are a lot of trypertene saponins in the green. These are nitrogen-free organic compounds with surface-active properties. The aerial part of the woodlice herb is rich in provitamin A (carotene), its content reaches 23 mg. In the stems and leaves there is synapinic acid and vitamin E (tocopherol). The plant is also rich in vitamins B1 and B2, in the green contains nicotinic acid and rutin, complex organic compounds:

• alkaloids;
• lipids;
• vegetable wax;
• gamma linoleic acid;
• volatile;
• essential oils;
• tannins;
• flavonoids.

The woodworm herb accumulates a significant amount of trace elements (selenium, iodine, iron, silicon, magnesium, cobalt, phosphorus), accumulates a lot of potassium and zinc.

How it looks and where it grows

Asterisk is an annual that lives only 4 weeks. But since this plant multiplies rapidly, 3-4 generations succeed in the summer season. The land in the place where the colony grows is covered with a green carpet until snow falls. In the southern regions, where negative temperatures are rare, wood lice grows year-round.

What does it look like

Asterisk medium - a low plant. A thin stalk covered with single-row villi extends up to 10 cm. The villi grow in the internodes of the stalk. The leaves of woodlice are juicy, bright green, oval (ovoid) in shape, with a sharp tip. The lower leaves grow on the petioles, which allows them to reach up and receive more light. The upper ones are located directly on the stem. Leaves grow opposite each other.

Woodlouse blossoms with small white flowers. Against the background of dense deciduous greenery, they look like stars, from where the botanical name of this grass came from - "asterisk". Flowers appear quickly, immediately after the appearance of the leaves. The first flowers can be seen in May, the flowering period ends in August.

The duration of flowering and fruiting depends on the climatic conditions of the region. Long pedicels end with a white nimbus, consisting of strongly dissected, divided petals. Each flower has three to five long stamens with purple, dark red anthers. The pestle has 3 columns, the ovary of the future capsule is formed at the top.

Woodlice is pollinated by bees and other insects, but if this does not happen, self-pollination occurs. This plant belongs to honey plants. The fruits are small brown boxes (round or ellipsoidal). The seeds of the plant are very small, kidney-shaped.

Interestingly, in winter the sprocket does not fall into a dormant period. So, in autumn, snow covers green plants covered with flowers. In the spring, soon after the snow melts, flowering continues, the boxes ripen and drop the seeds into the still cold earth. At the same time, biologists do not find any features that impede the death of stellate stars at subzero temperatures, as happens with other herbaceous plants.

Fruiting continues throughout the period of plus temperatures. Up to 2500 seeds ripen on one plant. Dry seed retains germination for 2–5 years. Wood louse is quickly propagated not only by seeds, but also vegetatively, from the roots.

Where grows

Mokrica loves acidic soils, grows well in open areas and in partial shade. This plant is widespread in North America and in the temperate zone of Eurasia. Mokrica can be found in damp glades, along roads, on the low banks of rivers and lakes, in landfills. Asterisk is a weed that floods untidy areas in gardens, parks and vegetable gardens. Mokrets does not like desert areas and highlands, this plant is not found there.

Collection and storage

For medicinal and cosmetic purposes, the ground part of the grass is harvested. This is done in dry weather, from May to August, but it is best to collect in the last spring month. At this time, the plant is full of strength, and tender greens are filled with juices.

Raw materials are cut with sharp scissors or a knife. Freshly picked wood lice are juicy, its greens are supersaturated with juices. Therefore, the grass is first kept in the sun for at least 4-6 hours. It is then dried without direct sunlight, under a canopy, in the attic or veranda.

The grass is laid out in a thin layer and is often turned over. The ambient temperature should not exceed 40–45 degrees. If you are using a dryer for vegetables and fruits, you should choose the most gentle mode. As a result of drying, the weight of fresh grass is reduced by 80%.

Dried raw materials are stored in a cardboard box, a paper bag, a bag of chintz or canvas. Plastic containers, plastic bags will not work, because without the access of air an unpleasant odor may appear, and if moisture remains, the raw materials will grow moldy. The maximum shelf life of dry starfish is 1 year (according to other sources - up to 2 years).

The healing properties of the herb lice

Organic substances and trace elements contained in the terrestrial part of the plant are useful in many diseases. Asterisk:

• It has an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effect;
• anesthetizes and calms;
• normalizes metabolism;
• boosts immunity:
• narrows capillaries and stops bleeding;
• has a regenerating effect and tonic effect;
• liquefies sputum and acts as an expectorant.

The medicinal properties of wood lice are recognized by both official and traditional medicine. In pharmacies, dry stellate raw materials are sold, packaged in small boxes. It also indicates which diseases this herb is useful for.

Means prepared from dry raw materials are used for diseases of the cardiovascular system (hypertension, ischemia, hypertension-type VSD, angina pectoris and heart pain of various etiologies). Manufacturers recommend wood lice as a medicinal plant to normalize heart function. The asterisk is effective in edema associated with heart failure.

As an addition to medicines, grass is prescribed for cirrhosis of the liver, chronic hepatitis, cholecystitis (cholelithiasis), and pathologies of the stomach and intestines.

The antiseptic properties of the herb make it possible to prescribe a decoction or infusion for bacterial damage to the kidneys, cystitis, pyelonephritis, including chronic forms. Licea relieves the condition with urolithiasis.

Asterisk as a general strengthening agent is prescribed for a breakdown, weakness, anemia, slow metabolism, and neurasthenia. With an epidemic of colds, wood lice can be drunk as a means of supporting the immune system, as a source of trace elements, beneficial acids and vitamins. A drink from dry and fresh raw materials is indicated for vitamin C deficiency and scurvy. Decoctions are prescribed as an emollient for dry cough, as a bactericidal and soothing - for bronchitis and tuberculosis.

Starfish preparations are useful for normalizing the thyroid gland. As prescribed by a doctor, decoctions and infusions are used orally for vomiting with blood, delayed menstruation, edema associated with kidney disease, and externally for the treatment of skin inflammations, including acne (acne). With hemorrhoids used as an internal and external agent.

Star-based remedies soothe the nervous system. They are prescribed for children with epilepsy and seizures. The asterisk does not have a negative effect on nursing mothers. Pregnant women should talk with their doctor before being treated with wood lice or using it as food.

Woodlice in traditional medicine

The list of diseases that folk doctors treat with the help of wood lice is much wider than the list of official medicine. Traditional healers treat dozens of diseases with an asterisk - inflammatory, infectious, skin, neurological, gynecological, ocular. This herb is also used in complex gatherings. Currently, herbal treatment is actively supplementing the regimen of taking medications.

With osteochondrosis

To reduce inflammation and pain, compresses are made. To do this, prepare an infusion (or decoction) of dry starfish, you can use fresh greens of woodlice.

To prepare a decoction for a compress, take half a glass of dry grass, put in a liter pan and pour boiling water. Dry raw materials can be replaced with fresh ones, in which case one and a half glasses and leaves and stems are needed. Then put the container on the stove, boil for 5-6 minutes, remove, wrap in a thick towel and simmer for at least 4-5 hours. Thick is pressed in gauze. The tool is added to the therapeutic bath or used for a compress. Cotton wool is dipped in a decoction, placed on a joint, covered with polyethylene or rubber oilcloth and a towel on top. Keep the compress for at least half an hour.

The starfish drink is for oral use. It is cooked daily. In a 200-gram glass, put a spoonful of dried wood lice, pour boiling water and close with a tight lid. After 5 minutes, the tea is ready. The drug is drunk in 2 divided doses, morning and evening, in half a glass.

Compress from fresh, freshly plucked wood lice is an effective remedy for pain and chronic inflammation in osteochondrosis. Mash the grass in a mortar until the juice is released. Then put in gauze (one layer), wrap the joint and cover with a tissue napkin. The compress is insulated with a thick towel and kept for about an hour. The procedure is recommended to be done every other day, before going to bed.

If cornea is damaged

The stalks and greens of fresh woodlice are placed in a 200-gram glass top, pour boiling water and bring to a boil in a water bath. The infusion is cooled and filtered several times through the fabric so that large particles of grass do not get into the water. The drug is instilled into the eyes 4-5 times a day. Rinsing is not recommended, as you can additionally damage the cornea. The same drug is used to wash the eyes with conjunctivitis, chronic inflammation of the eyelids (blepharitis).

In the treatment of cracks in the heels

A sock is put on the foot and fresh leaves of wood lice are poured under the heel. This must be done in the morning. Then put on comfortable shoes. The greens are worn away while walking, and the juice penetrates the stratum corneum and cracks. The skin is disinfected, the processes of regeneration and recovery begin. In the evening, remove the sock, clean the greens and wash their feet with soap. At night, the heel is smeared with sea buckthorn oil or a greasy cosmetic cream. Cover the skin with a paper towel and put on a clean sock at night. Treatment continues for several days until the cracks heal.

Diuretic and anti-inflammatory

An infusion made from dry grass (a tablespoon in a 250-gram glass) is drunk as a diuretic for edema, as an anti-inflammatory drug for cystitis and pyelonephritis. The raw materials are brought to a boil without a water bath.

Infusion is drunk three times a day, 70–80 ml. The drink is best taken before meals. Decoctions and infusions made using the same amount of ingredients are an effective remedy for constipation, flatulence and colic.

With bruises and other injuries

Shredded green wood lice are used for sprains, bruises, and bruises. Porridge or greens, crushed into small pieces, are placed on the affected area and easily bandaged with a cloth. Compress relaxes muscles, reduces swelling and reduces pain. You can not apply leaves of woodlice to deep wounds, as there may be bacteria in the raw materials not subjected to heat treatment.

To enhance lactation

Woodworm contains substances that enhance the production of breast milk. It is recommended to use fresh herbs. Juice is squeezed from leaves and stems.

In a mortar, pound greens, place it in a piece of gauze and squeeze the liquid into a glass. Then add a couple of spoons of liquid honey. To enhance lactation, women are advised to eat a teaspoon of the drug three times a day.

In the winter, to intensify the production of milk, teas and infusions are prepared from dried grass (a teaspoon per glass). Sweeten the drink well with honey.

With cataract

Juice is squeezed from the leaves and stalks of the starfish, then filtered through several layers of gauze or through tissue until pieces of greenery disappear. The juice is heated to 90 degrees, this is best done in a water bath. Do not bring the liquid to a boil. At the same time prepare a vessel for storage. A glass bottle and a rubber stopper are boiled for 15 minutes. The glass container can also be calcined in the oven. Juice is poured into a vessel, close the cork. Once or twice a day, the juice is instilled into the eyes with a sterile pipette (2-3 drops each).

With psoriasis

Dried sprocket are pounded in a mortar to a pulverized state, then mixed with melted chicken fat or petroleum jelly. A thin layer of ointment is smeared on the skin affected by psoriasis. The product is stored in the refrigerator.

With psoriasis, an infusion for oral administration helps. Freshly squeezed juice is mixed with alcohol or regular vodka (in equal quantities). They drink a teaspoon three times a day, before an afternoon snack, lunch and dinner.

Rheumatism and Gout

Juice mixed with honey can relieve rheumatic pain and gout. Half-glasses of freshly squeezed juice are mixed with honey (tablespoon). The tool is eaten in a day, in 4 divided doses. With these diseases, it is useful to make compresses from whole leaves of woodlice, but it is better to cook gruel from greens.

Expectorant

To dilute and discharge sputum, a drink from the starfish is useful. Half a tablespoon of dry grass is placed in a half-liter container and brewed with boiling water. The drink is divided into two servings and drink twice a day. To improve the taste, it is good to add a little rose hip.

Bedwetting in children

Folk doctors believe that stellate cures children's enuresis. Green wood lice or steamed dried raw material is poured into socks and put on for the night. The grass has a calming effect, the child will sleep soundly and gradually get rid of incontinence.

Cholagogue

Greenberry juice is a good choleretic drug. It is cooked in the summer. The collected leaves are thoroughly washed and crushed. For this, a meat grinder or a cast-iron mortar with a pestle is suitable. Greens are transferred to cheesecloth and squeezed liquid. Juice does not need to be cleaned until transparent; the drink does not require heat treatment. For the normal discharge of bile, drink juice three times a day, before meals, 40-50 mg. The product is stored in the refrigerator for no more than one day.

Erosion treatment

Cervical erosion is treated with a concentrated solution of green leaves. In fresh juice of woodlice (0.5 cups) add the same amount of boiling water, the product is brought to a boil, it is slightly cooled and filtered.A cotton swab is soaked in the liquid and put it overnight. The procedure is carried out for 5 days, then make a week-long break and repeat the course.

For weight loss

Overweight is associated with a slow metabolism. In addition to exercise and diet, it is recommended to take baths with herbs that accelerate metabolism. To do this, prepare a strong broth (one and a half glasses of dried grass per liter of water). The raw materials are squeezed, the product is poured into a bathtub filled with water.

Types of healing compounds

Thermal exposure to dried or fresh grass helps extract nutrients from the plant. Methods for preparing a decoction, infusion, tea allow you to make medicines from wood lice all year round.

Alcohol makes it possible to obtain a drug with a long shelf life. Alcohol for several weeks is saturated with beneficial substances contained in plant materials. It turns out a concentrated drug. Means of long-term storage are obtained in the preparation of oil with greens of woodlice.

Infusion

An infusion is a remedy made from fresh leaves and stalks or dried woodlice grass. The raw materials are measured according to the recipe, poured into a container and brewed with freshly boiled water. The container is placed in a water bath and the water is brought to a boil in a large pan. After some time, the vessel with the infusion is removed from the stove and cooled. Thus, infusions are prepared for oral and external use. The concentration of the solution depends on the purpose of the drug.

In traditional medicine, a water bath is not always used. The infusion is simply brought to a boil on the stove and removed or cooked for some time.

Tincture

Tinctures are made on alcohol or vodka. Medical alcohol, if necessary, is diluted with boiled distilled or ordinary water. Dried or fresh leaf and stems are poured with alcohol. If you take dry raw materials, then the capacity is filled by a quarter, if green leaves - fill the jar to the top. The tincture is closed with a sealed lid and insisted for 3-4 weeks in a dark place, at a temperature of 18-22 degrees, then put in the refrigerator. Roots of woodlice are not used in the preparation of tinctures.

Decoction

The broth differs from the infusion only in the exposure time in the water bath. When preparing the infusions, steaming in the bath lasts no more than 10 minutes, or the external pan is simply brought to a boil.

Broths are more concentrated, they take longer to cook. Boiling in the bath reaches half an hour. In the broth (compared with the infusion), the concentration of nutrients is greater.

Tea

Tea is prepared simply by boiling raw materials. The vessel is sealed and held for several minutes. So prepare fortifying and tonic teas. You can brew both green and dry grass.

Butter

Herbal oil can be made by taking olive, castor, sunflower, soy and fresh greens of woodlice as a basis. If you want to prepare a fragrance, oils from a pharmacy are suitable - peach, pink, sea buckthorn, lavender or otherwise.

The leaves and stalks of woodlice are crushed into pieces 3 mm in size and transferred to a small glass jar, which is pre-sterilized. Fill the entire container with greens (almost to the neck). Raw materials are poured with oil, filling the jar to the brim. The vessel is covered with a lid and left to infuse in a dark place for 2-3 weeks. The room maintains a temperature not lower than plus 15 and not higher than plus 25 degrees. Once every 2 days, shake the jar without opening.

The product is considered ready after 3-4 weeks, after which the vessel is opened, the oil is filtered through cheesecloth, the grass is removed. But you can not filter, but leave pieces of grass in an oil base. The finished product is stored in the refrigerator. Such an oil is used for rubbing with pain in joints, with skin diseases.

Application in cosmetology

Organic acids, vitamins and minerals allow the use of asterisk in cosmetology. So, zinc helps cleanse the skin of acne, dandruff, and treats infections of the skin. Vitamin C enhances metabolic processes. Vitamin E has a nourishing, anti-aging, regenerative effect. For cosmetic purposes, use compresses, decoctions, baths and washing.

Acne Treatment

For the treatment of acne and other acne, decoctions and infusions of different concentrations are used. A glass of fresh green leaves (or half a glass of dry wood lice) is steamed, then brought to a boil in a water bath and cooled. This tool can be washed, wipe the skin of the face or make compresses.

If acne is on the chest and back, the product is added to the bath. For the treatment of acne, decoction and infusion are also taken orally, in a tablespoon, three times a day.

Recipe for aging skin

In a warm broth, wood lice are moistened with a napkin with slits for the eyes and lips and applied to the face. A thick dry towel is stolen from above. The compress is kept for 20–25 minutes, after which it is washed with warm water without soap and lubricated with oily cosmetic cream. The procedure is done twice a week.

Vitamin cream for face and hands

Green leaves of the plant are crushed in a meat grinder or in a mortar, additionally knead with hands to extract juice. In the resulting green pasta add peach oil, bought in a pharmacy. It can be replaced with any simple cosmetic or baby cream. The mass is well mixed and whipped, then transferred to a clean plastic container and put in the refrigerator for a week. Cream with woodwort softens, cleanses and nourishes the skin, heals cracks and small wounds.

Recipe for nourishing and rejuvenating the skin

A third of a glass of fresh leaves of woodlice is crushed, a teaspoon of honey and the same amount of heavy cream are added. The mass is well mixed and applied to the face for 20-25 minutes. At the end of the procedure, the mask is washed off with warm water and a hydrated cream is applied to the skin.

Hair Recipe

The tool is prepared in the evening to use in the morning (or vice versa). Dry grass, wood lice are poured into a thermos and filled with freshly boiled water. Close the lid and leave for 12 hours. After washing the hair with shampoo, rinse the hair with infusion from a thermos. With regular use of such a rinse, the hair will become healthy, smooth and shiny. This infusion treats seborrhea and inflammation of the scalp by rubbing red and itchy spots.

Cooking wood lice

Woodlouse does not have a sharp taste and smell; it can be combined with many products. The grass is added to salads, omelets, pie filling, drinks from berries and herbs, first and second courses, combined with vegetables and fruits.

Spring salad

To prepare May salad you will need:

• 2 boiled eggs;
• a bunch of green wood lice;
• as many leaves of field dandelion;
• 50 g of cheese (mozzarella is best)
• bunch of green onions.

So that the leaves of dandelion are not bitter and become softer, they are poured with boiling water. Finely chopped wood lice, dandelion and a feather of green onions. Eggs are cut into small cubes, cheese is cut into pieces or grated with large cells. The ingredients are combined in a deep cup, salted, mixed. Salad season with unsweetened yogurt or cream. If desired, you can add a little sugar.

Seasoning with garlic

Mokritsa will help to make an unusual green seasoning. The cook will need:

• 100 g of horseradish paste;
• 3 medium cloves of garlic;
• a bunch of woodlice.

The grass is passed through a meat grinder, garlic is rubbed on a fine grater. The ingredients are thoroughly mixed, and if necessary, salts are added. Seasoning will complement the taste of meat dishes and soups.

Omelet with greens and woodlice

To prepare the dish you will need:

• 2-3 eggs;
• a bunch of green woodlice (about 150 g);
• small onion;
• several branches of parsley and dill;
• vegetable or ghee.

The onion is chopped and lightly fried in oil. The wood louse is poured with boiling water and cut into pieces and added to the onion. After a minute, put chopped parsley and dill, cover the pan with a lid and leave the dish to stew for 2 minutes. Beat the eggs, add a little milk or water and pour greens. Omelet in the cooking process can be mixed or baked with a single "pancake".

Green pasta for sandwiches

For 3-4 sandwiches you will need:

• 100 g of woodlice leaves;
• 30–40 g of garlic;
• 20 g of parsley;
• 100 g butter;
• allspice or black ground pepper and salt.

Rub the garlic or squeeze it through a garlic press, wood lice and parsley are passed through a meat grinder. Garlic and herbs are put in a bowl, softened butter is added and the products are thoroughly whipped. Spread pasta on bread. You can take both a white loaf and black rye bread. The pasta is stored in the refrigerator.

Vegetable stew

To prepare the dish you will need:

• potatoes;
• carrot;
• zucchini;
• bell pepper;
• cabbage;
• bulb onions.

These ingredients are taken in equal amounts. The cook also needs:

• woodlice greens;
• green onion feather;
• basil leaves.

In a deep pan put vegetables, cut into cubes, pour water and stew under the lid until half ready. Then season with onions fried in butter. Shredded wood lice, basil and green onions are added.

How to get rid of wood lice in the garden

Wood lice are difficult to fight, although this herb has a loose, weak root system. Numerous thin roots grow only in the upper soil layer. The plant is difficult to eradicate. It multiplies rapidly, thickets become denser and at the end of the season the grass multiplies and reduces the yield of garden plants by several times.

Lousewort breeds well in acidic soil, so reducing acidity is an effective method of combating this weed. In spring, crushed chalk, wood ash, dolomite flour are introduced into the soil, which are very effective for deoxidation of soils. But the addition of sawdust, needles, peat, fallen leaves of apple and plum, on the contrary, will increase acidity.

The acidity of the soil reduces the solution of baking soda. Half a 500 gram pack is bred on a bucket. If wood louse has flooded garden paths, salt will help. It is sprinkled with areas that need to be cleaned of weed. For the garden, this method is unacceptable, since many plants, shrubs, flowers do not grow on saline soil.

During weeding, do not mow the wood lice, but dig it out with roots and throw it away from the site. The roots remaining in the ground will sprout very quickly, and the ground will again be covered with a green carpet of weed.

From the germination of seeds that have fallen into the soil, deep cultivation helps. Seeds can emerge if they are at a depth of 5-10 mm, when moving to a depth they will not germinate.

Helps and mulching film. For the fidelity of the result, you need to take the black film, press it with the earth poured on top, and drip the edges.

Weed can be destroyed by herbicides. Preparations Tornado, Round up, "Agrokiller" destroy all vegetation. They are used in the fall, when the entire crop is harvested. The chemicals "Gezagard", "Miura", "Lapis lazuli" destroy only weeds.

Folk methods of weed control allow the use of an acid mixture, which includes:

• acetic acid and water (2 glasses each);
• citric acid (10 g sachet);
• alcohol (30 g);
• liquid soap (half a glass).

The ingredients are mixed and sprinkled with star spray leaves. The composition acts like a factory herbicide, but the root system is preserved. The rains will wash away the acid, and the wood louse will quickly return to its place.

Mokrica is successfully replaced by cultural perennials. To control weed, flowers and low shrubs are planted.The woodlouse will disappear if aquilegia, hawk, centrantus and other cultures are planted on an acid kidney.

Contraindications

Medicines based on woodlice grass can not be used for an individual allergic reaction to a plant. The asterisk lowers blood pressure well, therefore, funds from this herb are useful for hypertensive patients, but are contraindicated for hypotension. If you have problems with the stomach and intestines, gastritis, ulcer, you need to consult a doctor. Consultation is also required for pregnant women, infants and young children.

Small white stellate flowers do not open in rainy weather. A popular sign says that if the corollas did not open in the morning, the day will be rainy. This plant is very fond of poultry, even parrots are happy to eat it.

Photo of grass lice