Althaea officinalis

Even in antiquity, the Althaea was actively used as an anti-inflammatory, antitussive, and anesthetic. It was used to treat asthma, emphysema, gastrointestinal diseases, and many others. Since then, the use of this medicinal plant has not changed, and every day we get more and more new proven recipes from the past.

Help - Althaea officinalis

Althaea officinalis is an herbaceous perennial of the family Malvaceae, reaching a height of one to one and a half meters. The rhizome of Althea is thick, short, branching, the roots outside are gray in color, inside are white. The main root is woody, adventitians - fleshy. Stems at Althea can be both single and numerous, branching weakly. Leaves grow alternately on small petioles, each leaf is divided into 3 or 5 lobes and slightly covered with white felt down. Large flowers of white or pink color grow on short stalks bunches in the axils of the leaves. Flowering time: June-August.

Where to find Althaea officinalis?

Althaea officinalis grows in almost all European countries. In Russia, it is distributed throughout the European part, as well as in the North Caucasus and Western Siberia. Dwells a plant, as a rule, on meadows with plentifully moistened soils, on coast of the rivers and other reservoirs, on boggy districts and in thickets of bushes.

Features of collecting Althea officinalis

As the raw material of Althea medicinal, its root and leaves are used. Harvesting Althea root is necessary in the fall. After digging up the roots should be shaken off the ground, rinsed thoroughly with cold water, remove all impurities, and then gently wash in fresh air. Thick roots should be cut into several pieces. The raw material prepared in this way is finally prepared for further use in traditional medicine by drying in an oven heated to a temperature of 30-35 degrees.

Properly dried raw materials should not bend when bent, but should break with a characteristic crunch. The leaves of Althea medicinal harvested in the fall. They should be dried in the open air, spread out in a shade in a thin layer, or, just like the root, in an oven at a temperature of 30-35 degrees. Store raw materials must be protected from moisture vessels in a room with good ventilation. The shelf life of such raw materials is 1-2 years.

Contraindications: pregnancy, hypersensitivity, lung disease, chronic constipation.

Side effects of Althea officinalis

With strict adherence to prescribed dosages, Althea drug preparations do not cause side effects. It is also important to properly store raw Althea - it should not become moldy, otherwise it becomes unsuitable for use.

Althea Treatment Recipes

Tea from Althea Root

10 g of dry chopped althea medicinal root pour 250 ml of cooled boiled water, leave for 30 minutes, stirring every 5-7 minutes. At the end of the preparation the infusion should be thoroughly shaken, drained and squeezed out the raw materials. Tea prepared in this way should only be slightly warmed before use. It is necessary to drink it very carefully, in small sips.

Althea leaf tea

2 teaspoons of the dry crushed leaves of Althea pour 1 cup boiling water, leave for 10 minutes, then strain. This tea is recommended to drink to improve the work of the stomach. If you add a little honey to tea, you can drink it to treat cough. This kind of tea is also suitable for external use - compresses and rinses.

Antitussive syrup for children

Place 2 g of dry and heavily crushed rhizome of Althea medicinal on a sieve over a bowl, pour 1 g of wine alcohol and 45 ml of boiling water. Once the liquid has drained completely, again pass it through the raw material Althea, this procedure must be repeated for 60 minutes continuously. 37 ml of the thus obtained slurry pour 63 g of sugar and heat over moderate heat until sugar is completely dissolved. This syrup is suitable for treating cough in children.

You can add 5-7 drops of anise oil solution to the syrup, and then it will become an effective children's medicine for bronchitis. In both cases, the syrup should be taken 3-5 times a day, 10-20 ml, depending on the age and well-being of the child.

Infusion of Althea Root

1.5 teaspoons of dry raw Althea medicinal product Pour ½ cup of boiled water cooled to room temperature, leave for 60 minutes, then strain and squeeze the raw material. Take this infusion should be 1 tablespoon 1 time in 2 hours.

Altea cold extractor

2 tablespoons of dry Althea medicinal raw materials pour 1 glass of cooled boiled water, leave for 6-8 hours, then strain, squeeze out the raw materials and bring the hood to the original volume of cooled boiled water. Take the hood should be 2-4 tablespoons 1-2 times a day.

Broth from diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

2 tablespoons of dry raw material Althea medicinal pour over 250 ml of boiling water, then put on low heat for 30 minutes. After cooling broth for 10-15 minutes, strain it and bring to the original volume with boiled water. Take the broth should be heated, for ½ cup at the time of each meal. Such a decoction is shown in acute gastritis, a ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, enterocolitis.

Infusion from ORZ and ARVI

1 tablespoon of dry crushed leaves of Althea officinalis pour 1 glass of boiling water, leave for 60 minutes, then strain and squeeze out the raw materials. It is necessary to drink this infusion slowly, in small sips, ¼ cup 3-4 times a day for colds, flu and pneumonia.

Althaea for the treatment of chronic tonsillitis

Prepare the infusion - 2 tablespoons of dried, shredded roots of Althea medicinal, pour 300 ml of boiling water, leave for 8 hours, then strain and squeeze the raw material. Prepare the infusion gargle 3-5 times a day.

Treatment of angina with Althea decoction

Prepare the broth - 2 tablespoons of dry crushed leaves of Althea officinalis, pour 2.5 cups of boiling water, put on low heat and boil for 5-6 minutes. After the broth is necessary to insist for 2 hours, strain and squeeze the raw materials. Broth shown to gargle with sore throat several times a day.