Air marsh or air is a herbaceous perennial medicinal plant from the Family Ayr, which is home to the countries of South Asia, India, and China. Today due to the man this plant is spread in wet coastal places, near rivers, lakes, ponds, marshes and other water bodies in Russia, Europe, America and Brazil. It was known since ancient times and was used as a spice in cooking and as a remedy for various diseases of internal organs, eyes, for disinfection of wounds and ulcers on the skin, prevention of typhoid and cholera. Quite a lot of air is used today in folk and traditional medicine, it is a part of various herbal collections. The plant has many other names, for example, reed cane, yaver, Tatar potion, weed root, water grass, tangent, Tatar sabernik.
Botanical description
Air marsh is an unpretentious plant. Reproduction is carried out vegetatively with the help of fragments and pruning of rhizomes. It is suitable for a strongly moistened soil with a high content of sand, peat, silt. It forms extensive thickets, which can include impurities of horsetails, sedges, reeds, if these places are also present in places where the marsh aure is growing.
The bright green leaves of the calamus are hard to the touch, they have an elongated shape with an acute slightly curved tip, their width is 2-4 cm, and the length is 60-100 cm. They cover each other with bases, surrounding this stem, leaving the apex of the rhizomesand their lateral branches. The stalk of a green plant is erect, trihedral, starting from the apex of the root. The length can be the same as the leaves or slightly smaller.
Inflorescences, which are conical cylindrical cobs with pimples, are arranged obliquely on the stem. Their length is 4 - 14 cm, and the diameter - up to 1 cm. At the base of the cob there is a long covering sheet, which is a cover with a deep groove. The flowering period of the ara marsh is in the second half of May - the middle of July. Flowers are small, bisexual, greenish-yellow in color, closely adjacent to each other on the ear. Fruits - many-seeded dry red berries of elongated shape.
The rhizome grows horizontally along the surface of the soil or at a depth of up to 10 cm. It has a sinuous structure and is attached to the soil with numerous downward-directed string-like white roots 40 to 50 cm in length, which are arranged in a row in a zigzag pattern. Outside, the rhizome is covered with a greenish-brown crust and the remains of leafy vaginas, inside is white. Its thickness is about 3 cm in diameter and its length is up to 150 cm.
Chemical composition of
The wide application of marsh ale in folk medicine for the treatment of various diseases is due to the presence of a large number of biologically active compounds in its rhizomes. Among them:
- essential oil;
- phytoncides;
- organic acids( acorn, valerian, palmitic, acetic);
- glycosides( acorin, lucenion);
- bitterness( akoretin);
- alkaloids( calamine);
- resins;
- tannins;
- mucus and gums;
- starch( up to 20%);
- vitamins and minerals.
The amount of essential oil in the rhizomes can reach 5%, in addition, it is also contained in the leaves. It contains a complex set of chemical compounds, including terpenoids( camphor, borneol, azarone, acarone), terpenes( pinene, camphene, etc.).Isolate it by distilling the crushed raw material with water vapor.
Interesting: The rhizomes of aira have a distinct specific pleasant spicy odor, which is due to the presence in their composition of azaryl-aldehyde.
Therapeutic properties of
Means from rhizomes of ayr marsh used to improve appetite and digestion, with gastrointestinal diseases( peptic ulcer, diarrhea, gastritis), liver, gall bladder, respiratory system, genitourinary and nervous system, pathologies of the cardiovascular system, skin lesions. They exhibit the following medicinal properties:
- have a bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effect;
- facilitates sputum evacuation;
- enhances the secretion of gastric juice;
- reduces heartburn;
- increase bile secretion and diuresis;
- reduces excitability in mental illness;
- promotes the healing of suppurating wounds and ulcers on the skin;
- have an antispasmodic and vasodilating effect;
- exert a tonic effect in suppressing the central nervous system;
- reduce pain syndrome in joint diseases( rheumatism, arthritis, gout) and toothache;
- strengthen the gum and tooth enamel;
- improve the condition of the hair;
- increase sexual desire and sexual activity.
In the official medicine preparations with powder of rhizome of calamus are prescribed for patients for treatment of peptic ulcer( Vikalin and Vicair), and with oil of ayr - for prevention and therapy of renal and cholelithiasis( Enatin, Olimetin).
Collection and procurement of raw materials
In folk medicine for the preparation of medicinal products use rhizomes of ayr marsh, less often - leaves. Rhizomes are harvested in early spring or autumn, when the water level decreases. To do this, they are pulled out of the soil using rakes or forks, carefully cleaned of soil and other impurities, and cut off the remaining leaves and thin roots that come down. Then they wash it with cold water and knead it for a few days on the street, then cut into pieces about 20 cm long and dry in the open air under a canopy, spreading them on paper in one layer, or in special dryers, strictly controlling the temperature. If the thickness of the rhizome exceeds 3 cm, then before drying it is also split along into two halves. In some cases, the rhizomes of the calamus are harvested in the form cleared from the bark, they clean it immediately after drying before drying.
Rhizomes are considered completely dried if, when they are bent, they do not bend, but easily break. On the fracture, they must have a whitish-pink color. Dried raw materials can be stored in sealed jars in a dry, ventilated place for 2 to 3 years.
Important: Drying the rhizomes of calamus should be carried out at a temperature of no more than 35 ° C in order to prevent the evaporation of valuable essential oil and the reduction of the quality of medicinal raw materials for this reason.
Methods of using
In folk medicine from the rhizomes of the aura prepare broths, infusions, alcohol tinctures, squeeze the juice, use in a dry state in the form of powdered powder or simply chew small pieces. Medicinal products from it can be used both for internal reception, and externally. Water infusions or decoctions of plants are used for baths, rinses, rinses, douches, lotions.
Tincture with sexual weakness
Dried roots( 100 g) of ayr marsh to strengthen the potency pour 1 liter of vodka, insist in a dark place, periodically shaking. After 14 days, filter. Drink 30 ml in the morning, lunch and evening.
Also prepared in this way tincture helps with cholecystitis and kidney stones.
Compress from nail fungus
Mix 10 g roots of thistles and rhizomes of calamus, 5 g of calendula flowers. Pour the herbal mixture with sunflower oil and leave in a dark place for 2 - 3 weeks. The resulting mixture is made compresses on the affected areas of the nail plates twice a day for a month.
This remedy is from the rhizomes of the aura of the marsh is effective in treating the fungus, not only on the nails, but also on other parts of the body.Baths with joint diseases
Finely chopped rhizomes of calamus( 4 tablespoons) are placed in a saucepan, pour 2 liters of boiling water and cook for 20 minutes, then insist for half an hour and filter. With the resulting broth for the night make the bath. The treatment course is 10 to 12 procedures.
Means for hair
Air marsh is effective for hair in case of their falling out, cross-section, formation of dandruff, high fat content.
When hair loss, they are strengthened with lotions and rubbing with infusion of rhizomes of the plant. For its preparation to 13 g of crushed raw material add 200 ml of boiling water and insist for half an hour.
To fight dandruff, use a decoction. Pour 25 grams of rhizomes of ayr with a liter of water and boil for a quarter of an hour, after which filter. The product is rubbed into the scalp and allowed to stand for 20 minutes. Then, with the rest of the broth, rinse the hair and dry it naturally. Rinse the broth with clean water after rinsing is not necessary.
People who have a fatty type of hair, it is useful to wipe them with the following lotion. Shredded rhizomes of ayr( 25 g) pour ½ liter of boiling water, boil on low heat for 3 minutes and filter. Add to the broth 15 ml of vinegar, freshly squeezed juice of whole lemon, 40 ml of tincture of marigold and mix.
With brittleness and cross-section of hair, a decoction of roots of thistles and rhizomes of calamus is rubbed into the scalp. By 2 tbsp.l. Each kind of raw material is placed in a pan, pour 1½ liters of water and boil for 20 minutes. Insist for 6 hours, filtered and used as directed.
Warning: With prolonged use, infusions and decoctions of cane aura can lighten the hair!
Oral Diseases
The marsh mud for teeth and gums is used in the form of rinses and lotions.
With toothache, inflammation of the oral mucosa and throat, rinses are infused with rhizomes of calamus. Finely chopped raw materials( 4 grams) pour 1½ cups of boiling water and insist for 2 hours, filtered and warmly used up to 5 times a day.
With toothache, lotions with vodka tincture of rhizomes of aira are effective. To prepare it, add 100 ml of vodka to 20 g of ground raw material, mix and leave for a week in a warm place, from time to time shaking, then filter. The resulting tincture is impregnated with a piece of cotton wool and applied to a sick tooth.
Powdered dried rhizome of calamus can be added to toothpaste. One tooth cleaning will require 500 mg of powder. Such a tool helps with periodontal disease, inflammation of the gums, dental diseases. To strengthen the gums, you can simply chew the rhizome of aira, but in some, such treatment can provoke a vomitive reflex.
Contraindications
In addition to medicinal properties, the ayr marsh has contraindications, which must be read before its application, and consult about the possibility of using this tool in each specific case. To such contraindications of the rooted root are:
- individual intolerance and hypersensitivity;
- pregnancy, lactation;
- increased gastric acidity;
- acute inflammation of the kidneys;
- any bleeding;
- peptic ulcer in acute form.
With caution, funds based on the ordinary aire should be taken to people with arterial hypotension, as they can further reduce pressure.
Warning: In case of an overdose of aids, vomiting, loosening of the stool and changing its color, which disappear without consequences after stopping their intake, is possible.
Video - healing properties and recipes with marsh feathers: