The use of dodder: the benefits and harm

Dodder is an annual parasitic plant well known to agronomists and summer residents. Outwardly, this weed looks like a long thin worm of yellow or reddish color, entangling, like a web, an unhappy plant. This amazing species has neither roots, nor leaves, nor other organs familiar to the flora world, and therefore cannot extract the substances necessary for its vital activity than by clinging to another plant.

Dodder is widespread almost worldwide. In total, there are several hundred species of this weed on the globe.

It is not surprising that such a plant is a real disaster for agriculture, especially if it happens, that it is very difficult to get rid of dodder by mechanical methods. As a rule, the affected areas require a long quarantine: in the place that the dodder has chosen for itself, to get rid of it completely, you can not plant anything for several years (as it was said, dodder seeds can wait in the land of their hour for a very long time). But, as often happens in nature, being the worst enemy of gardeners, dodder nevertheless is capable of bringing benefits. It turns out that this plant has a number of healing qualities, and scientists have yet to complete their detailed study.

The chemical composition of dodder

Despite the fact that the dodder from antiquity was used by physicians for the manufacture of various medicinal potions, the chemical composition of this plant has not yet been thoroughly studied. For this reason, official medicine does not use drugs based on this herb.

However, it is precisely known that all parts of this climbing grass contain the active ingredients alkaloids (kuskutin) and glycosides (convolvulin and saponins), which remain in the composition of dodder and during drying. In addition, the plant contains tannins, sterols, flavones and leucoanthocyanins, flavonol quercetin, coloring matter (pigment), flobafen, as well as carbohydrates (sugars, pentosan) and water.

Many of the substances listed above are poisonous, so the use of dodder should be treated with extreme caution.

Healing properties of dodder

Dodder used correctly has a number of medicinal properties, which are determined by its chemical composition.

For example, convolvulin contained in the dodder enhances intestinal motility, causes a laxative effect and, thus, helps to get rid of constipation. Quercetin is generally considered one of the most beneficial flavonoids: it prevents the development of inflammatory diseases, strengthens the immune system, has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, dilutes the blood and improves blood flow. Also, this substance has analgesic and anti-allergic effect.

Besides, dodder has astringent properties, which helps to stop bleeding much better than other medicinal herbs.

The plant also has a positive effect on the urogenital system, it is an excellent diuretic, eases painful conditions during menstruation, stimulates sexual function, especially in men (improves potency, prevents premature ejaculation). In addition, dodder can help men get rid of the symptoms of prostatitis. It is believed that dodder improves metabolic processes in the body, has a positive effect on cell nutrition. Dodder tinctures are used for colds and stomach diseases, fever and chills, for liver diseases, angina pectoris, inflammations of the large intestine, headache and toothache, alcoholism, skin diseases and even some mental abnormalities and nervous disorders.

The seeds of this plant, among other things, have a general tonic effect.

Preparation and storage of dodder for medicinal purposes

All the above properties justify the widespread use of dodder for medicinal purposes. However, the preparation of various decoctions and infusions from dodder is preceded by the preparation of raw materials and ensuring its proper storage.

Medicinal raw material in the dodder is its stem (in fact, it represents the whole plant), as well as seeds. The correct time for gathering dodder stems is in the summer months when the grass is in the flowering stage or at the beginning of fruiting, and for seeds - in the fall. Some recommend removing the dodder for harvesting at the moment when its stem has made one turn around the victim plant. This method has one indisputable advantage - it allows not only to prepare a medicine, but also to save an innocent culture from the most harmful parasite.

Raw materials should be dried well. For this, a room with good ventilation is used. Seeds can be roasted in the oven at a low temperature until dry. The finished material is laid out in paper bags and stored in a place protected from moisture.

Recipes of traditional medicine

As indicated, traditional pharmacology does not use dodder as a medicinal component, which is not the case with traditional medicine. Our ancestors have long used this weed plant to heal all sorts of ailments.

The famous medieval physician Ibn Sina (Avicenna) in the eleventh century noticed that the roasted seeds of dodder have the ability to act beneficially on the stomach, and in a mixture with vinegar the plant also improves liver function and even helps to get rid of a hiccup attack. From melancholy, he recommended taking a decoction of dodder with raisins. Before using the doctor dried the plant, then ground it into powder, which was added to the wine.

Tibetan doctors today use dodder to treat pneumonia, vascular diseases, and disorders of the liver.

The benefits of dodder juice

Dodder juice is traditionally used for jaundice (not to be confused with hepatitis!), Especially in cases when fever and chills occur as a result of blockage of blood vessels.However, it should be understood that this is not about treating a disease, but about alleviating its symptoms (first of all - fever). The antipyretic effect of dodder juice can be enhanced by adding plant seeds to it. With the help of a decoction made from dodder flowers, you can stop the bleeding and facilitate the flow of pneumonia.

For the treatment of pneumonia, they even take a dodder bath: a decoction (25 g of dried stems per 1 liter of water is boiled for 20 minutes, cooled and drained) is added to a warm bath.

This procedure is recommended to be carried out every day or every two days for two weeks.

Tincture with toothache

Dodder for toothache is taken in the form of tincture 1 tablespoon three times a day. To prepare the drug, 25 g (about one-third of a glass) of dried stalks are poured with a glass of boiling water and infused for 60 minutes.

Decoction for skin diseases

Dodder is used to treat many skin diseases, in particular, it is effective for dermatitis, eczema, and child rash. The broth prepared on its basis is used inside (twice a day for half a cup), used as lotions or added to a bath.

Dry grass, crushed into powder, pour hot water and boiled in a water bath for 20 minutes, then cooled and filtered. For 1 liter of water you need to take 25 g dodder.

Treatment of skin diseases is more effective if the reception of decoction combined with the external use of ointment on the basis of dodder. To prepare such a preparation, it is sufficient to mix dried powdered stalks, ground into powder, with ordinary butter.

Decoction for painful menstruation

To relieve pain during menstruation, it is recommended for women three times a day to take one tablespoonful of broth prepared as follows: pour 25 g of dried and crushed dodder with a glass of boiled water, insist for two hours, strain.

Decoction for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

Hemostatic properties possessed by dodder, allow it to be used for ulcers of the stomach and duodenum. The method of cooking broth and reception is the sameas with menstrual pains, but in this case you should take less dry raw material (5 g of grass is enough for a glass of water) or dilute the more concentrated decoction with the required amount of water.

The same broth is also used to treat a number of other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, it is even claimed that it is effective in the early stages of malignant tumors in the stomach.

Harm, side effects and symptoms of poisoning

As mentioned above, dodder is a poisonous plant, so if it is used carelessly, it can easily be poisoned. So, there are known cases of serious intoxications that were received by farm animals grazed on dodder-infested meadows. It is even more dangerous to feed livestock with hay made from grass not cleared from the dodder, because, after lying down and dried out, the plant becomes more poisonous and even capable of causing the death of the animal.

Saponin, kustan and convolvulin contained in the dodder have poisonous properties, although in small doses these substances have a healing effect.

For example, convolvulin, as mentioned above, can improve the functioning of the intestines and help get rid of constipation, but these same properties, if the amount is exceeded, cause severe diarrhea,blood overcrowding in the vessels of the gastric mucosa, damage to the small and large intestines. During pregnancy, these symptoms can spill over into the uterus and cause miscarriage.

In addition to diarrhea, dodder can cause severe dizziness, headaches, nausea and vomiting. If poisoning occurs, it is necessary to immediately flush the stomach (using sorbents, for example, activated carbon) and then consult a doctor. It is recommended to drink plenty of mucous broths, starch-based jelly, etc. - enveloping effect that they have on the gastric mucosa, minimizes the penetration of toxins into the blood. Taking the same amount of vegetable oil can have the same effect.

Thus, dodder can be used as a medicine only after detailed consultation with your doctor, while pregnancy and lactation, diabetes, obesity, diarrhea are direct contraindications to taking this plant. You should be wary of it in case of ulcers - the plant can help heal the wound, but it can also be harmful if it is not properly taken.Any acute inflammatory processes in the body - a reason to exercise extra caution. As already mentioned, dodder preparations cannot be used as an internal medicine for children.