Small cornflower, or common (Latin Thalíctrum mínus) - perennial plant; a species of the genus Vasilist (Thalictrum) of the family Ranunculaceae (Ranunculaceae).
  Small cornflower - a perennial herb with a creeping grayish rhizome, the stalk is bare, 50-120 cm tall, leaves are triangular, thrice or four-feather. Inflorescences are sprawling, sparse panicles, small drooping flowers, greenish-brown, with 10-15 drooping stamens, anthers are pointed and pointed, ovoid-elliptic fruits, 1 mm long.

It blooms in June and July.

It grows in mixed and birch forests, forest edges, clearings, upland meadows in Europe, Siberia and Altai, the Far East, Mongolia, Northeast China and North America.

For therapeutic purposes, the aerial part of the plant and roots are used.

The aerial part is collected during flowering. After collection, the leaves are torn off to half the stem, and the lower part of the stem is discarded. Dried in the shade. The roots are harvested in the fall.

The plant is poisonous. The grass contains alkaloids (talmine, thalmidine, berberine, talikrin) and cyanide glycoside, which cleaves hydrocyanic acid, flavonoids, saponins and tannins. In the leaves, in addition, ascorbic acid is contained, and in the roots are steroids, alkaloids (berberine, talikmin, talikmidin, etc.).

It is noticed that all types of cornflower accumulate lithium - an element that plays a large role in the regulation of the nervous system.

Decoction, infusion and tincture of small cornflower have antibacterial, antitumor, restorative, diuretic, laxative and wound healing effects.

Small basil corn tincture was recommended as a cardiovascular agent for hypertension, however, at present it is not used in scientific medicine. The grass contains volatile, and the leaves are more active. Ethereal extract of cornflower small has a bactericidal effect on gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, was used in surgical practice, but this drug was not included in the list of drugs approved for use in the USSR due to the heterogeneity of the composition of the raw materials of small cornflower from different collection sites, insufficient study plants and other reasons.

Clinical trials have established that infusions and decoctions can be recommended in obstetric and gynecological practice, in acute infections (measles, smallpox, typhoid, diphtheria, pulmonary and skin tuberculosis, anthrax, malaria, syphilis). The herb is part of Zdrenko for the treatment of cancer, papillomotosis of the bladder and anacid gastritis.

AT folk medicine  In Western Siberia, in addition, infusions and decoctions of the roots of the small cornflower are taken for jaundice, gastrointestinal diseases, epilepsy, headaches, metabolic disorders, and low vision.

In Altai, the small cornflower is called silverfish, hinny grass, nine-legged. The infusion of grass and root was drunk “from the pressure of the heart, vomiting, from a nasad”, “Antonov fire” with scrofula, lichen, fever when laying the chest, from the ache, “if it carries the head”, the pregnant women were given heartburn. Poultices of grass were made from a “nail-eater” (panaritium), for healing wounds and diseases of joints. Powder from the root and grass was filled with cattle worms.

1 tablespoon of crushed plants in 1 cup of boiling water, leave for 1 hour, strain. Take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day with diarrhea.

Tincture of small cornflower 1:10 in 70% alcohol. Assign from 15 to 25 drops to receive 3 times a day for epilepsy.

Each year, gaining popularity due to its decorative and medicinal properties, small cornflower or common cornflower. It belongs to the Lyutikov family and has additional names, such as: nine-legged, silverfish, wild parsley, hinny grass, rutka. Caring for a plant is not complicated, therefore it is grown in personal plots.

Plant description

Plant growth up to 120 centimeters. The root system is creeping, grayish. The stalk is naked. Rare foliage cirrus, triangular. Flowering has been taking place since June in the form of inflorescences, on which flowers with yellow stamens are located on a green hue. Small cornflower grows in meadows, in thickets of bushes and edges. It grows widely in Siberia and the Caucasus, as well as in the Far East.

The plant has a number of useful substances. So, its stems contain ascorbic acid, saponins, tannins, pyrocatechins. The leaves contain glycoside, splitting it forms a poisonous compound - hydrocyanic acid. Alkaloids and steroids are present in the root system.

Landing and care

Cornflower plant is not too whimsical. There are certain requirements for his care that should be followed. So, it is better to grow perennial in partial shade. The direct rays of the sun will discolor it. In summer, the cornflower is well watered, especially in the absence of precipitation and in extreme heat. Timely hydration will contribute to long-term flowering and brightness of flowers. Insufficient moisture will adversely affect the plant.

Common ground cornflower like loose. The plant is not demanding for its composition, but, naturally, if it is fertile, then the flower will respond well to this. Timely dressing will have a beneficial effect on the splendor of flowering. Best time  there will be spring for fertilizing. It is desirable that nitrogen be present in their composition. The cornflower does not like the proximity of weeds, therefore, it needs regular weeding.

Before the onset of cold weather, the cornflower necessarily mulch. This procedure will provide reliable protection in the winter cold. For mulch use peat and humus. They thoroughly fall asleep root areas.

If the plant needs a transplant, then it is carried out at the end spring period, the main thing is that there is no heat. In general, perennials grow up to ten years or more in the same place. It can reproduce well by self-seeding.

Breeding

The plant can be propagated by dividing the bush, as well as cuttings. The bush is divided in April or September. Dividers are placed at intervals of 40 centimeters between each other. After planting, they are watered abundantly.

Cuttings are used only in cases where they want to maintain varietal characteristics. Cuttings are prepared early in the spring, using young shoots. They must have at least two internodes and a heel. They are rooted in the ground with sand and covered with a film. At times, the greenhouse is sprayed with water. After rooting, they sit on a permanent place of growth.

You can propagate the cornflower with seeds. They gather in the fall and are immediately sown in the ground. You can plant in the spring, but then the seed is stratified for a month. Before planting it, in a month, the seeds are soaked for up to three days in water, changing it regularly every day. Then they are laid out on wet sand in the grooves and sealed. A container with seeds is kept for about two days at a natural temperature in the room, and then placed in the refrigerator. There she will be in the vegetable compartment for a month. Once a week, sand is treated with potassium permanganate to prevent mold.

Small cornflower is well propagated by seeds. Seedlings grow rapidly and actively, but flowering will come only after two years.

Possible pests

During periods of drought, a cornflower can attack aphids. It may also be affected by powdery mildew. These problems are dealt with using treatments with special tools that are purchased in specialized stores.

Beneficial features

Cornflower is used for medicinal purposes. Decoctions and infusions are prepared from its ground part. With their help they cope with the disorder of the nervous system, colds, malaria and jaundice. The plant is used for tuberculosis, epilepsy, female diseases and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Perennial is used externally. It is used in gynecology, as well as a wound healing agent in surgery. On its basis, ointments and powders are prepared, which lubricate boils and wounds if they fester.

The young cornflower loves to eat livestock.

In order to make medicines from a plant, its roots and the ground part are used. The roots must be prepared in the autumn, and the ground part is collected during flowering. All foliage is torn to the middle of the stem, and the bottom is thrown away. Drying is carried out in a well-ventilated area without exposure to sunlight. The resulting raw material has a mild odor and a bitter taste. It can be stored for no more than three years. Then it loses its beneficial properties.

Small cornflower: use in folk medicine

Small cornflower, or in other words, nine-legged, hinny grass, wild parsley, silverfish is often used in folk recipes. For medicinal purposes, use the grass and roots of this plant. Its chemical composition determines pharmacological properties  and a wide spectrum of action for various diseases.

A variety of active ingredients

Ascorbic acid, saponins, pyrocatechins, tannins alkaloids (berberine, talmine, talikmin, talikmidin and others) were found in the green parts of the basilis, leaves contain glycoside, the breakdown of which is accompanied by the formation of hydrocyanic acid - a poisonous compound. in the roots there are also alkaloids, steroids.

Animal experiments have established that each alkaloid causes a certain effect. Talmin inhibits the central nervous system (central nervous system), relaxation of smooth muscle fibers, lowering blood pressure; talikmins and thalikmidins cause catalepsy; talikrimin has a stimulating effect on the muscles of the uterus; berberine has a laxative, choleretic and diuretic effects, and is also able to slightly reduce blood pressure. The inhibitory effect of berberine on the process of cell reproduction is known, which is why it is part of the well-known Zdrenko mixture for cancer patients.

When is the time to collect the basilica?

For treatment, take the aerial part (grass) of the small cornflower. It is harvested at the height of flowering (June-July), cutting off the top of the shoots with leaves and inflorescences up to 40 cm. Dried in the open air, preferably under a canopy, to protect from accidental rains, hanging in small bunches or laying on a clean cloth or paper with thin layer. Attic is one of the most successful places for drying raw materials. The dried grass of the small cornflower should consist of leafy shoots with inflorescences, have a green color, have a bitter taste and a faint smell. Such raw materials retain their properties for up to 3 years (stored in linen bags in a dry place, separate from other herbs and products, this is the rule for storing poisonous herbs, and the small cornflower is poisonous). The roots are dug in September - October.

Small cornflower from different ailments

This medicinal plant has the following properties:

• Anti-inflammatory
• Expectorant
• Painkiller
• Antibacterial
• Laxative
• Diuretic
• Sedative
• Antitumor
• Wound Healing
• Hemostatic
• Restorative
• Bactericidal
• Enhances cardiac activity

Decoctions and infusions of the aerial part of the small cornflower are used in the treatment of such diseases: disorders of the nervous system, colds, tuberculosis, malaria, jaundice, diseases of the digestive system, female diseases, epilepsy. Positive effects established after clinical trials.

It is known that the ethereal extract of the small cornflower, destroys a wide range of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, it was once used in surgical practice, but nevertheless, the drug from the basil was not included in the list of drugs approved for use in the USSR because of the heterogeneity of the composition of the raw materials basilica from different places of growth, lack of knowledge of the plant. So, for example, in one of the scientific studies it was shown that the content of berberine in the small basilisis from the steppe zone exceeds the content of the same substance in plants growing in the forest area.

The basilis has found its application both as an external remedy - in gynecology and as a wound healing. Festering wounds and boils can be lubricated with ointment or powder from crushed grass. Ointment can be prepared on your own. As a basis, you can use petroleum jelly, lanolin, pork fat, vegetable oil. Thinly ground dry basilis grass should be introduced into this base.

Recipes with cornflower small

Decoction of grass in violation of heart rhythm and hypertension.  Pour six grams of herbs with a glass of boiling water, hold on a steam bath for ten minutes, insist an hour. Filter, bring the volume back to the original boiled water. Drink three times a day 30 minutes before meals in a tablespoon for a week.

Tincture of grass with epilepsy, angina pectoris, to lower blood pressure.  Twenty grams of grass pour a glass of alcohol. Insist a week and a half in the dark, sometimes shaking. To filter out. To use three times a day for 20-40 drops with food. The course is 5-10 days.

Infusion of roots for the treatment of urinary retention, edema.  Brew a teaspoon of crushed roots with a glass of boiling water. An hour to insist, filter. Take two tablespoons after meals three times a day.

A decoction of the roots with diphtheria, measles, typhoid, smallpox, tuberculosis, syphilis, malaria, anthrax.  Brew a tablespoon of crushed roots with a glass of boiling water. Hold for half an hour in a water bath in a closed container. Let it brew for 20 minutes. To filter out. Take 30 minutes before meals three times a day in a tablespoon.

Infusion of herbs for the treatment of skin diseases and purulent wounds.  Brew a tablespoon of herbs with a glass of boiling water. Insist, filter. Infusion wash the affected area.

Leaf compresses for diaper rash.  Wash and grind fresh leaves until smooth. Apply to the affected area twice a day until recovery.

Small cornflower - a poisonous plant. Therefore, when using it, it is important to exercise caution. In case of overdose or poisoning, it is necessary to wash the stomach with a 0.1% potassium permanganate solution. Then try to see a doctor as soon as possible to provide the necessary medical care.

Description of small cornflower

Small cornflower is a perennial herb, which is endowed with creeping rhizome, grayish in color. The stem of the plant is bare, in height it fluctuates between fifty and one hundred and twenty centimeters. The leaves of the plant are triangular, they can be either triple-pinnate or four-pinnate. The inflorescences of the small cornflower are spreading, panicles are quite rare, and the flowers are small and drooping, greenish-brown in color. Inflorescences are endowed with ten to fifteen dangling stamens, anthers are endowed with a pointed tip, and the fruit in shape will be ovoid-elliptical, in length, such fruit reaches only one millimeter.
  The flowering of the small cornflower is in the period starting from June and ending with the month of July. This plant is found in natural conditions in the European part of Russia, as well as in Central Asia and Ukraine.

Description of the healing properties of the small cornflower

Small cornflower is characterized by rather valuable healing properties: for this purpose, not only the roots, but also the aerial part of this plant are used. The aerial part of the small cornflower should be collected during the flowering period of this plant. After the collection has taken place, you should tear off the leaves up to half the stem, while the lower part of the stem should be discarded. As for the roots of the small cornflower, they should be prepared in the autumn period.
  In the grass of the small cornflower is ascorbic acid, volatile, pyrocatechol, tannins, as well as the following alkaloids: talmine and thalmidine. In the roots of the plant are thalicmidine, thalictrimin, talmin, talicmin, glaucin and berberine. A glycoside was found in the leaves of the plant; when cleaved, it has the ability to release hydrocyanic acid.
It is noteworthy that each alkaloid is endowed with a variety of properties. Talmin promotes depression of the central nervous system and muscle relaxation, and also very effectively reduces blood pressure. As for talikmin and talikmidin, they contribute to the emergence of a cataleptic state in animals, while thalictrimin will stimulate the muscles of the uterus, and berberine has the ability to have a laxative, diuretic and choleretic effect. In addition, berberine can also lower blood pressure. In addition, it was proved that berberine also exhibits a therapeutic effect in both malaria and leishmaniasis.
  Small cornflower is recommended for use in homeopathy, not only for painful menstruation, but also for low vision. As for decoctions and infusions prepared from small cornflower, it is recommended to use them for epilepsy, malaria, and enterocolitis, which will also be accompanied by diarrhea. Also, such drugs are also effective for pulmonary tuberculosis, hemoptysis, colds, edema of various origins, as well as for states of increased excitability of the nervous system. Powder of small cornflower is considered effective in suppurating wounds: these wounds should be sprinkled with such a powder.
  It is noteworthy that when ingesting drugs, which include a small cornflower, a considerable degree of caution should be observed: after all, this plant is poisonous. With diarrhea, it is recommended to take the following remedy: to prepare it, you will need to take one tablespoon of the crushed plant for one glass of boiling water. Insist such a mixture should be for one hour, and after that the mixture needs to be filtered. It is recommended to take this decoction three times a day, one tablespoon.

Ancient Slavic traditions claim that the plant is named after the beautiful Vasilista Vikulichna, who passed away after her husband, a hero. Where a lifeless woman fell, a previously unknown flower grew. Since then, the cornflower has become a component of many potions for love spell. Another name for the common cornflower is silverfish, for the grayish shade of its leaves. As a garden plant, a cornflower has been cultivated in Russia since the 18th century.

Description of the plant common cornflower (small).

Common cornflower (Thalictrum minus) - a perennial, medicinal herb of the ranunculaceae family. The rhizome of the plant is creeping, grayish. Stem - 50 - 120 cm in height, goals. The leaves of the plant are thrice- four times pinnate, triangular. Inflorescences are rare spreading panicles. The flowers are drooping, small, greenish or brown. Flowering common cornflower can be observed in June - July.

Where does the common cornflower grow?

The medicinal plant common cornflower grows along the edges, bushes, steppe meadows. It grows everywhere in European Russia, in Siberia, the Caucasus, Central Asia and the Far East.

Photo of a small cornflower.

Harvesting of common cornflower.

To prepare medicine, you need the grass of the small cornflower and its roots. Harvesting roots in the fall, and grass - during flowering. After that, as a rule, all leaves are torn off to the middle of the stem, and the bottom of the stem is thrown away. Raw materials are dried in the shade, under a canopy. Finished raw materials retain their color, have a bitter taste and a faint odor. Store raw materials for no more than 36 months.

The chemical composition of the common cornflower.

The aboveground part of the common herb of the common cornflower contains tannins, ascorbic acid, volatile, pyrocatechol, alkaloids: talmidine, talmine, thalmicidin, talictrimin, talmin, talikmin, berberine, glaucine and others, gliksid is found in the leaves, glixid is secreted, acids.

The healing properties of the common cornflower.

Each alkaloid of common cornflower has a different effect on the human body. Berberine alkaloid reduces blood pressure, has a choleretic, diuretic, laxative effect; talmin - lowers blood pressure, depresses the central nervous system, relaxes smooth muscles; taliktrimin - reduces the muscles of the uterus; talikmidin and talikmin - cause a cataleptic state.

Berberine inhibits cell division, improves the condition of malaria and leishmaniasis.

Alcohol tincture, water decoction and infusion have antitumor, antibacterial, diuretic, tonic, wound healing and laxative effects.

The use of the common cornflower.

Medicinal plant small cornflower in the form of infusion and decoction is used for painful menstruation and visual impairment. Water infusion and decoction of common cornflower are also used for malaria, epilepsy, enterocolitis with diarrhea, hemoptysis, pulmonary tuberculosis, overexcitation, colds and edema.

Grass small cornflower in gynecology is used in the form of decoctions and infusions to stop bleeding.

Powder from the grass or roots of the common cornflower, sprinkle wounds with pus. Ointment and powder are used for boils.

The roots of the plant are used for chronic and acute infections. Alcohol tincture of common cornflower grass - for heart attacks and to lower blood pressure.

Treatment with a common cornflower (small).

Infusion of a common cornflower.

1 tbsp. l crushed grass plants pour a glass of boiling water, soak for an hour, filter. Use 1 tbsp. l thrice a day.

Tincture of common cornflower.

Pour the plant grass with 70% alcohol 1:10, soak for a week in the dark, shaking. Apply 15 to 25 drops three times a day.

Decoction of common cornflower.

Pour 6 grams of the roots with a glass of boiling water, boil in a water bath for 10 minutes, let it brew for an hour, filter, add up to 200 ml. Take 2 tbsp. l three times a day with meals. Store no more than 2 days in the refrigerator.

Contraindications of the common cornflower.

Since the plant is poisonous, when taking drugs inside, be careful and dosage, consult with your doctor first.