Medicinal properties and contraindications of herb coltsfoot. What to treat a mother and stepmother

Try to kill the weeds in June before they have time to seed and drop them into the ground.

No matter how the gardeners take care of the plantings, the wind and birds will still bring weed seeds to the site. These long-standing enemies of ours are ready to stifle any slow-growing cultural plantings.

Why are weeds dangerous?

Bright yellow dandelion heads, coltsfoot, white chamomile flowers delight the eye in the meadow part of the garden. But before you have time to look back, yellow, white lights of the weeds will suddenly flare up on the vegetable beds and in the flower garden one fine morning. If uninvited guests- weeds cannot be destroyed in time, they will continue to grow calmly, taking away nutritious moisture and useful material at cultivated plants.

On the summer cottages v middle lane Russia usually grows up to dozens of major weed species. Aggressors are tenacious and grow rapidly. If you ignore them, good harvest do not wait. The matter may end with the fact that one fine day, having arrived at the dacha, you will not even find your crops in the crowd of demonstrating weeds.

How to deal with aggressors

There is no need to invent ultra-modern methods of weed control. The most best practices have already been tested by our grandfathers and grandmothers. The methods are as simple as two kopecks, but they have not been invented more efficiently. This is mowing, pulling, digging and covering the soil.

Mowing

Many weeds, such as highlander bird, wild rose, runny, do not withstand regular cutting and quickly die. When you destroy the aerial portion of these weeds, the root also suffers. The more often you cut the grass, the faster they will die. This is not lawn grass, in which from mowing the root system only strengthens. It is important to deal with the weeds in June, before they have time to seed and drop them into the ground. But the field thistle, creeping clover, caustic buttercup, even in spite of the "zero" haircut, will not die anyway. They must be constantly weeded out by hand during the entire growing season, otherwise they will drown out the young grass of the lawn and other crops.

Pulling

Systematic weeding is the most affordable and effective way to fight villains. If the weeds have crept into the garden with cultivated plants, then the hoe will not help, you have to work by hand. Wheatgrass, for example, renews its rhizomes annually, which is why it is so important to prevent their overgrowth. Weeding once a week throughout the summer will help completely eradicate this weed. The same applies to other, so-called root-sprouting weeds: field bindweed, sow thistle, milkweed.

Digging

Perennial rhizome and root-sucking weeds are the most vicious and tenacious.

In such a delicate and weak-looking plant like bindweed, the roots are not always destroyed even when plowed with a tractor. In the beds, a frail bindweed behaves like a business: immediately braids potato plants, immediately planted beans, zucchini.

Only a complete digging with a sampling of rhizomes will help against ditching, wheatgrass, sow thistle and other rhizome weeds. But remember - the shovel is not your friend here. The fact is that if the tip of a shovel cuts the roots of these weeds into pieces during digging, you will get a very good planting material... As a result, from one "villain" several will grow at once. The littered soil must be dug with a pitchfork, and only then the roots must be carefully selected from it.

Sheltering

Cover the clogged area with a dark film or roofing felt tightly pressed to the ground. This will prevent the weeds from sprouting.

So that a covered piece of land does not stand idle, you can plant large vegetables on it: pumpkin, zucchini, cabbage. For them, holes must be made in the film. And only then the powerful leaves will cover the soil and themselves will not allow the weeds to grow.

by the way

Many weeds - such as nettles, coltsfoot, creeping wheatgrass, different types chamomile, sorrel, tansy, cornflower, St. folk medicine and cosmetology. They are used to prepare ointments, infusions, decoctions. The main thing is to remember: weeds for herbal medicine must be collected away from highways, garbage dumps, landfills. When compiling ointments, infusions and decoctions, doses must be strictly observed. The best thing is to talk to your doctor.

Uninvited guests are a great benefit!

1. When pulling up weeds, place them in compost heaps (holes). This way you prepare good fertilizer... Plants rotted into compost loosen the soil in a natural way, the soil is less depleted. Weeds are best stored in compost heap so that their aboveground part is closer to the center, and the root system - to the periphery of the heap. As a result, the roots dry out faster.

Do not forget to destroy the weeds that have appeared on the heaps of peat and compost. Otherwise, along with the fertilizer, you will spread their seeds throughout the site.

2. Infusions and decoctions of some weeds have long been used in the fight against pests and diseases of cultivated plants: yarrow and tansy - against sucking insects and caterpillars, wormwood - against caterpillars; apple moth and ants.

3. Weeds are indicators that will tell the gardener what measures need to be taken to create optimal conditions acidity (pH) of soils for cultivated plants. If, for example, horsetail, mullein and field chamomile, stellate, sorrel, knotweed and tricolor violet predominate in your area, your site requires mandatory liming. If this is not done, you can not even wait for a good harvest of beets, cabbage, pumpkin, onions, celery.

The article discusses the mother-and-stepmother - medicinal properties and contraindications of the plant. You will learn how the plant is useful, what diseases it treats, as well as how to properly prepare a decoction or infusion for the treatment of coughs, bronchitis, pneumonia and colds.

Mother-and-stepmother (Latin Tussilágo) is a monotypic genus of plants of the family Asteraceae or Asteraceae.

Mother-and-stepmother ordinary (lat.Tussilágo fárfara) - perennial herbaceous plant, common in Eurasia, Africa, and also, as an invasive, in other parts of the world. An amazing feature of the plant is that the flowering period occurs in early spring, before the leaves open.

Mother-and-stepmother in Latin is translated as follows: the scientific (Latin) generic name tussilago, inis f comes from lat. tussis, is ("cough") and ago, egi, actum, ere ("drive away") - and can be translated as "cough." This name is associated with medical use as a cough suppressant.

There are numerous hairs on the underside of the leaves; therefore, the underside of the leaf evaporates water weaker than the bare upper side. The underside (mother) feels warmer than the top (stepmother) - hence Russian name plants.

Other Russian names: two-leaved, kamchuzhnaya grass, chilly noodles, mother-grass, one-sided, tsar-potion.

What does it look like

The coltsfoot plant has a long, branched, creeping rhizome. From the buds on the rhizome, shoots of two types develop: flowering and vegetative.

What does a mother and stepmother look like? The plant has flowering, erect shoots, covered with ovate-lanceolate, often brown leaves. On each of the shoots, a single one develops before flowering, and after a drooping head, consisting of a cylindrical single-row bedspread, a bare flat receptacle and bright yellow flowers of two types.

The medicinal plant coltsfoot has external flowers - female, ligulate. The flowers in the middle of the inflorescence are bisexual, tubular, sterile.

The fruit is a cylindrical achene with a tuft of soft hairs. After the fruit ripens, the flowering shoots die off.

Some time after the beginning of flowering, vegetative shoots develop, which bear several rounded cordate, angular, white-tomentose below, bare leaves with long petioles on top. You can see in more detail how the plant looks like in the photo of mother and stepmother. Appearance (photo) of mother and stepmother

Where grows

The herb coltsfoot is popular in Europe, Asia, Siberia, Africa and America. In Europe, it grows up to Arctic Scandinavia.

It is usually found in areas free of turf, on the banks of water bodies, on the slopes of ravines and landslides, often in areas exposed to anthropogenic impact - fields, wastelands, dumps. Grows well on clay soil, but also occurs on other types of soils, including sandy, pebble river banks. Flowering time in the European part of Russia is April.

Mother-and-stepmother leaves

Since ancient times, the plant has been used as a medicinal plant. All aboveground parts have useful properties... Collect the leaves of coltsfoot and flowers. Before using, study the benefits and harms of coltsfoot.

Chemical composition

Chemical composition:

  • vitamin C;
  • tannins;
  • complex carbohydrates;
  • carotenoids;
  • alkaloids;
  • essential oil;
  • slime;
  • inulin;
  • saponins;
  • organic acids.

The popularity of the use of coltsfoot in folk medicine is due to the unique chemical composition.

Medicinal properties

Pharmacological properties:

  • antitussive;
  • enveloping;
  • diaphoretic;
  • antispasmodic;
  • disinfectant;
  • anti-inflammatory.

The use of coltsfoot for coughs and bronchitis is effective due to the mucus included in the plant, which envelops the respiratory tract, prevents irritation. Saponins, organic acids thin dry cough, remove phlegm. Read more about cough mother and stepmother at.

The plant is effective in complex treatment for sore throats. Mother-and-stepmother is used for stomatitis, purulent infections, inflammation.

The tannins in the plant prevent bacteria from multiplying and spreading throughout the body. The plant is used for colds.

Outwardly, mother-and-stepmother is used to treat skin diseases, acne on the face, itching and dandruff on the head. To strengthen hair growth, herbal decoctions are used.

How to collect

For medicinal purposes, the leaves of the plant are used. Timing of harvesting parts of the plant varies depending on which part of the mother-and-stepmother you will collect. Choose sunny, dry weather to harvest the plant. Collect flowers at the very beginning of flowering, until they turn white and the first true leaves appear. Pick flowers without stems. Dry raw materials in a well-ventilated area to prevent mold.

After the flowering period, leaves appear. The timing of harvesting the leaves of coltsfoot can be found out based on the appearance of the plant. When the upper fluff disappears from the leaves, the upper side will be smooth, cold, and the lower side will be covered with white drooping, and this makes it seem that it is warm, and then collect the leaves of the mother-and-stepmother. Pick off the leaves with your hands, leaving a small stalk.

Dry the leaves under a canopy in a well-ventilated area out of direct sunlight. Can be dried in a special dryer at a temperature not exceeding 35 degrees. Turn the leaves periodically to dry evenly.

You can understand that the leaves are already ready by the characteristic folded outward appearance... The short petiole breaks easily. Before you put the raw materials for storage, sort it out, since there should be no more than 3% of rusty leaves. Dried leaves are odorless, taste bitter, with a mucus sensation. Store raw materials in paper or cloth bags.

How to apply

Use any plant-based products with caution. Basically, coltsfoot is used in combination with other herbs in the form of infusions, decoctions, alcoholic tinctures, and plantain and coltsfoot syrup is also popular.

Cough decoction

Take decoction of coltsfoot for cough as an independent or additional treatment. The plant does not absorb nitrates, therefore it effectively cleanses the lungs.

Ingredients:

  1. Dried leaves - 1 tablespoon
  2. Boiled water - 200 ml.

How to cook: Cover the leaves with water, close the container with a lid, heat in a water bath for 15 minutes. Stir the infusion of coltsfoot periodically. After cooking, cool the mixture and strain. Bring the strained mixture to a boil. Store the broth in cool place no more than 2 days.

How to use: Take ½ cup warm 2-3 times a day 1 hour before meals.

Result: Expectorant, cleanses lungs of dust.

Decoction for bronchitis

Bronchitis is an inflammation of the mucous membranes of the bronchi. The disease is primary or secondary, when bronchitis develops as a complication against the background of chronic diseases.

Mother-and-stepmother with bronchitis has an antitussive effect. The plant is part of the breast cough collection. Mother-and-stepmother with tracheitis or bronchitis is used together with flower baskets and leaves.

Ingredients:

  1. Leaves - 3 tablespoons
  2. Water - 2 glasses.

How to cook: Cover the plant with water, boil until the water evaporates by half. After cooking, strain the broth.

How to use: Consume 1 tablespoon at a time. every 2 hours.

Result: Expectorant, improves general condition of the body, supports during illness.

Infusion for asthma

Asthma is chronic illness respiratory tract. Exogenous allergens are considered a provoking factor in the development of the disease.

Common allergens are plant, food, book dust, fish food, particles and animal dander.

In 20-40% of people with this disease, a reaction to drugs is detected. In 2%, the disease was obtained from work in a hazardous enterprise or in a perfume shop. Mother and stepmother with asthma is an effective remedy.

Ingredients:

  1. Mother and stepmother - 4 tsp
  2. Boiling water - 1 glass.

How to cook: Pour the components of the plant with boiling water, leave for 30 minutes.

How to use: Take ¼ glass 4 times a day.

Result: Has antiseptic, expectorant effect.

Infusion for pneumonia

Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lung tissue of an infectious origin. A disease occurs when a bacterial infection is attacked, the causative agents of which are pneumococcus, streptococcus, staphylococcus, fungal infections, herpes virus.

Ingredients:

  1. Chopped leaves of a plant - 1 tbsp.
  2. Water - 1 glass.

How to cook: Pour boiling water over the plant components, leave for 30 minutes.

How to use: Take up to 5 times daily chilled.

Result: Mother and stepmother with pneumonia has an expectorant effect, produces mucus, which relieves inflammation.

Other application

Mother and stepmother can be bought at the pharmacy Mother and stepmother with pancreatitis normalizes the production of enzymes, relieves inflammation, pain, has an antimicrobial effect. Treatment with plant-based drugs is carried out for at least two months.

Mother-and-stepmother with hemorrhoids is used as a decoction for baths. The leaves of coltsfoot, oregano, alder cones, wheatgrass root, hop cones are mixed in equal proportions, insisted and added to water. Helps with the expansion of the veins of the anus, anal fissures, painful sensations.

Mother-and-stepmother for weight loss is used in combination with other herbs. The plant goes well with blackberries. Take mother-and-stepmother in the form of tea. The drink removes toxins, toxins from the body, restores strength. Slimming mother-and-stepmother is popular for its diuretic effect.

Mother-and-stepmother with angina affects the inflamed tonsils. The plant is taken internally in the form of infusions, decoctions, or gargle. Inhalation is also carried out with coltsfoot. For inhalation use a complex of herbs: chamomile, coltsfoot, thyme, eucalyptus, sage, linden. In the broth, you can add “Star” balm at the tip of a knife. Breathe steam as much as possible. After a couple of days, improvements are noticeable, there will be no trace of inflammation and coughing.

Mother-and-stepmother for hair acts as a strengthening agent, restores the hair structure. The plant is used for hair loss, increased oily scalp, dandruff.

Features of use during pregnancy

Mother and stepmother during pregnancy can only be used as directed by a doctor. In the first trimester of pregnancy, taking the plant is strictly prohibited. The substances that make up the plant can penetrate the placental barrier and disrupt fetal development or cause miscarriage.

Although in an optimally selected dosage, a mother and stepmother with a cold can strengthen the body of a pregnant woman and saturate it with vitamins, in no case do not use the plant without first consulting a doctor.

Outwardly, it can be used to treat skin diseases, as well as apply compresses from coltsfoot with varicose veins.

In the second trimester of pregnancy, the use of the plant is not so dangerous. With a runny nose, cough, you can use tea from mother and stepmother, after consulting your doctor.

Plant-based fees or tea with coltsfoot can be purchased ready-made or made on your own.

When breastfeeding, the plant should not be consumed in any form, since after breast milk the mother-and-stepmother also enters the child's body. The plant is contraindicated for small children.

Contraindications

Contraindications for use:

  • delay, violation of the menstrual cycle;
  • breast-feeding;
  • children's age up to 2 years;
  • disruption of the liver;
  • individual intolerance;
  • simultaneous intake of certain vitamins, dietary supplements, medicines to relieve symptoms of colds, fever.

Before using any products containing coltsfoot, be sure to consult your doctor. Some medicines are not compatible with the herb.

Side effects:

  • nausea;
  • vomit;
  • diarrhea;
  • temperature.

Due to the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in the plant, the toxicity of which is poorly studied, it is not recommended to use coltsfoot flowers for more than 4-6 weeks in a row.

Classification

Taxonomic position:

  • Domain - Eukaryotes.
  • Kingdom - Plants.
  • Department - Flowering.
  • Class - Dicotyledons.
  • Order - Astro-colored.
  • Family - Astrocolors.
  • Rod - Mother and Stepmother.

For more information about mother-and-stepmother, see the video:

Varieties

Previously, the genus was understood in an essentially broad sense. Many species that are now part of the genus Butterbur (Petasites) previously belonged to the genus Tussilago:

  • Butterbur smooth or radiant (Tussilago aquatica).
  • Fragrant butterbur (Tussilago pyrenaica).
  • Cold butterbur (Tussilago frigida).
  • Hybrid butterbur (Tussilago hybrida).
  • Rocky or reddish butterbur (Tussilago rubella).
  • Siberian butterbur (Tussilago sibirica).
  • Butterbur false (Tussilago spuria Retz).

Mother and stepmother infographics

Photo of mother and stepmother, her beneficial features and application:
Mother and stepmother infographic

What to remember

  1. Coltsfoot - medicinal plant which helps in the treatment of coughs, pneumonia, colds and for weight loss.
  2. Before using the plant, study what the mother-and-stepmother helps from, what are the contraindications.
  3. Collect the flowers and leaves of the plant for harvesting.

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This article will focus on four "difficult" weeds that pose a lot of problems for many farms. The fact is that in the fight against these weeds they do not work traditional methods, with the help of which most other weeds are well destroyed. Mother-and-stepmother, sow thistle, bindweed and horsetail are very poorly destroyed by glyphosate. To get rid of them completely requires the introduction of huge rates of continuous herbicide - from 6 to 10 l / ha of glyphosate, and this is a very expensive pleasure. Therefore, other drugs are used, for example, based on dicamba or clopyralid. Weeds can be effectively destroyed in fallow, wheat and corn.

Common mother and stepmother

Belongs to the Aster family. Distributed everywhere. Grows in orchards and vegetable gardens, settles on damp clay, and sometimes on barren bare rocky soils. Most burdensome in crops vegetable crops... Biology features are very fast development and intensive growth, which leads to the complete displacement of other plants.

The root system is in the form of brittle rhizomes covered with scales, penetrating into the soil to a depth of 1 m. The stem is straight, pubescent, covered with leafy scales. Leaves on shortened vegetative shoots, basal - round-cordate, serrated. The leaf blades are smooth above, white-tomentose below. The flowers are yellow, bisexual, but sterile.

The fruit is a cylindrical or tetrahedral, slightly curved achene with a drooping fly of large white hairs. The mass of 1000 seeds is 0.2-0.3 g. Seedlings from achenes and shoots from rhizome buds appear in early spring. Cotyledons are oblong, 4-6 mm long, 1-2 mm wide. The maximum fertility is 19 thousand seeds, which have a high germination capacity and germinate in the soil from a depth of no more than 2 cm.

The main control measures are aimed at destroying young outlets. This is best achieved from the earliest phase of their development. Good results are obtained by a combination of surface treatment with deep layer-by-layer loosening and cutting of rhizomes with non-moldboard tools. It is resistant to widely used herbicides. Dicamba-based preparations, which are able to penetrate into rhizomes, give positive results.

Field sow thistle, yellow

Belongs to the Aster family. Distributed everywhere. Prefers light moist places, fertile aerated soils. Causes great harm to all cultures. The economic threshold of harmfulness is 1-3 pcs / m2. Differs in high competitiveness.

The root system is powerful, branching, in the first year it deepens into the soil up to 2 m. The stem is straight, 50-150 cm high. The leaves are alternate, glabrous, pinnately dissected. Flowers are yellow, ligulate, in baskets.

The fruit is an oval-elongated wrinkled, slightly curved dark achene. Weight of 1000 seeds is 0.5-0.6 g. Seedlings from achenes and shoots from root buds appear in early spring. The minimum temperature for seed germination is 6-8 ° C, the optimum temperature is 25-29 ° C. Cotyledons 4-7 mm long, 3-5 mm wide, the first leaves are broadly obovate. The maximum fertility of one plant is up to 30 thousand achenes, which germinate from a depth of no more than 12 cm. Freshly ripened seeds have a high germination capacity. Viability of hemicarps up to 5 years.

Reproduces vegetatively. The depth of vegetative renewal of the root system is up to 1.7 m. Root sections 0.5-0.8 cm in size are capable of regeneration.

The main measures for the control of yellow thistle are constant depletion of the root system and the prevention of new root formation. Deep cultivation with cultivation and stubble cultivation with moldboard cultivators is especially effective. This is achieved in clean and busy pairs, followed by sowing of winter crops, especially winter rye, which strongly suppresses sow thistle. To combat this weed, herbicides of the 2,4-D group are used in combination with clopyralid, dicamba, chlorsulfuron.

Field bindweed

Belongs to the bindweed family. Distributed everywhere. Prefers fertile soil... In crops of grain, perennial grasses, vegetable field bindweed wraps around the stems of cultivated plants and causes them to lodge.

The root system in the form of powerfully developed branched vertical and horizontal underground organs, deepens into the soil up to 6 m.The maximum depth of vegetative renewal is 40 cm.The root system has high vitality and resistance to impact mechanical treatments... The stem is curly, glabrous, 30-200 cm long. The leaves are alternate, oblong-ovate, arrow-shaped at the base. The flowers are white or pink.

The fruit is a spherical-ovoid two-seeded capsule. Seeds obovate, slightly triangular, dark gray. The mass of 1000 seeds is 5-6 g.

Seedlings appear in early spring. The minimum temperature for seed germination is 4-6 ° C, the optimum is 18-24 ° C. Cotyledons 6-12 mm long, 6-10 mm wide. The maximum fertility of one plant is 9.8 thousand seeds, which germinate from a depth of no more than 15 cm and remain viable for up to 50 years. Root sections 1-3 cm in moist soil easily take root and give new shoots.

Mechanical measures to control the bindweed include deep pruning of the root system, after which the offspring appear slowly and in smaller numbers. Small treatments, on the contrary, increase the weediness. Suppression and weakening of weeds is achieved in dense crops of perennial grasses, winter crops, forage continuous sowing. Good results are obtained by a combination of dicamba, clopyralid with various insurance herbicides. For steam treatments, they are used in a mixture with glyphosate.

Horsetail

Belongs to the horsetail family. There is a misconception that horsetail grows only on acidic soils... But this is not so - this weed is ubiquitous. Prefers waterlogged soils of different density and reaction. It infests all crops, meadows, pastures, slopes of irrigation canals and reservoirs. Possesses highly competitive ability in relation to cultivated and weed plants. The economic threshold of harmfulness does not exceed 2-5 pcs / m2. Getting into animal feed, it causes paralysis of the respiratory center.

The root system in the form of an articular rhizome penetrates into the soil to a depth of 30-50 cm to 100 cm.The bulk of the rhizomes is concentrated at a depth of 30-60 cm. Small nodules are formed at the nodes of the rhizomes, which contain reserves nutrients... Stems spore-bearing, straight, segmented, 30-60 cm high. Whorled leaves, underdeveloped in spore-bearing stems, in fruit stems in the form of hollow segments.

It propagates both vegetatively and by spores that ripen in early spring, after which the fruiting stems die off. Shoots from spores and shoots from underground buds appear with the onset of stable warm weather. Sections of rhizomes and nodules, possessing high vitality, can grow from great depths - up to 60 cm.

The main control measures for horsetail are based on its depletion, which is usually achieved by deep pruning of the root system with moldboard tools. Chemicals the fight involves the penetration of drugs into root system... Of the herbicides, dicamba-based preparations are used. The widely used drugs of the 2,4-D group are capable of destroying only the aerial part, and after a certain time occurs full recovery the vital activity of the weed. Therefore, it is necessary to use combinations or mixtures with dicamba, fenfiz, octigen.

Latin name: Tussilago farfara L.

Description

Belongs to the Aster family. The weed is ubiquitous. Grows in gardens and orchards, settles on damp, clay, and sometimes on barren, bare, rocky soils. Most burdensome in vegetable crops. A feature of the biology of the weed is a very rapid development and intensive growth, which leads to the complete displacement of other plants.

The root system is in the form of brittle, scaly rhizomes that penetrate the soil up to 1 m. The stem is straight, pubescent, covered with leafy scales. Leaves on shortened vegetative shoots, basal - round-cordate, serrated. Leaf blades are smooth above, white-tomentose below. The flowers are yellow, bisexual, but sterile.

The fruit is a cylindrical or tetrahedral, slightly curved achene with a drooping fly of large white hairs. The mass of 1000 achenes is 0.2 ... 0.3 g. Seedlings from achenes and shoots from rhizome buds appear in early spring. Cotyledons 4 ... 6 long, 1 ... 2 mm wide, oblong. The maximum fertility is up to 19 thousand seeds, which have a high germination capacity and germinate in the soil from a depth of no more than 2 cm.

Control measures

The main measures to combat coltsfoot should be aimed at destroying young outlets. This is best achieved from the earliest phase of their development. Good results are obtained by a combination of surface processing techniques with deep layer-by-layer loosening and cutting of rhizomes with moldboard tools. The weed is resistant to widely used herbicides. Positive results are achieved using Banvel, Tordan, which have the ability to penetrate into rhizomes.

With the appearance of golden-yellow flowers on thawed patches, nature awakens from winter sleep. Mother and stepmother loves warm weather, bright sun and humid clay soil... The name "mother-and-stepmother" comes from the peculiarities of the structure of the leaves: from above they are bright green, smooth, glossy and cold to the touch - "stepmother", and from below they are white, fluffy, covered with soft delicate felt - "mother". dubbed Kamchuga grass, whitewash, butterbur. The leaves and flowers of coltsfoot are harvested in June, washed and dried in the open air in the shade, under a canopy or in dryers, so as not to grow brown.

Mother and stepmother possesses diaphoretic and expectorant properties. In folk medicine, an infusion of leaves of coltsfoot (20 g per 1 liter of boiling water) is drunk 1 glass 2-3 times a day for colds and respiratory diseases (pneumonia, bronchitis, tracheitis, pleurisy).

With chronic bronchitis coltsfoot is best combined with other expectorant and anti-inflammatory herbs. Mix 20 g of leaves of coltsfoot, flax seeds, herb of lungwort and thyme, 10 g each of coltsfoot flowers, comfrey root and chamomile flowers. Pour 1 tbsp. spoon the mixture with a glass of boiling water, simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, strain. Take 1 tbsp. spoon 4-5 times a day, sweetened with honey.

Mother and stepmother has a bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effect, protects the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract from external irritants, reduces the urge to cough.

For pleurisy, take in equal quantities, the leaves of coltsfoot, grass of the highlander bird, elder flowers. Pour 1 teaspoon of the mixture with a glass of boiling water, let it brew, strain and drink during the day for 2-3 doses in a warm state.

With a cold, very inhalations with coltsfoot and chamomile are effective. To do this, pour 1 teaspoon of coltsfoot leaves and 2 teaspoons of 500 ml hot water, boil a little, cool until warm. Then put the pot on the table, bend over it, cover your head with a towel and inhale those healing vapors for 5-10 minutes. This procedure is also suitable for cleansing the skin of the face: the skin acquires a beautiful glow, elasticity, acne and blackheads disappear.

Mother and stepmother leaves use topically, applying them to the inflamed joints for arthritis and arthrosis. Also, infusions from the leaves of coltsfoot are useful for hypertension, atherosclerosis, migraine.

Choleretic properties coltsfoot is used for gastritis and cholecystitis. For this, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of a mixture of coltsfoot leaves and yarrow herb, taken in a 1: 1 ratio, pour a glass of boiling water, leave for an hour and drink 1-2 sips before and after meals throughout the day.

Mother and stepmother renders wound healing and disinfecting effect. The crushed fresh leaves of the mother-and-stepmother are applied to, and ulcers and wounds are sprinkled with dry powder from the leaves.

Mother and stepmother mixed with celandine, yarrow, sage is used as an external remedy for psoriasis. A decoction of yellow flowers and leaves of stinging nettle, taken in equal proportions, wash your hair for hair loss and dandruff

Golden yellow flower has a haemostatic property For sore throat and bleeding gums, prepare an infusion from the flowers of the mother-and-stepmother: pour 1 tbsp. a spoonful of raw materials with a glass of boiling water, leave for 30 minutes and strain. Rinse your mouth with the prepared infusion 2 times a day, morning and evening.