The herbal plant sandy immortelle has several species and differs from other representatives in beautiful flowers that seem to be dried, but at the same time they grow and bloom to the fullest. The popular plant has other names, for example, dried flowers, frost-grass, yellow cat’s legs. The homeland of the sandy immortelle is the regions of Russia, Western Siberia and the Caucasus. The plant is widely used for medicinal purposes and helps to heal various kinds of diseases.
Description and chemical composition
A perennial herb has a woody rhizome, bright long-flowering yellow flowers. The maximum height of the immortelle reaches 40 cm. The stems rise and branch in the inflorescence area, the leaves have different shapes. For example, the upper and middle ones are “sedentary”, obtuse, lanceolate-linear in shape, while the lower ones taper into a petiole and grow oblong.
The feeling is created that the flowers are collected in a spherical basket. Dense, corymbose inflorescences are yellow and orange in color, as well as a soft tuft of hair. As a result of flowering, fruits of a small oblong shape, which have a brown color, appear.
The flowering period is June-August, but a second flowering is possible in August-September. The duration of the “life” of yellow baskets is 10-15 days.
The medicinal herb has a rich chemical composition, which consists of tannins, essential oils, flavonoids, coumarins, flavonoglycosides, vitamins, polysaccharides, minerals and other components. Sandy immortelle contains a large amount of ascorbic acid, salts of potassium, iron, calcium, manganese and copper.
The healing properties of the plant
The herb of a medicinal plant has a lot of medicinal properties, but it has the greatest effect on the bile excretion system. In addition to the choleretic effect, it is recommended to use the immortelle as an expectorant, analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent. The herbal plant is also used for the purpose of:
- increased production of bile;
- increasing the content of bilirubin in the body;
- providing antiparasitic action;
- prevention and treatment of the endocrine system;
- normalization of metabolism;
- treatment of cholecystitis, cholangitis, biliary dyskinesia;
- normalization of the chemical composition of blood.
The medicinal plant is used as a diuretic, can remove kidney stones and restore water-salt balance. The latter effect is especially relevant for patients with osteochondrosis. The action of the herb helps to normalize the function of the vertebrae, fight bacteria and microbes, destroy worms and relieve tension.
Preparations containing sandy immortelle are used to heal open wounds, stop uterine bleeding, normalize heart rate and heart function in general, lower cholesterol and fight coughs. The herb of the plant has an antispasmodic, analgesic and antibacterial effect.
Contraindications for use
Each medicine has side effects and contraindications. It is not allowed to use the sandy immortelle if you have one of the following problems:
- hypertensive heart disease;
- thrombophlebitis;
- individual intolerance to the drug;
- obstructed outflow of bile;
- gastritis.
It is worth noting that the substance contained in the immortelle herb (cmin) has toxic properties and accumulates in the liver, which provokes blood stagnation. Therefore, it is not recommended to use drugs for a long time.
