Yarrow

Achillea millefolium L.

Soldatört, orphan

BASKET Flowering plants

Asteraceae (Compositae)

The Latin epithet millefolium means tusenbladig and aimed at röllekans finflikiga leaves. Already 4000 years ago believed that the Chinese plant had miraculous properties. The family name Achillea comes from Achilles, the Greek hero who was invulnerable - the herb was used early as sårmedel. Place name achilleios are already at Hippocrates, but it is uncertain if it was our yarrow is referring.

Yarrow were often in the consecrated bundles of plants once common in southern Germany. In folk medicine used long an alcohol extract of yarrow, known millefoliumbrännvin, inwardly and outwardly against a whole range of diseases and ailments. Röllekans dried flower baskets were formerly officinal, and was used as a nerve agent. The plant's effect is mainly due to it contains an essential oil and bitter substances.

In many countries have to increase the durability of wine used to hang a bag of röllekafrukter in wine barrels. The Related SNEEZE WORT, Achillea ptarmica, previously used as medicinal plants, in China, the three thousand years ago used in divination.

NOTE! For large dose gives dizziness and headache.

Occurrence: General across the country, most of the cultivated land, roadsides, lawns on cultivated land in the mountains.

Appearance: A 30-70 cm tall, perennial herb with erect, rigid, leaf-bearing stem. Blade 2-3 times PARTITE, many tabs, hairy. Flowers white or pink (June-July), in small baskets in the flat broom equal positions. Ray florets short, white (or pink). Disk Flowers cream-colored. Earth Tribe crawling. Taste bitter. Aromatic scent.

Using parts of plants: flowering above-ground portion of the plant.

Ingredients: Essential oil with azulene and eucalyptol. Flavonoids apigenin and luteolin, combined with sugar molecules. Seskviterpenlaktonerna miliefolid and acetylbalchanolid. The nitrogenous compounds betaine, stachydrin and betonicin.

Medical effects: Anti-convulsant, anti-inflammatory, appetite stimulant, increases the secretion of digestive fluids. Cough suppressants. Astringent, wound-healing.

Use: Internal at spasm of the gastrointestinal tract, dysmenorrhoea, loss of appetite, coughing. Topical products for wrapping and SPONGING of chronic wounds. Ribes rubrum L.