Those whose childhood is connected with the Soviet Union, well remember these remarkable "barbarisk" — sosatelny candies with characteristic sourish taste. Now the barberry is associated with refined culinary seasoning and also with the well-known British firm Burberry which, however, has not enough relation to this plant (except accord of the name, "barberry" in English — "varberry"). And actually this sourish and fragrant berry conceals in itself huge amount of useful qualities that is noticed long ago not only by sorcerers and herbalists, but also producers of quite traditional dosage forms and medical cosmetics. So, that the barberry treats and how "to use" it?
As it is simple to guess, the barberry has no high caloric content: in 100 g of berries slightly less than 30 kcal so a barberry for weight loss — a fine product contain.
In berries of this plant there is a lot of ascorbic acid and fillokhinon. Besides, vitamin E, carotene, apple, lemon, wine and other organic acids, alkaloids (berberin, a palmitin, yatrotsin, berberrubin, oksiakantin, serotonin, leontin), pectins, glucose and fructose and also salts of various minerals and essential oils are its part.
Proceeding from the chemical composition of a plant it is possible to speak about its useful qualities. Concerning a barberry, first of all, it is worth mentioning the berberena, though this alkaloid contains also in other plants, he is obliged to a barberry by the name and from it was for the first time allocated.
This substance has bile-expelling properties, stimulates muscles, reduces attacks of tachycardia and hypertension and also has the anti-inflammatory, bactericidal and anesthetizing properties.
In roots of a plant the substances capable to oppress development of some types of cancer cells are found.
The barberry is used for a stop of uterine and other bleedings, for treatment of cholecystitis, jaundice and also the malaria and some other diseases transferred by tropical insects.
In the east the broths made of bark and branches of a plant use as knitting and sedative, besides, with their help remove various inflammations of external bodies and a mouth.
The kislyanka (other name of a barberry) at diseases of a liver, kidneys, lungs, a stomach, gall bladder is used and also at diabetes, sciatica and as wound healing, febrifugal and antimicrobial means.
Whether you know? Useful properties of a barberry were successfully used still by ancient Babylonians, Hindus, Greeks and residents of Entre Rios. The first mentions of this berry in the context of its ability to clean blood belong to the middle of the VII century B.C., and since then use of this surprising plant only extended.
The barberry has ability to clean and rejuvenate an organism, not without reason, as well as a cranberry, it is called rejuvenating berry. Thanks to the high content of vitamins the plant is useful for the general strengthening of health, at colds and the lowered immunity.
Whether you know? It is considered that the constant use of a barberry is capable to facilitate thirst for a cigarette or alcohol at those who try to get rid of these addictions.
Positive action of a barberry on nervous system and even mood of the person is noted.
The alkaloid emitted from a barberry berberin (Berberin) is the drug produced in tablets and widely applied in medicine. This medicine, at the same time being holeretiky and spasmolysant, often use in treatment of diseases of biliary tract, a gall bladder and liver. Besides improvement of allocation and outflow of bile, fluidifying of its structure and normalization of structure, the patient as a result of intake of medicine tests much less pain.
As a part of other medicines alkaloids of a barberry are capable to stop bleedings, to slow down the accelerated heartbeat and to lower arterial blood pressure of blood.
As it was told, the kislyanka is very widely used in traditional medicine, and, besides berries, useful medicinal raw materials can be received literally from all parts of plants — leaves, stalks, bark and even roots.
The ability of a plant to normalize body temperature allows to use it at various fevers. We pound a small handful of dried fruits in a mortar, we fill in with one and a half glasses of water and we weary on slow fire half an hour from the moment of boiling. It is standard daily rate of broth. We filter, we add boiled water in the same quantity which evaporated in the course of cooking, and we accept three times a day equal parts before food.
For decrease in body temperature it is also possible to drink the broth prepared from the dried-up plant flowers.
Also such vitamins will be useful to you: vitamin N, methionine, metoksantin, cyanocobalamine, polyphenols, orotovy acid.
The broth prepared from barberry bark will help to remove inflammation of gums. The bark (couple of pinches) which is dried up and pounded in a mortar is filled in with a glass of water, brought to boiling, in a minute removed from fire, covered, allow to cool down completely, then filtered. Ready broth is used for rinsing of the inflamed mouth.
On the same technology it is possible to prepare broth from plant roots, too it is good to use it for rinsing.
At hepatitis spirit barberry tincture which is on sale in drugstores well helps, but it can be made independently. Two tablespoons of the crushed dry leaves of a plant fill in with a half of a glass of vodka or medical alcohol and insist two weeks in heat and dryness then they filter. Ready medicine has almost cognac color and pleasant sourness.
Important! It is necessary to store spirit tincture far from light (better in an opaque or dark container).
Reception — three times a day on 30 drops within two-three weeks, depending on a state.
Besides, for treatment of hepatitis use broth of roots of a plant. The dried-up raw materials are crushed, the small pinch (1/2 h a spoon) is filled in with a glass of water and half an hour is uparivat on weak fire. Then broth needs to be cooled, added the evaporated amount of water and to accept as well as spirit tincture.
The spirit tincture made according to the above-stated recipe from leaves of a kislyanka is used also for a stop of bleedings.
At a neurasthenia spirit barberry tincture is shown (the recipe is described above). The medicinal effect, medicine gives at reception of 40 drops from three to four times a day.
Besides broths and tinctures from leaves, for normalization of work of kidneys and a liver prepare also infusion from plant bark. In a thermos it is necessary to fill 30 g of the dried-up and crushed raw materials, to fill in half of liter of abrupt boiled water and to insist at least four hours. Then ready means is filtered and accepted four times a day on a half-glass. A course — 30 days.
At gout spirit tinctures from kislyanka roots are recommended. She prepares the same as tincture from leaves, and is accepted three times a day on 30 drops.
The considered plant has surprising quality to remove attacks of nausea and even vomiting. It is the for this purpose best of all to apply a barberry in the form of broths from leaves (the recipe is given above).
It is important! If attacks of nausea are manifestation of toxicosis, before the use of a barberry it is necessary to consult with the attending physician as during pregnancy the kislyanka with its ability to tone up walls of a uterus can lead to undesirable consequences.
It is good to crush the dried-up leaves of a kislyanka, to fill in two tablespoons of raw materials with a glass of water and to weary on slow fire a quarter of hour. To remove from fire, to cover and allow to cool down to room temperature. To filter, add the boiled-away amount of water and to accept two teaspoons three times a day.
The infusions and broths prepared in the above ways from a kislyanka found broad application and as external medicine, in particular, in cosmetology. Wiping of problem sites of skin by them helps to get rid of some types of rash, to smooth a little wrinkles and to give to epidermis healthier and young look.
Impact of such funds for hair is also made by curative effect, strengthens a hair bulb and even, at small manifestations, eliminates dandruff.
From berries of a barberry it is possible to prepare various masks — both for the person, and for hair.
In the first case we will take 2 tablespoons of the fruits killed in the blender, we will grate ½ sour apples, we will well mix everything, we will add ½ tablespoons of flour and sour cream. We apply a freshly cooked mask to the cleaned face skin on a quarter of hour, then we wash away warm green tea or camomile broth.
The mask for hair is preparing as follows: we fill up several tablespoons of the fresh or dried-up berries in a thermos, we add 0.5 liters of abrupt boiled water, we close, we insist 2-3 hours and we rinse hair after shampoo use. For medical effect the course has to proceed not less than two months.
As it was told, in a barberry all is useful literally. To prepare fruits, there are two ways — freezing and drying. In the medicinal purposes the second option is usually used. Berry is picked after final maturing, dried in an oven, the special dryer or in the open air (in a shadow) until fruits do not gain the same consistence as dried fruits known to all.
Important! It is not necessary to overdry berry, it should not crumble and break!
The dried-up fruits display on paper or linen bags and store in the dry place.
Color of a barberry is cut off until when flowers begin to wither, and leaves, opposite — after blossoming ended.
Bark is cut off right after frosts (spring), and by roots — before them (fall). Best of all for this purpose to choose the grown old plant which goes under demolition as similar execution, kind of you were not very cautious, cannot but do harm to a bush. When collecting leaves and flowers it is rather simple to show healthy sense of proportion that "under a cut" only a small part of green material went, in this case the plant will not suffer a serious loss.
Whether you know? The raw materials period of storage — three years, but is better to use it during the season as the longer the dried-up plant is stored, the it contains less useful substances.
As well as any medicine, a barberry, besides numerous and indisputable useful properties, has also certain contraindications.
Besides possible allergic reactions which always need to be meant at consumption of berries of red color and also the products containing ascorbic acid, this plant and medicines supporting him are not strongly recommended to use at formation of stones in a gall bladder (the strong holeretichesky effect which gives berberin, in the absence of appropriate medical control, can lead to serious problems).
And also at a tsirrotichny liver, thrombophlebitis, brain spasms. It is undesirable to accept a barberry during pregnancy. Berry is contraindicated to kids, and children before achievement of 12-year age should give it with care, previously having convinced of lack of side effects.
Important! Nobody can use immature berries of a barberry — they are poisonous!
In general the barberry is not only tasty, but also exclusively useful plant which will help to get rid without use of "heavier" medicines of a set of various diseases. And still it is necessary to remember that, first, no medicine can be applied uncontrolledly; secondly, if the disease is in a sharp form or its symptoms raise at least the slightest doubts — it is necessary to see surely behind consultation a doctor and not to self-medicate.