Most experts consider the thick frankincense as an excellent prophylactic that can prevent the further development of a large number of ailments. At the same time, both leaves and root shoots of the plant are often used as raw materials. After reading this article, you can find out exactly what diseases can be cured with the help of decoctions and tinctures based on incense.
Description of the frankincense
According to international classification, the incense is called Bergenia crassifolia. It belongs to the species of perennial herbaceous plants and is a representative of the Kamchatka family. As a separate genus, it was isolated in 1760 when a plant specimen of frankincense was sent for study and thorough analysis to Karl Linnaeus.
Already at the beginning of the XIX century, a huge number of expeditions were organized in Transbaikalia and Altai in order to detect plantings of this plant and collect it in large numbers. In those days, it was incense that was used for tanning the skin due to the high content of relevant substances in its composition.
It features a long and creeping rhizome, from which the main vertical stem branches down. The stem of the incense has a rich red color and reaches a height of 50 cm. The plant belongs to the evergreen, while the shoots form a small basal rosette.
Did you know? In 2007, the Siberian Medical University conducted a series of studies to establish the medicinal properties of frankincense. It turned out that the plant is a very powerful hepatoprotector, which is able to restore liver function by 5-15%.
In June, its flowering period begins.when small purple bells collected on panicled inflorescences appear on the stems. When this stage ends, small boxes with seeds appear on the incense.
The natural zone for the growth of thick badiana are the central regions of Asia, Korea, China and Tibet. This plant is often found in the Republic of Belarus and in Siberia. This representative of the flora prefers rocky regions with a thick snow cover, as well as a coniferous forest zone.
Landing and care
Since the plant is quite unpretentious in care, it can be grown on any soil. The only exceptions are excessively wet and marshy soils. To prevent the problem of decay of the root system, it is enough to simply pour a small amount of expanded clay into the pit for planting to create a drainage layer.
Did you know? Last year's leaves of frankincense almost never rot under the snow! Already in mid-spring, they dry out, and they can be collected for decoctions and tinctures.
The plant develops best in partial shade, although in the wild it tolerates drought and long periods of heat. An important condition in such situations is frequent watering, since the roots of the frangipani close to the surface of the soil.
For this reason, do not loosen the soil too intensively before or after wetting, because you can damage small young processes of the root system.
This plant can be propagated by both root shoots and seeds. The latter method is less effective, as incense constantly needs comfortable conditions: high temperatures, moisture, partial shade. In one place, a plant can develop up to 10 years without transplanting to a new place.
Fertilizer
For the comfortable development of this representative of the flora, it is necessary to apply mineral fertilizers to the soil on time. In mid-April, before the sap flow begins, it is necessary to use the drug "Gumi-OMI spring."
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To do this, the soil is loosened to a depth of not more than 5 cm, so as not to touch the root system, and 100 g of the product are applied under each plant.
The second top dressing for a year is made 14 days after the end of the flowering period. When new leaves and flowers begin to appear, the Kemira-Kombi preparation can be safely added to the zone of the basal circle. It is enough to dissolve 15 g in a bucket of water to process an area of 2 m².
When transplanting a plant to a new place, it is advisable to use a product called Bionex (50 g per 10 liters of water). It helps the frankincense quickly adapt to new conditions.
Watering
So that the broadleaf plant does not dry out during the active phase of growth, it is necessary to water it regularly.
Soil wetting technology also has its own characteristics:
- the first watering should be done during the formation of the buds;
- the second time the soil is moistened after 10 days (during flowering);
- after this, watering is carried out regularly, every 15-18 days.
It is worth adding water to the soil once every two weeks only if the season is very dry and the trunk circle is really dry. If the flowering phase coincided with the rainy period, it is not necessary to carry out additional watering so as not to provoke rotting of the root system.
Pruning
This procedure does not cause any problems for gardeners, as it involves the standard removal of damaged parts and branches after winter. You can also carefully trim the shoots, which have grown very much. In addition, the presence of large leaf-shaped plates in the basal zone is characteristic of the incense.
They protect the underground part of the plant from drying out, and also allow longer to retain moisture in the soil. Over time, they dry out and begin to fall. In order to maintain the decorative shrub for a maximum period, gardeners break off the plates at the first external signs of wilting, replacing them with a dense layer of mulch in the root zone.
Disease and Pest Prevention
Badan is an ornamental plant that is very resistant to diseases and pests of various types. It begins to fade only under the influence of prolonged bad weather conditions or improper care. In such cases, incense affects ramulariosis. This fungal infection is characterized by the appearance of brown spots on the surface of the leaves. From the back they are covered with a barely noticeable whitish coating.
As the disease develops, the incense withers, and then completely dries out. To eliminate the disease, it is necessary to treat the plant with Fundazolum (10 g per 10 l) or copper sulfate (300 g of the drug, 400 g of lime, 10 l of water).
As for pests, two types of parasites are the most common for incense:
- Slobbery pennies - pests that most often affect plants that are constantly in the shade. In order to exterminate them, it is necessary to treat the canopy with Aktara (8 g of active substance per 10 liters of water) at a temperature of + 21 ° C to + 27 ° C.
- Nematodes - insects, for the complete extermination of which you will need to dig a bush, pickle it in a light solution of potassium permanganate and transplant to a new place. The affected area should be treated with Actellicum (2 ml per 1 liter of water). You can plant flowers or trees on this place only after a year.
Chemical composition
The composition of badan is dominated by tannins, which account for up to 30%. Most of them are tannins, which are used to stop bleeding, have an antibacterial effect, and also inhibit the secretion of glands. Gallic acid (up to 23%) is secreted in second place by percentage in the composition of badan.
Other substances, such as arbutin, ascorbic acid, hydroquinone can be found in the plant in a ratio of not more than 10%.
Badan is considered a very useful representative of the flora., since its composition additionally includes a large number of volatile, micro and macro elements, as well as vitamins A, C and group B.
Interestingly, over time, the amount of tannins in the leaves decreases, and in the rhizome it increases. It is useful to know gardeners who decide to grow frankincense for the prevention and treatment of various diseases.
Useful properties of Mongolian tea
In Mongolia, tea from badan is considered a national drink. Leaves are harvested in early spring, and then dried for a year. After that, they can be stored for several years without fear that they will deteriorate. A decoction of them is a source of vitamins and many beneficial substances.
It is especially useful to use it in the winter to people who are prone to frequent colds., since the composition of tea includes vitamins C and P, which can increase immunity. Among other components of the Mongolian drink, caffeine, catechin and theobromine are distinguished, which help to maintain the body in good shape and nourish it with energy.
In moderate doses, tea copes well with thirst, improves the functioning of the genitourinary and cardiovascular systems, and also prevents the development of bronchitis. That is why it is often prescribed for sick colds or tonsillitis. It is undesirable to drink such a drink to people who suffer from hypertension, tachycardia, as well as allergies.
The application of the frankincense
This plant was used to treat various diseases in ancient China.
- Decoctions and tinctures based on incense help to cope with the following symptoms:
- fever;
- long non-healing wounds and inflammations;
- stomatitis and acute toothache;
- genitourinary tract inflammation;
- colitis;
- migraine
- hemorrhoids;
- too much bleeding during menstruation.
Before using the leaves and roots of the incense they are prepared in a special way. This helps preserve the healing properties of the raw materials. The stems must be washed, cut and dried for a month at a temperature of + 45 ° C (for example, 3-4 hours a day in an open oven).
After that, dried frankincense can be stored in tissue bags for up to 5 years.
Cosmetic tincture
The plant is also often used for cosmetic purposes, helping to reduce oily skin, remove acne, and narrow vessels.
To prepare a tincture to combat acne, it is worth sticking to the following algorithm:
- Take 45 g of crushed rhizomes of the plant.
- Pour them with 110 ml of medical alcohol.
- Insist liquid for 5 days, then strain.
- Use pointwise (to care for the most problematic areas).
If there are inflamed wounds on the face, you can soak gauze or a cotton pad with this solution and apply to the affected areas. If you dilute the same tincture with water in a ratio of 1: 6, then you can use it as a hair rinse. This will give them shine and relieve dandruff.
Important! Do not use alcohol-based cosmetic tincture for daily rubbing of the skin. The aggressive effect of high percent alcohol on the face on a regular basis will lead to even greater excretion of subcutaneous fat and worsen the situation.
Decoction for dysentery
With the help of a healthy decoction prepared on the basis of badiana leaves, you can get rid of problems such as impaired metabolism, flatulence or diarrhea.
The recipe for the drink is as follows:
- Grind 30 g of leaves and 30 g of plant rhizomes. Mix them together.
- Pour dry raw materials with boiling water and boil until the water evaporates completely.
- Squeeze the resulting gruel and strain into a glass container.
- The resulting medicine is taken 3 times a day, 25 drops.
Also good for indigestion is healing tea based on incense. At the same time, you should not combine it with other herbs, because it significantly weakens the effect of the medicinal plant on the body.
You can make tea in this way:
- Take 20 g of dried leaves of frankincense and pour boiling water.
- Boil over low heat for half an hour.
- Strain the liquid and drink it 40 ml before meals three times a day.
Wound healing extract
The broth, which is made from the rhizomes of this medicinal plant, has an astringent and hemostatic effect. That is why many doctors recommend that, in addition to the main course of treatment, use infusions based on incenseto eliminate sore throat, stomatitis, intestinal infections and gastrointestinal diseases. Often, the extract of this plant is also used internally for bleeding of a gynecological nature.
The preparation of the wound healing extract is as follows:
- Grind 30 g of incense rhizomes.
- To build a water bath: take two pots (one larger diameter, and the second smaller), put one in the other. Pour so much water into a large container so that its level reaches the middle of the inner pan, into which you need to pour the incense and pour 250 ml of hot water.
- Cover the smaller container with a lid and simmer the raw materials in a water bath for at least half an hour.
- After that, remove the pan and leave to stand for another 1 hour (do not open the lid until ready).
- Strain the finished extract, cool, pour into a glass container and store in the refrigerator.
- Take medicine 40 g 3 times a day.
Hypotonic infusion
Such a decoction helps to lower blood pressure and improve the condition of the cardiovascular system as a whole.
Preparation of tincture should be carried out according to this recipe:
- Grind 25 g of rhizomes of incense.
- Pour them with boiling water (250 ml) and let it brew for 1.5 hours.
- After this, the broth needs to be filtered and poured into a glass container.
- It can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 3 days.
- Take the infusion 4 times a day before meals, 30 ml.
There is another description of the preparation of a hypotonic medication:
- Take about 30–35 g of dried frankincense leaves and mix them with 7 g of lemon peel and 10 g of grated horseradish.
- Add 110 g of honey to the dry portion.
- Pour the components of 0.5 liters of vodka.
- Stir the ingredients, let it brew for 15 minutes. After that, you can strain the mixture and pour into a glass container. Store medicine only in the refrigerator.
- Take it after meals 3 times a day (no more than 1 tsp. Once).
- The course of treatment is one and a half months.
Important! Such a drug is not suitable for hypertensive use, as it will provoke an excessive increase in blood pressure.
Cranberry therapeutic tincture is recommended for hypotensive patients:
- Mix 250 ml of beet, cranberry and carrot juice.
- Add 15 ml squeezed incense leaves and 15 g honey to the mixture.
- Then dilute the resulting drink with 150 g of medical alcohol.
- All components must be thoroughly mixed (it is better to use a mixer for this).
- The mixture should be infused for 72 hours, after which it can be placed in the refrigerator and used as intended.
- It is recommended to use tincture 3 times a day before meals (no more than 1 tbsp. Per reception).
- The course of treatment lasts 2 months.
Badan is a medicinal plant, which, if used correctly, can help to cure many different diseases, for example, indigestion, problems with the skin and even malfunctions of the cardiovascular system. With the correct preparation of decoctions, their respective application, as well as preliminary medical advice, you can significantly improve your health.