Useful properties of geranium and its use for medicinal purposes

Botanical reference books call geranium "home pelargonium." Unpretentiousness in leaving and beautiful appearance did a plant the leader among flowers for the house. Red, white, pink flowers on the windowsill delight the owners eye almost all year round. But many breed pelargonium not only because of their appearance. It is known that geranium has many useful properties. Connoisseurs of traditional medicine are sure that a fragrant plant can help cope with almost any disease. We will figure out how geranium is used in folk recipes, what these methods have limitations and contraindications.

Step into the past

The birthplace of geranium is the south of the African continent. Travelers brought it to Europe at the end of the 17th century. Since then, geraniums have been actively bred as a home plant. It happens and wild - such a geranium is called meadow. The area of ​​its growth is the mountainous regions of the European part of the continent, the Caucasus Mountains. Most geraniums grow in Alpine meadows. The fertile soils of this area, the abundance of moisture, the bright sun are ideal for growth and flowering.

Initially, pelargonium played a role exclusively decorative. Its benefits became known only two centuries later.

At first, people noticed the positive effect of the flower on the air around. It was cleaned, dampness, toxic impurities left. The poorest segments of the population, having no other opportunity to improve their conditions, began to actively breed pelargonium at home. Because of this, geranium was called the "plant of the urban poor."

Scientific evidence of the beneficial properties of geraniums has appeared only recently. Its strongest bactericidal effect, capable of destroying all microbes around itself, surprised scientists. Pelargonium is now actively used to treat various diseases, as well as to get rid of insects at home.

Composition

The benefits of geranium are due to the presence of many essential oils in its composition. For therapeutic purposes, you can use all parts: roots, stems, leaves and flowers.

The composition of the plant includes:

• geranium essential oil;
• phenols;
• phenolic compounds;
• sucrose;
• triterpene saponins;
• hemicellulose;
• starch;
• vitamins;
• alkaloids;
• phenol carboxylic acids;
• lemon acid;
• gallic acid;
• flavonoids;
• catechins;
• vitamins;
• ellagotannins;
• gum.

The highest content of beneficial acids and essential oils is in leaves and flowers, therefore, they are mainly taken for the manufacture of medicinal decoctions. Roots and stems contain natural phenol - one of the strongest preservatives. Geranium is also rich in tannins and hemostatic substances. Therefore, the plant is effective for external and internal bleeding.

It is interesting!

Geranium copes with the destruction of Staphylococcus aureus. Therefore, it is actively used in the treatment of respiratory diseases, gastrointestinal tract caused by this microorganism.

Essential oil

Essential oil is obtained from the leaves of perennial home or meadow geraniums by steam distillation. Its aroma is warm, floral, with oil notes, vaguely reminiscent of the smell of rose flowers. It is colorless, light, and has good fluidity.

The most popular use of geranium essential oil is the treatment of diseases of the ENT organs. Many are limited only by this, although the scope is enormous.

1. This remedy for depression enhances mental, physical activity.
2. It relieves skin diseases: dermatitis, eczema.Heals burns, frostbite.
3. Effective pain medication.
4. Improves blood pressure, blood microcirculation in the heart muscle.
5. Helps with neuralgia, neuritis, radicular syndrome.
6. Helps with diseases of the "female" sphere. It normalizes hormonal levels, facilitates premenstrual syndrome, and relieves menstrual pain. It is used for inflammation of the mammary glands.

Important!

Treatment with essential oils cannot be carried out longer than two to three weeks. After this, a break is required.

Geranium-based oil can be obtained independently at home. To do this, you need to collect young leaves with plant flowers and grind them into gruel. Then place the greens in a glass dish, fill with medical alcohol in a ratio of 2: 1. Close the lid tightly, put in the sun to insist. After two weeks, pour olive or corn oil (1: 1 ratio to the total amount of infusion). Close the container tightly, soak in the sun for another two weeks. Now the mixture needs to be filtered and poured into jars of dark glass. Keep homemade butter in a place inaccessible to children and animals.

Important!

Geranium should not be used orally on an empty stomach. A high acid content will negatively affect the condition of the mucous membranes.

Harvesting and storage of geraniums

Most nutrients are found in red meadow geraniums. This plant uses leaves, stems, roots. In other species, only the aerial part is collected.

The collection of leaves, flowers and stalks of meadow geraniums is carried out during its flowering. Raw materials are dried under canopies or inside special dryers at a temperature of 45⁰C. Then crushed and stored in glass or wooden containers for not more than a year.

The roots are harvested in the fall (the best months for this are September and October). They are washed, dried at a temperature of 60⁰C. Roots are stored longer - up to two years - in bags of natural fibers.

If you want to use your home geranium for treatment, it does not need to be prepared specially. For the preparation of decoctions and infusions, freshly picked leaves with flowers are suitable.

Beneficial features

The list of useful properties of geranium is very extensive. This is a multifunctional tool:

• bactericidal;
• antiviral;
• antiseptic;
• hemostatic;
• painkiller;
• diuretic;
• decongestant;
• sedative;
• antidiabetic.

Geranium in the apartment cleans the air of pathogenic microorganisms and reduces the likelihood of respiratory diseases.

Application

Indoor geranium is used to treat many diseases. Here are the most popular applications.

1. Heart and cardiovascular system. The medicinal plant normalizes the work of the heart muscle, evens out the rhythm of the heart. If you attach a piece of geranium to your wrist, you can bring your blood pressure back to normal. Flowers and leaves will help relieve headaches caused by spasms of blood vessels.
2. Diseases of the upper respiratory tract: acute respiratory infections, SARS, tonsillitis. Pelargonium relieves symptoms (runny nose and cough), relieve sore throat. To do this, gargle with an infusion of leaves, and freshly squeezed plant juice can be dripped into the nose.
3. Gastrointestinal tract. Geranium reduces the acidity of gastric juice and alleviates the condition in chronic gastritis.
4. Diseases of the liver, gall bladder, biliary tract. Just the presence of a medicinal flower in the house alleviates the condition of a chronic patient.
5. Otitis. For treatment, you need to slightly stretch the leaf in your hands, roll it into a tube and place it in your ear.
6. Toothache. Crumpled leaves of home geraniums are applied to a diseased tooth. Essential oils and phenol compounds relieve discomfort. But the plant cannot cure tooth decay, therefore, a visit to the dentist is indispensable.
7. Rheumatism. Compresses with essential oil and the intake of fresh leaves inside relieve pain. For a compress, rub the leaves into gruel and attach to the sore spot for one hour. After this time, the greens must be replaced.
8. Stones and salt deposits in the kidneys.
9. Sedative. Geranium broth is used to normalize the state of the nervous system. A tablespoon of dry meadow geranium pour a glass of boiling water and simmer for 10 minutes. Let the broth brew for an hour, strain, bring the volume to the original chilled boiled water. Drink two tablespoons up to five times a day.
10. Geranium is also able to stop minor bleeding. For example, if the nose bleeds.

The plant is able to alleviate the condition in many diseases. However, in acute cases, it is better to consult a doctor.

Geranium Recipes

There are an incredible amount of ways to make stems, leaves, flowers of geranium. We list the proven and most popular methods.

Decoction of leaves and roots

For cooking, you need dry raw materials (it is sold in a pharmacy).

1. A tablespoon of dry chopped geranium pour 200 ml of boiling water.
2. Boil for five minutes.
3. Cool, strain through cheesecloth.
4. After adding boiled water, bring the volume of the broth to 200 ml.

This broth is used inside three times a day with meals. It helps with diseases of the upper respiratory tract.

Eye drops

Drops for eyes from geranium juice relieve inflammation and pain, normalize eye pressure. But before using them, you must definitely consult a doctor.

Order of preparation:

1. finely chop the leaves with a knife;
2. squeeze the juice through cheesecloth;
3. dilute it with warm boiled water in a ratio of 1: 1.

Drip the diluted juice daily, two drops in the corner of each eye once a day. The course of treatment is a month. Diluted juice can alleviate the condition with cataracts, blurred eyes, as well as inflammation and suppuration.

Otitis Recipe

In addition to a rolled sheet of geranium from otitis media, a compress will help.

1. Pound five to ten grams of leaves in the pulp.
2. Add rye or oat flour (40-60 g) and a tablespoon of camphor alcohol.
3. Knead the dough.

Roll up the resulting mass and wrap the ear from the outside. Freshly squeezed juice can be dripped inside. Cover your ear with compression paper, insulate with cotton or a towel, and secure with a bandage. The compress must be left overnight. For a complete cure, 3-4 procedures are required.

Leaf infusion

To prepare the infusion, you need two tablespoons of freshly picked leaves. Pour them with two glasses of chilled boiled water. Insist for about eight hours. The resulting fluid is a daily dose for an adult.

Infusion is used for the following pathologies.

1. Gastritis. Drink a tablespoon every two hours daily.
2. Diarrhea Divide the glass of infusion into three parts and drink them a day until the condition is relieved.
3. Rheumatism and gout. Drink the infusion in small portions throughout the day. This will reduce joint pain.

Decoction of the roots

A decoction of geranium roots helps dissolve kidney stones. It’s easy to cook.

1. Pour a tablespoon of raw materials with a glass of cold water.
2. Boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, insist another hour.
4. Strain.
5. Add chilled boiled water to the broth to make the total volume of liquid equal to one glass.

With kidney stones, you need to drink half a glass of such a decoction up to four times a day. The duration of treatment is no more than three weeks.

Contraindications

Like any medicinal herb, geraniums have contraindications. If used incorrectly, it can cause harm.

Particular care must be taken in the following cases.

1. In the treatment of children. Decoctions, infusions and juice can be used only externally. Inside, geranium is allowed to be taken only after 18 years.
2. During pregnancy and lactation. The harmful effects of pelargonium juice on the fetus and breast milk have not been studied by scientists. Therefore, during pregnancy, it is better not to use geraniums. With lactation, accurate external use is permissible under the supervision of a physician.
3. With a stomach ulcer. Acids from geranium juice can cause exacerbation.
4. With thrombophlebitis, geranium can provoke a blood clot.
5. With constipation. People with impaired bowel function should not experiment with geraniums: deterioration is not ruled out.

With caution, pelargonium should be used at home for people with chronic diseases and elderly patients. Before using folk recipes, you need to consult a doctor. He will tell you in detail whether the infusion of geranium will harm the existing problems.

Home geranium not only pleases the eye, but also helps to cure many diseases. Get it on your windowsill and give yourself the most important thing - health.