Yarrow - a perennial medicinal plant with a height of 20-80 cm, endowed with a peculiar smell, with a creeping root, with little branched roots and an above-ground part. A stem grows from the rhizome, straight or slightly raised and slightly branched at the top.

The inflorescence consists of many small flowers in a box, which are placed like a shield at the top of the stem. Flowers usually have white petals, rarely pink. The fruit is a seed length of 1.5-2mm, stretched, compressed, without fluff, silver-gray in color. Yarrow blooms from July to late autumn, seeds begin to form from August.

The above-ground part of yarrow (Millefolii herba) is used for medicinal purposes. The plants are collected from the beginning of flowering until approximately the middle of the flowering period (July-August). Collect the tops of the stems together with the flowers, about 15 cm long, without the rough bases of the stems. Before drying, only inflorescences of 2-4 cm long stems are cut from the stems and dried on sieves or in a dryer not exceeding 50C.

Yarrow is included in the official medicine of many countries - Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, Australia, Romania, etc.

Ārstnieciskā nozīme

Pelašķim piemīt hemostatiskas (asins apturošas) un pretiekaisuma īpašības.

Asins apturošas īpašības atgādina kalcija jonus asinsreces procesā. hemostatiskās īpašības augā nodrošina K vitamīna klātesamība. Asins apturošās īpašības  nodrošina arī alfa filohinons un alkaloīds ahileīns. Taču patiesais pelašķa asins apturošais efekts līdz galam vēl nav izpētīts, jo pelašķis neveicina trombu veidošanos. Pelašķa fitopreparātu iedarbība uz hemokoagulācijas procesu ir vienmērīga un novērojama tikai pie ilglaicīgas to lietošanas, kā iekšķīgi, tā ārīgi.

Rūgtvielas (seskviterpenoīdie laktoni un ahileīns) kairina garšas nervu galus, rosina apetīti un pastiprina kuņģa sekrēciju. Tai pat laikā pastiprina žults izdali un aizkuņģa dziedzera iekšējās sekrēcijas funkciju. Normalizē kuņģa un zarnu trakta motoriku, mazina meteorismu. Žulti dzenošās īpašības, pelašķa preparātiem, saistās arī ar nepiesātinātām taukskābēm, steroliem un triterpēnu glikozīdiem.

Flavonoīdi un ēteriskās eļļas iedarbojas spazmolītiski uz zarnu gludo muskulatūru, urīna izvada kanāliem un žults ceļiem. Tie paplašina žults ceļus, kā arī palielina diurēzi un spēj notrulināt sāpes, kuras rada zarnu spazmas.

Miecvielas, cineols un azulēni rada pretiekaisuma, baktericīdu, pret alerģijas un brūču dziedējošu efektu.

Pelašķa ēteriskā eļļa rada antibakteriālu un pretsēnīšu iedarbību. Tā apsiež baktēriju augšanu, kuras ir izturīgas pret antibiotiku iedarbību.

Tautas medicīnā pelašķis ir pazīstams kā organismu spēcinošs un nomierinošs līdzeklis, kuram piemīt urīna un sviedru dzenoša iedarbība. To izmanto, lai ārstētu dispepsiju, caureju, kuņģa un zarnu saslimšanas, nieru un urīnceļu iekaisumus, nierakmeņu slimību, nakts nesaturēšanu, nakts polūciju, ginekoloģiskus iekaisumus, kā arī malāriju, izmanto arī  menstruālā cikla regulēšanai un laktācijas stimulācijai un kā prethelmintu līdzekli.

Svaigu pelašķa sulu kopā ar medu lieto, lai uzlabotu apetīti, tuberkulozes, anēmijas un aknu slimību gadījumā.
Iekšķīgi pelašķi lieto reiboņu, sliktas dūšas, galvas sāpju, bezmiega, histēriju, artrītu, neiralģijas gadījumā.

Pelašķa novārījumu var pielietot vannās, lai ārstētu dažāda veida kašķi. Tas pielietojams arī kā ādas kopjoš līdzeklis.

Vīriešiem

Pelašķi izmanto, lai mazinātu nakts pollūcijas un urīna izvades sistēmas iekaisumus. Maisījumos ar citiem augiem to izmanto, lai ārstētu prostatas adenomu, neauglību, impotenci, prostatītu, cistītu, tāpat to izmanto, lai uzlabotu erekcijas kvalitāti un novērstu pāragru sēklas noplūdi.

Not recommended for use

It is not recommended to use yarrow during pregnancy, in case of increased blood clotting and thrombosis. Yarrow is also not used if there is an individual intolerance to any part of the fruit.

Diet recipes

Salad from common yarrow

150 gr. sauerkraut, 25 gr. bow, 5 gr. yarrow leaf, 10 gr. vegetable oils, spices.

Meat soup with meat

In the meat soup, 3-5 minutes before the end of boiling, add the powder of common yarrow, which is made from leaves and flowers.

Common yarrow powder

The flowers and leaves of common yarrow are dried and ground into powder. The powder is used to flavor foods.

Common yarrow drink

20 gr. common yarrow flowers and leaves, 2 glasses of cranberry juice, 1 glass of honey, 3 L of water.

Place common yarrow in boiling water and boil for 5-10 minutes. Leave for 2-3 hours, separate the layers, add cranberry juice and honey, mix and pour into bottles.

Cosmetic significance

Common yarrow is a medicinal plant endowed with a specific aroma, which is considered valuable not only in folk medicine, but also in cosmetology.

Common yarrow contains many biologically active compounds that can affect blood circulation, blood clotting, as well as anti-inflammation. Among the biological components, high concentrations of sesquiterpene lactones, polyacetylenes, coumarins and flavonoids are present. The chemical compounds in common yarrow help to tone the skin and minimize pores. Some ingredients are useful against various inflammations of an infectious nature.

In cosmetics, yarrow extract is used against itching, as an antimicrobial agent, against minor skin inflammations, and enhances wound healing. Yarrow is often added to cosmetics to reduce skin peeling and restore its elasticity. In addition, yarrow stimulates the regeneration of skin cells.

Unfortunately, today yarrow extracts have been tested too little to be able to confirm their anti-inflammatory and skin softening effects.

Recent studies using yarrow extract were found to increase the thickness of the epidermal layer (2% over 2 months), thus smoothing wrinkles and minimizing pores.

Common yarrow extract is used:

• To care for problematic and oily skin;
• Get rid of acne;
• Occasional peeling of the skin;
• Treatment of damage, cuts, bruises;
• For the care of the scalp, which is prone to seborrhea;
• In case of dandruff.

Despite the many properties of this plant, it is still a plant with a double value - some of the biologically active elements in the plant prevent inflammation, at the same time, there are those that directly cause it. Therefore, it is advisable to use this plant carefully in case of sensitive skin. In addition, it can dry out the skin.

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