Shepherd’s bag: application, description, photo of the plant, what helps, reviews

Shepherd’s purse is used for a wide range of diseases. Before using a medicinal herb, you need to study its composition and properties.

Shepherd’s purse: poisonous plant or not

Shepherd’s purse is a completely safe plant that does not have toxic substances in its composition. But at the same time, only whole and healthy leaf plates can be used for medicinal purposes.

Parts of the plant with traces of diseases are not suitable for the preparation of decoctions and infusions. Fungi that affect the shepherd’s purse can indeed be poisonous.

What does a shepherd’s purse look like?

Shepherd’s purse, or shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) is an annual herbaceous plant of the Cabbage family with a thin fusiform root and a single erect stem. It has pinnate lower leaves, collected in a rosette at the base of the shoot, and oblong upper plates of a sessile type.

The shepherd’s purse rises up to 20-60 cm above the ground

From April to August, the annual blooms with white small flowers collected in umbrella-shaped brushes. From May to September, the fruits of the plant ripen – pods up to 8 mm long, slightly compressed from the sides. Inside are flattened oval seeds.

Where does shepherd’s purse grow

The shepherd’s bag is widespread in Our Country and in Europe. Found ubiquitously in temperate and subtropical climates, growing along roadsides, in fields, ditches and vegetable gardens. It actively propagates by self-sowing, in one season it gives up to four generations of new flowers.

The chemical composition of the shepherd’s purse

The medicinal properties and contraindications of the shepherd’s purse are due to its rich composition. The green parts of the plant contain:

• ascorbic acid;
• carotenoids;
• tannins;
• vitamin K;
• essential oil;
• lemon acid;
• phylloquinone and thiamine;
• riboflavin;
• fumaric acid;
• fixed oils;
• saponins;
• Apple acid;
• choline;
• wine acid.

The composition of the leaves contains a lot of phytoncides. With proper use, the medicinal annual has a strengthening effect on the body.

Healing properties of shepherd’s purse

The shepherd’s purse herb is used to treat a variety of ailments. Decoctions and infusions of the plant:

• stop bleeding and promote healing of injuries;
• have diuretic properties and help get rid of edema;
• have a beneficial effect on the condition of the kidneys and help with inflammation;
• reduce blood pressure;
• improve the condition of pulmonary tuberculosis;
• have a therapeutic effect on atony of the uterus in women;
• help with cholecystitis, gastritis and dysentery;
• stop diarrhea due to astringent properties;
• strengthen blood vessels and improve heart health;
• promote healing of wounds and cuts.

The plant is used for diseases of the genitourinary system in women and men. The medicinal herb is beneficial in malaria and typhoid fever.

Indications for the use of shepherd’s purse

Shepherd’s purse cures a wide range of ailments. Traditional medicine recommends using herbal preparations:

• with hypertension and weak blood vessels;
• with internal bleeding;
• with violations of the cycle in women;
• in case of poisoning and malfunctions of the liver;
• after bites of poisonous insects;
• with diarrhea;
• with purulent ulcers and poorly healing wounds;
• with diseases of the liver and gallbladder;
• with eczema;
• with nosebleeds.

You can use medicinal preparations to purify the blood and improve its composition. The use of decoctions and infusions helps prevent the development of cancer.

The use of shepherd’s purse in traditional medicine

The healing properties of the shepherd’s purse are actively used by traditional medicine. On the basis of medicinal herbs, alcohol and water infusions are made.

Shepherd’s bag for vessels

The medicinal herb strengthens blood vessels, protects against the development of atherosclerosis and other dangerous diseases. Traditional medicine recommends such a tool for use:

1. The leaves of the plant are crushed in a volume of 10 g.
2. Pour raw materials with 250 ml of cold clean water.
3. Leave covered at room temperature for eight hours.
4. After the time is up, strain.

Take the infusion should be 30 ml three times a day. The tool is beneficial when used in hypertension.

You need to use an infusion of shepherd’s purse on an empty stomach about half an hour before meals.

Shepherd’s purse for heavy periods

The use of shepherd’s purse for women has a beneficial effect on heavy menstruation. The plant reduces the volume of secretions and improves the general condition. It is recommended to use this tool:

1. About 15 g of dry raw materials are crushed.
2. Pour 300 ml of boiling water in an enamel pan.
3. Raw materials are simmered in a water bath for about 15 minutes.
4. Remove from fire and strain.

The drug is taken 150 ml three times a day on an empty stomach. It is necessary to continue the use of the drug until the condition improves.

For kidneys and liver

The shepherd’s purse plant is useful fresh for diseases of the liver and kidneys. Raw materials are used according to the following scheme:

1. Fresh grass is thoroughly washed from contamination.
2. Grind raw materials with a blender.
3. The resulting slurry is squeezed through folded gauze.
4. Dilute vegetable juice with water in equal volumes.

The resulting therapeutic drug is used 40 drops three times a day. External use of the remedy is indicated for nosebleeds – in this case, the diluted juice is instilled into the nostrils in a few drops.

With tuberculosis

The medicinal properties of shepherd’s purse can improve the condition of pulmonary tuberculosis. The following is recommended for use:

1. Approximately 20 g of dry shepherd’s purse grass is mixed with 10 g of oak bark.
2. Pour raw materials with 100 ml of port wine and 500 ml of pure water.
3. In a closed container, boil over low heat for ten minutes.
4. After the expiration of the filter.

The finished product is taken in several sips during the day. The use of a home remedy must be combined with the use of medications prescribed by a doctor.

For the treatment of wounds

The use of an annual by external methods is recommended for wounds and cuts. The medicinal herb has healing properties, prevents the development of infections and prevents the appearance of scars and scars.

It is recommended to use infusions and decoctions of the plant. They moisten a clean gauze or cloth, and then apply a compress to the damaged areas. The use of grass does not cause harm, therefore, procedures are allowed up to five times a day.

For bone pain

The analgesic properties of the medicinal annual are beneficial for rheumatism and gout. For bone pain, it is recommended to use this infusion:

1. About 10 g of a shepherd’s bag is combined with a similar amount of horsetail.
2. Pour dried raw materials with a glass of boiling water.
3. In a thermos, the herbal collection is kept for three hours.
4. Strain from the sediment through cheesecloth.

Ready infusion is consumed 30 ml on an empty stomach three times a day.

The use of shepherd’s purse for rheumatism is continued for 7-10 days

Contraindications and harm

The benefits and harms of the shepherd’s bag are combined with each other. In some cases, the use of medicinal herbs must be abandoned. In particular, you can not use it:

• with a tendency to hypotension;
• with increased blood clotting;
• with varicose veins and thromboembolism;
• with individual allergies;
• with severe hemorrhoids;
• with serious cardiovascular diseases.

With caution, medicinal herbs are used for chronic diseases of the kidneys and gallbladder. The plant contains a lot of oxalic acid, which, when combined with calcium, crystallizes and turns into solid stones in the body.

It is necessary to use an annual in strict accordance with the recommendations of the recipes. With excessive use of medicinal herb leads to the development of side effects. In particular, against the background of its use, nausea and diarrhea, migraines and dizziness may appear, and allergic rashes often occur on the skin.

Shepherd’s purse during pregnancy

Drinking a shepherd’s purse during the period of bearing a child is undesirable. Medications based on medicinal herbs increase contractions of the muscles of the uterus and can provoke a miscarriage in the early stages. It is not recommended to drink decoctions and infusions also during the planning period of the child. The herb is used in gynecology to delay ovulation, and therefore can prevent conception.

During breastfeeding, medicinal annuals are not prohibited. But use it only when really needed and in minimal dosages. It is required to make sure that the newborn does not have an individual allergy to the plant. With the appearance of rashes and intestinal colic in an infant, the use of grass should be abandoned.

Use in children

Therapeutic shepherd’s purse contains a lot of B vitamins and ascorbic acid. Theoretically, the plant can benefit the children’s body. Decoctions and infusions improve brain function and increase concentration, strengthen immunity and normalize the functioning of the stomach and intestines.

At the same time, in babies, the plant often provokes allergic reactions and disorders of the digestive process. Therefore, it is recommended to offer a shepherd’s bag to children no earlier than 12 years old. It is necessary to start the application with the minimum dosages, carefully monitoring the reaction of the teenager’s body.

Shepherd’s purse

Harvesting plants for subsequent therapeutic use is carried out twice a year – in early spring immediately after the snow melts and in autumn in early September. The bushes are dug out of the soil entirely, the stems with leaves and flowers are cut with a sharp tool, and then the raw materials are washed from contamination.

Dry the shepherd’s bag in the fresh air under a canopy or in a warm room with good ventilation. The grass is laid out on a flat surface in a thin layer and ted from time to time. Direct sunlight should not fall on raw materials – this leads to the destruction of useful substances in the composition of leaves and flowers and a decrease in the therapeutic effect when applied.

You can store the grass after it becomes brittle and begins to crumble in your hands. At the same time, the leaves should retain a greenish color, a faint smell and a bitter taste. It is necessary to keep the shepherd’s bag in paper bags or fabric bags in a dry, dark place at a temperature not exceeding 25 ° C. The medicinal properties of the grass retains for three years.

If desired, the shepherd’s bag can be dried in the oven at a temperature not exceeding 45 ° C

Only healthy plants with no signs of damage by fungi and pests can be collected for medicinal use. Harvesting is carried out on a dry cloudy day. It is not recommended to collect grass in hot weather with bright sun or rain.

For the procurement of raw materials, it is necessary to choose an ecologically clean area. Near cities, roads and industrial facilities, the plant is not collected.

Conclusion

Shepherd’s purse is used for joint diseases, for diseases of the liver and kidneys, as well as for bleeding. The herb has strong medicinal properties, but it must be used with caution.

Feedback on the use of shepherd’s purse

Every year I collect a shepherd’s bag, and then I prepare decoctions and infusions for the joints from it. The herb is good for rheumatism, reduces pain and relieves swelling. Mobility returns to the joints, it is possible to quickly cope with exacerbations of the disease.