Tansy: benefits and harms, tansy treatment, cooking

Tansy belongs to perennial plants of the Compositae family. This plant contains useful substances: for example, various essential oils, alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids were found in the leaves and baskets of tansy. The people called tansy a wild mountain ash. She received this name because of the shape of her inflorescence.

Modern medicine appreciates tansy for its multifaceted beneficial properties. We will talk about them in this article.

Tansy: description, what does it look like?

Tansy (lat. Tanacetum vulgare) is a representative of the huge Aster family. Almost 120 species of this plant are described in botany, of which at least 30 varieties grow in the vastness of Russia. In some regions, tansy is called chamomile due to the similarity of miniature flowers with daisies. Other names are also common – mother liquor, goat grass, wild mountain ash, helminth, yellow fieldfare.

A herbaceous plant, similar to a small bush, strewn with golden flowers, is widely used in landscape design. Tansy not only stands out against the general background with bright baskets of flowers, but also spreads a pleasant aroma around.

Tansy is a perennial plant that initially produces a straight, rounded stem. After a few years, shoots appear that spread and eventually occupy a fairly large area. A six-year-old plant can reach a height of 50 cm to 1,5 m. In adult specimens, the stems become woody.

Numerous branches of tansy are covered with elongated leaves with a serrated edge. The upper surface of the leaf plate is dark green. On the lower light green surface, veins and dark blotches are determined.

Tansy blooms at the beginning of summer. In June, umbrellas appear on the tops of the stems, literally plastered with inflorescences that look like truncated balls. One such inflorescence consists of 5 to 12 miniature bright yellow flowers, from which an aroma reminiscent of camphor emanates. If you try to grind tansy flowers, you will feel a pleasant spicy aroma. The flowers have a bright yellow color, they are small, so they form a shield at the top of the plant stem. Also, tansy bears fruits in the form of an achene, they ripen approximately in August-October, have an oblong shape and a length of 1,2–1,8 mm. Tansy grows almost throughout Russia, with the exception of the Far North. As a rule, it grows near roads, dwellings, in meadows, in the steppes, along the banks of rivers. Only recently, tansy has been used as a medicinal plant, spicy and food.

Tansy flower baskets contain various bitter substances: tanacetin, essential oil (0,3%) containing borneol, levorotatory camphor, thujone ketone. The plant also contains organic acids, ascorbic acid, flavonoids, terpenes, tannins, alkaloids.

At the end of summer, instead of flowers, oblong achenes appear, covered with a toothed sheath. It is the teeth that help the seeds of the plant to spread far. Tansy flowers and seeds contain a lot of camphor oil, which has a powerful insecticidal effect. Within a quarter of an hour, the substances secreted by tansy kill all insects around them – flies, dog fleas, mosquitoes, etc.

For medicinal purposes, tansy flowers are used, in rare cases – leaves. For treatment, flowers begin to be collected at the beginning of flowering, without stalks. Dry them in dryers or under a canopy, while the temperature should not exceed 40 ° C.

Distribution

Tansy is found in wastelands, dry meadows, in the steppes and on the outskirts of agricultural land. An unpretentious plant feels good, both among forest thickets, and along the banks of reservoirs, on roadsides. Seeds are carried over long distances, so tansy often grows on its own in vegetable gardens and front gardens. Thanks to a powerful horizontal root, numerous shoots appear, which eventually form real thickets.

The medicinal plant is common in almost all regions of Russia – in Sakhalin, the Caucasus, in the Altai Territory, in the expanses of the Far East and Western Siberia. Tansy is harvested in the countries of Central Asia, Europe and even in North America.

Procurement of raw materials

Medicinal compositions are prepared from tansy flowers. For collection, the period of the beginning of flowering is suitable. Separate flowers or inflorescences with peduncles no longer than 4 cm are plucked or cut with scissors. For drying choose well-ventilated places. When using a dryer, the air temperature should not exceed 40°C.

It is forbidden to collect browned flowers. Do not pluck tansy inflorescences growing on roadsides, next to industrial enterprises.

14 healing properties of tansy

Tansy is a highly toxic plant. For safe treatment and obtaining positive results, it is important to select a therapeutic dose in conjunction with a doctor. Traditionally, tansy is used as an anthelmintic for various parasitic infections and intestinal worms. In gynecology, tansy-based formulations are prescribed to restore the menstrual cycle during delays not caused by pregnancy, as well as to treat amenorrhea, which can be a symptom of somatic or nervous diseases.

We want to dwell on the properties of tansy, the effectiveness of which has been proven by medicine.

1 Heals the digestive system

The active substances of tansy reduce the formation of gases in the intestines, facilitate their removal, which is beneficial for dyspeptic disorders and flatulence. It is prescribed as part of the complex treatment of stomach ulcers, pain and cramps in the abdomen, and some diseases of the gallbladder. Tansy is an excellent appetite stimulant, therefore it is used for weight loss, eating disorders.

2 Has antiparasitic properties

Tansy contains a large amount of thujone, a substance that can remove parasites from the intestines. The anthelmintic effect of the plant has been known since ancient times and is now widely used by herbalists to get rid of:

• Ascaris

• Tapeworms.

• Hookworms.

It is important to remember that thujone is a highly toxic plant component, therefore it is used in very low dosages. As a rule, anthelmintic tea is brewed from plants in which thujone is present.

The antiparasitic effect of tansy is effective when parasitic infestation of skin wounds. External use of herbal decoction accelerates the cleansing of the wound surface, stimulates skin regeneration.

3 Causes menstrual bleeding

The ability of tansy to stimulate menstruation has been known for a very long time. Herbal formulations are prescribed to normalize the menstrual cycle. It is strictly forbidden to take tansy in any form for pregnant women, as the active substances can provoke a miscarriage.

4 Prevents the formation of kidney stones

There is an opinion that the combined intake of tansy and nettle prevents the formation of stones in the renal structures. It is recommended to drink tea from these plants in small portions several times during the day. Doctors warn that excessive consumption of tansy tea can have a toxic effect on the body.

5 Heals joints

Internal and external use of tansy alleviates the symptoms of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, namely arthritis, rheumatism. Compresses are prescribed to alleviate inflammation during dislocations, in the acute phase of gout. In some cases, baths with the addition of tansy infusion are recommended.

It is known that with the help of tansy, you can significantly alleviate pain in sciatica, nerve damage, and also during migraine attacks.

6 Has antibacterial action

You do not need to have special knowledge to understand that if tansy can be poisonous to humans, then even more so for pathogenic bacteria. Tansy essential oil kills even those microbes that are resistant to high temperatures and antibacterial drugs.

The active compounds of tansy not only kill microbes, but also inhibit their ability to reproduce. Essential oil has a pronounced antibacterial effect, so it is used in small dosages.

7 Suppresses the spread of fungal infections

Research results confirm that tansy essential oil inhibits the growth and spread of fungal flora. None of the species of fungi that parasitize on the mucous membranes and skin is resistant to tansy. After applying the essential oil to the affected area, the complete destruction of fungi and their spores is observed.

It has now been proven that the essential oil protects against fungal infections that affect the skin, hair, causing a runny nose, and dyspeptic disorders.

8 Alleviates the symptoms of inflammation

Essential oil of tansy has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect. This property extends to the skin, as well as to the respiratory system, digestive organs. There is evidence that tansy stops inflammatory reactions that are characteristic of some diseases of the nervous system.

9 Suppresses allergic reactions

The severity of an allergic reaction is affected by the level of histamine in the body. Allergies are manifested by a variety of symptoms, the most common of which are:

• Rashes on the skin.

• Itching.

• Asthmatic manifestations.

• Coughing.

• Difficulty breathing.

• Indomitable sneezing.

• Hiccups.

Frequent and intense allergic reactions can cause damage to internal organs, namely the liver, heart. To control allergies, it is necessary to reduce the concentration of histamine in the blood by suppressing the processes of its synthesis. It has been established that the essential oil of tansy has a neutralizing, antihistamine effect. Its systematic use significantly reduces the frequency of allergic reactions.

10 Has an antiviral effect

Tansy contains thujone and camphor, which have powerful antiviral properties. Molecules of thujone, camphor are able to kill viruses by destroying the protective shell of viruses and penetrating inside.

The antiviral activity of the essential oil extends against respiratory viruses, measles, various strains of smallpox, mumps.

11 Normalizes body temperature

A huge number of diseases are accompanied by an increase in body temperature. Fever is the body’s natural immune response to bacterial and viral infections (typhoid, influenza, pneumonia), as well as diseases caused by protozoa (malaria) and fungi.

The more aggressive the infectious agent, the higher the temperature our body reacts to. Rapid and effective suppression of infection contributes to the speedy normalization of temperature. The essential oil of tansy inhibits the development and spread of pathogenic microorganisms, due to which fever is relieved.

One of the causes of an increase in body temperature is inflammation. Tansy has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect, and therefore normalizes the temperature.

12 Stimulates the endocrine system

Tansy essential oil has a stimulating effect on the functions of the endocrine glands. The results of several studies have shown that tansy has a beneficial effect on the synthesis of thymus and thyroid hormones. The development and maturation of the body depends on the level of these hormonal substances.

13 Helps to cope with nervous disorders

Nervous disorders are understood as attacks of anger, anxiety, depressive states, epileptic and convulsive episodes, hysterical and impulsive behavior. All these conditions affect the quality of life not only of the patient, but also of his immediate environment. Essential oil has a calming effect, normalizes the work of the emotional sphere. Studies confirm that the systematic use of tansy extract in therapeutic dosages helps to relax nerve fibers and has a calming effect on the central nervous system.

14 Has an insecticidal effect

Human housing is a favorite habitat for cockroaches, ants, various types of moths, termites. Often people complain about the appearance of mosquitoes, lice, bed bugs, lice and fleas. Getting rid of all these blood-sucking parasites is simple – you should use the essential oil of tansy. Aroma compounds and active components of tansy kill or repel pests. Essential oil is added to fumigants, sprays, evaporators. The release of odorous substances repels mice and wall lizards.

[Video] About health – tansy squeezes out parasites, toxins from the liver, bile: