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Melilot officinalis - the use of herbs at home. Melilot officinalis Grass burkun application

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Rice. 7.13. Sweet clover - Melilotus officinalis (L.) Pall.

Sweet clover grass- herba meliloti
(d. pharmacy) - Melilotus officinalis (L.) Pall.
tall clover(d. high) - Melilotus altissimus Thuill.
Sem. legumes— Fabaceae

- biennial herbaceous plant with a tap root and an erect, strongly branched stem 0.5-1.3 (2) m high.
Leaves alternate, trifoliate with lanceolate stipules, leaflets oblong-obovate or oblong, finely serrate-toothed in the upper part along the margin.
flowers small, yellow, drooping, with a moth-like corolla, collected in dense axillary racemes 4-10 cm long.
Fetus- small ovoid 1-2-seeded bean, naked, with a few transverse wrinkles (Fig. 7.13).
The whole plant is very fragrant. due to the coumarin it contains. The coumarin smell intensifies when the aerial parts dry out. At the time of flowering, sweet clover thickets are fragrant with honey, because the flowers are rich in nectar.
blooms in June - September, the fruits ripen from June to late autumn.

tall clover- biennial plant with a thick taproot. It differs from D. officinalis in short (2-5 cm long) dense racemes of flowers and awl-linear stipules.

Spreading

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Spreading. distributed throughout the European part of the country, except for the northern and northeastern regions, in the Caucasus, Western Siberia and Central Asia. tall clover has a European type of range. It is found mainly in Ukraine and Moldova.

Habitat. D. officinalis grows in the steppe and forest-steppe zones in dry meadows, as a weed in crops, as well as along forest edges, in forest belts, along roads, often forms thickets on railway embankments, sandy banks of reservoirs, wastelands and fallow lands. Sometimes it is sown in the fields as a melliferous and fodder plant. D. tall grows in wet meadows and pastures, in areas with disturbed sod cover. Due to the fact that it is rare, it is practically not harvested.

Together with medicinal and tall sweet clover, other species grow that are not allowed for harvesting and are not used in medicine. White sweet clover(Melilotus albus Medik.) is distinguished by white flowers, leaflets serrated from the base and entire subulate stipules.

Toothed clover (M. dentatus Pers.) has pale yellow flowers, leaflets serrated from the base and large, narrowly lanceolate, at the base expanded and incised-toothed stipules.

sweet clover (M. suaveolens Ledeb.) differs in light yellow flowers, smaller, indistinctly reticulate-wrinkled beans, strong aroma. It replaces sweet clover east of the Yenisei.

Medicinal raw materials

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External signs

Whole Raw Material. Whole leafy flowering apical and lateral shoots with a stem up to 3 mm in diameter and up to 30 cm long. Stipules lanceolate or subulate, almost always entire, rarely at the lowest leaves with 1-2 cloves. The lower leaves are obovate, the upper ones are oblong or lanceolate, along the edge on both sides with 10-13 unequal teeth. flowers moth, small, 5 to 7 mm long. Cup bell-shaped, five-toothed, remaining with the fetus, naked. Sometimes small immature fruits are found in small quantities - beans from 3 to 5 mm long, indistinctly reticulated or transversely wrinkled, naked or covered with sparse hairs. Seed one, rarely two. stem color, calyxes and fruits are green, corollas are yellow. The smell is fragrant (coumarin), the taste is bitter.

Crushed raw materials. A mixture of particles of stems, leaves, flowers and a small amount of fruits up to 8 mm in size.

Numerical indicators of raw materials

Whole raw material. The content of coumarins is not less than 0.4% (spectrophotometric method); moisture not more than 14%; total ash no more than 10%; the content of stems with a diameter of more than 3 mm is not more than 2%; particles passing through a sieve with holes of 0.5 mm, not more than 5%; parts of the plant that have changed color, not more than 2%; organic impurities not more than 1%; mineral - no more than 0.5%.

Crushed raw materials. Particles larger than 8 mm no more than 10%; particles of stems with a diameter of more than 1 mm are not allowed.

Microscopy of sweet clover leaves

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To authenticate raw materials study the anatomical structure of sweet clover leaves.

are of diagnostic value

slightly sinuous cells of the upper and strongly sinuous - of the lower epidermis;
stomata surrounded by 3-5 cells (anomocytic type) are located on the upper and lower sides of the leaf;
two types of hairs:
- simple unicellular, coarsely warty, thin-walled with a pointed apex and
- glandular with a multicellular head on a short unicellular stalk;
crystalline lining surrounding the main and large lateral veins;
druses of calcium oxalate are rare.

Procurement and storage of raw materials

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blank. As a medicinal raw material, flowering tops of plants (up to 30 cm long) are used, in which the bulk are leaves and flowers. Usually, when harvesting, whole plants are cut or mowed, and after drying, the raw material is threshed.

Drying. In attics, sheds, under sheds with good ventilation, as well as in dryers at a temperature not exceeding 40 ºС.

Standardization. GOST 14101-69.

Storage. The grass has a strong smell, so the raw materials must be stored in a well-closed container. Shelf life 2 years.

Sweet clover (burkun, chrestovik) is a herbaceous biennial plant of the legume family. Grows in Central Asia, Russia, Europe, South America, Ukraine, in the steppes of the Caucasus. It is a hardy plant that tolerates drought well. In the wild, it is found in ravines, on forest edges, roadsides, wastelands, meadows.

The name "sweet clover" comes from the Greek words "lotus" - fodder grass and "chalk" -. The plant has a pronounced coumarin odor. It is a good honey plant and a valuable fodder crop.

Currently, there are 22 species of sweet clover. Among which the medicinal burkun provides the greatest value for human health. It is used in the food and medical industries.

It is interesting that the sweet clover improves the structure of the soil, is used for flavoring tobacco, aromatizing soap. In addition, it has a beneficial effect on the human body: it has anticonvulsant properties, lowers blood pressure, and eliminates respiratory diseases. The grass is indicated for use by people suffering from neurasthenia, insomnia, migraine, hypertension, angina, cardiospasm.

Botanical description and harvesting

Sweet clover is a herbaceous shrub reaching 1.5 m in height. The stem at the base is woody, dense and branched. Leaves trifoliate, petiolate, sessile, oblong-obovate or elliptical configuration. The flowers are yellow, small, form axillary racemes.

The fruits are bare oval-shaped beans, short, with an awl-shaped point at the top, brown in color. Flowering period - June-August, fruiting - July-October.

Medicinal raw materials are lateral shoots, plant tops with leaves and flower brushes. Grass is harvested in dry weather. It is important to wait until the dew has come off the plant, otherwise it will quickly darken, deteriorate due to moisture.

Raw materials are dried in a well-ventilated area or in the shade under a canopy. The grass is laid out on a fabric or paper base in a thin layer, up to 5 cm in thickness. In the process of drying, parts of the plant are periodically turned over. Harvested dry grass emits a strong aromatic coumarin smell, reminiscent of fresh hay and has a salty-bitter taste.

Composition and properties

The benefits of sweet clover are due to the presence of coumarin and its derivatives in fresh grass (up to 0.9%), which give the plant not only a pleasant aroma, but also increase the number of leukocytes, interfere with blood clotting, and have a calming effect on the human nervous system. Due to these properties, the stems and flowers are used to thin the blood.

The chemical composition of the herb sweet clover officinalis:

melilotin;
melitoside glycoside;
polysaccharides (in the form of mucus);
coumaric and melilotic acids;
fatty substances;
saponins;
purine derivatives;
essential oils;
nitrogenous bases;
tannins;
phenolic triterpene compounds;

Fatty acids are concentrated in the seeds of the plant (linolenic, arachidic, behenic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, lignoceric, palmitic).

Pharmacological properties of Burkun:

anti-inflammatory;
antiseptic;
expectorants;
emollients;
carminative;
anticonvulsants;
hypotensive;
anticoagulants;
wound healing;
soothing;
diaphoretics.

Coumarin, which is part of the plant, has a narcotic effect, depresses the central nervous system, and is poisonous in large doses. Therefore, drugs based on the chrestovik should not be used on their own without a doctor's prescription.

Sweet clover grass exhibits cardiotropic, anti-ischemic and anti-hypoxic activity.

Effect on the body:

Improves blood circulation in the myocardium, abdominal organs and brain.
Raises blood pressure.
Helps increase the strength of contractions of the heart muscle.
It alleviates the condition of patients suffering from neurological disorders, diseases of the upper respiratory tract and heart.
Stimulates the phagocytic activity of leukocytes.

IN folk medicine medicinal herb is used orally for painful menstruation, joint swelling, headache, inflammation of the mammary glands. Nursing women are advised to drink a decoction of sweet clover as a milk extractor. It is applied externally for the treatment of boils, rheumatism, purulent wounds, ulcers. Herbal baths are taken to relieve inflammation of the ovaries.

Indications for use:

constipation;
insomnia;
hypertension;
angina;
rheumatism;
bronchitis;
thrombosis of coronary vessels;
increased nervous excitability;
atherosclerosis;
diseases of the female reproductive system, blood;
flatulence;
diffuse toxic goiter;
leukopenia;
convulsions;
abscesses;
dystonia;
headaches.

Sweet clover is primarily a medicinal plant that should be used strictly according to the doctor's prescription. Grass should not be taken by pregnant women, people with kidney disease, hemorrhagic vasculitis, individual intolerance and suffering from reduced blood clotting.

In case of an overdose, dizziness, vomiting and nausea, weakness in the body, drowsiness occur.

Application in traditional medicine

With amenorrhea

Mix sweet clover, centaury and coltsfoot flowers in equal amounts, pour 15 g of the resulting collection into 200 ml of boiling water, strain after 2 hours. Take 50 ml 6 times a day for a month.

With inflammation of the ovaries

Common, sweet clover, coltsfoot flowers, centaury mixed in equal proportions. Enter a tablespoon of the collection in 200 ml of hot, brought to 80 degrees, leave for 3 hours, strain.

The method of use is the same as in the first case. To achieve an effective result throughout the entire period of treatment, abstinence from sexual activity is recommended.

With hypertension

To lower blood pressure, 5 g of dry sweet clover grass is brewed in 200 ml of warm water, left for 2 hours, filtered. Take 3 times a day, 100 ml.

With cracks in the anus, herpes. How to prepare the infusion: pour 15 g of herbs into 300 ml of boiling water. After 2 hours, strain the drink, take as in case of hypertension.

For headaches

Fill one third of a half-liter jar with dry sweet clover grass, pour to the top. Leave the tincture for 14 days, shake occasionally. Strain after 2 weeks. Rub the temples with the resulting remedy for headaches.

With arthrosis, sprains, rheumatism, abscesses, inflammations, sweet clover flowers are crushed to a state of homogeneous mass, mixed with petroleum jelly. Apply the ointment to damaged areas as needed.

food application

Leaves and dried flowers of sweet clover are used as a seasoning for fish dishes, compotes, soups, salads, and young roots are eaten raw, fried or boiled. Herb powder is added to soft drinks, wine, tinctures, liqueurs as a fragrance.

To avoid overdose, the daily intake of dried burkun leaves is 5 g, and fresh - 20 g.

Recipe number 1 "Health salad"

Ingredients:

green onions - 25 g;
sweet clover leaves - 20 g;
hard-boiled - 1 pc;
fresh cucumbers - 50 g;
- 25 ml;
vegetable oil;

Cooking principle: cut cucumbers, onions, eggs and sweet clover leaves, pour sour cream and vegetable oil, salt. Mix the ingredients thoroughly. Serve salad to the table immediately after preparation, otherwise it will drain.

Recipe number 2 "Drink spring mood"

Ingredients:

dry flowers and leaves of sweet clover - 10 g;
hot boiled water - 1 l;
cranberry juice - 50 ml;
honey - 100 ml.

Cooking method: sweet clover grass is added to hot water, which is boiled for 5 minutes, cooled to 50 degrees. The infusion is filtered, cooled, honey and cranberry juice are added. When serving, garnish with mint, add pieces of ice.

Recipe number 3 "Okroshka with sweet clover"

Ingredients:

boiled - 50 g;
bread kvass - 500 ml;
sweet clover - 20 g;
sour cream - 25 ml;
boiled beef - 70 g;
fresh cucumbers - 50 g;
onion - 25 g;
boiled egg - 1 pc;
mustard, salt, .

Cooking technology: clover leaves and onion grind with salt, mustard. Potatoes, cucumbers, egg and meat cut into cubes. Mix the ingredients, season with sour cream, add salt, sugar, pour kvass.

sweet clover honey

This is a natural dietary product that has an antiseptic and immunomodulatory effect. With their useful properties sweet clover honey is obliged to a melliferous plant that absorbs biologically active substances, vitamins and. A natural sugar substitute is recommended for lactating women to maintain lactation, enrich milk with nutrients. In addition, it exhibits antispasmodic effects, fights constipation, flatulence, and relieves pain during menstruation.

Honey has absorbable properties, so it is useful for mastitis, lactostasis, cysts (mammary gland diseases) and joint tumors, arthritis, arthrosis. A sugary product from sweet clover, normalizes the activity of the immune system, improves the condition of patients suffering from autoimmune diseases, improves peripheral circulation. It has a general strengthening effect, performs the function of natural energy.

Sweet clover honey is a product of a pale yellow or slightly greenish tint, quickly candied. A gentle vanilla note is felt in the aroma and taste.

Application:

To stimulate the immune system, it is recommended to eat sweet clover honey daily, 25 g for adults and 10 g for children. After using the product, monitor the reaction of the baby. If itching, redness, irritability occurs, stop taking it.

Remember, due to the abundance of pollen, honey is the strongest allergen and can cause an allergic reaction, so when introducing the product into the diet of children, be vigilant, do not exceed strictly prescribed doses. Don't risk your baby's health.

To maintain the body in hypothyroid conditions, it is recommended to eat 15-30 ml of honey per day.
For the treatment of trachitis, pneumonia, bronchitis and laryngitis, a core is cut out of a large black radish. 15 ml of sweet clover honey is placed in the resulting recess. The root crop is left for 1.5 days. During this time, it secretes juice, which, mixed with honey, forms a healing elixir. Means to use 15 ml 3 times a day 15 minutes before a meal.
To improve the condition of the skin (cleansing, eliminating high fat content, getting rid of boils, acne and blackheads), a nutrient mixture is prepared for external use. Mask ingredients: fresh cucumbers (200 g) and honey (5 ml). The green vegetable is rubbed on a grater, mixed with a bee substrate, applied to the cleansed dermis for 15 minutes, washed off with water. The product moisturizes, nourishes and disinfects problem skin. To care for dry dermis, an additional component is introduced into the composition - (15 ml).

Sweet clover honey is used with caution in the presence of allergies to legumes, bee products, overweight and diabetes. When diagnosing cardiovascular pathologies, it is recommended to consult a doctor before taking it, since coumarin is part of honey flowers. This compound stimulates the work of the pulsating organ, contributes to an increase in arterial systolic pressure.

In other cases, the product is not only harmless, but, on the contrary, useful. However, this applies only to natural sweet clover honey. When choosing a product, pay attention to its color and texture. It should visually resemble melted butter, be almost homogeneous, candied with almost indistinguishable grains. The natural bee product emits a subtle vanilla aroma. A strong smell indicates that you have a fake in front of you.

How to grow sweet clover

Seeds of sweet clover require an ambient temperature of 2-4 degrees above zero to germinate. A year after planting, the plant blooms. This period lasts from June to August. By the end of summer comes the time of fruiting. The collected seeds are scarified before spring sowing.

The root system of sweet clover is highly developed, so it is demanding on soil conditions. Acidic soil is detrimental to the plant. Sweet clover is a drought-resistant grass that does not require constant watering; on the contrary, excessive moisture leads to decay of the root system.

As top dressing, fertilizers containing potassium and phosphorus are used.

Seeds have a compacted shell, the integrity of which is deliberately violated before planting in the ground. Thus, the chances of their germination increase. Seeds are sown in early spring in prepared soil in rows, leaving a distance of 3 cm between them. On average, 200 seeds should be per 1 meter.

During the year after disembarkation, it develops intensively root system plants. And the top is covered with beautiful greenery, which dies off in autumn. Only the root neck overwinters with the so-called renewal buds. Remember, the plant should not be in a lowland, because in case of accumulation of melt water due to the abundance of moisture, it will die.

The sweet clover is harvested using a pruner. For medicinal purposes, only lateral shoots with the top of the plant are cut off, crushing thick coarse branches. Dry raw materials under a canopy in a well-ventilated place. The grass is laid out on the surface or collected in bunches, which are hung in the form of garlands. When small stems, flowers, leaves, fruits dry up, they are ground, passed through a sieve. Store in a closed container.

Output

Sweet clover is a medicinal herbaceous plant with an upright branched stem. The shrub can be seen along the ravines, in the meadow and fields, at the edge of the forest. Sweet clover contains coumarin, which normalizes blood circulation in the abdominal cavity, increases the number of leukocytes in the blood, and increases blood pressure. Preparations based on burkun have antiseptic, wound healing, analgesic, anticonvulsant, expectorant and laxative effects. They are indicated in the treatment of hemorrhoids, thrombophlebitis, lymphostasis, varicose veins (inside) and bruises, sprains, hemorrhages (outwardly).

Ointments are prepared from the plant, special pillows that relieve inflammation from the joints. Sweet clover honey and tea, used to combat colds and coughs, decoction and infusion - increase lactation, relieve swelling, pain during menstruation. In addition, the leaves, roots and flowers of Burkun have found application in the food industry. They are added to salads, boiled, fried, baked and served as a side dish for fish and vegetable dishes. A safe daily dose of the fresh ground part of the plant is 20 g, dried - 5 g. In case of exceeding the maximum permissible norms, adverse reactions from the body are possible: dizziness, rashes, nausea, vomiting.

An excellent honey plant, an assistant in the fight against many diseases and an excellent green manure ... Today we will talk about sweet clover. Sweet clover occupies not the last place in the list of medicinal herbs, its healing properties have proven their strength more than once. The biennial plant is unpretentious, has several varieties and is grown all over the world.

Sweet clover plant description

The grass belongs to perennial leguminous plants, the moth subfamily. A variety of cultivated sweet clover has grown over time to several dozen species, but the most important variety is yellow and white sweet clover.

Yellow sweet clover belongs to medicinal plants, is grown as an agricultural crop for cattle feed and as a crop - green manure. In addition to the above, the culture bears the undeniable title of one of the best melliferous herbs.

The sweet clover got its name from the Greek - "honey lotus". In Russia, sweet clover was grown for livestock feed, collected by herbalists to prepare decoctions and infusions, and was called: sweet clover, burkun or bottom grass.

The perennial plant has a fairly developed taproot system, a bushy stem and many small, oval-elongated, carved leaves on short petioles.

The flowering of the culture begins in summer, multi-flowered brushes absorb small flowers of yellow or white, about 5 cm in size. Sweet clover fruits are beans, often too small.

Sweet clover is also a highly valuable fodder plant, yielding a lot of nutritious greenery and oxygenating the soil.

The most popular varieties of sweet clover for business executives are toothed and yellow sweet clover, which provide livestock with weight gain and have a high lactation effect.

White and medicinal sweet clover is used in fragrances, including for tobacco products and as a fragrance in soap making. A lot has been said about the honey content of the culture, but little has been said about the quality of the honey obtained.

So, bottom honey has a bright aromatic smell, rich amber color and delicate taste, it is considered one of the best in the early forcing of honey. Today sweet clover is grown all over the world and is widely distributed in Europe, Russia and Asia.

A variety of sweet clover

Sweet clover has more than 50 varieties. The most common variety is yellow, white and medicinal sweet clover.

In addition to the above, annual and perennial varieties of sweet clover have been bred.

Yellow or medicinal sweet clover. This is a biennial plant, prefers the southern regions. Medicinal sweet clover is not afraid of drought, hardy and cold-resistant. Flowering begins in summer, in the first decade, the flowers are yellow, densely planted in the inflorescence.

The crop is sown at a rate of about 120 grams per hundred square meters of arable land.

The honey yield of the plant is high, up to 320 kg can be obtained per hectare. honey, the average gain of the hive per day is 3.5 kg.

white clover no less popular culture, the plant is not afraid of drought, grown for silage and as a forage base for livestock.

Flowering begins in summer, blooms later than its predecessor, but blooms longer, in terms of more than a month.

It is an excellent honey plant, gives an impressive amount of nectar, even in drought.

If the plant is grown as a fodder base for livestock, it is necessary to observe the agricultural technique of cultivating sweet clover, and monitor the condition of animals, it is not uncommon for white sweet clover, if not stored properly or prematurely spoiled, caused mass mortality among cattle. The honey content of the culture exceeds 450 kg. per hectare, and the daily rate of weight gain of the hive is about 4.5 kg.

Sweet clover annual, blooms in the first year after sowing, in summer. It outperforms perennial varieties in terms of honey production. It is grown for a variety of livestock feed rations and as a honey crop.

The plant is unpretentious and grows on almost all soils.

According to the reviews of both "industrialists" and gardeners, the most popular varieties among white sweet clover can be considered:

Variety of perennial sweet clover Hoarfrost, Meshchersky, Stepnoy, Chermasan, Sayansky. The yellow varieties include Karabalyk, Omsk and Siberian sweet clover.

These varieties are resistant to insect attacks, unpretentious, productive. They are characterized by early ripening (the period from sowing to harvesting can be only 60 days), high productivity (up to 215 centners of green mass can be obtained per hectare), the varieties are unsurpassed honey plants and an excellent, nutritious, fodder crop.

Medicinal properties of sweet clover

Sweet clover, an herb included in the book of medicinal plants and for good reason.

Included in herbal preparations, teas and homeopathic remedies, it helps to cope with upper respiratory infections, has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects.

Decoctions and balms based on sweet clover help get rid of insomnia and even eliminate varicose veins.

Due to the ability of the plant to reduce the permeability of small vessels and capillaries, as well as anti-inflammatory and restorative properties, sweet clover is able to get rid of venous insufficiency and varicose veins.

Foot baths with this plant will relieve fatigue and swelling, itching, and relieve fungal infections. To solve the problem with inflammation in arthrosis and arthritis, weeping skin lesions with burns and injuries, gauze lotions and compresses are made on the affected and diseased areas.

Such manipulations can stop even not heavy bleeding.

In diseases of the nasopharynx and oral cavity, it is customary to rinse with a decoction of sweet clover. Such rinsing of the oral cavity will help with tonsillitis and pharyngitis, increase the resistance of the pharynx to viral infections.

Decoctions and tea with sweet clover normalize stools, and have a carminative effect, are used for bloating and disruption of the digestive tract.

Sweet clover is able to reduce emotional stress, relieve insomnia and migraines, having antispasmodic properties, the herb relieves spasms and relaxes.

Some homeopaths claim that the herb can reduce the development of leukopenia and stimulate the bone marrow.

In addition to the above merits of the sweet clover, the plant is valued by healers and healers for its narcotic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory abilities during the menstrual cycle in girls.

Sweet clover tincture can facilitate the process of menopause in adulthood in women. For men, the herb is no less useful, the strong sex of the plant treats diseases of the prostate and urinary tract.

Cultivation of sweet clover

Cultivation and sowing of sweet clover is not a burdensome process if all agrotechnical measures are observed at an early stage. Arid regions most often use the method of sowing sweet clover without a cover, it allows you to get good green mowing in the year of sowing.

Central Russia and forest-steppe regions with above-average rainfall are sown with sweet clover under the cover of fodder cereal crops.

Coverless sowing is carried out, as well as the planting of perennial grasses with conventional tillage, plowing and harrowing.

As for the requirements for growing sweet clover, a good harvest will require slightly acidic, non-waterlogged soil and an average rainfall, otherwise the plant is unpretentious and feels good on any soil.

Absolutely all agricultural crops can become a predecessor for grass. The sown area before sowing is subject to plowing, harrowing and rolling. If the soil is poor, nitrogen and mineral fertilizers are applied for plowing at a rate of 4 centners per hectare of arable land.

Seed preparation of sweet clover should begin about a month before sowing, scarification, nitraginization and inoculation are carried out. All these activities are aimed at 100% increase in productivity.

Sowing of sweet clover is carried out by seeders, in an ordinary way, at the rate of 15.5 kg. per hectare area. The embedment depth varies depending on the condition and density of the soil, on average it is about 3 cm.

Sweet clover care involves the presence of protective measures against harmful plants and insects, by spraying and treating the soil with herbicides, at the pre-sowing stage.

Top dressing is required only in the case when the plant develops very poorly, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are applied at the rate of 45 kg. per hectare of land.

Flowering of sweet clover begins the next year after sowing, in the same year it bears fruit, throwing out seeds. + 4 degrees is considered the optimal temperature for the growth and development of the crop, the germination of sweet clover seeds is high and lasts up to 10 years.

Sowing of sweet clover begins in early spring, in the first year of growth, the root system of the plant and the stem actively develop, and the next year gives rise to seeds.

The use of sweet clover

Wide application in medicine, pharmacology, cosmetology and agriculture received sweet clover. In addition to the above, culture during flowering is an integral part of honey production.

During the flowering period, in the summer, beekeepers actively set up hives near the fields of flowering sweet clover, as the honey obtained from its pollen has truly healing properties.

Honey obtained from sweet clover relieves swelling, has a wide range of antibacterial properties, lowers blood pressure, moisturizes and nourishes the skin, has a diuretic and spasmodic effect.

Such honey improves immunity, eliminates infections of the nasopharynx, is effective for gastritis and ulcers, as well as diseases of the oral cavity. A spoonful of sweet clover a day eliminates immunodeficiencies, saturates the body with vitamins and carbohydrates, improves mood and gives a boost of energy.

Sweet clover won its niche in dietary supplements and herbal preparations.

But this grass does not do without “pitfalls”. Medications based on sweet clover, as well as honey, are contraindicated for people with individual intolerance and allergies.

In addition, sweet clover can be poisonous. The toxic component in the herb appears when the aromatic substance of coumarin is destroyed, turning into dicoumarin, under the influence of mold damage. This is such a chemical reaction. Therefore, spoiled or stale sweet clover should never be fed to livestock, even in the form of hay.

So in the Rostov region, a mass death of livestock was described, due to the ingestion of yellow sweet clover in their diet. During the proceedings, veterinarians found a low level of blood clotting in cattle and impaired liver function, and also identified the causes of this condition in horned animals - moldy silage from yellow sweet clover.

Sweet clover cleaning

Harvesting sweet clover for seeds begins in the second year after sowing.

Seeds crumble easily, therefore, mowing begins when 1/4 of the beans turn yellow, more than late dates threaten with complete shedding of small seeds into the soil and the appearance of carrion. Do not worry about the unripeness of the seeds, they will ripen calmly in the rolls.

After threshing the mowed mass and sifting, the seeds are sent for storage until the next sowing season. Sweet clover seeds are usually cultivated in areas not included in the crop rotation, due to its high vitality and the risk of turning from an agricultural crop into an annoying weed.

In general, the harvesting of sweet clover is always burdened with a headache, since belated cuttings produce coarse silage, with a high content of coumarin.

If sweet clover is cut for silage, then the beginning of harvesting is the budding phase and the height of the plant is up to 16 cm. This period reduces losses during collection into rolls, and allows you to speed up the next mowing of green mass.

Sweet clover is poorly suitable for harvesting hay, due to the high loss of leaves, in order to avoid this, business executives dry already dried herbs with good ventilation.

If sweet clover was grown as green manure, its incorporation into the soil begins when it reaches a height of about 25-37 cm. Before incorporation, the grass is crushed with disc harrows and then plowed.

So, with timely harvesting, of course, depending on your growing goals, you can get a fairly large amount of nutritious green mass or hay. And also use sweet clover as green manure and saturate the soil with oxygen and important trace elements.

Botanical characteristic

Burkun white, translated - Melilotus albus, another name - white sweet clover, is a biennial herbaceous plant. The height of the stem varies from thirty centimeters to one and a half meters, it is straight, naked. The leaves are pinnate with styloid stipules.

The lower leaves are obovate, the rest are serrate-finely toothed, oblong. The flowers are small, moth-like, they are white in color and are collected in axillary rather long brushes. It is worth noting that the aerial part of the sweet clover has a pleasant aromatic smell, and the grass tastes salty-bitter.

Spreading

The plant is found mainly in dry places, for example, it can be seen along railways, along highways, in wastelands. In Russia, it is distributed in the Caucasus, throughout Siberia, grows in Central Asia and Far East.

Used part

For therapeutic purposes, the aerial part of the plant is used, namely its grass - flowers, stems, leaves. Sweet clover contains the fragrant substance coumarin, which provides its aromatic smell, slightly reminiscent of the aroma of hay.

It is worth noting that the internal use of sweet clover should be carried out with caution, since the plant belongs to the category of poisonous representatives of the flora.

Collection and preparation of raw materials

The aerial part of the plant is harvested mainly from July to August. For this purpose, it is necessary to put on durable rubber gloves, since the white burkun is poisonous, and after that you can proceed to carefully cut the grass.

After the grass is cut, it is laid out in a thin layer on a pallet, which is preferably placed in a ventilated room. It is recommended to turn the raw material quite often, this will prevent it from dampening and subsequent decay.

When it is completely dry, it must be packed in bags that will be sewn from natural fabric and put them in a dry ventilated area. It is recommended to store raw materials for no more than twenty-four months, since after this time the grass will lose its medicinal properties and become unusable.

Application

According to known data, this plant is recommended for use as an anticoagulant. In Bulgaria, an infusion made from herbs is used for frequent. This drug is active against microorganisms such as Staphylococcus aureus, and.

An aqueous extract prepared from white burkun can inhibit the germination of some seeds, and it also slows down the development and growth of already adult plants. Sometimes sweet clover is used to give a special flavor to beer and tobacco.

Fibers are obtained from the stems of the plant, from which burlap and strong ropes are made. A healing ointment is made from flowers and leaves, which has a wound-healing property.

Recipes

To prepare the infusion, you will need a tablespoon of pre-crushed raw materials, which is recommended to be poured with boiling water, in the amount of 200 milliliters. Then the container must be covered with a lid. And leave for forty minutes or an hour.

After this time, the drug will be sufficiently infused, and it is recommended to filter it, for this purpose you can use a strainer with a fine mesh, but if this is not found on the farm, then a double gauze layer is quite suitable.

It is recommended to take an infusion of fifty milliliters three times a day, preferably before a meal. The drug will have a positive effect on colds, sleep disorders, epilepsy, and will also enhance the lactation process.

To prepare the broth, you must first grind the raw materials, and pour it with 400 milliliters of hot water, then put the container on a slow fire in a water bath, for about twenty minutes.

After that, the drug is removed from the stove, allowed to cool well, and filtered through a fine strainer, after which the broth must be brought to its original volume, for this it is recommended to simply add boiled hot water. It must be stored in the refrigerator for no more than a week, and used as directed.

In the morning, it is recommended to filter the infusion through a double gauze napkin, and take it one hundred milliliters, preferably four times a day, but this requires mandatory medical supervision, and prothrombin time should also be monitored.

Conclusion

Remember that the plant is considered poisonous, so you should be especially careful not only when collecting and harvesting it, but also when using it in the form of a decoction and infusion. It is advisable to consult with a qualified doctor before this in order to avoid the appearance of any negative consequences.

Name in Latin: Melilotus officinalis Pall

Synonyms: sweet clover, bottom grass, burkun, burkunets, female sweet clover, wild buckwheat, borkon, burkovina, vargun, wild hop, donets, yellow burkun, hare chill, komonnitsa, sticky, meadow burkun, mole grass, okladnik, tomka, crossdresser, italian herb, yellow sweet clover , white burkun , kamenitsa , sprinkler , gunba , milot , painter

Melilot officinalis is a herbaceous biennial plant from the legume family. It is used in official medicine as a raw material for the manufacture of anticonvulsants. In folk medicine sweet clover is used as an antiseptic, expectorant, wound healing, analgesic.

The plant has a branched, straight stem, 30 to 100 centimeters high. The leaves are alternate, trifoliate, on long petioles. The upper leaves are lanceolate, the lower ones are obovate.

The flowers are small, bisexual, yellow, located on short pedicels, collected in axillary multiflorous brushes. The flowering period of sweet clover is from June to September. The fruits ripen from July to late autumn. The fruit is a single-seeded bean, ovoid, yellow-green in color, finely tuberculate or smooth.

Sweet clover grows along roads, along ravines, forest edges, in upland meadows, in vegetable gardens and fields like a weed. The plant can be found throughout the European part of the Russian Federation.

Procurement and storage

Plants are harvested for medicinal purposes. The collection is made during the flowering period, since it is at this time that the plant contains the maximum amount of biologically active substances.

When harvesting, carefully cut off the tops and side shoots up to 30 centimeters long. Thick, rough stems are removed, as they contain few nutrients. Raw materials are dried in well-ventilated rooms or in special dryers at a temperature not exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.

After the grass dries, it is threshed. The finished raw material consists of a mixture of flowers, thin stems, leaves, fruits and has a characteristic smell of fresh hay. The shelf life of the finished product is two years. After this time, sweet clover begins to rapidly lose its healing properties.

Chemical composition

The composition of the plant contains the following biologically active substances:

flavonoids
essential oil
vitamins A, C

Application in medicine

The main indications for the use of sweet clover are the following pathological conditions of the body:

1. Diseases of the veins. Sweet clover reduces capillary permeability, so it is used as part of complex therapy for diseases such as varicose veins, hemorrhoids, chronic venous insufficiency, thrombophlebitis. Plant-based preparations help relieve swelling, itching, pain, cramps, and a feeling of heaviness in the legs.

2. Decrease in the level of leukocytes in the blood (leukopenia). This disease is often a consequence of radiation therapy for cancer. Taking sweet clover preparations increases the level of leukocytes in the blood.

3. Diseases of the respiratory system. A decoction of sweet clover helps with coughing, laryngitis, tracheitis, bronchitis.

4. Pathologies nervous system. The herb of the plant has a sedative effect on the body, helps with psychosis, neurasthenia, insomnia, convulsions, severe headaches.

5. Diseases of the digestive system. Sweet clover has a mild carminative and laxative effect on the body, helps with bloating, relieves spasms, and is effective for indigestion.

9. Climax. Sweet clover helps relieve nervous tension, irritability, and normalizes sleep.

10. External use. Lotions and compresses with sweet clover grass are used for bruises, boils, sprains, abscesses, long-term non-healing wounds, subcutaneous hemorrhages. In addition, the plant has a hemostatic effect, relieves inflammation and swelling of the joints, pain in rheumatism, gout, arthrosis. You can rinse your mouth with a decoction of sweet clover with a flux.

Contraindications

Do not use plant-based products if you have the following contraindications:

individual intolerance
kidney disease
childhood
hemorrhagic diathesis
liver disease

It is important to strictly observe the recommended dosages and frequency of administration. Coumarin, which is contained in sweet clover, in case of overdose causes headaches, nausea, vomiting, disrupts smooth muscle function. Therefore, before starting treatment with sweet clover, it is necessary to consult a specialist.

Recipes

no information available.

Additional materials

Gonadotropic schemes for gynecological diseases

I am 41 years old, weight 57 kg, height 163 cm. Once a year, a scheduled visit to the mammologist, until December last year, everything was in order. The next visit in November 2019 - fibrocystic mastopathy, both breasts have multiple cysts on each, 3-4 pcs. The doctor prescribed Mastodinon and Wobenzym, independently began taking red wood tincture, plus stone oil - and so on for a month. Also, on the recommendation of the doctor, I passed general analysis blood, including hormones and tumor markers, visited an endocrinologist and gynecologist for hormonal failure. All analyzes are normal. No recommendations.

02/07/20 another visit, the situation has not improved, moreover, neoplasms have appeared that require additional diagnostics. In this connection, I have questions: recommendations for herbal medicine, maybe it is worth taking additional tests, maybe there are versions of such changes? But my lifestyle has remained the same for many years - without bad habits(alcohol rarely) healthy eating, sport. Unless for the past 3 years she has been taking Yarin's pills as a method of contraception. Unfortunately, my doctor cannot answer me if this could somehow affect my health. The abolition of contraceptives fell just in January 2019. And after less than a year already such a diagnosis. Maybe you will advise a good specialist, it is very difficult to find an experienced doctor. I would be grateful for any information. Thanks in advance for your reply.