Dodder is an annual parasitic plant well known to agronomists and summer residents. Outwardly, this weed looks like a long thin worm of yellow or reddish color, entangling, like a web, an unhappy plant. This amazing species has neither roots, nor leaves, nor other organs familiar to the flora world, and therefore cannot extract the substances necessary for its vital activity other than by clinging to another plant.
Dodder is widespread almost worldwide. In total, there are several hundred species of this weed on the globe.
Did you know? Dodder stems quickly grow and branch like in Hollywood horror films, hitting more and more victims on their way. At the same time, each individual spreads over hundreds of thousands (!) Of seeds that can germinate for up to six years and break through even after deep digging of the soil.It is not surprising that such a plant is a real disaster for agriculture, especially if it happens, that it is very difficult to get rid of dodder by mechanical methods. As a rule, the affected areas require a long quarantine: in the place that the dodder has chosen for itself, to get rid of it completely, you can not plant anything for several years (as it was said, dodder seeds can wait in the land of their hour for a very long time). But, as often happens in nature, being the worst enemy of gardeners, dodder nevertheless is capable of bringing benefits. It turns out that this plant has a number of healing qualities, and scientists have yet to complete their detailed study.
Chemical composition dodder
Despite the fact that the dodder from antiquity was used by physicians for the manufacture of various medicinal potions, the chemical composition of this plant has not yet been thoroughly studied. For this reason, official medicine does not use drugs based on this herb.
However, it is precisely known that all parts of this climbing grass contain the active ingredients alkaloids (kuskutin) and glycosides (convolvulin and saponins), which are preserved in the composition of dodder and during drying. In addition, the plant contains tannins, sterols, flavones and leucoanthocyanins, flavonol quercetin, coloring matter (pigment), flobafen, as well as carbohydrates (sugars, pentosan) and water.
Many of the substances listed above are poisonous, so the use of dodder should be treated with extreme caution.
Healing properties of dodder
Dodder used correctly has a number of medicinal properties, which are determined by its chemical composition.
For example, convolvulin contained in the dodder enhances intestinal motility, causes a laxative effect and thus helps to relieve constipation. Quercetin is generally considered one of the most beneficial flavonoids: it prevents the development of inflammatory diseases, strengthens the immune system, has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system, strengthens the walls of blood vessels, dilutes the blood and improves blood flow. Also, this substance has analgesic and anti-allergic effect.
Besides, dodder has astringent properties, so it helps to stop bleeding much better than other medicinal herbs.
The plant also has a positive effect on the urogenital system, it is an excellent diuretic, it relieves painful conditions during menstruation, stimulates sexual function, especially in men (improves potency, prevents premature ejaculation). In addition, dodder can help men get rid of the symptoms of prostatitis. It is believed that dodder improves metabolic processes in the body, has a positive effect on cell nutrition. Dodder tinctures are used for colds and stomach diseases, fever and chills, for liver diseases, angina pectoris, inflammations of the large intestine, headache and toothache, alcoholism, skin diseases and even some mental disorders and nervous disorders.
The seeds of this plant, among other things, have a general tonic effect.
Preparation and storage of dodder for medicinal purposes
All the above properties justify the widespread use of dodder for medicinal purposes. However, the preparation of various decoctions and infusions of dodder is preceded by the preparation of raw materials and ensuring its proper storage.
Medicinal raw material in the dodder is its stem (in fact, it represents the whole plant), as well as seeds. The correct time for collecting dodder stems is in the summer months when the grass is in the flowering stage or at the beginning of fruiting, and for seeds - in the fall. Some recommend removing the dodder for harvesting at the moment when its stem has made one turn around the victim plant. This method has one indisputable advantage - it allows not only to prepare a medicine, but also to save an innocent culture from the most harmful parasite.
Raw materials should be dried well. For this, a room with good ventilation is used. Seeds can be roasted in the oven at a low temperature until dry. The finished material is laid out in paper bags and stored in a place protected from moisture.
Recipes of traditional medicine
As stated, traditional pharmacology does not use dodder as a medicinal component, which is not the case with traditional medicine. Our ancestors have long used this weed plant to heal all sorts of ailments.
Did you know? It is known that healers passed on from generation to generation various drugs made from this herb. It was even used as the main component for the strongest bewitching potion, having accepted that, the person acquired complete emotional dependence on who had drunk him. The elixir possessed such miraculous power that the magicians were ready to carry the secret of its preparation with them to the grave.
The famous medieval physician Ibn Sina (Avicenna) in the eleventh century noticed that the roasted seeds of dodder have the ability to act beneficially on the stomach, and in a mixture with vinegar the plant also improves liver function and even helps to get rid of an attack of hiccups. From melancholy, he recommended taking decoction from dodder along with raisins. Before using the doctor dried the plant, then ground it into powder, which was added to the wine.Tibetan doctors today use dodder to treat pneumonia, vascular diseases, and disorders of the liver.
The Use of Juice Dodder
Dodder juice is traditionally used for jaundice (not to be confused with hepatitis!), Especially in cases when fever and chills occur as a result of blockage of blood vessels. However, it should be understood that this is not about treating the disease, but about alleviating its symptoms (first of all - fever). The antipyretic effect of dodder juice can be enhanced by adding plant seeds to it. With the help of a decoction made from dodder flowers, you can stop the bleeding and ease the course of pneumonia.
For the treatment of pneumonia, they even take a dodder bath: a decoction (25 g of dried stems per 1 liter of water is boiled for 20 minutes, cooled and drained) is added to a warm bath.
This procedure is recommended to be carried out every day or every two days for two weeks.
Tincture with toothache
Dodder for toothache is taken in the form of tincture 1 tablespoon three times a day. To prepare the drug, 25 g (about one third of a glass) of dried stalks of a dodder are poured with a glass of boiling water and infused for 60 minutes.
Decoction for skin diseases
Dodder is used to treat many skin diseases, in particular, it is effective for dermatitis, eczema, and child rash. The broth prepared on its basis is used inside (twice a day for half a cup), used as lotions or added to a bath.
Important! Rash in children is treated only with baths, you can not give babies broths or infusions of dodder!Dry grass, crushed into powder, pour hot water and boiled in a water bath for 20 minutes, then cooled and filtered. For 1 liter of water you need to take 25 g dodder.
Treatment of skin diseases is more effective if the reception of decoction combined with the external use of ointment on the basis of dodder. To prepare such a preparation, it is sufficient to mix dried powdered stalks, ground into powder, with ordinary butter.
Decoction for painful menstruation
To relieve pain during menstruation, it is recommended for women three times a day to take one tablespoonful of broth prepared as follows: pour 25 g of dried and crushed dodder with a glass of boiling water, leave for two hours, strain.
Important! The drug should be taken with scant menstrual flow!
Decoction for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
Hemostatic properties possessed by dodder, allow it to be used for gastric and duodenal ulcers. The method of preparation of the decoction and reception is the same as for menstrual pain, but in this case you should take less dry raw material (5 g of grass is enough for a glass of water) or dilute the more concentrated decoction with the required amount of water.
The same broth is used to treat a number of other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, even claiming that it is effective in the early stages of malignant tumors in the stomach.
Harm, side effects and symptoms of poisoning
As it was said, dodder is a poisonous plant, so if it is used carelessly, it can easily be poisoned. So, there are known cases of serious intoxications that were received by farm animals grazed on dodder-infested meadows. It is even more dangerous to feed livestock with hay made from grass not cleared from dodder because, after lying down and dried out, the plant becomes more poisonous and even capable of causing the death of the animal.
Saponin, kustan and convolvulin contained in the dodder possess poisoning properties, although in small doses these substances have a healing effect.
For example, convolvulin, as mentioned above, can improve intestinal function and help relieve constipation, but these same properties, if the amount is exceeded, cause severe diarrhea, blood overcrowding in the vessels of the gastric mucosa, and damage to the small and large intestines. During pregnancy, these symptoms can spill over into the uterus and cause miscarriage.
In addition to diarrhea, dodder can cause severe dizziness, headaches, nausea and vomiting. If poisoning has occurred, it is necessary to immediately flush the stomach (using sorbents, for example, activated carbon) and then consult a doctor. It is recommended to drink plenty of mucous broths, starch-based jelly, etc. - enveloping effect that they have on the gastric mucosa, minimizes the penetration of toxins into the blood. The same effect can give a small amount of vegetable oil.
Thus, dodder can be used as a medicine only after detailed consultation with your doctor, while pregnancy and lactation, diabetes, obesity, diarrhea are direct contraindications to taking this plant. With caution should be treated to him and with ulcers - the plant can help heal the wound, but it can hurt with the wrong reception. Any acute inflammatory processes in the body - a reason to exercise extra caution. As already mentioned, dodder preparations cannot be used as an internal medicine for children.
