Healing plant mullein: medicinal properties and contraindications. Medicinal plant mullein - beneficial properties, application

In dry steppe and forest meadows, in clearings in light pine and birch forests, tall stems of Mullein, strewn with flowers, can be seen here and there. Mullein Bear's ear- such a noticeable plant, beautiful in bloom, with a pleasant sweetish aroma, and even with many healing properties! There are several types of mullein, we will talk about the most common - Common Mullein or Bear's Ear Mullein.

Names of Mullein

Common mullein is popularly called: Bear's ear mullein, Ataman (stands alone, towering above other herbs), royal candle, fire-grass, torch-grass, golden flower, Mary's candle.

Where does Mullein grow?

You will also find Mullein among bushes, on forest edges, on sunny rocky and sandy slopes, on railway slopes, often on old plowed land, in pastures. Usually these are solitary plants, but sometimes they are found in islands. Mullein has so much unusual look that you can easily recognize him.

What does Mullein look like?

Mullein stands proudly above other herbs. The height of its erect stem can reach one and a half meters. The large, pubescent leaves of Mullein have an oblong shape. Gently- yellow flowers collected in a solid spike-shaped inflorescence.

The stems and leaves of Mullein are pubescent, and the leaves below are grayish-felt.

Mullein flowering time

Mullein common blooms usually in the second half of summer - in July and August.

Collection and preparation of mullein

The corollas (petals) of Mullein flowers are collected during full bloom, when the corolla is easily separated from the calyx. Raw materials can be dried directly in the sun, spread out on cloth or paper thin layer. Dried petals should be light yellow in color. The browned petals are discarded. Mullein leaves are also collected when the plant is in flower. Dry them under a canopy or in a well-ventilated area.

Features of collection mullein flowers. It is best not to collect flower calyxes, but to separate the corollas with attached stamens. Store dried mullein flowers V glass jars, since they are able to quickly absorb moisture from the air.

Healing properties of mullein

Mullein is rich in carotene, ascorbic acid, flavonoids, sugars, tannins and essential oil. This herb is known to be an excellent expectorant with anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant and analgesic effects. Along with this, mullein boasts unique wound-healing capabilities.

Mullein flowers and leaves ordinary have expectorant, emollient, enveloping, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and wound-healing properties. The flowers also have anticonvulsant properties. An infusion of mullein flowers is used for coughs, hemoptysis, whooping cough, inflammation of the lungs and bronchi, severe runny nose with lacrimation, shortness of breath, and asthma. Also for liver disease, spleen and inflammation of the stomach and intestines.

Mullein often used as one of the components various medicinal teas from cough, and in addition to its direct effect, we must also recognize the effect of improving the taste of tea.

Application of Mullein

Infusion of mullein flowers. 1 tablespoon of dried flowers per 200 ml of boiling water. Leave for 15-20 minutes. Drink 1 tablespoon every 3 hours for respiratory diseases and as an emollient.

Tea with Mullein. Mullein flowers and leaves (usually flowers) are added to tea and herbal infusions.

If you apply a fresh mullein flower (or a dry one, soaked in a minimal amount of water) to the site of the bruise, the pain goes away and a bruise does not form.

Mullein. Interesting Facts

It still remains inexplicable interesting fact that mullein seeds thrown into water can put fish to sleep.

Mullein has been known since ancient times as medicinal plant used in folk and traditional medicine. It is also known as verbascum or royal scepter.

The plant was first mentioned in the medical works of the ancient Greek scientist and physician Hippocrates, later medicinal properties mullein was studied by Avicenna and Simon Sirensky. Ancient healers used the plant to combat many ailments, such as toothache, tumors, coughs, colds, conjunctivitis and whooping cough.

The plant belongs to the Norichnikov family, which has more than 100 species. Verbascum is widespread throughout Asia and Europe, but feels best in the mild maritime climate of the Black Sea coast and Mediterranean seas. This is a two year old herbaceous plant, less often perennial or annual, up to 3 m high and higher.

Wide, hairy leaves are attached to a strong, rod-shaped stem. Mullein in appearance resembles a spruce, that is, the structure of the plant is pyramidal, with a brush-shaped inflorescence on the top of the head. Blooms from May to August. The flowers are yellow, orange, purple, blue, red and white.

Many types of verbascum are common in temperate climate on the territory of Europe. The plant prefers to settle on rocky or sandy slopes of mountains and hills, next to the road, in the steppes or in dry meadows. Finding it is quite simple, since mullein is unpretentious to conditions and climate changes. In our country you can find the following types mullein:

Scepter-shaped;
Black;
Paniculate;
Olympic;
Violet;
Drug;
Bear ear.

They all have similar chemical composition and beneficial properties.

Medicinal properties

First of all, you should pay attention to the rich chemical composition of the plant, which includes:

The composition determines many medicinal properties of the plant:

diaphoretic;
wound healing;
diuretic;
astringent;
painkiller;
soothing;
anti-inflammatory;
bactericidal;
hypotensive (lowers blood pressure);
anticonvulsant;
expectorant;
antitumor;
immunomodulating;
choleretic.

Indications for use

Medicines based on mullein are indicated for the following diseases:

hypertension;
angina;
whooping cough;
cold;
bronchitis;
tuberculosis;
convulsions;
gastrointestinal diseases;
asthma;
headache.

The plant strengthens the immune system well, which is a means of preventing any infectious diseases. In addition, it is used to disinfect and accelerate wound healing. It is especially worth highlighting the expectorant abilities of mullein, which helps with any type of cough. It has also been noted that this plant has antioxidant properties, that is, it prevents the formation of malignant tumors and helps in the treatment of oncology in the early stages.

Harm and contraindications

On this moment no known contraindications or possible harm from consuming the plant. It is allowed for use even by pregnant and nursing mothers, as well as young children. The only thing that may occur is an allergic reaction to one of the components in the composition in individual cases. You should also follow the recommended dosage and courses of treatment with verbascum-based drugs.

Important! The leaves, stem and flowers of the plant are absolutely harmless, but the seeds contain many toxic substances, so their use inside is strictly prohibited!

Dosage forms

All parts of the plant are used in the manufacture of medicines: stem, leaves, flowers and roots. The following dosage forms are prepared from them:

infusion;
decoction;
alcohol tincture;
oil;
ointment;
pills.

Pharmacies usually sell the dried plant, sometimes tablets, so you will have to prepare the medicine yourself at home.

Instructions for use

Let's look at the basic recipes and methods for preparing mullein-based medicines:

Interesting! In the USA, mullein is called " toilet paper cowboy" due to the abrasive effect of the plant's fuzzy leaves.

Mullein is a very useful medicinal plant against many ailments. The main thing is to follow the dosage and course of treatment. Verbascum will relieve colds, stop bleeding, cure infections and improve digestion. This good remedy strengthening the immune system and preventing malignant tumors.

Mullein belongs to biennial (although annuals are also found) or perennial plants of the Norichnikov family. This plant has a second name - verbascum, but it is less common. Mullein grows almost everywhere, and Asia, the Mediterranean and the USA are considered its homeland. In accordance with botanical description mullein has:

erect stem, practically unbranched;
taproot;
spirally or oppositely arranged leaves;
basal rosette of foliage;
felt pile over the entire surface of flowers, leaves, shoots.

The foliage, stem and shoots of the plant are grayish-green or deep dark green. A stem topped with a spike of buds arranged in several tiers grows above the basal rosette of a two-year-old grass. Mullein blooms throughout the warm season with pink, purple, yellow or white flowers.

This plant is distinguished not only by its beauty, but also by its benefits. Mullein is used in folk medicine as an expectorant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and bleeding stop agent. The wide range of uses of the plant is due to the presence in its chemical composition large quantity vitamins, mucus and essential oils.

Plant species

In total, more than 250 species of mullein are known, but in the territory Russian Federation Only a few of them grow, those that are adapted to Russian climatic conditions. The most common types of plants are:

Ordinary. The second name of the plant is “ bear ear" Outwardly, it resembles a cone, since the leaves become smaller towards the top of the plant. The entire stem of common mullein is covered with dark green leaves, and the top of the stem is crowned with a short inflorescence consisting of flowers up to 2 mm in diameter.
Scepter-shaped. The plant got its name for its resemblance to a scepter - it can reach a height of 1.2 meters, is distinguished by a straight, strong stem covered with oval leaves from 4 to 40 cm in length. The inflorescence of the scepter-shaped mullein is long, consisting of bunches of bright yellow flowers with fresh light aroma, and when dried - a bright honey smell.
Medicinal. The plant reaches one and a half meters in height, its stem is covered with foliage up to 25 cm in length. Mullein flowers are located along the entire stem, their anthers are red, and the diameter of the inflorescences reaches 5.5 cm.

Also known are species such as purple mullein - this plant blooms in the first summer months, and its main distinctive feature are painted bright purple flowers, and hybrid - a frost- and drought-resistant biennial plant with yellow inflorescences. Almost all known types of mullein are used to make medicines used to treat a variety of diseases.

Composition and beneficial properties of the plant

The plant contains:

mucus - promotes the removal of sputum due to expectorant and anti-inflammatory properties;
saponins - promote the removal of mucus from the bronchi and lungs, stop the proliferation of cancer cells;
glucose - normalizes metabolism, provides energy;
flavonoids - strengthen and restore elasticity of blood vessels and capillaries, neutralize free radicals;
essential oils - soften cough and increase sputum production, have stimulating, antibacterial, sedative properties;
gum - normalizes cholesterol in the blood and gastrointestinal microflora, removes toxins and reduces appetite;
Coumarins - reduce blood clotting, are useful for a tendency to form blood clots, heart attacks and strokes, act as a diuretic and astringent.

It also contains: carotene - an immunostimulant, organic acids with antiseptic and antifungal properties, necessary for the functioning of the central nervous system and activating the hematopoietic process. Tannin and ash contained in the composition promote rapid healing of wounds and ulcers. Alkaloids help reduce blood pressure, tannins and macroelements have a beneficial effect on the entire body.

Thus, the plant provides expectorant, analgesic, hypotensive, antibacterial, wound-healing, sedative, diuretic, and anti-inflammatory effects.

Contraindications

Despite the mass of medicinal properties, all parts of the plant - stem, flowers, seeds, leaves - also have contraindications. These include:

allergy;
lactation and pregnancy.

Oral preparations prepared from mullein must be carefully filtered so as not to provoke irritation and gastrointestinal upset. And it is absolutely not allowed to use seeds or products based on them internally, since this part of the plant is toxic.

Areas of application for mullein

Prepared from the plant medicines, promoting rapid treatment of a number of ailments and improvement general condition. So, the decoction is used for stomatitis, cystitis, dystrophy, diseases respiratory tract, hypertension, gastrointestinal diseases.

An infusion from the plant is used for respiratory diseases, hoarseness, tuberculosis, jaundice, sore throat, convulsions and migraines. Due to its hemostatic properties, the infusion is recommended to be added to sitz baths to treat hemorrhoids.

Also prepared from mullein:

ointment - treats putrefactive ulcers and wounds;
oil - helps with ear ailments, eczema, promotes rapid healing of wounds;
tincture - used externally to relieve radiculitis, neuralgia, arthritis, rheumatism.

Healthy recipes

How to prepare medicines from mullein at home? It’s quite simple, the main thing is to strictly observe the specified proportions when making medicines. Mullein decoction is prepared according to the following recipe:

a tablespoon of dry leaves of the plant is boiled for 2-3 minutes in water (1 cup);
after this, remove from heat and infuse for about half an hour;
The cooled broth is filtered and consumed three times a day, a large spoonful.

The infusion is prepared from a tablespoon of dry raw materials poured with a glass of boiling water. This mixture should be left for 10-20 minutes, strained, and consumed in an amount of 150 ml. The procedure is repeated three times a day, after meals.

To prepare the ointment, you will need to grind mullein seeds into powder.

To make oil from mullein, pour a glass into a container and add 5 tablespoons of the plant into it. The mass is placed on the windowsill and left there for a month, during which you need to shake the bottle daily. The finished oil is filtered and placed in the refrigerator for storage. The product is used both internally and externally.

Treatment of hemorrhoids

Mullein grass for hemorrhoids - best medicine, which has a hemostatic, anti-inflammatory, healing, softening effect.

A decoction from the plant will stop bleeding and reduce the symptoms of the disease in just a week, and it is prepared as follows:

in a thermos, brew 1.5 tablespoons of flowers with one and a half glasses of just boiled water;
the mixture is infused for an hour and filtered;
You should drink the decoction, a third of a glass, 3 times a day.

Homemade suppositories will save you from internal hemorrhoids:

100 gr butter melt;
add a mixture of mullein and flaxseed to it (take 1 spoon of each ingredient);
the mass is heated in a water bath for an hour, then cooled;
10 grams of wax are added to the cooled mixture;
Candles are formed from the mass and placed in the refrigerator for hardening and subsequent storage.

Nature presents us with many gifts. One of them is mullein, or verbascum. This plant has many varieties. The most common flowers are: common mullein, densely flowered, black, Olympic, purple, scepter-shaped, hybrid, paniculate, bear's ear, royal scepter, which will be discussed in this article. Sometimes mullein species are completely different from each other, you can see this by looking at the photo. But each flower is unique in its own way, has medicinal properties and is widely used in official and folk medicine. Depending on the variety, mullein can be two years old or perennial plant. These flowers grow in wild environments: fields, meadows, and are also domesticated and planted by gardeners for later use.

Growing the royal scepter mullein plant

Royal scepter mullein is a biennial plant that grows up to 2 m in height and has a shape similar to a scepter. Small yellow flowers, about 1.5 cm in diameter, are placed densely on the upper half of the stem. They bloom alternately, starting approximately from the middle of the stem. Thus, mullein flowering occurs throughout almost the entire warm period.

Verbascum leaves are located horizontally above the ground, they are quite wide and pubescent. He has a powerful root system, this is especially true for perennial species.

Flowering variety of the Royal Scepter

Most often, this plant can be seen on roadsides, in courtyards, gardens and parks, in fields and forest areas. It also grows on personal plots, where it receives proper care and is subsequently used as a medicine.

Attention! Mullein grows best on sandy soil, although black soil is also suitable for him. You cannot sow royal scepter mullein in clay soil.

Mullein reproduces in several ways:

Division of rhizomes. Since the royal scepter mullein is a biennial plant, by the end of the first year’s flowering last days September - early October, gardeners dig up rhizomes and separate shoots. They are treated with disinfectants and planted in the soil. In this way, mullein reproduces, and a person can control where the flowers grow so that they are not placed too close to each other. Even before the onset of frost, the divided rhizomes will produce small sprouts.
Self-seeding Upon completion of flowering, seeds are formed in place of the flower, which, after drying under the influence of wind or rain, leave mother plant and fall into the ground. This type of propagation does not require effort, but has a number of disadvantages: the impossibility of growing in rows; if there are several species in one area, self-seeding will lead to the degeneration of some of them.
Growing the royal scepter mullein plant from seeds. This is the most suitable option. It is less energy intensive than dividing rhizomes and more human-controlled than self-seeding. The seeds are collected from the largest inflorescences and dried. In May they are sown in prepared soil and watered. After a few weeks, seedlings appear that need to be thinned out, leaving only the strongest plants at a distance of at least 30-40 cm from one another. Mullein flowers grown from seeds will bloom in the second year. After which it will be necessary to collect and sow the seeds again.

Attention! Don't bury the seeds too much. It is best to scatter them over the soil and then sprinkle them with a small amount of soil. As the root system grows, it will position itself at the required depth.

Mullein royal scepter is easy to care for

Like any plant, verbascum needs care. But gardeners don’t have to spend a lot of time on it.

Fertilizer. Even before sowing, a small amount of mineral fertilizer is applied to the ground, and the soil is loosened with a hoe. Adult plants like to be fed with organic or mineral fertilizers, which should be applied to the root zone.

Seeds of the Royal Scepter variety

Weeding. The plant will feel better in loosened soil. Weeds make things worse appearance plot, take nutrients from the ground, and also create shade, which can damage young mullein shoots. Therefore, weeds must be removed regularly.
Mulching. Royal scepter mullein responds well to mulching. Sprinkling the ground with sawdust, bark, wood chips or other substances reduces the number of weeds and saturates the soil useful substances and it just looks aesthetically pleasing.
Collection of seeds. Having selected several flowers on the stem, they are not removed until the seeds are completely ripe. After the petals have completely dried, the seeds are collected, the remains of the flower are removed and dried in the sun - most often on a windowsill inside the house. Seeds should be stored in a paper bag in a room with low air humidity.
Removing flowers. Since verbascum blooms in stages, you need to ensure that faded flowers are removed in a timely manner. Otherwise, they will draw on the strength of the plant, slowing down the flowering process of the remaining buds, and after some time they will dump the resulting seeds into the ground.
Removing the stem. After the end of the mullein flowering period, it is necessary to completely cut off all the stems, which, after removal, can be put into compost.
Preparing for winter. Due to low temperatures In winter, even before the onset of cold weather, care must be taken to ensure that the royal scepter survives the frost. To do this, the rhizomes are sprinkled with ash, sawdust, peat, fallen leaves and even branches.

Medicinal properties of mullein

The mullein royal scepter has healing properties with its help you can prevent diseases or alleviate their course.

Verbascum is used:

for skin diseases, lichen;
for problems with the stomach and intestines;
for hemorrhoids;
for diseases of the oral cavity;
for asthma and throat problems;
for cardiovascular diseases.

Mullein in nature

Royal scepter mullein has a soothing, expectorant, wound-healing, diuretic effect, will relieve swelling and puffiness. Therefore, it is included in many medicines.
In folk medicine, mullein tincture, decoction, oil and ointment are used.

Attention! When preparing mullein products, the stamens must be carefully removed. They cause irritation to the skin and mucous membranes.

Contraindications to treatment with mullein

Verbascum - very useful plant, but there are still a few caveats.

It is very rare that a person is intolerant to this flower. Before use, do a test: spread a small amount of ointment or mullein decoction on a healthy area of skin. If after several hours redness, burning or other signs of rejection do not appear, you can safely use mullein as a medicine.
During pregnancy and lactation, this plant should be used carefully. It’s better to completely eliminate it at this time.

Traditional medicine is designed to help people. But only in moderation and in sensible ways. Serious diseases can only be diagnosed and treated by a highly specialized specialist - a doctor, who should be contacted immediately. Royal scepter mullein has a wide range of medicinal properties and can prevent many diseases. But the main gift a person can give to their health is proper nutrition, mode and regular physical exercise. In combination with verbascum products, they will bring health and longevity to the whole family.

Royal scepter mullein is a herbaceous biennial from the Norichnikov family. Unknowing people, meeting it on their way, sometimes confuse the plant with a weed. Today, breeders have managed to develop many varieties of mullein, which differ in their color palette. Growing up to one and a half meters in height, mullein blooms with bright spike-shaped inflorescences of yellow, pink, purple, white and red. On this page “Popular about health” you will learn how royal scepter mullein is grown from seeds, how it is cared for, and you will also be able to take a good look at its photo.

In the photo there is a royal scepter mullein

Please look at the photo showing a mullein - it looks impressive. The giant stem rises one and a half to two meters above the ground. It is all fleecy and practically covered from top to bottom bright flowers. Distinctive feature royal scepter from other types of mullein - lack of branching of the stem. In rare cases, it occurs only in the upper part of the flower. The leaves are collected in a powerful rosette from below, they have oval shape, green, like the trunk, are not without edges. Villi on the leaves help the plant maintain maximum amount moisture, so it successfully copes with sudden drought.

In its natural environment, mullein can be found in the Baltic states, on the Black Sea coast, in the Caucasus, as well as in Russia (its European part). This plant grows on roadsides, in ravines, and can often be found in landfills. Readers will benefit from knowing that this herbaceous plant has many medicinal properties. But how to grow it on your own plot?

Features of growing mullein royal scepter

Flower growers often use these flowers to decorate their gardens. Impressive appearance, unpretentiousness and drought resistance of the plant are some of its advantages. Mullein prefers to grow in sunny areas and develops well even in depleted soils. Loamy, viscous soil is destructive for these flowers. The culture is frost-resistant. Now let's talk about methods of growing royal scepter mullein, we will focus on the seed method, since it is most often used by flower growers.

Growing mullein from seeds

Find an area in your dacha that is well lit by the sun. Since flowers are not picky about the soil, there is no need to carry out any manipulations other than loosening in the flowerbed. The only condition is not to plant mullein on too heavy and viscous soil.

Optimal time for sowing mullein in the garden - the end of May. The seeds of the royal scepter mullein are quite small, so they are not deepened into the soil, but only sprinkled with a light layer of soil so that the wind does not blow them away planting material throughout the territory. The plantings are not irrigated too abundantly using a watering can with a shower attachment. If the weather is favorable and sunny, the sprouts will appear on the 15th day. As soon as this happens, the beds need to be thinned out. Leave about 20-30 cm between plants. When thinning, remove the most weak flowers so that strong specimens remain.

How to care for young and adult mullein?

Young plants need to be looked after, namely, remove weeds and water regularly, but not abundantly. This plant does not need feeding, because in nature it does without it. Although some gardeners alternate between organic and mineral fertilizers. However, you should not get carried away with this, since excess nutrients may be harmful. When the flowers grow a little and get stronger, you shouldn’t worry too much about watering. The plant has a long, straight rhizome, which allows it to extract moisture from the deep layers of the soil. Seedlings will bloom only in the second year after planting.

IN further care removing flowers means removing dried inflorescences. The plant gratefully accepts the procedure of loosening the soil around the stem. For the winter, after cutting, the mullein is covered with a layer of leaves and dry branches, and the cutting sites themselves are treated with crushed coal or peat.

Reproduction by dividing the bush

If there is a need to propagate flowers, the easiest way to do this is by dividing the rhizomes in the fall. The plant is carefully dug up, cut into 2-3 parts, after which the sections are planted in the ground. The flower is resistant to pests, but can get sick due to severe stagnation of moisture in the soil, as this provokes the development of fungal infections. Snails, slugs and caterpillars can disturb the plant's dormancy, but to combat them there are various drugs that are sold in flower shops.

Gardeners saw in mullein welcome guest and are happy to use it to decorate their plots. Such tall flowers look great against the backdrop of stunted representatives of the flora and, undoubtedly, the attention of passers-by and guests is focused on them. Due to the fact that growing and caring for mullein is not at all difficult, it is increasingly in demand among gardeners. Try sowing the seeds of this flower in your dacha. Then next summer you will enjoy a wonderful abundant flowering one and a half meter giant.