Rowan tree is a tree with a straight trunk up to 15 meters high. It grows everywhere: in the forests, on the fringes, near the reservoirs. The bark of the mountain ash is smooth, gray in color. Young shoots slightly pubescent. Rowanberry blooms in May - early June, and at the very end of summer or early autumn, round bright red fruits with healing properties ripen on its branches. In the berries of this plant, carotene is found in large quantities (it is also called provitamin A, since vitamin A is formed from carotene in the human body). According to the content of carotene, the fruits of mountain ash are not inferior even to carrots. Of the other compounds that have healing properties, vitamin C, P, K and Group B, organic acids, essential oils, tannic and pectin substances, potassium, calcium and magnesium salts are found in berries of mountain ash. What diseases use the healing properties of mountain ash?
In folk medicine, rowan fruits have a fairly wide application. Due to their healing properties, berries are used for medicinal purposes in the presence of low acidity of gastric juice, liver and heart diseases, arterial hypertension.
From the collected fruits of mountain ash ordinary during the subsequent processing receive sorbitol. This substance is used for atherosclerosis, since the healing effect of sorbitol is expressed in reducing the amount of fat in the liver and cholesterol in the blood. In addition, sorbitol is used as a sugar substitute for patients suffering from diabetes mellitus. Ripe fruits of mountain ash can be used as food for diabetic patients instead of sorbitol.
The fruits of mountain ash are also an effective healing agent for the prevention of hypovitaminosis due to the high content of vitamins, especially carotene and vitamin C.
The healing properties of mountain ash berries are also expressed in their diuretic and haemostatic effect.
In addition to the healing value, rowan berries have found application in the food industry (making wines, tinctures, confectionery).
Healing properties of decoction of ashberry flowers are used in the treatment of hemorrhoids, gynecological diseases and as a mild laxative.
The bark and leaves of the mountain ash have not received such wide distribution as healing products in comparison with the fruits of this plant, although, for example, in the bark of mountain ash contains many tannins. Dried and finely chopped leaves pour stored potatoes, which prevents it from spoiling.
Dmitry Parshonok, specially for the site