Description of the plant.
Indian onion (bird-tailed tailed) is a perennial, a representative of the family of lily, bulbous plant. It is often grown as a house and decorative plant.
The plant has a large (about 10 cm in diameter), a round, finely-seated green bulb, on top of which are scales of yellowish color. Directly from the bulb grow long, flat, drooping leaves (width-5 cm, length -30 cm), folded into tubes at the ends. Often, the ends of the leaves dry out, while in the bulb they still continue to grow. Each year the plant grows one sheet, and its age can be determined by counting the number of leaves. The daughter bulbs are numerously formed under the scales of the bulb. They are easily separated from the mother bulb and planted for cultivation in any soil. The root system is numerous, white, in the form of cords.
The Indian onion begins to blossom in spring, in April-May. The flowers are small, yellowish-white, in the form of asterisks, collected in inflorescences (resemble hyacinths), outside the leaves - a green strip. In the inflorescence, in addition to flowers, there are thin green needles sitting on a pedicel. The fruit is a multi-faceted box, it contains round, flat seeds of black color. Of these, it is also possible to grow bulbs.
Despite the fact that the birthplace of the Indian onion is Africa, in the conditions of our climate it grows perfectly as a medicinal and ornamental plant.
Chemical composition.
The composition of this plant is not fully understood. Many biologically active substances are found in leaves and bulbs. Among them, nitrogen-containing substances - alkaloids, (have a pronounced effect on the human body, mostly poisonous), colchamine and colchicine.
Colchicine interferes with the deposition of uric acid salts in the tissues (anti-snuff action), which has a toebush and anti-inflammatory effect. But this substance can cause poisoning, because it is toxic. Colchamine is less toxic than colchicine, an alkaloid.
Vegetable protein, essential oils, mineral salts, organic acids, phytoncides (have a bactericidal effect) are also found in Indian onions.
This plant is able to activate the metabolism, improve local blood circulation, prevent thrombosis, reduce the outflow of lymph from inflamed tissues and swelling of the tissue.
Application in medicine.
Indian onions are used exclusively externally: muscular and neuralgic pains, osteochondrosis, metabolic disturbances and inflammatory processes in the joints, gout attacks, insect bites, bruising.
The treatment uses the oldest, drying leaves of onions. It is taken, basically, fresh juice of leaves, it is rubbed with a diseased part of the body, or a cut sheet is applied to the skin, all this is wrapped up on top. First there is a burning sensation, the blood vessels expand and the blood flows, then pain and inflammation gradually decrease.
Use of onions requires caution. It will be difficult to avoid poisoning if the onion juice accidentally gets inside and you can not let the juice of this plant get into the eyes.
Recipes of traditional medicine.
A large number of recipes for the treatment of Indian onions are known. We represent the most popular of them.
- Tincture on alcohol:
crust the leaves of onion and pour vodka (per 100 ml - a tablespoon), put on a month in a dark place, shake sometimes, then strain and wring out. Keep the tincture in the refrigerator.
- Mixture for compress:
three tablespoons of spirit tincture of onion to combine with two tablespoons of honey, one tablespoon of aloe juice. Moisten the mixture with a gauze napkin, attach to the affected joint, from above - bandage with a piece of polyethylene and cotton wool, wrap, leave for an hour. Such a recipe will help with arthrosis, arthritis, osteochondrosis, gout.
Attention!
It is always worth remembering that the onion juice is very irritating to the skin, so you need to check how much the skin is sensitive to Indian onions before it's first applied. Do not use if the skin has blisters and swelling. Lubricate the juice on the inside of the forearm of a small area of the skin, thereby you check the sensitivity to this drug. The plant should not be used for treatment if there is severe irritation.
It should be treated with caution to the use of Indian onions, because this plant has not been fully studied yet.