Description.
Mountain arnica is a perennial herbaceous plant of the family Compositae, with a thick horizontal rhizome, as well as numerous accessory roots. The stem is single simple, reaches a height of 20 to 60 cm, is covered with hairs, has 1-3 pairs of leaves, distant from each other, decreasing upward. The lower leaves are yellow-green, fairly thick, oblong or elliptical, with a rounded apex, slightly pubescent or glabrous, with a pronounced superior vein and lateral arched veins. They are collected in a rosette.
Flowers are united in large baskets, on the stem from 1 to 5 baskets. Flowering period in them in June-August, at this time the baskets reach 8 cm in diameter. Pointed leaves of the perianth with a drawn apex, covered with curly hair. The ligulate flowers are much longer than the tepals, golden-yellow, and the hairy-hairs. Fruits - rough-haired acanthus in length to 6 cm, narrowed towards both ends.
Mountain arnica grows on glades, mountain meadows, grassy fringes, coniferous light forests, sandy, humus soil, but not limestone. It occurs in the highlands in the lowlands.
Baskets, sometimes the root and grass of arnica mountain, serve as medicinal raw materials. Prohibited harvesting in natural areas, as this plant belongs to rare species and is subject to protection. Arnica medicinal is very difficult to grow, so its medicinal raw materials are imported from abroad.
Dried flower baskets of arnica have a bitter, spicy, slightly burning taste and a pleasant aroma.
Beneficial features.
The dried raw materials contain flavonoids, coloring substances Faradiol, arnidol and lutein, essential oil (most of it is contained in the root), tannins, organic acids (lactic, malic, valeric, acetic), bitter substances, resins, sugar, inulin, vitamin C and some other substances.
The action of arnica mountain:
- external - astringent mucous membrane and skin, anti-inflammatory, hemostatic;
- when taking drugs inside - exciting and spasmolytic (dilates the blood vessels, including the vessels that feed the muscles of the internal organs and the heart muscle).
The curative properties of arnica are manifested, mainly, due to faradiol, which promotes resorption of hemorrhages and exerts a local irritant effect on the tissues of the human body. Arnica mountain also has a stimulating effect on the cardiovascular system: the heart rhythm under its influence is accelerated.
Arnica mountain has, on the one hand, a tonic effect on the spinal cord, on the other - inhibits the activity of the cerebral cortex. Therefore, the drugs obtained on its basis in small doses stimulate the action of the central nervous system, and in large have an overwhelming cramp, soothing effect.
Arnica mountain also has anti-inflammatory, choleretic effect, increases uterine contraction. This plant is also used as an antisclerotic: it lowers the level of cholesterol in the blood.
Application in medicine.
Arnica is used in the form of broths, infusions, ointments from roots and flowers with rheumatism, gastric and duodenal ulcers, certain cardiovascular diseases (coronary heart disease, hypertensive heart disease and others).
Inside, the tincture of arnica is used for better contraction of the uterus after childbirth, with various bleeding in obstetric and gynecological practice.
Application arnica externally, in the form of moist dressings, lotions for light burns and frostbites, trophic ulcers, pustular skin diseases, burns, exudates, cuts, bruises helps to quickly stop bleeding.
It is applied mountain arnica and with nervous diseases and various inflammatory processes, reduces pain in the place of injury.
Arnica is considered a poisonous plant, its use in large doses with external application can lead to acute skin diseases, and if taken orally - to death. Pregnant women are not allowed to use this plant - this can lead to the termination of pregnancy.
Medicinal preparations based on arnica.
Tincture of arnica can be bought in a pharmacy, apply it inside of 30 drops per one tablespoon of milk.
You can prepare yourself an infusion of dried arnica flowers bought at the pharmacy: they prepare them in enameled utensils, a tablespoon of raw material is poured into a glass of boiling water, the lid is kept for 15 minutes in a water bath, then cooled for 45 minutes, filtered, topped up and taken three times a day on a tablespoon.