Crowberry: useful properties of bearberry. Shiksha - useful properties and contraindications

Shiksha (crowberry, crowberry, ariska, crimson, pigeon, pusher, capercaillie, swamp, shiptun-grass) and others are only Russian folk names, but every people familiar with this plant calls it in its own way.

Name

This is one of the few plants that is so well known among the people that it was given a huge number of names.

The genus name comes from the Greek words en "on" and petros "stone" - and is associated with the habitat of the plant.

According to the encyclopedic dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron, at the end of the 19th century, the names common yernik, black yernik, berry yernik, crowberry, crow, veris, pigeon, lykha, and shiksha were also used.

The name crowberry is given to the plant, most likely due to the small amount of pulp and the large amount of unleavened juice. Other Russian names for the plant are bagnovka, crowberry (according to the color of the berry), expensive grass, bearberry, psycho, psycho-berry, drunkenness, sixx, bluish grass, ssykha (due to the diuretic effect of berries), black grass, shiksha.

Names in other languages - English. Crowberry, German Krahenbeeren, Fin. Variksenmarja, fr. Camarine - can be literally translated as crowberry. Another Finnish name for the plant is sianmustikka (literally translated as “pork blueberries”).

Spreading

This plant is cold-loving, does not grow near housing.

Crowberry is distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere - from the temperate zone to the subarctic zone (Russia, continental Western Europe from Finland to Spain, Great Britain, Iceland, Greenland, USA, Canada, Japan, Korea, northern China, Mongolia). Crowberry is also found in the Southern Hemisphere - in the Chilean Andes, on Tierra del Fuego, on the Falkland (Malvinas) Islands, as well as on the islands of Tristan da Cunha. In Russia, the plant is widely distributed in the northern regions, in Siberia, in the Far East, including Sakhalin, Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands; also found in the non-chernozem zone. Homeland crowberry - Northern Hemisphere. Its current bipolar distribution is due to the southward penetration of the plant during the Ice Age.

Typical habitats of the plant are sphagnum swamps, moss-lichen and rocky tundras, coniferous (usually pine) forests, where it often forms a continuous cover. Crowberry is also found on open sands (spits, dunes), on granite outcrops; in the mountains it grows in the subalpine and alpine zone.

For this plant, as well as for lingonberries, winter-loving, upland uterus, and all heathers, the neighborhood with mushrooms is inherent - they are mycotrophs, i.e. plants that grow and develop well thanks to fungi, receiving nutrients from them.

Biological description

Crowberry is a creeping shrub, whose height rarely exceeds 20 cm, and the length of the shoots can reach 100 cm.

It grows in spots - clumps, each of which is a single individual. The stem is dark brown in color, densely covered with leaves, covered with brownish hairs at a young age; branches strongly, while the branches form adventitious roots. The curtain gradually occupies more and more space, while in its center the branches gradually die off. Occasionally there are extensive thickets of crowberry - the so-called crowberry, or shikshovniki.

Like some other representatives of the heather family, crowberry cannot do without symbiosis with fungi: from them it receives some minerals, in return supplying them with photosynthesis products.

Twigs, up to 1 m long, mostly hidden in a moss pillow, covered with dotted glands of white or amber color.

The leaves are alternate, small, with very short petioles, narrowly elliptical, 3-10 mm long. The edges of the leaf are bent down and almost closed, because of this, the leaves look like needles, and the plant itself looks like a dwarf Christmas tree. Each leaf stays on the branch for up to five years.

Plants are monoecious or dioecious. Flowers axillary, inconspicuous; with double actinomorphic perianth, with three pink, red or purple petals and three sepals; single or in a group of two or three pieces. Stamen flowers have three stamens. The stigma is radiant, the ovary is superior, it contains from 6 to 12 nests. In the conditions of the European part of Russia, crowberry blooms in April - May, in Siberia - in May - June. Pollination - with the help of insects: crowberry flowers are visited by butterflies, flies and bees.

The fruit is a black (with a bluish bloom) or red berry up to 5 mm in diameter with hard skin and hard seeds, outwardly similar to a blueberry. Ripens in August. The juice is purple. The berries remain on the shoots until spring.

Chemical composition

Crowberry contains triterpene saponins, flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol, rutin), tannins (up to 4.5%), essential oils, resins, coumarins, benzoic and acetic acids, anthocyanins, vitamin C, carotene, various trace elements, including manganese , sugars, essential oils.

The leaves of the plant contain large amounts of vitamin C, phenol carboxylic acids (including coffee), alkaloids and anthocyanins, tannins.

Usage

Shiksha contains many biologically active substances and compounds, as well as vitamins, which have a strengthening positive effect on the entire human body and, in particular, on the nervous system.

The soft part of the berries is edible, they quench their thirst well, but the low content of sugars and acids makes them taste rather bland.

Traditional use

Crowberry is included in the traditional diet of some indigenous peoples - for example, the Sami and the Inuit. Some American Indian tribes prepared berries for the winter and ate them with fat or oil; in addition, from the leaves and shoots they prepared decoctions or infusions, which were used to treat diarrhea and other stomach diseases, kidney diseases were treated with juice from the berries (berries have a diuretic effect), and eye diseases were treated with a decoction from the roots.

In Russian folk medicine, a decoction and vodka tincture of crowberry leaves and stems is used to treat epilepsy, paralysis, metabolic disorders, as well as for headaches, overwork, and as an antiscorbutic. A decoction of the leaves is considered a good remedy for strengthening hair.

In Tibetan medicine, crowberry is used for headaches, for the treatment of diseases of the liver and kidneys.

Berries are also eaten with milk and fermented milk products. They make jam, marmalade, marmalade, stuffing for pies; make wine. Used as a seasoning for fish and meat. In the "Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language" by V. I. Dahl, Kirilka is mentioned - a Siberian dish of crowberry with fish and blubber (seal fat). For future use, crowberry is prepared in ice cream or wet form. Since the berries contain benzoic acid, they do not undergo fermentation processes and can be stored without additional processing in hermetically sealed glass containers.

Because crowberry berries contain a high concentration of the anthocyanin pigment, they have been used as a natural dye. In particular, cherry dye was made from crowberry for dyeing wool.

cultivation

Crowberry is used to decorate alpine slides and compositions with stones, as well as an effective ground cover plant (since the creeping shoots form a dense shadow, almost all weeds are suppressed by it), but it can rarely be found in culture.

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In shiksha, the entire aerial part of the plant is used as a medicinal raw material, i.e. berries and twigs with leaves. The berries are harvested when they are fully ripe, and the harvesting of grass - during the flowering period of the plant. Harvesting shiksha for grass should be done by carefully cutting off the upper parts of the shoots, trying not to pull or disturb the root system of the plant. The harvested raw material then needs to be dried. Drying is carried out in the shade under a canopy or in the attic, so that direct sunlight and raindrops do not fall, and the medicinal properties inherent in this plant are well preserved. Shiksha grass is laid out on a bedding in a thin layer and stirred during the entire drying period so that the raw material dries evenly. Ready raw materials are better preserved in cloth bags. You can store the finished raw material of shiksha for no more than two years.

In folk medicine

As a medicinal raw material, shiksha is used only in folk medicine. Decoctions and infusions prepared on its basis are recommended by healers to relieve headaches and fatigue. This effective remedy helps to overcome overwork and insomnia. Shiksha is also prescribed for edema, dropsy, problems with urination, paralysis, convulsions, gastritis, metabolic disorders of the body, diarrhea, colitis.

The plant is known for its vitamin composition, which makes it recommended for the treatment of scurvy. Shiksha has a sedative effect, its decoctions are an effective remedy used in complex therapy in the treatment of nervous disorders and nervous exhaustion. The plant helps with epilepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome. Shiksha is known to be used in Tibetan medicine to treat diseases of the liver and kidneys (internal use); acne, ulcers, wounds, rashes (external use). Just like ours, the plant is recommended as an effective remedy for restoring the nervous system, treating neuropsychiatric diseases, sleep disorders, epilepsy, and schizophrenia.

In addition, a decoction made from shiksha leaves is an excellent remedy for strengthening hair. Shiksha berries are an effective remedy for the treatment of scurvy, dysentery, and epilepsy. Their use allows you to quickly cope with fatigue and thirst.

cooking recipes

to restore the nervous system, with migraines. To prepare the decoction, you need to take dried shiksha grass (2 tablespoons) and pour boiling water (0.5 liters), put on a small fire for 5–7 minutes, then wrap it warmly and leave for 40 minutes, and then strain. Reception schedule: 3 tablespoons 4-5 times a day.

for the treatment of epilepsy. To prepare the decoction, you need to take shiksha berries (60 pcs.) And pour boiling water (1 cup), put in a water bath for 30 minutes, then insist all night. Reception schedule: adults 1 tablespoon 7 times a day (reception time from 8 am to 8 pm), regardless of food. Children - 1 teaspoon.

for the treatment of eye diseases: cataracts, glaucoma, dry eye syndrome, vascular disorders. For cooking, you need to take 1 tablespoon of dry shiksha raw materials and steam it in a small amount of boiling water (2 tablespoons of water is enough). The raw material should be cooled and squeezed through gauze. Scheme of administration: in the form of drops, instill 5-6 times a day, into the lower eyelid. The course of treatment is 90 days.

for the treatment of manic-depressive syndrome on the background of alcoholism or drug addiction. You should take 4 tablespoons of dried shiksha raw materials, pour 1 liter of whey, put on fire and bring to a boil. The resulting broth must be poured into a thermos and insist. Reception schedule: 1 glass 5 times a day.

to overcome fatigue and overwork, treat convulsions, paralysis, insomnia. To prepare the decoction, you will need to take dry shiksha grass (1 tablespoon) and pour boiling water (500 ml), put on a slow fire and boil for 5-7 minutes. Reception scheme: 2-3 sips 5-6 times a day - 2 days, after which the decoction is re-filled with boiling water and treatment continues. The broth is poured until the grass stops giving a green color.

for the treatment of epilepsy. To prepare the infusion, you need to take dried shiksha grass (2 tablespoons) and pour boiling water (0.5 liters), put on a small fire for 5-7 minutes, then strain. Scheme of administration: 5-7 times a day, 1 sip. It is recommended to take this remedy for 1 month.

To prepare tea, you need to take 3 tablespoons of medicinal raw materials (shredded shiksha herb) and pour cold water (1 liter), put on fire and bring to a boil, then leave for 10 minutes. The decoction should be filtered. Scheme of administration: in the morning with kidney disease, in the evening as a tonic to relieve fatigue - 1 glass each.

to combat dandruff and hair loss. It is required to take 4 tablespoons of raw materials (chopped herbs) and pour boiling water (2 cups), close the container tightly with a lid and insist the contents for 1 hour. The infusion is intended for rinsing hair after washing.

Contraindications

Treatment of shiksha is carried out only as prescribed by a doctor. Its use is contraindicated during pregnancy, as well as during lactation.

Bloom: in April-May.
Landing: in early spring, before the start of sap flow.
Lighting: bright sunlight.
The soil: wet, loose, peaty or sandy, acid reaction.
Watering: infrequent: in the normal season, the plant has enough natural rainfall, and only in a prolonged drought it needs to be watered abundantly.
top dressing: once a season, in spring, with a solution of Nitroammofoski.
pruning: for sanitary purposes in the spring, before the buds swell.
reproduction: seeds and layering.
Pests and diseases: practically unaffected.
Properties: is a medicinal plant.

Shiksha berry - description

The crowberry berry is a creeping shrub no more than 20 cm high with shoots up to 100 cm long. According to its characteristics, it resembles lingonberries: it also grows in curtains, and the branches of the plant form adventitious roots, due to which the curtain grows more and more, while in the middle of the bush, the branches gradually die off. The dark brown strongly branching stems of crowberry are densely covered with leathery alternate leaves, similar to spruce needles. Each leaf stays on the branch for about 5 years. The flowers of the plant are axillary, inconspicuous, with three purple, red or pink petals. In the middle lane, crowberry bloom begins in April-May, and in Siberia - in May-June. The plant is pollinated by insects - butterflies, bees and flies. Similar to blueberries, crowberry fruits - black spherical juicy berries up to 55 mm in diameter with a sour taste, with a bluish bloom and four seeds inside - begin to ripen in August and remain on the bushes all winter. The juice of the berries is purple. The thickets of the plant are called crowberry or shikshevnik.

Shiksha has one feature: it exists in symbiosis with a fungus that settles in its roots and provides the plant with photosynthesis products.

Planting and caring for shiksha

Planting shiksha in the garden.

In nature, the crowberry berry most often grows in well-lit places, in moist peat or sandy acidic soil. The plant does not tolerate stagnant water and too dense soils, so peat, sand and soddy soil must be added to clay soil. They do it this way: the top layer of soil is removed, a layer of crushed stone with sand 10 cm thick is laid on the vacated place, and then the top layer of soil, mixed with the necessary additives, is laid in place.

The planting depth of crowberry is 40 cm. In a row, seedlings are placed at a distance of 30-50 cm from each other. Curtains are planted in such a way that the root neck is 2 cm deep. After planting, the bed with crowberry is watered.

How to care for shiksha.

In the first years of life, shiksha requires regular weeding, but once it grows, it will be able to suppress any weed grass itself. To reduce the complexity of this procedure and prevent the rapid evaporation of moisture from the soil, mulching the area with a five-centimeter layer of peat will help you. Since the plant does not tolerate excessive moisture, the crowberry is watered infrequently, only in dry weather.

Once during the season, the crowberry is fed with Nitroammofoska at the rate of 50 g of fertilizer per 1 m² of beds. In the spring, shiksha is pruned, removing only dry and frozen shoots. Keep in mind that crowberry grows very slowly, so pruning must be done with care. For the winter, the crowberry is not covered, since it is sufficiently winter-hardy and tolerates frost well under snow cover. In a snowless winter, it is better to cover the area with spruce branches.

Shiksha collection and storage

For medicinal purposes, the ground part of shiksha is used - branches with leaves and berries. Grass is harvested during flowering, and berries - after ripening. Cut the grass carefully so as not to disturb the roots. Raw materials are laid out in a thin layer in a shaded place to dry: neither raindrops nor sunlight should fall on it. You can dry shiksha in a well-ventilated dark room. From time to time, the grass should be turned up so that it dries evenly. Dry raw materials are laid out in fabric bags and stored in a dry, dark place for no more than two years.

Types and varieties of shiksha

There is no single approach to the classification of the genus: some scientists consider the genus monotypic, and black crowberry, or chokeberry, is the only species of the genus. Other botanists claim that the genus includes several species: bisexual, black, red, almost Holarctic shiksha. And the database The plant List contains information that there are only three species and 8 subspecies in the genus. Be that as it may, only one species is grown in culture.

Black crowberry (Empetrum nigrum),

or chokeberry , she is Siberian shiksha - an evergreen strongly branched shrub with a height of 25 to 50 cm with a cushion-shaped crown, growing in nature in peat bogs, and not at all because it needs high humidity. The leaves of black shiksha are linear, up to 1 cm long, with edges turned down, dark green above, and pubescent below with a thick red pile. Flowers with three petals can be red, pink or dark red. Spherical black berries with a bluish bloom ripen in August-September. The fruits of the black crowberry are watery and tasteless. The species has two varieties - Asian and Japanese - and several ornamental varieties:

– Citronella- a plant with dense, shiny yellow-lemon foliage;
– Emerald- creeping plant with dark green leaves;
– Bernstein- a variety with yellowish leaves;
– Lucia- yellow-leaved shiksha;
– Ireland- a plant with dense shiny green foliage on creeping branches.

Shiksha properties - harm and benefit

Medicinal properties of shiksha.

Crowberry contains saponins, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, fatty and essential oils, resins, coumarins, benzoic and acetic acids, fructose, anthocyanins, carotene, ascorbic acid, andromedotoxin, sugars and trace elements.

In folk medicine, crowberry is used in the form of infusions and decoctions as a remedy for headaches, scurvy, hypertension, epilepsy, as well as metabolic disorders, insomnia, depression, schizophrenia, dropsy, colitis, diarrhea, convulsions, paralysis, difficulty urinating, edema, chronic gastritis, anthrax, kidney and liver diseases. It is used externally for rashes, wounds, acne and ulcers. A decoction of shiksha leaves is an excellent remedy for strengthening hair.

For those who have dry and watery eyes, the medicine will be an infusion of shiksha: 2 tablespoons of herbs are steamed in 1 liter of boiling water, cooled, filtered through 3-4 layers of gauze and dripped into the eyes every 2-3 hours.

This remedy will help people with increased nervousness: 2 tablespoons of herbs are steamed with 500 ml of boiling water, heated over low heat for 5-7 minutes, removed from heat, wrapped and allowed to cool. After straining, take 3 tablespoons 4-5 times a day.

Shiksha - contraindications.

The name of the genus comes from the habitat of the plant - petros means "stone", en - "on".

Crowberry is pollinated by butterflies, bees and flies. Makes demands on lighting. Prefers slightly aerated fresh and moist soils. Goats, deer and pigs can feast on berries. The crowberry feels good on trampled pastures.

plant description

Shiksha reaches a height of 30 cm. The stems have a brown color, up to 1 meter long. The shrub is heavily branched. The branches resemble spruce, during flowering they look quite attractive. The leaves are dark green, have curved edges, arranged alternately. Flowering - from June to July.

Fading, crowberry forms berries. They are black, round, reach 0.5 cm in diameter, each contains 7 seeds, the skin is dense. The fruits are juicy, sour. In autumn, the bushes are completely strewn with them. Berries are perfectly stored in the winter. In the tundra, hunters quench their thirst with them.

The plant is popular, so the people gave it a huge number of names:

crowberry;
shiksha;
crowberry;
expensive grass;
stuffed cabbage;
booze;
psycho, etc.

The plant is cold-loving and lives only near housing. In Russia, it is found only in the wild in subalpine areas, on the slopes of the Altai mountains and the Sayan Range. In England and Scandinavia, crowberry is found in wet forests, swamps. Shiksha interacts well with mushrooms, like all heathers, it receives nutrients from them. Crowberry is found even in the polar-arctic zone and, despite difficult climatic conditions, gives a good harvest.

Features of planting and growing

Crowberry is grown on acidic peaty or sandy soils. In this case, you should ensure that there is no stagnation of water. Landing is carried out as follows:

Crowberry is planted at a depth of 40 cm.
There should be a distance of 50 cm between shrubs.
In order for the crowberry to take root well, the root neck is deepened by 2 cm.
The soil is prepared as follows: equal parts of peat, sand and sod land are taken.
Drainage also plays an important role. It is made of crushed stone and sand - the thickness is not more than 10 cm.

For good growth, the crowberry is fed with nitroammophos once during the season. Wintering of the plant occurs under a layer of snow, so no additional shelter is required. In the spring, pruning is carried out, while only dry branches are removed. Care is very easy - weeds are removed only the first year. Then the bush does a great job on its own. Reproduction is by seeds and layering. During dry periods, watering is required.

Beneficial features

Shiksha is a plant whose fruits contain many biological elements and vitamins that have a general strengthening effect and have a positive effect on the nervous system. Shiksha is mainly used as a remedy for convulsions during epilepsy. There is a good effect in the following ailments:

chronic fatigue;
nervous disorders;
insomnia;
stress.

Crowberry perfectly removes radionuclides. Among other things, preparations based on the berries of the plant have diuretic, choleretic, hypotensive, volatile properties.

Shiksha is a unique product in its composition. It includes chemicals such as:

trace elements;
alkaloids;
carbohydrates;
triterpene coumarins;
resins;
flavonoids;
fatty oils, etc.

How to make blanks

Crowberry is good in that the entire aerial part of the plant is used for medicinal purposes - branches with leaves and berries. Grass is prepared during flowering, berries - only after ripening.

Grass should be cut carefully. Make sure the roots are not broken.
Then drying takes place. Crowberry is laid out in a shaded place, under a canopy, so that direct sunlight and raindrops do not act on it, so the healing properties are better preserved. Crowberry is laid out on a special bedding in a thin layer. It is periodically stirred so that the grass dries evenly.
The finished plant is laid out in fabric bags. Shelf life - no more than 2 years.

Application in landscape design and not only

Crowberry can be used in garden compositions. Looks great in a flat rockery. As a background, it can be used in flowerbeds along with perennials.

The plant is still eaten by peoples such as the Inuit and the Sami. They harvest the berry and eat it in winter with fat. From shoots with leaves, decoctions are prepared to help cope with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. A decoction of the roots can improve eye health. Berries are used for violations of kidney function.

In Tibetan medicine, the medicinal properties of berries are used for headaches, for the treatment of diseases of the kidneys and liver.

In Russia, a decoction and tincture based on vodka are used in the following cases:

antiscorbutic;
paralysis and epilepsy;
fatigue, headaches;
metabolic disease.

Moreover, a decoction of the leaves perfectly strengthens the hair!

In food, the berry is used with milk and sour-milk products. Marmalade, jam, filling for pies are made from it. It can be used as a seasoning for meat and fish. Harvesting berries comes in a frozen or soaked form. They do not contain benzoic acid, which means that they can be stored in a well-sealed glass container. There will be no fermentation.

The berries contain such a substance as anthocyanin. This is a pigment that is actively used for dyeing woolen products.

Voronika should be planted near housing. The plant is cold-loving, but makes high demands on lighting. The soil should be acidic, peaty or sandy. It is important to ensure that water does not stagnate in the soil. For good growth, fertilizing with nitroammophos is carried out. During hot weather, watering is required. Dropsy contains a large number of vitamins and useful elements. Berries are used for paralysis and epilepsy, kidney and liver diseases, nervous disorders.

Crow in the wild (video)

Shiksha (Empetrum nigrum).

Other names: black crowberry, crowberry, crowberry, crowberry, black kamnik, berry yernik.

Description. Perennial evergreen branched shrub of the Heather family (Ericaceae). The stem is decumbent, very branched, with ascending branches 20-60 cm high. The branches have whitish or amber glands. The leaves are alternate, linear-oblong, small (3-8 mm long, 1-1.5 mm wide), rigid, with edges bent down.
Flowers unisexual, sessile, axillary, small, pink, red or purple. Calyx and corolla trifoliate. Three stamens. Pestle single with lobed stigma. In the European part of Russia, crowberry blooms in April - May, and in Siberia - from May to June. Shiksha is pollinated by insects. Fruit ripening in August.
The fruit is an edible, black with a bluish bloom or red berry up to 5 mm in diameter, covered with a hard skin and with 7-9 hard seeds. Outwardly, the shiksha berry looks like a blueberry. The taste of the berries is sour, their juice is purple. Crowberry berries remain on the shoots until spring.
Shiksha grows in peat bogs and in damp places, rarely in pine forests. The plant is distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Shiksha grows in curtains, which are a single individual. Extensive thickets of shiksha are rare. Crowberry propagates by seeds and vegetatively.

Collection and preparation of raw materials. For medicinal purposes, shiksha grass and berries are used and harvested. The grass is harvested during the flowering period. The collected raw materials are laid out in a thin layer on fabrics and dried in the shade in the open air. The shelf life of raw materials is 1 year. The fruits are harvested after they ripen. Fruits can be frozen in one layer, dried, juice, jam, syrup, etc. can be prepared from them.
Plant composition. Shiksha grass contains andromedotoxin, tannins, carbohydrates, flavonoids, phenolcarboxylic acids (coffee, ursolic, ellagic), alkaloids, quercetin, isoquercetin, kaempferol, coumarins, carotene, rutin, vitamin C. Berries contain ascorbic acid, carbohydrates, essential oil, triterpenoids, flavonoids, anthocyanins, triterpene coumarins, fatty oil, tannins, wax.

Medicinal properties, application, treatment.
Shiksha preparations have antispasmodic, astringent, soothing, volatile, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, wound healing, choleretic, diuretic properties. Biologically active substances and vitamins contained in shiksha have a positive effect on the entire body. Crowberry removes radionuclides from the body.
A decoction of crowberry grass in folk medicine is used: as an antispasmodic - for convulsions, epilepsy, paralysis, headaches; as anti-inflammatory - in chronic gastritis; as an astringent - with functional diarrhea; also as a sedative for nervous tension, overwork, exhaustion, stress.
Another decoction of shiksha grass is taken orally for manic-depressive syndrome that has arisen against the background of alcoholism and drug addiction. In folk medicine of Tibet, shiksha is used to treat diseases of the kidneys and liver, schizophrenia, and anthrax. Shiksha fruits are used as an antiscorbutic and diuretic.
A decoction of the herb is instilled into the eyes for dry eye syndrome, cataracts, glaucoma; in the form of rinses are used for stomatitis, in the form of lotions - for wounds and ulcers, wiping the skin is done for acne.

Dosage forms and doses.
A decoction of shiksha herb for headaches and migraines. 2 tablespoons of dry chopped herbs are poured into 500 ml of boiling water, boiled over low heat for 6-8 minutes, removed from heat and immediately wrapped with a towel. Insist for about an hour, filter. Take 3 tables. spoons 4-5 r. in a day. The broth is stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Decoction for the treatment of convulsions, paralysis, epilepsy. 1 tablespoon of dry chopped grass is poured into 500 ml of boiling water, boiled over low heat for 6-7 minutes, removed from heat, filtered after 10 minutes. Grass is not thrown away, but stored in the refrigerator. Take 2-3 table. spoons 5-6 times a day, for 2 days. The used herb is brewed again and taken again within 2 days. The grass is used as long as it gives a greenish color. Next, use a new herb. With epilepsy, the decoction is taken until the seizures stop. Then for prevention - annually 1 time per year is taken for 1 month.

Two more prescriptions for epilepsy. 1 table. a spoonful of fruit and 2 table. spoons of shiksha grass are poured with a glass of boiling water. Cook in a water bath for 25 minutes, then filter after 10 minutes. Take a third of a glass 3 r. per day 20 minutes before meals.
60-65 shiksha fruits are poured with a glass of boiling water. Cook in a water bath for 25-30 minutes, then wrap the dishes with a towel and leave for 8 hours, after which they filter. Take 6-7 times a day: adults - 1 table. spoon children - 1 teaspoon.

A decoction for the treatment of manic-depressive syndrome against the background of alcoholism, drug addiction. Such a decoction is prepared on whey. 4 table. spoons of crushed shiksha grass are poured with 1 liter of whey, brought to a boil over low heat. Remove from heat, pour all this into a thermos and leave for 7-8 hours (you can do it at night). The patient drinks the whole decoction during the day for 5-6 doses.

Decoction for the treatment of eye diseases. 1 tablespoon of chopped herbs is placed in a thermos, pour a little boiling water (50 ml), leave for 15-20 minutes, filter through gauze and squeeze. 1-2 drops are instilled into the eyes up to 6 times a day. The course of treatment is up to 90 days.

Decoction for rinsing, washing, lotions. 2 tablespoons of dry chopped herbs are poured into 400 ml of boiling water, boiled over low heat for 7-8 minutes, removed from heat and immediately wrapped with a towel. Insist 30-40 minutes, filter.

Shiksha, or black crowberry, is an unusually beautiful evergreen shrub of the heather family, outwardly even a little like a small spruce - its branches with small leaves wrapped outwards, like needles. It reaches a height of up to 20 centimeters, but there are shrubs up to 100 cm in height. The flowers are small, pink and even dark red. Shiksha berries are edible. They are black, round, even like small balls, slightly sour in taste. During the ripening period, the berries are covered with a bluish bloom and resemble blueberries, only their skin is tougher.

Shiksha is a fairly common plant. In Russia, it can be found in the north of Siberia, in the Sayan Mountains, in the Altai Mountains. This shrub grows almost throughout the northern hemisphere: in Western Europe, Finland, Great Britain, USA, Japan, Canada and other places. You can see it even in the southern hemisphere. She loves wet, swampy places, but especially coniferous forests. It is no coincidence that it looks like coniferous trees. Where shiksha - there are mushrooms. People have noticed this feature for a long time.

Preparation and storage of shiksha

All ground parts of shiksha are harvested: leaves, flowers, fruits. But each of them has its own preparation time. For flowers and leaves, this is the flowering period, May - June, and for fruits, the period of their ripening, that is, September. Raw materials are harvested under a canopy or in a well-ventilated area. It is better to store in cloth bags. The shelf life of raw materials is very short - only a year.

The composition and medicinal properties of shiksha

Shiksha has several names, one of which is “dear grass”. Yes, people appreciated the healing properties of this plant. It helps with many diseases.

Traditional healers and shamans with its help can put almost any hopeless person on their feet. Shiksha contains many vitamins, biologically active substances. It contains ascorbic acid, carbohydrates, essential oil and much more.

The cone is used for chronic fatigue, nervous strain, psychological discomfort.
It helps to restore the body after a long illness, and just during the spring lack of vitamins.
This plant is indispensable for epilepsy as an anticonvulsant. Scientists have even noticed that where shiksha grows - and this is primarily the Far North - people do not suffer from epilepsy and have a balanced character.
Shiksha is also used as a sedative for sleep disorders.

The use of shiksha in folk medicine

Shiksha is widely used in folk medicine. For infusions, decoctions, its flowers, fruits and even leaves are used.

Shiksha decoction for nervous breakdown, stress, psychological disorders

It is easy to prepare a decoction of shiksha for the treatment of various types of nervous disorders, including those caused by stress. Berries can be used for this, but leaves have no less effect. Of course, berries are especially useful during their ripening period, but it is very short. 2 - 3 tablespoons of dry berries or leaves are poured into 0.5 liters of boiling water, boiled over low heat for 5 - 7 minutes, then wrapped with a warm cloth. They give to sweat. Apply a decoction, stirring 3 salt spoons in 0.5 cups of water up to four times a day. The duration of treatment depends on the disease. Sometimes there is a need for a two-week course.

Shiksha decoction for epilepsy

A decoction of the cone is especially useful for epilepsy. It is given to the patient one teaspoon up to seven times a day until the attacks stop. Method of preparing the decoction: pour 2-3 tablespoons of raw materials with a liter of boiling water, boil for 10 minutes, squeeze, pour into a thermos and let the decoction brew. Add 1 teaspoon of decoction to a glass and drink 2-3 times a day.

Shiksha infusion for headaches

An effective remedy for headaches is a strong infusion of shiksha. The people even noticed that the systematic use of infusion can lead to the cessation of pain in general. To prepare the solution, take 2 salt spoons of raw materials per 100 ml of boiling water. Well, it is steamed in it, allowed to cool, then filtered. Stir one tablespoon of infusion in 0.5 cups of water and drink up to four times a day.

Shiksha for the treatment of eye diseases

Shiksha infusion is widely used to treat eye diseases such as glaucoma, cataracts, and simply for pain in the eyes that appear with fatigue, too long sitting at a computer or TV. For the treatment of eye diseases, a solution is prepared at the rate of 2 tablespoons of raw materials per 100-150 grams of water, the mixture is brought to a boil, boiled for only 10 minutes. The fire must be small. The infusion is instilled into the eyes, preferably every 2-3 hours for 4-5 days, until relief occurs.

Shiksha for edema, urinary problems, kidney and liver diseases

For the treatment of diseases of the kidneys and liver, to relieve edema, a decoction of any raw material of shiksha is used. To do this, one tablespoon is poured with a liter of water and boiled over low heat for up to 10 minutes, filtered and drunk in a glass in the morning.

A decoction of shiksha for the treatment of depression after alcohol and drug intoxication

It is necessary to pour 4 tablespoons of raw materials with one liter of whey, then bring the solution to a boil, but you can’t boil it, otherwise the beneficial properties are lost. The broth is insisted in a thermos for 10-12 hours. Then drink one glass 5 times a day.

Shiksha infusion for skin inflammation

Shiksha infusion is used externally in the form of compresses for purulent inflammations, cuts, wounds. For this purpose, a steep infusion is prepared: 5 tablespoons of shiksha are poured into 100 ml of water, boiled over low heat for 10-15 minutes. You can strain using only a decoction, or you can put the cake itself on gauze and attach it to a sore spot. How often to apply compresses depends on the depth of the wound, the degree of skin inflammation.

Application in everyday life

Decoctions of shiksha have long been used for hair care.

Firstly, they are used to strengthen the hair, rinsing with water with a solution of shiksha. 4 tablespoons of raw materials are brewed with boiling water, filtered and added to rinse water.
Secondly, the same solution is an excellent remedy for dandruff.

A dye is prepared from the berries of this shrub, with which the skin, as well as wool, is dyed cherry red.

The ability of berries to tint is also used in the confectionery industry. It is an excellent natural dye for products.

Contraindications for use

It is advisable to use shiksha for medicinal purposes, after consulting a doctor. There are some contraindications to its use.
You can not use this infusion and decoction of shiksha for pregnant women.
During lactation, that is, during breastfeeding, infusions and decoctions of shiksha are contraindicated.
There is also a personal intolerance to this plant.