Application of centaury herb. Decoction to improve digestion. Wine from centaury herb for general strengthening of the body, stimulating appetite, calming the gallbladder, as well as for anemia

The common centaury (Centáurium erythraéa) is a herbaceous plant of the Gentianaceae family with small pink flowers collected in small corymbose inflorescences. The genus Centaurium (Centaurium) includes several more plant species with the following names: small centaury, umbrella centaury. The main areas of distribution of plants of this species are located in Europe and the European part of Russia in such places as meadows, fields, forest edges, as well as between shrubs.

The centaury has a straight, branching in the upper part, a tetrahedral stem up to 50 cm in height, and a tap root, light color. The leaves are basal - with short petioles, collected in a rosette. Stem leaves are arranged crosswise opposite each other, the shape of the leaves is oblong, ovate, with longitudinal veins. Flowering period - June-September. The fruits begin to ripen usually in August-September. They look like a cylindrical box 1 cm in size, in which there are rounded, small brown seeds.

The centaury has been known since ancient times, so it has many popular names: red flower, spool, core, scrofula, red cornflower, seven-strength, yuzefka, and others.

Procurement and storage

Harvesting of the centaury takes place during the beginning of its flowering (June - August), while the entire herbal part of the plant is used. The stem is cut to a basal rosette and dried, spreading freely in shady places. You can also dry by tying the cut plants in small bundles and then placing them in a shady and ventilated area.

Keep finished product necessary in a dry place. The medicinal properties of the dried herb remain for about two years.

The composition and medicinal properties of centaury ordinary

1. The composition of the plant includes natural alkaloids (mainly gentianin), flavonoids, bitter glycosides (eritaurin, gentiopicrin, amarogentin, erythrocentaurin), organic acids(ascorbic, oleic), essential oil, styrenes, resins and other trace elements.
2. Official medicine also recognizes healing properties centaury. In many countries it is used in pharmacological products.
3. Modern doctors prescribe decoctions and infusions of this herb as a means to improve appetite and digestive system and also to increase bile secretion.
4. Centaury preparations can be used externally. They have regenerative properties, and they are used to treat eczema and skin rashes.
5. Dentists recommend using the infusion of this plant as a rinse for oral problems.
6. Centaury is used as a wound healing and anti-inflammatory agent to stop bleeding (internal and external) with uterine bleeding, a general predisposition to bleeding.
7. Folk healers noticed that centaury decoctions help heal patients with diseases of the liver, kidneys, lungs, gallbladder, heart, in the treatment of malaria, influenza and fever.
8. Also, infusions and decoctions of centaury are used for atony of the intestines, heartburn, dyspepsia, diabetes, flatulence.
9. The plant is used in the treatment of anorexia nervosa (lack of appetite in girls, due to their mental state). With nervous and physical exhaustion, it is recommended to use centaury tea.

Application in traditional medicine

Bitter medicines from centaury are popular in folk medicine. A tea is prepared from this medicinal plant to improve digestion and to treat gastric diseases. In diseases of the liver, anemia, and to stop bleeding, wine made from centaury grass is used. It makes no sense to try to drown out the bitter taste of such infusions or decoctions with a large amount of sugar, as they quickly get used to its taste. In addition, it is considered that bitters will help better.

Centaury herb tea for stomach disorders

This drink will work more effectively if it is not brewed. It is best to pour the prepared grass with cool water.

The recipe for making such tea is as follows: 1 teaspoon of finely chopped herbs must be poured cold water in a volume of 250 ml. It should be insisted, stirring occasionally for 6-10 hours, then be sure to strain. Tea is drunk a little warm, without sugar, just before a meal.

Decoction to improve appetite and digestion

Decoction preparation. 1 teaspoon with a slide of dried, finely chopped centaury grass, pour 250 ml of boiling water, leave for about 10 minutes. Consume 0.5 hours before meals, 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.

Alcohol tincture for problems with the gastrointestinal tract

Preparation of tincture. For 50 grams of centaury, pour 0.5 liters of 70% alcohol and put in a dark place for about 20 days. Apply half an hour before meals 3 times a day in this solution: dissolve 10-15 drops of the finished tincture in 50 grams of water. Such a remedy is used for heartburn, nausea, vomiting, belching, flatulence, and also as a mild laxative.

Wine from centaury herb for general strengthening of the body, stimulating appetite, calming the gallbladder, as well as for anemia

In a jar, place 30 grams of centaury and peppermint, as well as 1 lemon with peel cut into small pieces. Pour all this with 1 liter of dry white wine (preferably Moselle), leave for about 10 days in a dark place and strain. This wine is drunk before dinner, 100 grams each.

Infusion of a mixture of herbs for the treatment of chronic hyperacid gastritis with bowel dysfunction

Take a mixture of three tablespoons of chopped centaury grass and the same amount of St. John's wort herb. This mixture should be poured into five glasses cold water, then it should be insisted for about 10 hours. Before use, the infusion must be filtered through a fine strainer and taken, preheating it to the desired temperature, 4-5 times a day for 0.5 cups.

Centaury herb infusion for the treatment of hyperacid gastritis with heartburn

It is necessary to take 1 tablespoon of centaury herb and pour it with 1 liter of cold water. Next, you should insist this herb for about 10 hours and strain. Such an infusion should be drunk 0.5 cups 3 times a day, preheating it to the desired temperature, 0.5 hours before meals.

Cholagogue

Mix herbs (each take 1 tablespoon): centaury, common celandine, dandelion root and medicinal fumes. Then leave 1 tablespoon of the prepared mixture for about 30 minutes in 250 ml of boiling water. Drink this infusion should be 100 grams 3-4 times a day.

Decoction for the treatment of alcoholism

Decoction preparation. This decoction literally in 10 days of use greatly reduces cravings for alcohol. You need to mix 4 parts of the centaury herb and 1 part of wormwood. Then 1 tablespoon of the finished mixture must be poured with 1 cup of boiling water, then the broth should be boiled for about 10 minutes and insisted for two hours. This healing decoction It is recommended to take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.

Alcohol tincture against alcoholism

Preparation of alcohol tincture. Mix 1 part centaury and wormwood and add 4 parts thyme herb. For 0.5 liters of 70% alcohol, take 5 tablespoons of the prepared mixture, it should be insisted for about two weeks. It is necessary to use this tincture 1 tablespoon before meals 3 times a day. To get a stable result, you need to take a course of at least two months.

Contraindications for use

• In order to avoid unforeseen reactions, it is better to use zamaniha after consulting and prescribing the attending physician, under his supervision and observing the dosages and terms of treatment.
• Contraindications to the use of centaury are gastric, duodenal and intestinal ulcers, increased acidity of the stomach and individual intolerance.

Centaurium erythraea
Taxon: Gentian family ( Gentianaceae)
Other names:, small centaury, spool, centauri, seven-strong, core
English: Common Centaury, Drug Centaurium

The Latin generic name of the plant Centaurium, found in the works of Hippocrates, Theophrastus and Dioscorides, is associated with the name of the mythical centaur Chiron (Kentaureion), who was a great connoisseur of medicinal plants. According to the myths of Ancient Greece, Chiron was cured of the wounds that the Greek hero Hercules inflicted on him with centaury grass. Over time, under the guidance of Chiron outstanding doctor became the son of Apollo Asclepius, who surpassed his teacher and became the god of healing art. And the centaury became the main plant of Asclepius, with which he healed the wounds of other Greek heroes, which is why it was called centaur grass.
According to another version, the name of the plant is derived from the Latin words centum - "one hundred" and aurum - "gold" and translates as "one hundred gold", which is associated with the high medicinal value of the plant. In the Middle Ages, monks-healers spread the legend of miraculous healing this plant of a rich man who promised to donate 100 gold pieces to the poor in case of his recovery.
The specific Latin name comes from the Greek erythros - red.

Botanical description

Centaury ordinary - perennial or biennial herbaceous plant up to 40 cm high. The root is small, taproot, branched. Stems solitary or in groups of 2 to 5 depart from one base of the rhizome, tetrahedral, simple, erect or forked-branched, with branches directed upwards. Basal leaves are small, thin, entire, collected in a rosette, oblong-obovate with 5 veins and a blunt apex. Stem leaves are opposite, oblong-ovate or oblong-lanceolate, five-veined, acute. The inflorescence is umbrella-paniculate, small-flowered, compressed, develops from a 5- or 8-leaf node. Centaury flowers 1.5 to 1.8 cm long, five-parted, sessile, with small linear bracts. The calyx is shorter than the corolla tube. The corolla is light pink in color with a thin yellowish tube, constricted under the pharynx. The fruit is a narrow oblong capsule with two wings. Seeds are small, numerous, irregularly round, brownish. The centaury blooms from June to July, mainly in the 2-3rd year of vegetation, the seeds ripen in August-September. Propagated by seeds. In the first year, only the rosette develops.

Spreading

The common centaury has a Western Asian-European type of range. It grows throughout Europe from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean. As a weed introduced to North America. Centaury grows mainly on forest lawns, grassy slopes, meadows, on the banks of rivers, sometimes found in fields as a weed and near roads. As a result of grazing, plowing and land reclamation, the stocks of the centaury are greatly reduced.

Collection and preparation of medicinal raw materials of centaury

Medicinal raw material is centaury herb Herba Centauria, it is harvested at the beginning or during the flowering of the plant, when the rosette of basal leaves has not yet turned yellow. The plant is cut with a knife or sickle above the basal leaves. Root uprooting is prohibited. Dry the plant in attics or in well-ventilated areas, spreading thin layer on paper or fabric with inflorescences in one direction. In the sun, the raw material loses its color. The yield of dry raw materials is up to 25%. Dried raw materials are sorted, throwing out bare ends and grass with pale inflorescences.
The old Russian and Ukrainian medical and economic manuals contain recommendations for collecting raw materials from centaury and making medicine from it. Dioscorides, for example, wrote that the centaury is harvested fresh and crushed green, squeezing out the juice. The squeezed juice is placed in an earthenware vessel with water, placed in the sun, stirred with a stick until the juice mixes with water and a clot like garbage floats above it. Odo of Men thought that best time to collect the centaury - autumn time. The juice of the plant was squeezed out, the moisture was evaporated in the sun, after which the disease was treated with the resulting powder.
Centaury grass is official in most European countries, as well as in Algeria and Morocco. A major supplier of raw materials is Morocco and the countries of the Balkan Peninsula. Since the plant does not form significant thickets suitable for industrial exploitation, centaury is widely cultivated in some European countries (in particular, in France, Poland and the Czech Republic). This allows you to save the wild population of the plant.

The centaury genus includes 6 more plant species that can be used in medicine in the same way as the common centaury.
Centaury beautiful (Centaurium pulchellum (Sw.) Druce) - differs from the common centaury in smaller sizes. Its stem branches from the base and does not form a basal rosette of leaves, the flowers are pink, pubescent. This species is common in Central Russia(in Smolensk, Tula, Saratov regions), in Ukraine it is found in the Carpathian region. The beautiful centaury is used in medicine as an official raw material along with the common centaury.
Meyer centaury (Centaurium Meyeri (Burge) Druce), common in Central Asia(in Kazakhstan, Mongolia) and China, has white flowers that sit on legs, as a result of which the bracts are noticeably distant from the base.
Centaury thin-flowered (Centaurium tenuiflorum (Hoffmsg. et Link.)) - similar to the beautiful centaury, but its leaves are densely placed and overlap each other, and the constriction of the corolla tube is less than that of other types of centaury. This species grows in the Caucasus and Crimea, but is very rare and has no industrial value.
Centaury coastal (Centaurium littorale (D. Turner Gilmour)), a small plant up to 20 cm high with a smooth stem, fleshy leaves and flowers up to 15 mm long. It grows in the south of Russia, in Ciscaucasia and Turkmenistan. It is found in Ukraine, Belarus and the Baltic countries.
Marsh centaury (Centaurium uliginosum L.) has a cylindrical, and not tetrahedral, like the common centaury, stem.
centaury spike-shaped (Centaurium spicatum (L.) Fritsch.) differs from other species in spike-shaped inflorescences. This species is widely distributed in Siberia, Altai, Kazakhstan and other countries of Central Asia. May become an important industrial species, as it has extensive natural reserves.

Biologically active substances centaury

The main active ingredients that determine the pharmacological activity of the centaury are bitters - secoiridoid glycosides, the content of which is about 0.3% (it can reach 2.4%). The bitterness index of the grass ranges from 200 to 4700 units. The secoiridoid glycoside characteristic of the centaury is eritaurine. It is believed that this is erythrocentaurin glucoside, but its exact structure has not been determined.
In addition to eritaurine, centaury herb also contains gentiopicroside, gentioflavoside, svertiamarin, sveroside, and a small amount of amarogentin. In quantitative terms, in the herb of the common centaury and the beautiful centaury, among all the bitter secoiridoids, svertiamarin prevails. During the hydrolysis of sverciamarin, an unstable aglycone is formed, which is further transformed into erythrocentaurin. The main secoiridoid of centaury spicate is sveroside ( Neshta N. M. et al., 1989).
Along with sveroside, five of its esterified derivatives were found in the raw material - centapicrin, deacetylcentapicrin, decentapicrin A, B and C. Centapicrin, which has high index bitterness (4000000), found only in centaury flowers, which explains their bitter taste in comparison with other parts of the plant (bitterness index of flowers 5900-11700 units, stems - 600-1200, leaves - 1300-3800) ( Swatek L. et al., 1984).
The aerial part of the centaury contains secoiridoid diglycoside centauroside, as well as phenolcarboxylic acids both in free and in bound state (Dombrowicz E. et al., 1988). Among them, p-coumaric acid predominates (227 μM/100 g of raw material), which is contained in the herb mainly in a bound state. Approximately 4 times less p-hydroxybenzoic, ferulic, caffeic and vanillic acids in the raw material. In the free state, o-hydroxyphenylacetic (26.7 μM/100 g) and p-coumaric (16.2 μM/100 g) acids predominate. AT small quantities pyrocatechuic, protocatechuic and homoprotocatechuic acids were found in the centaury herb. Unlike other plants of the Gentian family, the centaury herb contains p-hydroxyphenylpyruvic acid.
The leaves and flowers of the centaury plant contain xanthones, predominantly hexasubstituted.
Transgenic cell cultures of root hairs of common centaury and beautiful centaury, which produce xanthones in more than mother plants Jankovic T. et al., 2002). In cell culture of the centaury ordinary, it was found that the biosynthesis of xanthones occurs from 3-hydroxybenzoic acid ( Barillas W. and Beerhues L., 2000; Abd El-Mawla A. M. et al., 2001). Determination of the content of methoxyxanthones in centaury herb is proposed to be used to control the quality of this raw material ( Valentao P. et al., 2002).
V. V. Feofilaktov and A. I. Bankovsky in 1946 established the presence of 0.05-0.95% alkaloids in the centaury grass. Among them, erythricin (identical to gentianin) was identified, as well as gentioflavin, gentianidin. The presence of the alkaloids "spicatin" and "cantaurine" in the herb centaury spike-shaped ( Bishay D. and Hylands P. J., 1978).
The grass also contains essential oil, resin, mucus, wax, erythorin terpene, triterpenes (up to 0.1% oleanolic acid, α- and β-amirin, erythrodiol), phytosterols (β-sitosterol, erythrosterol, stigmasterol, campesterol, brassicasterol, Δ7-stigmasterol), flavonoids (apiin, luteolin, apigenin, scutelarein, etc.), flavonol glycosides (centaurein), ascorbic and nicotinic acids.
In the aerial part of the beautiful centaury, triterpene lactones centauriol and centaurion were found (Bibi H. et al., 2000).

The history of the use of centaury in medicine

The medicinal properties of centaury were well known in the ancient world. It has been widely used in ancient Greece since the time of Hippocrates (5th century BC) as a remedy for diseases digestive tract, especially inflammatory nature. The Roman physician Dioscorides (1st century AD) mentioned centaury as a remedy for healing wounds and cleansing the body. The Romans called the centaury for its bitterness the bile of the earth Fel terrae.
As Benedict Crispus pointed out, this plant "quickly dries up festering dirt and returns to the joyful days of the newly healed person." About the treatment of centaury of many diseases, including tuberculosis, he recalled in the "Canon medical science» the outstanding Arab physician Avicenna. Arab doctors treated diseases of the gallbladder with the plant, used it as a means to stimulate appetite. The treatises of medieval Armenian medicine recommended using centaury herb for hemoptysis and pleurisy. The juice of the plant, mixed with honey, was treated for lice.
The healing properties of centaury were widely used in the Middle Ages. Medieval doctors spread the legend about the miraculous healing of a sick rich man with the help of a centaury. Most doctors refused to treat severe illness because they believed that the patient would soon die. The rich man swore: if I am healed, I will donate 100 gold pieces to the poor. In a dream, an angel appeared to him and said: "You will be healed by the herb that I brought you, but do not forget your promise." The angel disappeared, leaving a bunch of grass to the sick man. The rich man gave 100 gold to the poor and recovered, and the mysterious herb was called Сentaurium - “100 gold”. Then the doctors even classified the name of this herb and simply wrote “100 gold”. And one doctor accidentally added another zero in the recipe, and the plant began to be called the centaury.
The ancient physicians speak about the experience of treating many diseases with centaury in his poem about herbs Odo from Mena. He pointed out that the centaury “has drying properties, and this helps well to glue wounds. And if it is applied to old wounds, it will contribute to their scarring. Paracelsus (1493-1541), one of the founders of modern pharmacy, highly valued the centaury. Medieval Italian physician and botanist Peter Andreas Matioli (1500-1577) treated cerebral hemorrhage, paralysis and epilepsy with centaury. In the Middle Ages, enemas were made from this plant, which helped with diseases. sciatic nerve. An ointment was made from centaury grass on lard, which was used as an anesthetic. Fresh grass was rubbed and applied to wounds, purulent wounds were washed with a decoction of the plant. Juice from fresh centaury grass was used for upper catarrhs. respiratory tract used to treat eyesores. This plant was also used for suppuration in the ears. The centaury boiled in wine was recommended to drink with hemoptysis, pleurisy, liver diseases and fever. An infusion of centaury with honey was used as an anthelmintic.
The German pastor Sebastian Kneipp (1821-1897) - the founder of the water treatment method, considered centaury to be one of the best home remedies for inflammatory diseases, runny nose, skin diseases, diseases of the digestive system and liver.
Traditional medicine of European countries uses centaury in the form of infusions and decoctions to enhance the activity of the stomach and other digestive organs. Centaury is included in miscellaneous fees for the treatment of diabetes, jaundice, malaria, heart disease and. In Volhynia, centaury was used as an effective remedy for worms. In the eastern regions of Ukraine, the herb of the plant was used for gynecological diseases, in particular for uterine bleeding.

Pharmacological properties of centaury

Centaury herb refers to pure bitterness ( amara pura). All parts of the plant are bitter in taste. The most bitter stems and flowers, less bitter - leaves. The bitterness index of an aqueous extract of centaury herb is about 3500. Due to the content of bitter substances, galenic preparations of centaury herb in the form of infusions, decoctions or tinctures excite sensitive receptors of the tongue and reflex way(via sympathetic nerves) stimulate secretion gastric juice. However, they do not show pharmacological effect with histamine-resistant achilia.
Like most bitters, centaury, acting through the sympathetic autonomic nervous system, is able to simultaneously excite the function of the heart and the circulatory system. Due to this, its action and therapeutic effect is manifested in nervous exhaustion.
The tonic effects of centaury preparations on the digestive system and the body as a whole develop only with their long-term use.
Biologically active substances of centaury increase intestinal peristalsis. Therefore, the preparations of this plant exhibit laxative properties, which, however, are not so pronounced as to justify the use of the plant for this purpose.
Centaury herb - effective. With daily oral administration to rats of 8% aqueous centaury herb extract (10 ml/kg), starting from the 5th day of treatment, a significant increase in diuresis, excretion of Na +, K + and Cl was observed. However, the treatment did not cause changes in the concentrations of electrolytes and urea in blood plasma ( Haloui M. et al., 2000).
In an experiment on rats, the anti-inflammatory and activity of an aqueous extract of centaury seeds was confirmed (Berkan T. et al., 1991). It inhibits the formation of subcutaneous air sac granuloma and the development of adjuvant arthritis. extract has no properties.
It has been established that gentiopicroside has anti-inflammatory ( Ternaki H. and Michinori K., 1979) and fungistatic (Van der Nat et al., 1982) activity. Recently Revealed antibacterial action secoiridoids of the aerial part of the centaury ordinary - svertiamarin, sveroside and gentiopicroside. Svertiamarin and Sveroside inhibited the growth of Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Citrobacter freundii and Escherichia coli. Svertiamarin was also active against Proteus mirabilis and Serratia marcescens, and sveroside against Staphylococcus epidermidis ( Kumarasamy Y. et al., 2003). Antimicrobial activity, including against methicillin-resistant strains Staphylococcus aureus, shows a methanolic extract of centaury seeds ( Kumarasamy Y. et al., 2002). It has been experimentally proven that the alkaloid gentianine has antihelminthic properties.
The medicinal properties of centaury grass are also due to the content of phenolcarboxylic acids. In particular, it has been proven that protocatechuic and p-hydroxybenzoic acids stimulate the evacuation function of the stomach (Tani S., 1978), caffeic and ferulic acids have properties (Negver M., 1978), and p-coumaric, vanillic and caffeic acids exhibit antibacterial activity. ( Sabalitschka T. and Tietz H., 1931; Masqulier J. and Delaunay D., 1965).
In connection with high content phenolic compounds (xanthones, phenolcarboxylic acids), centaury has antiradical and antimutagenic properties. The lyophilized herb decoction scavenges superoxide radicals generated in vitro in the enzymatic xanthine/xanthine oxidase system and in the non-enzymatic NADP/phenazine methosulfate system. The antiradical activity of centaury decoction is associated with the content of esters of hydroxycinnamic acids in it, namely: p-coumaric, ferulic and synapic ( Valentao P., et al., 2001).
Methoxylated xanthone derivatives eustomin and dimethyleustomin from the aerial part of the centaury show pronounced antimutagenic properties in tests for Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98 and TA100. They significantly reduce the mutagenic effect of 2-nitrofluorene, 2-aminoanthracene, ethyl methanesulfonate and nalidixic acid. This effect of xanthones appears when they are added to bacteria after mutagens. Therefore, it is believed that xanthones affect the process of post-replication repair ( Schimmer O. and Mauthner H., 1996).

Toxicology and side effect centaury

expressed toxic action therapeutic agents of the centaury do not show. However, in large doses centaury preparations can irritate mucous membranes gastrointestinal tract and cause bowel dysfunction.
In a biotoxicity test performed on marine shrimp, a relatively high overall toxicity of sverciamyrin and sveroside (LD50 8.0 and 34 µg/ml, respectively) isolated from the aerial part of the centaury ( Kumarasamy Y. et al., 2003).

Clinical Uses of Centaury

Galenic preparations of centaury herb for the most part used as bitterness to stimulate appetite, increase the secretion of the digestive glands and enhance bile secretion. They are prescribed for with reduced secretory function stomach, with some dyspepsia, diseases of the liver, gallbladder and kidneys. Centaury may be useful to patients with, as it reduces irritation of the gallbladder.
Centaury herb is a part of appetizing and choleretic fees, as well as in conjunction with other vegetable raw materials used to make bitters.
Centaury is also used as a general tonic, especially in the period of convalescence after prolonged debilitating diseases. It is effective for the treatment of post-infectious achilic conditions.
The German pharmaceutical company "Bionorica" ​​created a diuretic based on centaury herb, as well as gentian roots and rosemary leaves. medicinal product"Canephron", produced since 1934. The drug exhibits antiseptic, antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory effects on urinary tract, potentiates the effect of antibiotic therapy. Therapeutic action kanefron is due to the amount of biologically active substances that are part of the drug: xanthones and phenolcarboxylic acids of centaury herb, as well as gentian phthalides and rosemary essential oil. Kanefron has the ability to remove excess salts and fluids from the body, thereby helping to lower blood pressure.
The advantage of kanefron is its potassium-sparing effect. Clinical observations it was found that kanefron enhances the excretion of uric acid salts. The drug prevents the loss of urate crystals in the urinary tract and the growth of stones. It has been found that the drug alkalizes the urine. With urate nephrolithiasis, it keeps the pH of the urine in the range of 6.2-6.8, which significantly reduces the likelihood of the formation of urate stones.
Confirmed high efficiency kanefron (50 drops of extract or 2 tablets) in the treatment acute infections urinary tract when used concomitantly with antibacterial agents. Starting from the first day of treatment, there was a statistically significant decrease in pain and a decrease in body temperature. On the 7th day, these symptoms disappeared, in contrast to the persons of the comparison group.
In chronic cases, the elimination of leukocyturia occurred after a 2-week course of treatment. In patients with chronic on the 10th day of treatment, dysuria was not observed, and on the 19th day, normalization of the urine test occurred (Amosov A., 2001).
Thanks to the antispasmodic and diuretic action kanefron daily diuresis in patients increased to 2-2.5 liters, while the content of K + and Na + in the urine did not change, which allows us to consider canephron as a mild herbal diuretic. Kanefron is indicated for patients with pyelonephritis and symptoms of cystitis. It can be prescribed for urate nephrolithiasis both for long-term treatment and for prophylactic purposes.
In Bulgaria, the drug "Nefroton" was created, which includes alcoholic and aqueous extracts of centaury grass, rose hips, gentian roots, blackberry leaves and roots, flax seeds and annual sunflower seeds. It has diuretic, antihyperazotemic and anti-inflammatory properties. Experimental studies on rats showed that at a dose of 10% LD50, nephroton doubled diuresis, and at a dose of 5% LD50 - by 60%, not inferior in activity to the known herbal diuretic preparations kanefron and lespenephril ( Simeonova K. et al., 1983). In addition, the therapeutic effect of nephroton in the pathology of the gastrointestinal tract was established. It significantly reduces the acidity of gastric juice, exhibits a pronounced gastroprotective effect in experimental reserpine ulcers, and has choleretic activity ( Lambev I. et al., 1985). However, this drug has not been introduced into production.
In Croatia, an anti-diabetic tea has been patented, one of the components of which is the centaury herb ( Petlevski R. et al., 2001).

Medicinal products of centaury

centaury herb(Herba Centaurii) - available in packs of 50 and 100 g. It is used as an infusion, for the preparation of which 10 g (2 tablespoons) of raw materials are placed in an enameled vessel, poured into 200 ml of hot boiled water, cover with a lid and heat in a water bath for 15 minutes. The infusion is cooled for 45 minutes at room temperature, filtered, the raw material is squeezed out, and the volume of the resulting infusion is adjusted with boiled water to 200 ml. The infusion is stored in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days.
Consume warm 1/2-1/3 cup 2-3 times a day 30 minutes before meals as a bitter taste to stimulate appetite and improve digestion.

bitter tincture(Tinctura amara) - 1 liter of tincture is obtained by percolation from 60 parts of centaury grass, 60 parts of trifoliate watch, 60 parts of calamus rhizomes, 30 parts of wormwood herb and 15 parts of mandarin peel. Assign inside 10-20 drops 2-3 times a day 15-20 minutes before meals to increase appetite and improve digestion.

Kanefron H(Canephron N Dragees, Bionorica, Germany) - a dragee containing 18 mg of powder from centaury herb, gentian roots and rosemary leaf. It has antimicrobial, antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory effects. Reduces the permeability of the capillaries of the kidneys, has a diuretic effect. Apply when chronic diseases kidneys (pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis, interstitial nephritis), inflammatory diseases of the bladder (cystitis) and for the prevention of nephrolithiasis, including after removal of stones. Assign adults 2 tablets 3 times a day before meals. The duration of the appointment depends on the course of the disease.

Сanephron N Tropfen(Bionorica, Germany) - 100 ml of the drug contains 29 ml of a water-alcohol extract made on 59% ethanol from 0.6 g of centaury herb, 0.6 g of gentian roots, 0.6 g of rosemary leaf. Assign 50 drops (1 teaspoon) 3 times before meals with the same indications as above.

Diacure(Lehning, France) is a complex homeopathic and phytotherapeutic preparation produced in the form of Gelule and Boite. Gelule contains dandelion powder - 40 mg; Berberis D3 - 40 mg; walnut leaf powder - 120 mg; Millefolium D2 - 40 mg; blueberry leaf powder - 80 mg; centaury herb powder - 40 mg; Natrium phosphoricum D3 - 40 mg. Boite 60 g contains dandelion powder - 2.4 g; Berberis 3 - 7.2 g; walnut leaf powder - 2.4 g; Millefolium D2- 4.8 g; blueberry leaf powder - 4.8 g; centaury herb powder - 4.8 g; Natrium phosphoricum - 2.4 g.
It is used as an adjuvant in violation of carbohydrate metabolism and in mild forms of diabetes mellitus.

Copaltra tisane(Laboratoires des Plantes Ttropicales, France) - 100 g of the preparation contains Сoutarea latifolia 50 g; centaury small 50 g. It is used as an adjuvant in the treatment of mild forms of diabetes mellitus.

B. M. Zuzuk, R. V. Kutsik, A. T. Nedostup, O. S. Samborsky
Ivano-Frankivsk State Medical Academy

Photos and illustrations

Ordinary centaury (medical name - centaury herb or Centaurim heiba) is a one-, biennial herbaceous medicinal plant of the gentian family, 10-40 cm in height. The root of the grass is taproot, branched to the top, thin and weak, light in color. Stems are tetrahedral, straight, often solitary, at the top - forked-branched. The leaves are small, entire, oblong, thin. Basal collected in a rosette, obovate, short-leaved; stem - lanceolate, sessile, opposite. In compressed inflorescences are small bright pink flowers with 5 petals. The fruit is a narrow and oblong cylindrical capsule with many seeds. When sunlight hits the petals, they bend in such a way that they look like an asterisk. The plant blooms from June to August (flowering occurs only in sunny places), bears fruit from August to October.

The plant can be found in Ukraine, Central Asia, North America, Europe, in the southern and European parts of Russia, in Altai, the Caucasus and in Western Siberia.

It grows in sunny glades, hills, hayfields, forest edges, dry meadows and other open and sunny places.

Harvesting for medicinal purposes

For medicinal purposes, the herb of centaury is collected along with its basal rosettes. Harvest at the beginning of flowering, before the basal leaves turn yellow. The plant is usually cut 5-8 cm from the ground. The grass is laid out on paper in a thin layer or tied into bundles and dried in the air in the shade (under a canopy), in ventilated rooms (attics) or in special dryers, with a temperature of 40-50 degrees. The herb can be stored for about 2 years.

The chemical composition of centaury

Flavonoids, alkaloids (gentianin), bitter glycosides (erythrocentaurin, amarogentin, gentiopicrin, erytaurin), xanthones, essential oil, resins, sterols, mucus, oleanolic and ascorbic acids, tannins were found in. In addition, it also contains carbohydrates (glucose, fructose, sucrose), vitamins, micro and macro elements (iron, tin, sulfur, etc.).

Centaury: properties and applications

The medicinal plant centaury, the use of which is approved by both traditional and traditional medicine, and homeopathy, is very valuable and is effective tool from many ailments.

Centaury preparations have antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, choleretic, mild laxative, hemostatic, analgesic, hepatoprotective and wound healing effects.

The bitterness found in the herb improves the digestion process, stimulates the appetite, and increases the production of gastric juice. Therefore, centaury is often used as part of an appetite-increasing and gastric herbal preparations.

Indications for the use of centaury are such diseases: overwork, nervous exhaustion, anorexia nervosa, diseases of the gallbladder or liver, flatulence, chronic enterocolitis, spasms of the stomach and intestines, poor appetite, some gynecological diseases, migraine, anemia, sinusitis, skin diseases.

Centaury, whose use in folk medicine is not uncommon, is used in the form of decoctions and infusions in all of the above cases, and is also effectively used for neuroses, diabetes, influenza, malaria, kidney and heart diseases, heartburn, edema, liver disorders, epilepsy, pulmonary tuberculosis, intestinal atony, gastritis (anacid or hypoacid), worms.

The external use of the centaury is also justified, for example, with a long non-healing wounds, rashes, gout, eczema, leg ulcers, boils.

Centaury is successfully used for the treatment of alcoholism (including binges) both separately and as part of fees.

BUT Fresh Juice herbs are used externally for diseases of the ears in the form of drops, and inside - for diseases of the stomach, liver, gallbladder.

And the centaury has also been used as a remedy for food allergies in children.

Recipes with centaury

The ways of using the plant are different - tinctures, infusions, tea, oil, juice, decoctions (inside), externally - rubbing and compresses.

1. Antihelminthic decoction. For this, take equal parts grass centaury and bitter wormwood, mixed. Next, a tablespoon of the resulting mixture is poured into 250 g of boiling water, put on fire for 20 minutes, then the broth is filtered and taken on an empty stomach in the morning and evening (half a cup) for a week.

2. For gastritis with high acidity with heartburn, an infusion of the collection is effective:

take 2 tables. tablespoons of leaves and centaury grass, pour 600 g of boiling water, insist for 4 hours, take orally before meals 4 times a day, 100 ml.

3. With hyperacid gastritis, heartburn, allergies, flatulence, an infusion of herbs is used to improve digestion, as well as to strengthen the body after serious illnesses. To do this, pour 10 g of herbs with a glass of boiling water, insist and filter for 2 hours. Consume before meals in a tablespoon three times a day.

4. When chronic hepatitis such an infusion is effective: 20 g of raw materials are infused in 1 liter of boiling water, allowed to cool and filtered. Drink this infusion warm, 100 g before meals. The same infusion will help with diabetes and cholecystitis.

5. For the treatment of alcoholism, 2 tables are poured with a glass of boiling water. spoons of grass, boil for 10 minutes, insist for 2 hours, strain and drink three times a day for a third of a glass. Treatment - 2 months.

For the same problem, centaury is used in a mixture with thyme and oregano (in proportions, respectively, 1:3:1:3). Two cups of boiling water pour 4 tables. tablespoons of this mixture, 10 min. insist. Take before meals 100 ml three times a day, and the 4th time - at bedtime. Treatment lasts 2-2.5 months. At the same time, at the very beginning of treatment, it is necessary to give up both alcohol and smoking.

Centaury: contraindications

Taking drugs with centaury herb is contraindicated in patients with stomach and intestinal ulcers. Those who have hypersensitivity to this plant should also be careful.

Exceeding the recommended doses may cause digestive disorders.

Centaury ordinary - a biennial plant with a pretty umbrella of pink flowers that bloom exclusively in sunny weather. Has about 50 species, but medicinal properties inherent only in the small centaury.

More precisely, only this species has been sufficiently studied to be recognized by traditional medicine. To create preparations, no matter how they are used, only inflorescences are collected.

Grass is quite difficult to harvest due to the fact that it grows in sparse bushes scattered at a distance. Therefore, the plant is practically not harvested on an industrial scale for the production of extracts and extracts.

In pharmacies, you can find drugs only in the form of dry preparations and tinctures. Due to the complexity of harvesting, the medicinal properties of the herb are widely used in folk remedies, and in official medicine mainly tinctures for alcohol are used.

The range of application of the centaury small

AT chemical composition plants can find a varied amount of essential oils, flavonoids and alkaloids. Most of all, the herb contains bitter glycosides, due to which, it has a pronounced corresponding taste, which causes appetite.

For the sake of which the herb is often used for disorders of appetite due to nervous shocks or the consequences of diets. Due to its specific taste, the grass is simply impossible to overdose, so cases of poisoning due to an overdose are extremely rare.

Excellent grass copes with many problems of the gastrointestinal tract. In case of indigestion such as bloating, heartburn, flatulence, the plant can effectively help. As an additional remedy centaury is used in the treatment of diseases of the liver, kidneys, genitourinary system and damage to the cardiovascular system.

Used in adjuvant therapy diabetes mellitus. Thanks to its tonic effect, the plant helps in recovery after illness or surgery, as well as in the treatment of anemia.

A decoction of the centaury is one of the few remedies that can really help in the fight against the eternal Russian misfortune: alcoholism. Tested by time and practice, it helps quite a few, if not forever get rid of this bad habit, to put it mildly, then at least really reduce consumption.

Renders therapeutic effect at nervous exhaustion with accompanying physical and mental fatigue. Grass increases blood circulation, stimulates the work of the heart muscle and has a beneficial effect on the nervous system due to the tonic effect. Centaury perfectly relieves such an intractable disease as a migraine.

The constant use of herbs helps in the fight against food allergies in children. According to unverified data, the medicinal properties of centaury are effective in cancer.

The disinfectant properties of the plant make it possible to use the centaury as a rinse when infectious lesions mucous oral cavity as well as in the treatment of skin diseases. With the help of centaury tincture, you can get rid of fistulas, acne, rashes and eczema. For the treatment of open wounds, powder from crushed flowers is used as a powder. Good results are obtained by using the medicinal properties of the centaury in diseases of the ear.

Plants are used to stop uterine bleeding due to abortion or miscarriage. In the first trimester of pregnancy, the use is shown to reduce the manifestations of toxicosis.

According to observations traditional healers excessive consumption of decoctions from this herb can lead to spontaneous miscarriage, so the use of centaury by a pregnant woman should be strictly dosed and approved by the leading physician.

Although with the help of the medicinal properties of the centaury, gastritis is quite successfully treated, it is contraindicated to use the herb with excessive acidity in the stomach and peptic ulcer. It is recommended to limit the use of the plant to patients prone to loose stools.

When using herbs for the treatment of alcoholism, care must be taken, since if you continue to take alcohol, centaury decoction can cause poisoning.

Individual intolerance to the plant is strict contraindication. You can use centaury as an external remedy without consulting a doctor.

Since this herb is quite difficult to poison due to the peculiarity of its taste, taking centaury as a tonic and tonic, as well as to improve appetite, is not only possible, but also useful.

Traditional medicine using centaury

In folk medicine, decoctions and infusions from this plant are mainly used. For external use, powder from crushed petals is used as a powder.

The tincture of this plant can be purchased at a pharmacy or prepared independently. For manufacturing you will need:

• 1 st. a spoonful of crushed flowers.
• 1 glass of vodka.

Infuse the solution for 2 weeks, periodically shaking the container with the contents. Good to take to improve appetite antihistamine and to normalize bile secretion.

For treatment alcohol addiction it is necessary to prepare a decoction: 20 g of petals are brewed in 2 cups of boiling water, kept on fire for several minutes and left to cool for an hour. After filtering the decoction with gauze and give the patient 50 ml 2-3 times a day.

The medicinal properties of the centaury are well revealed in combination with the rest. useful herbs, such as peppermint, gentian, couch grass and many others.

To maintain liver function, improve bile secretion and general recovery and strengthening the body in folk medicine, a tincture of the following ingredients has long been used:

• 30 g crushed centaury flowers.
• 30 g peppermint.
• 1 lemon.
• 1 liter of white wine.

Lemon must be cut, add grass and pour everything with wine. Insist 2 weeks. After this period, the solution is filtered. You can store in the refrigerator. Take 50 g daily before meals once a day. It is also excellent as a tonic.

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