Iceland moss: medicinal properties and contraindications, recipes and reviews. How to take Icelandic moss for cough, bronchitis, tuberculosis, prostatitis, to cleanse blood vessels, lose weight? Iceland moss for cough: brewing, application

Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants

Iceland moss - medicinal properties

Iceland moss- Lichen, which has anti-inflammatory, wound healing and antimicrobial properties.

Latin name: Cetraria islandica.

English title: Iceland moss.

Synonyms: Icelandic cetraria, reindeer moss, deer moss, Parmelia lichen, Icelandic lichen.

Family: Parmeliaceae - Parmeliaceae.

Pharmacy name: thallus of the Icelandic cetraria - Thalli Cetrariae islandicae.

Used parts: all parts of the moss.

Description: the thallus of the Icelandic cetraria looks like a loose turf up to 10-15 cm high. It is formed by flat, in some places grooved-folded lobes. The lower surface is lighter in color, it is light brown, almost to white, with numerous white spots and ruptures in the bark, which serve to penetrate the air.

The lobes are irregularly ribbon-shaped, leathery-cartilaginous, narrow, flat, with short dark cilia. Depending on the illumination, the surface of these blades is brown or greenish-brown, shiny. The edges of the blades are slightly curved upwards.

Fruiting bodies are formed at the ends of the expanded lobes. Saucer-shaped, brown, flat or slightly concave, 1.5 cm in diameter, with a slightly serrated edge.

Photo of a medicinal plant Iceland moss (Icelandic Cetraria)

Habitat: characteristic representative of ground lichens of pine forests, swamps, tundra and forest tundra. It grows directly on the soil or on the bark of old stumps. Prefers sandy unshaded places, where it sometimes forms almost pure thickets. Grows only in clean air.

Collection and preparation: Icelandic moss is harvested in summer in dry weather, torn from the substrate, cleaned of plant debris and dried in the open air or in the sun, however, drying in dryers with good ventilation is more reliable. Store raw materials in bags or in wooden containers for 2 years.

Active ingredients: thalli of Icelandic moss contain biologically active substances of various groups: carbohydrates (70-80%) in the form of lichen starch lichenin (up to 64%) and isolichenin (up to 10%); sugar (13%) - of which glucose 97%, galactose (2.5%), mannose (0.5%); tannins (1-2%), iridoids - cetrarin (2-3%), lichen acids (2-3%) - cetraric, protocetraric, fumaroprotocetraric, paralychesteric, usnic; trace elements - 100 g of the product contains 100 mg of iron, 2 mg of copper, 2.1 mg of manganese, 2.7 mg of titanium, 0.4 mg of nickel, 0.4 mg of chromium, 0.2 mg of boron, traces of molybdenum; vitamins - ascorbic and folic acids, vitamins A, B1, B2, B12, as well as proteins (0.5% -3%), fats (2-3%), wax (1%), gum and pigments (6-8 %).

Medicinal properties

In folk medicine, Icelandic moss is used as an antimicrobial, choleretic, laxative for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, in the treatment of the upper respiratory tract, and even tuberculosis. Helps in restoring the body's strength after a serious illness, in the form of lotions and washings is used for microbial skin lesions, wounds, boils, burns. The bitter substance of moss centraria promotes the secretion of gastric juice.

ATTENTION!

Self-treatment is dangerous! Before treatment at home, consult with your doctor.

Iceland moss treatment recipes

1. Atony of the stomach. 3 tablespoons of Icelandic moss, pour 750 ml of water and put on fire for half an hour. The result will be a mass that is similar in consistency to jelly. This slurry should be consumed in one day.
2. gum disease. Pour 1 tablespoon of Icelandic cetraria with 2 cups of water, bring to a boil, leave for half an hour, strain. Take throughout the day 30 minutes before meals. A stronger decoction is suitable for rinsing.
3. Bronchitis. 1 teaspoon of Icelandic moss pour a glass of boiling water and put in a dry and warm place for 10-15 minutes. Drink the infusion before going to bed, after adding 2 tablespoons of honey to it.
4. Bronchopulmonary diseases. Pour 1 tablespoon (with a slide) of dry Icelandic cetraria into a glass of boiling whole milk. Boil 5 minutes, strain. Drink at night, lying in bed under the covers.
5. Whooping cough. Brew 2 teaspoons of Icelandic moss with a glass of boiling water, leave for 30 minutes and drink 1-2 tablespoons 5-6 times a day before meals in courses of 10 days with breaks of 3-4 days. In total it is necessary to pass 3 courses of treatment.
6. Whooping cough. Recipe for a tea mixture (and Icelandic moss in equal parts): 1 tablespoon without the top of the mixture is poured into 1/4 liter of boiling water, allowed to infuse for 5 minutes and then filtered. Drink 2-3 times a day for 1 cup.
7. Wound treatment. Boil 2 tablespoons of Icelandic cetraria for 10 minutes in 1 cup of boiling water, leave for 8-10 hours, strain. Use for compresses and washing infected wounds.
8. Wound treatment(recipe 2). Grind dry Icelandic moss on a coffee grinder, take 2 tablespoons of the resulting powder and combine with 1 glass of liquid lard, insist in a water bath for 5 hours, strain. Apply externally to heal infected, long-term non-healing wounds.
9. Stomach upset. Boil 3 teaspoons of Icelandic cetraria for 10 minutes in 1 glass of water in a sealed container, warm and infuse for 2 hours, strain. Take a decoction of 2-4 tablespoons 3 times a day before meals.
10. Tuberculosis. Take 4 tablespoons of Icelandic moss and pour 500 ml of cold boiled water over them. Put on fire for 5 minutes. After straining the decoction, it can be taken in a couple of sips 3 times a day cold.
11. Metabolism improvement. 1 tablespoon dry Icelandic cetraria pour 0.5 liters of cold water, bring to a boil and cook over low heat until the water has evaporated by half. Take 80 ml three times a day after meals.
12. stomach ulcer. Take Icelandic moss, and half a tablespoon and pour all 450 ml of boiling water. Put on fire for 7 minutes and strain after removing from heat. This decoction is taken half an hour before meals, 70 ml 5 times a day.

Decoction recipes

• Pour 2 tablespoons of dry chopped moss with 1 cup of boiling water, boil for 7-8 minutes on low heat, let it brew for an hour, strain. Take 1 tablespoon before meals 4-5 times a day for chronic colitis with constipation, peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, gastritis, diarrhea, cough. Apply decoction externally for skin diseases, burns, systemic lupus erythematosus, dermatoses, trophic ulcers in the form of lotions, compresses.
• Iceland moss decoction with milk. Brew 1 tablespoon of dry crushed lichen with 2 cups of boiling water or 2 cups of hot milk, boil over low heat for 5 minutes, cool, strain. Take half a glass 3-4 times a day with bronchitis, colds.

Infusion recipe

• Pour 2 teaspoons of dry Icelandic moss with 1 cup of boiling water, leave for half an hour, strain. Take 2 tbsp. spoons 4-5 times a day before meals. The course of treatment is 10 days, it is recommended to repeat it three times with intervals of no more than 4 days.
  It is recommended to use infusion with respiratory diseases (tuberculosis, bronchial asthma, pneumonia, whooping cough). You can also replace water with infusion of kombucha.

cough tea recipe

1 teaspoon of Icelandic cetraria, pour hot boiling water, insist a little and drink like regular tea 1 time per day, preferably at night.

Side effects. Not detected.

Contraindications. Individual intolerance.

Iceland moss is not just a well-known plant. Its thallus has many medicinal properties that are actively used for medical purposes.

Icelandic moss, or Cetraria islandica (Icelandic cetraria), is a plant of the Lichen family. The area of ​​distribution of this species is very extensive: from the tundra zone to mountainous regions. It grows well on peat bogs, in pine forests, dunes, in high-mountain moss-lichen tundra.

It occurs both on the soil and on the bark of old trees, on stumps. The thallus of moss, up to 15 cm high, looks like loose turf, forming a continuous carpet on the soil. The leaves are dense, twisted, reminiscent of deer antlers. In a humid climate, they acquire an olive color, and in a dry climate, the plant turns brown.

More than two hundred years ago, Icelandic moss was very popular in medicine in many countries. Then, when the first information appeared about such classes of organic substances as alkaloids, to which the therapeutic effect of many medicinal plants was attributed, Cetraria islandica gradually fell out of medical use as a plant that did not contain active substances known to medicine, and was used only in folk medicine.

And only in 1947 antibiotic properties were discovered in the plant, i.e. the ability to kill many types of pathogenic microorganisms, including tubercle bacillus. It turned out that lichen acids have antibiotic properties in moss.

Collection and preparation

For therapeutic purposes, the thallus of the plant is widely used, which is harvested throughout the summer period. Raw materials are torn off from the soil, tree bark by hand or with a wooden rake. Then it is cleaned of impurities: other lichens, mosses, sand.

You can dry the plant in the sun or in dryers with good ventilation. You can store the dried thallus in a paper bag in a dry place. Shelf life - from 1 to 2 years.

Medicinal properties

Many useful substances for the human body are contained in the thallus of Icelandic moss: 3-5% organic acids, 80% carbohydrates. The plant contains up to 2% fat, 3% protein, 1% wax, 3.6% gum. It contains a lot of vitamin B12, which is responsible for immunity, protects against stress, strengthens hair and nails.

In domestic folk medicine, the thallus of Icelandic moss was used for bronchial asthma, colds, whooping cough, laryngitis and pulmonary tuberculosis. The presence of biologically active components determines the various uses of the thallus.

In the form of decoctions or infusions, it is used for diseases of the stomach, intestines, respiratory organs, to increase appetite, as a tonic. Often medicinal raw materials are used for digestive disorders.

Before undertaking the preparation of medicinal decoctions, infusions and alcohol tinctures, it is necessary to consult a doctor. Only a specialist will determine the dosage of the drug that you need. And, of course, you can not engage in herbal medicine, not knowing the exact diagnosis of your disease.

Pharmacy preparations

Some pharmacy medicines from Icelandic moss are allowed to be “prescribed” by yourself, but many of them require medical advice. We offer you a small cheat sheet.

Decoctions

With diarrhea, chronic constipation, diseases of the stomach. First way. Prepare a decoction of dried raw materials as follows: pour 50 grams of thallus into 750 ml of hot water, boil for half an hour at minimum heat, filter after cooling, drink the decoction all day, divided into several doses.

The second way: pour the crushed raw materials with cold water, then heat to a boil. Drink the prepared broth all day in small sips.

For sore throat, cough. The first option: pour twenty grams of raw materials (dry crushed thallus) with water (1 cup), heat by placing the container in a water bath (30 minutes). Remove from the stove, stand for 10 minutes, filter the broth, then bring to the original amount by adding warm boiled water. Drink two tablespoons 6 times a day before meals. The second cooking option: pour two teaspoons of raw materials with two glasses of chilled boiled water, then bring to a boil. Distribute the intake of the resulting jelly-like liquid throughout the day.

To increase appetite. Decoction to drink ¼ of a glass before meals 3 times a day. Cooking: dry raw materials (20 g) pour water (220 ml), put on fire (10 min.). Cool the infusion, filter, season with honey to taste.

With varicose veins. Take the infusion 3 times a day for ½ of a glass. Cooking: in an enamel bowl, combine chopped oak and birch bark, horse chestnut seeds - all 20 grams each. Add thallus of Icelandic moss, field horsetail - 50 grams each, rhubarb root - 30 grams. Pour boiling water (0.5 l) collection of medicinal herbs (2 tablespoons), soak for 1 hour, filter.

When quitting smoking. Drink a decoction after eating a third of a glass (3-4 times). Cooking: you will need a thallus of moss, horsetail, pikulnik, gills - two parts each, three parts of nettle, 1 part of highlander bird. Take a handful of herbal collection, pour boiling water (0.5 l), keep on minimum heat for no more than 10 minutes, then leave for 60 minutes.

infusions

Infusion of Icelandic moss is drunk for colds, diseases of the oral cavity, diarrhea.

For the treatment of periodontal disease. Infusion externally taken for rinsing the mouth. Carry out the procedure half an hour before meals. Cooking: pour 1 handful of raw materials with boiling water (400 ml), soak for 30 minutes, filter.

From chronic constipation. Pour 1 cup of crushed raw materials with 2 liters of water, soak for 24 hours. Take 200 ml 3 times a day.

For the treatment of the common cold. Pour water over one tablespoon of moss, sage, St. John's wort, leave for 3 hours. In the evening (before going to bed) rinse your nose, gargle. You can make an inhalation, breathe over the hot infusion until it cools, no more than 10 minutes.

Tinctures

Along with decoctions, tinctures prepared in 40-degree alcohol are used. They perfectly restore strength, improve the speed of metabolic processes in the body.

For the treatment of diseases of the stomach. Forty grams of moss thallus pour 200 g of alcohol, leave for a week. Take 10-15 drops 2 times a day.

For the treatment of dry cough. Pour crushed raw materials (10 g) with 100 g of alcohol, leave for 10 days in a tightly closed container in a warm but dark place. Drink 10 drops 3-4 times a day. For gargling, the infusion should be diluted with boiled water in a ratio of 1:10.

To deal with insomnia. Pour crushed moss (100 g) with vodka (200 ml), leave for 14 days in a cupboard. Take 10 drops 3 times a day.

The use of Icelandic moss in cosmetology

A sufficient amount of tonic components allows the widespread use of Icelandic moss in cosmetology. Cleansing lotions, natural soap are prepared from it.

From acne, with weakened hair and the first signs of skin aging. Wipe face with lotion 2 times a day, rinse hair after washing.

Cooking: dry crushed lichen (40 g) pour boiling water (200 ml). Keep on fire for 10 minutes, cool and filter. Store the lotion in a glass bottle with a tight stopper on the refrigerator shelf.

Soap for cleansing and restoring the skin. Make shavings from baby soap with a grater, melt it in a water bath. Make a milk-based decoction by adding chopped thallus. Pour the prepared broth into the melted soap. Remove from the stove, pour into molds, adding a little essential oil and pharmacy glycerin. Spray the top of the soap with alcohol. Leave to harden.

Contraindications for use

The idea of ​​taking drugs with Icelandic moss will have to be abandoned if you have had, have, or, according to doctors, in the near future, these diseases are possible:

• disruption of the digestive system;
• liver disease;
• bronchial asthma;
• cholecystitis and pancreatitis;
• gastritis and ulcerative colitis;
• too "active" intestines;
• spastic constipation.

It is impossible to consider Icelandic moss and medicines from it as drugs for therapy. They are contraindicated in autoimmune diseases, tuberculosis, malignant tumors and pneumonia. Use with extreme caution during pregnancy, lactation and in childhood.

You can learn about the medicinal properties of Icelandic moss and how to prepare decoctions from the following video:

The article selected the most effective decoctions, infusions and tinctures of Icelandic moss. They improve the condition with asthma, flu, diseases of the throat, respiratory tract, various intestinal and digestive disorders. Useful infusion is used for dry cough, sore throat, colds and flu as a diaphoretic and diuretic.

Outwardly, a decoction of the thallus is used for rinsing with inflammation of the gums, stomatitis, periodontal disease, and also with tonsillitis. Pharmaceutical preparations such as Gerbion syrup, lozenges for resorption, warming cream are very popular.

In contact with

Iceland moss is widely used for coughs, since its content of about 70% mucus provides its soothing and enveloping properties, which are excellent for irritated and inflamed airways.

The medicinal properties of the plant

Moss polysaccharides stimulate the immune system. Lichen acids have a high antibacterial effect (they can even fight streptococci and staphylococci). In addition, the plant contains iodine, vitamins A, B1, B12, plant enzymes and natural wax.

Dosage form

Icelandic cough moss

You can find Icelandic moss in pharmacies both in the form of ordinary raw materials for brewing, and in the form of tablets or capsules, cough syrup and lozenges for resorption.

Tablets and capsules are a biologically active food supplement and are used not only to treat coughs, but also for problems with the digestive tract and skin. For the treatment of diseases of the upper respiratory tract (laryngitis, bronchitis, pharyngitis), tablets containing Icelandic moss (Citrasept) and lozenges (Isla-moos) dissolve, and for various types of sinusitis and rhinitis, the tablets are inhaled through the nose (they are first crushed into powder ).

There are age restrictions for taking pills - they are prescribed to patients at least 14 years old.

Dosage:

• Icelandic cough moss in syrup can be used for children from 1 year old. It has a pleasant taste, so kids take it without problems;
• children from one year to 8 are given 1 tsp. syrup twice a day with meals;
• after 8 years, you can give it 3 times a day;
• adults take the remedy three times a day for 1 tbsp. l.

Treatment with Iceland moss syrup should be continued for 2-3 weeks. In addition to the treatment of cough, the remedy has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. You can find moss among the components of other syrups ("", "").

Types of coughs for which Icelandic moss can be used

Icelandic moss preparations are best suited for treatment, since moss perfectly stimulates the liquefaction and sputum discharge. Cough with tuberculosis, whooping cough, asthma can be treated with decoctions and infusions of this plant.

Due to its high antibacterial properties, Icelandic moss is used for most infectious diseases:

• flu
• angina;
• with rhino- and adenoviruses.

Moreover, it is used even as part of the treatment of acute and chronic pneumonia.

Depending on the disease, the type of medicine is selected (syrup, tablets, infusion, etc.), its dosage and duration of administration. In the treatment of tuberculosis, the plant is used as an aid. Most often use a decoction of 4 tbsp. l. raw materials, boiled over low heat in 2 cups of water. The patient takes such a remedy several sips throughout the day.

Whooping cough is relieved with a mixture of Icelandic moss and thyme:

• for such an infusion, take an equal amount of these two ingredients (half a teaspoon);
• pour them with a glass of boiling water and insist for 5 minutes;
• drink the whole glass warm at once (after filtering). This can be repeated up to 3 times a day.

With bronchitis, it is better to use a decoction in milk and take it before bedtime. No less effective is a remedy made from a mixture of moss and (½ tsp of both components per glass of water), which is drunk, on the contrary, in the morning. This helps to make coughing fits less pronounced and promotes sputum discharge.

A neglected paroxysmal cough should be treated with an alcohol tincture of Icelandic cetraria (the official name of the plant).

With allergies, it reduces the number of attacks and weakens them with a mucous decoction of Icelandic moss. It also helps well with colds, at the same time increasing immunity and accelerating recovery in general.

You can brew Icelandic cough moss in water or milk.

Types of decoctions on the water:

• Simple. Fast cooking does not allow the moss to release all the beneficial substances into the water, it is used only as a symptomatic remedy.
• Slimy. It has an excellent healing effect. Liquefies and removes phlegm, but has a bitter taste.
• Quick tincture. Less bitter than slimy decoction and more effective than plain decoction. Helps with a debilitating cough.

There is also a broad-spectrum alcohol tincture, and a simple Icelandic moss tea, which is good for relieving dry coughs, including asthma.

Recipes for making water decoctions

For a simple water decoction, take 1 tbsp. l. crushed moss and a glass of ordinary cold water. Pour the raw material with water and bring to a boil over low heat. Switch off immediately after boiling. Let cool to a warm state, filter and drink. Adults are recommended to take before meals (15 minutes) a glass, and children half a glass up to 3 times a day. If the child does not like the taste of such a product, you can dilute it with water.

Preparation of a mucous decoction of Icelandic moss for coughing takes more time:

1. 2 tbsp. l. raw materials are poured with a liter of cold water;
2. the resulting mass is brought to a boil over low heat and warmed up for another 30 minutes to an hour;
3. the result should be a jelly-like texture;
4. the mass is removed from the fire, filtered;
5. stored in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days.

Suitable for adults, taken 5-6 times a day, 1 tsp.

Tinctures

A quick tincture of water helps with bronchitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis. It is prepared in the same way as a simple broth, but after boiling it is poured into a thermos or simply wrapped well. The mass should remain hot for at least half an hour, after which it can be cooled and filtered. 1 glass of such a remedy is divided into 6 equal parts and drunk during the day (each serving 20 minutes before meals).

Alcohol tincture from Cetraria is suitable only for adults. In addition to being used for coughs, it can be used as an immunostimulant and applied externally for burns and wounds.

Cooking:

• 2 tbsp. l. dry moss is poured with vodka or 60% alcohol (250 ml);
• insist for a week;
• take 10-15 drops orally, diluted or washed down with water.

The course of admission is no more than 10 days. In the treatment of chronic diseases of the upper respiratory tract, courses can be repeated three times, with a pause of 2 weeks between them.

A decoction in milk is used to treat complicated conditions with a cough, including pneumonia and bronchitis. Such a remedy for a week turns a dry cough into a wet one and promotes recovery. The decoction is also effective against debilitating night attacks (with whooping cough). Approved for use in children from 5 years of age.

Cooking:

• 1 st. l. dry raw materials are poured with a glass of milk (preferably homemade);
• boiled over low heat for half an hour;
• it is important to stir the contents all the time so that the milk does not burn;
• after removing from the heat and cooling for a short time, the broth is filtered and drunk warm in small sips;
• if desired, before use, you can add to it.

It is good to drink such a remedy before going to bed, this will allow you to quickly fall asleep without coughing.

Contraindications

Cough syrup is contraindicated in diabetes mellitus. You should also refrain from treatment with Cetraria in autoimmune diseases. Some dosage forms of Icelandic moss have age restrictions.

Contraindications to the use of Cetraria in any form:

• pregnancy;
• lactation;
• children's age up to 1 year;
• individual intolerance.

With caution and after the obligatory consultation of a doctor, Icelandic moss is used for oncological diseases. The plant, due to its high adsorbing properties, can reduce the effect of drugs.

Basically, coughing is a signal of the onset of the disease. Recently, people often have a cough of a mixed form. This is facilitated by poor environmental conditions, the presence of harmful components in food, bad habits. cough suppressant is an effective remedy that perfectly copes with both cold-induced and allergic coughs.

This perennial lichen grows in the tundra and forest tundra on trees and on the ground. Its peculiarity is that it can grow only in ecologically clean places. Icelandic moss resembles a bush about 15 cm high with small green lobes, which become lighter from below. It has been used by the peoples of the north since ancient times as a food supplement to help recover from a serious illness.

Compound

The plant contains carbohydrates, proteins, fats, organic acids; many trace elements (iodine, iron, manganese, zinc, etc.), enzymes, vitamin C, vitamin B12. Polysaccharides in the composition of Icelandic moss have an enveloping effect, lichen acids produce an antibacterial effect, bitterness helps to increase appetite.

The main and most important component of the plant is mucus, which, enveloping the mucous membranes, soothes, softens and relieves inflammation.

Due to its composition, Icelandic moss is widely used in the treatment of coughs, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis. A tea mixture prepared from the plant is an effective remedy for whooping cough.

In addition, preparations from Icelandic moss help with pathologies of the digestive system, general exhaustion of the body, skin problems, and help eliminate poisons and toxins from the body. For these qualities, Icelandic moss is valued.

Application for cough

You can buy a moss-based pharmacy cough remedy, or you can cook it yourself. Depending on what type of cough is annoying, the dosage and method of preparation of the drug is determined.

Tuberculosis

Icelandic cough moss is used as an adjuvant treatment for tuberculosis. Take 4 tbsp. plants, pour two glasses of water and boil for five minutes over low heat. Ready broth must be filtered. Take several sips throughout the day.

Whooping cough

To prepare the medicine, you will need thyme (dessert spoon) and Icelandic moss. The components are poured with boiling water and infused for five minutes, filtered and consumed 30 ml three times a day.

Bronchitis

A tablespoon of moss is placed in an enamel bowl, poured with a glass of milk. Cook over low heat for half an hour, covered with a lid. Taken warm before bed.

With bronchitis, a mixture of moss and coltsfoot helps. Drink infusion one cup in the morning. This promotes sputum discharge and reduces coughing fits.

Paroxysmal cough

A tincture prepared as follows will help to cope with this problem: forty grams of moss is poured with alcohol and insisted for a week. Take ten drops twice a day.

Bronchial asthma

Two dessert spoons of the plant are poured into 250 ml of water and insisted for half an hour. You need to take 2 tbsp. up to six times a day before meals. Icelandic moss treatment lasts ten days. After that, they take a break for three days and resume the course.

Cold and allergic cough

Two tablespoons of moss are poured with a liter of water and boiled over low heat for half an hour. When the broth becomes like jelly, it must be filtered and put in the refrigerator. With a cold, it is necessary to drink two liters of infusion per day, with an allergic cough - one.

Preparations based on this plant are often found in pharmacies in the form of tablets or syrups.

cough medicine for children

Icelandic cough moss is a great remedy for children, but toddlers don't like its bitter taste. Therefore, instead of water to prepare a decoction, it is better to use milk. A tablespoon of moss is poured into a glass of milk and placed in an enamel bowl on a small fire for half an hour. The decoction is filtered and given to the baby at bedtime. The medicine should be warm. The decoction can be sweetened with honey.

The readiness of decoctions based on Icelandic moss can be determined by the presence of an iridescent film on the surface.

Tablets

This dosage form is used for diseases of the respiratory system. The tablet is dissolved or swallowed. With rhinitis and sinusitis, the use of the drug occurs by inhalation. The tablet is crushed into powder and inhaled through both nostrils alternately.

Due to the presence of components with an antibacterial effect in the composition of the plant, the tablets perfectly help with bronchitis, whooping cough, and are also a tool that helps to increase immunity.

Syrup

Icelandic moss, reviews of which are mostly positive, has one drawback. Those who have tried to be treated with Icelandic moss note its specific sour-salty taste. In this case, ready-made cough syrup with Icelandic moss can be used, which is the most popular use of this plant and tastes much nicer than decoctions.

Iceland moss medicine in the form of a syrup effectively fights a cough caused by a cold. The active components in its composition contribute to the formation of a protective film on the mucous membranes and relieve inflammation in the nasopharynx. Iceland moss syrup has an antibacterial and tonic effect. It is prescribed for acute respiratory viral infections, influenza, pneumonia, bronchitis, pleurisy, pulmonary tuberculosis and bone tuberculosis, in the postoperative rehabilitation period.

The composition of the syrup does not contain alcohol and cane sugar, it is allowed for children from the age of one. Toddlers who refuse to drink decoctions based on Icelandic moss will take cough syrup in this form with pleasure.

Adults use ten milliliters three times a day; children 8-16 years old - five milliliters three times a day; children under 8 years - five milliliters twice a day.

Judging by consumer reviews, Icelandic cough moss is a wonderful tool that helps get rid of the disease in a short time and cope with a painful exhausting cough, helps strengthen immunity and does not require large expenses.

Contraindications

Icelandic moss, reviews of which confirm its unique properties, may not be consumed by everyone. Contraindications to the use of drugs based on Icelandic moss are individual intolerance, pregnancy and lactation, diabetes mellitus.

Iceland moss is a unique medicinal plant that effectively fights many diseases of the upper respiratory tract, relieving such an unpleasant symptom as coughing. But no matter how harmless this plant may seem, it is undesirable to use it without consulting your doctor.

Update: October 2018

Icelandic moss, the second name of which is Icelandic cetraria, is a ground lichen from the Parmeliaceae family, which is not related to mosses (a symbiosis of algae and fungus). Found in Asia, Europe, Africa and Australia. It grows well in pine forests, heaths, marshes, tundras and forest-tundras of Siberia, Alay, Karelia and the Caucasus. It is found on the bark of tree stumps or directly on the soil, prefers unshaded areas where it can form entire thickets.

A feature is the growth only in conditions of unpolluted air. With insufficient moisture, the lichen dries up, falls into a state of suspended animation, in which it can be up to several years in a row. With sufficient moisture, it takes its former form in just a few hours. The lichen instantly reacts to the polluted environment and acts as a natural indicator of the ecological cleanliness of the area. If there is an imbalance in the natural ecosystem, the lichen gradually dies out.

The medicinal properties and contraindications of Icelandic moss have long been known to people, which allows the plant to be used both in medicine and in cooking. It has a bitter taste - the Eskimos add it as a spice to fish dishes, beer, pastries. It contains mucus, so the decoction after cooling is similar in consistency to jelly. Animals also feed on lichen.

It is described in the literature that in 1918 in Moscow, when there was a shortage of food, pharmacies had a supply of dry lichen, which they began to use for baking bread. The raw materials were soaked in a soda solution, then dried and ground to a powder, mixed with rye flour 1:1 and baked bread.

Morphological description

The lichen thallus has the appearance of a derinka with a loose structure up to 10-15 cm high and consists of flat, grooved-folded lobes. The underside has a lighter color up to white, covered with white spots and gaps through which air enters.

The lobes are narrow and flat, with dark short cilia and raised edges. Depending on the incidence of light, the outer surface of the blades has a brown or greenish color. Attaches to the soil or bark with rhizoids.

Fruiting bodies are formed on the end parts of the expanded lobes and have a saucer-shaped flattened shape 1.5 cm in diameter, painted brown.

Collection and preparation

The thallus is harvested in the summer in dry weather, which is torn off the substrate and cleaned of dirt (cannot be washed). Dry either in the sun or in a ventilated area. Stored in linen bags for 2 years.

Chemical composition

Thallus contains:

• carbohydrates (isolychenin, glucose, lichenin, galactose, sucrose);
• proteins;
• bitterness;
• fats;
• gum;
• vitamins of groups B and A;
• starch;
• odorous volatile substances;
• enzymes;
• minerals: iodine, sodium, nickel, titanium, chromium, boron, copper, manganese, molybdenum;
• iridoid cetrarin;
• lichen acids (protolichesteric, fumarprotocentric, lichesteric, usnic);
• mucus (up to 70%).

The use of Icelandic moss for medicinal purposes

The use of Icelandic moss with health benefits was first described in the folk treatises of Norway, Sweden, Iceland: the Scandinavians used lichen for colds, to strengthen the body, treated the skin with healing infusions for cracks, burns, wounds. Only in the twentieth century were studied antibacterial properties and the possibility of using it for the treatment of tuberculosis patients. To date, it is included in the pharmacopeia of a number of countries, including Russia.

Treatment with Icelandic moss is effective in a number of diseases, since it has expectorant, antiseptic, antibacterial, tonic, enveloping, antimicrobial, laxative, anti-inflammatory, wound healing and choleretic effects. Considered a powerful natural antibiotic.

• Since ancient times, lichen has been used as an effective antiemetic and expectorant. Helps moss Icelandic cough, strong and painful, accompanying severe diseases of the bronchopulmonary system (pneumonia, pleurisy, whooping cough).
• Usnic acid has a detrimental effect on tubercle bacillus and other bacteria, so lichen helps with diseases of a bacterial nature, including respiratory organs (bacteriostatic effect and blocking of oxidative phosphorylation reactions in bacteria).
• Antiviral activity against rhinovirus, adenovirus, cytomegalovirus and influenza virus has also been proven.
• The anti-inflammatory effect is provided by the carbohydrate lichenin, the aqueous extract of which stimulates the synthesis of the cytokine IL-10, which eliminates inflammation and its causes.
• Traditional healers recommend cetraria preparations for general exhaustion of the body, dystrophy, premature aging by the action of specific carbohydrates and microelements. It is a powerful general tonic, which is indispensable at the stage of recovery after serious illnesses, operations, prolonged bed rest, etc.
• It is prescribed for skin diseases: acne, purulent processes, boils, burns, trophic ulcers.
• It is effective for all diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (gastritis, ulcers), functional disorders of the intestine, both for constipation and diarrhea due to the presence of mucus (enveloping effect), enzymes and bitterness.
• It is prescribed for inflammatory processes in the mucous membrane of the oral cavity, pharynx, stomach and intestines.
• Icelandic moss is indicated for children with whooping cough, bronchitis, when bouts of severe coughing occur, locally - for the treatment of rashes with dermatitis, burns.
• In folk medicine, it is used to increase potency in men and treat mastopathy in women.
• Recommended for weight loss.

The medicinal properties and recipes of Icelandic moss allow it to be used for a wide range of diseases, but it is better to do this after the approval of the attending physician.

Scientific research on Icelandic cetraria

Experimental treatment with lichen and preparations from it was carried out just before the collapse of the USSR at the Institute of Phthisiapulmonology, then still in Leningrad. A strong drug was created, which, according to the memoirs of the doctor of medical sciences M.V. Pavlova, showed good results in the treatment of tuberculosis patients. However, with the collapse of the USSR, research and use of the drug were suspended.

In the 90s, scientists again turned their attention to the once forgotten plant organism: the biochemical mechanisms of action of Icelandic moss were actively studied in scientific laboratories in the USA, Iceland, Austria, and Japan.

So, Japanese doctors found that lichen mixed with green tea and some pharmacologically active plants is a drug for the prevention and treatment of cancer. This is possible due to the combined action of carbohydrates and lichen acids, which inhibit enzymes involved in the metabolism of cancer cells.

A little later, a powerful antioxidant effect of cetraria was also discovered, contributing to the restoration of the body and stopping its premature aging: the plant body is 10 times more active than vitamin E.

Traditional medicine recipes

Medicinal recipes help with strict adherence to the rules for the preparation of Icelandic moss preparations and the frequency of their use - this should be remembered by all patients.

• Whooping cough tea. Take ½ teaspoon of moss and thyme, pour 250 ml of boiling water and leave for 5 minutes, strain. Take 250 ml up to 3 times / day.
• cough recipe which can also be used for children. Take 2 tbsp. dry moss and pour 200 ml of cold water, boil in a saucepan and cook over low heat for about 1 hour - the consistency of the broth should resemble jelly. Take 2-3 sips during the day in a warm form. Since the taste of the product is not the most pleasant, you can add honey to the broth. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
• Decoction for stomach ulcers. Mix moss, marshmallow root and flax seed. Take 1.5 tablespoons of this mixture, pour 500 ml of boiling water and put on fire for 7 minutes. Next, strain the broth and cool. Take 30 minutes before meals, 70 ml, five times a day.
• Alcohol tincture for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, poor appetite, choking cough. Take 40 grams of moss and add a glass of 60% alcohol, leave to infuse for 7 days. Take 10 or 15 drops every day, 2 times a day.
• Decoction for the treatment of tuberculosis. Take 4 tablespoons of moss and pour 500 ml of boiled cooled water, put on the smallest fire for 5 minutes, strain. Take 2 sips 3 times a day. in chilled form.
• Decoction with atony of the stomach. Take 3 tbsp. l. raw materials and mix with 750 ml of water, put on a small fire for half an hour. After cooling, you will get a decoction similar to jelly, which must be consumed at a time. Take this volume for 3-5 days in a row.
• medicine for bronchitis, as well as a prescription for cough. Place 1 glass of milk and 1 tbsp in an enamel bowl. dry crushed raw materials. Put on the smallest fire for half an hour and close the lid. Take 2 sips hot before bed.
• Extract for constipation. Take 1 liter of cold water and pour 100 g of dry raw materials with this volume. Insist for a day, filter and put in a water bath until the volume is reduced by 2 times. Take half an hour before meals three times a day.
• Universal decoction, which can be used for all diseases in which lichen is indicated, as well as for skin treatment. 1 tbsp pour dried raw materials with 2 cups of boiling water and boil in a water bath for 5 minutes, strain. Take 1 tbsp. 3-5 times a day.
• Collecting from chronic rhinitis. Take 1 tbsp. a spoonful of Icelandic moss, Japanese Sophora, St. John's wort and add to the mixture 2 tbsp. l. sage herb. Pour all 1 l. water, boil for 30 minutes, cool to a warm state, strain. Before going to bed, rinse your nose with a decoction using a pear or a syringe without a needle.
• Decoction for allergies. Take a handful of dry moss, pour cold water and leave for 2 hours. Then drain the water and add half a liter of boiling water to the raw material, boil for 25 minutes on low heat. Drink on an empty stomach 100 ml.
• Means for the treatment and prevention of oncology. Take 2 parts of moss, celandine, knotweed, St. John's wort, add 3 parts of water pepper, plantain and nettle leaves, mix with 100 parts of green tea. Stir and make a decoction of 4 tsp. mixture of plants and 4 cups of hot water, leave for 60 minutes, strain and drink 1 cup 4 times a day, warm.
• In cosmetology cold decoction of moss is used as a rubbing lotion for problematic skin with acne and boils, for rinsing with weak and thin hair, with the active appearance of signs of skin aging.

Pharmacy preparations

On the territory of Russia and the countries of the post-Soviet space, the following preparations with Icelandic moss are produced:

• Sodium usninate crystalline powder is sold in 2 forms: alcohol and oil solution and powder. An effective external antimicrobial agent used for burns, wounds, cracks.
• Western companies produce a series of cosmetics based on lichen: creams, masks, gels, lotions.

Where to buy Icelandic moss, besides pharmacies? Dry raw materials are sold in health food stores, and herbalists also sell them. But it is best to prepare it yourself.

Contraindications for use, side effects

There are few restrictions on the use of dosage forms from lichen. These include:

• hyperthermia over 39 C;
• exacerbation of bronchial asthma;
• exacerbation of cholecystitis and pancreatitis;
• ulcerative colitis and gastritis in the acute stage;
• intestinal hypertonicity;
• spastic constipation;
• autoimmune diseases;
• individual intolerance;
• children's age up to 1 year (according to some sources, it can be used in children up to 12 months);

Childhood, lactation and pregnancy are not contraindications to the use of Icelandic moss, but even folk healers advise taking them only after approval by a doctor. With prolonged treatment, digestive disorders, discomfort in the liver area are possible.

In any case, it is impossible to consider lichen and preparations from it as a means for monotherapy. This is especially true of severe, life-threatening conditions - tuberculosis, pneumonia, cancer.