The curly sorrel plant can often be found along roadsides, near houses, along the banks of streams, ditches, small rivers. It belongs to the buckwheat family. In Russia, until some time, the plant was considered a weed.
Description
Like all members of this family, curly sorrel is also a perennial. The height of the stems of this plant can reach one hundred and twenty centimeters. The culture is common in many regions, even very different in their climatic conditions, but Japan is its homeland.
The roots of curly sorrel are tap-type, they are quite long. Its very delicate leaves are opposite. They are curly along their edges, which is why the plant got its name - “curly sorrel”.
The buckwheat family is characterized mainly by paniculate inflorescences. This type of sorrel is no exception. Multiple bundles are collected in brushes: they create a kind of reddish-greenishbroom. The fruits of the plant have a triangular achene shape. The flowering time of sorrel is from June to mid-July, depending on the place of growth.
General information
In the first years, a small rosette collected from leaves appears on the culture, but from the second year the stem begins to actively get fat, becoming ribbed and reddish downwards. Shavel leaves are quite large. They have a peculiar sour taste that you can't confuse with anything.
Curly sorrel, like other representatives of the same genus, is a moisture-loving plant, so it can often be found near streams or grooves. Its young leaves, being softer, are much tastier than large ones. Of these, you can cook soup, make okroshka, salad, etc. But much more oxalic acid accumulates in old leaves. Curly sorrel is widely used in cooking, where its taste and nutritional qualities have long been appreciated. It is quite highly valued due to its excellent medicinal characteristics.
Chemical composition
Curly sorrel is one of the most popular medicinal plants. Even in ancient times, Aesculapius knew about the healing properties of this representative of the buckwheat family. Its miraculous characteristics were also described in the manuscripts of famous Arab scientists. Curly sorrel is used as a whole: both the stem and leaves, roots and even flowers are useful. The chemical composition of the plant is very interesting. Its root system contains a huge amount of vitamins C and K, the leaves containcarotene, vitamins B1, B2, PP, as well as polynuclear compounds. The rhizome also contains anthraclycoside and tannins, an incredible amount of iron and even a little essential oil.
Traditional medicine uses
For medicinal purposes, this herbaceous plant was used by the ancient Indians. In folk medicine, it is used both as an antidysenteric agent and to improve the functionality of the gastrointestinal tract. Curly sorrel in our time is very widely used in folk medicine. Its popularity is associated with the miraculous properties of the roots, which have an astringent effect. But thanks to the sour leaves of the plant, a person can avoid nausea or heartburn. If they are applied to wounds and cuts, they will promote rapid healing. Fresh leaves and decoctions of curly sorrel fruit are used for scurvy and can be taken externally to strengthen the gums.
Root system - properties
It is the underground part of curly sorrel that is valued the most. An infusion of roots and leaves acts as a tonic with a tonic and sedative effect. It is also used in dyspepsia and leprosy, the common cold or cold, in feverish conditions as a diaphoretic and antipyretic.
For quite a long time the root of curly sorrel has been widely used in gynecology. Traditional healers recommend using a decoction of it for pulmonary tuberculosis,bleeding, coughing and pleurisy. Curly sorrel, whose medicinal properties have been known since ancient times, helps with chronic cholecystitis and dyskinesia of the gallbladder, with violations of bile secretion, as well as with some diseases of the blood, spleen and lymph glands.
An infusion of rhizomes is a proven remedy for bronchitis and asthma, catarrh of the upper tract and ulcers. It has long been considered the best remedy for removing discharge, for example, with suppuration of the ears or conjunctivitis.
Other features
A decoction of the herbal part and roots of curly sorrel is used internally as an excellent hemostatic. It is good for anemia, threatened abortion, as a diuretic for nephritis, cystitis, urethritis, pain in the heart, schistosomiasis, and hemorrhoids or rheumatism.
Compresses from curly sorrel herb infusion were applied by our ancestors to various tumors, including cancerous ones. In addition, it has long been known that its crushed roots and leaves have an antiparasitic effect. The composition lubricates those areas of the skin that are affected by eczema and scabies. The leaves are widely used by healers and for itching, rashes, abscesses and lichen. Grated fresh roots applied to the site of a snakebite will help to avoid an accident. In addition, traditional healers recommend drinking powder from the roots or a decoction to cure alcohol addiction, as well as an antimicrobial and antihelminthic remedy.
Today curly sorrel is activeused in official medicine. Clinical studies have fully confirmed that alcohol and water infusions from the rhizomes and fruits of this inconspicuous but amazing plant are very effective in such a disease as pellagra. In addition, in official medicine, curly sorrel extract is used as a laxative, surpassing even rhubarb in its effect.
