Leonurus
Motherwort, Leonurus (lat.)
Medicinal purpose
For medicinal purposes the leaves and the heads are used. They are cut with scissors, 30-40 sm long at the blossom time, in dry weather, then dried hung, in a cool place. The preparation is best before 3 years. In the Indian medicinal practice, motherwort was used to cure stomach diseases, and as sudorific means. In Russian folk medicinal practice, it was used against excessive heart beats, stomach problems, and respiratory diseases. It is used against heart diseases and epilepsy in Romania. The English use it against hysteria, neuralgia, heart weaknesses and asthma. Homoeopathists use the plant against angina and climacteric bleedings. In the Armenian folk medicinal practice, motherwort is known as an excellent cure for some heart, nervous, and feminine diseases. It is also used against fear and asthma.
According to experts, the plant preparations have sedative influence on the central nervous system; it stabilizes the heart rhythm, drops the heart pressure.
According to N. V. Vershin and D. D. Yablokov, the plant squash in clinical conditions has an efficient affect on neurosis, hypertonic diseases, cardio-sclerosis, myocarditis, other heart problems, myocardiodystrophy, and Graves' disease. The motherwort use provides 69% result, according to the authors. The continuous use of the plant has proven to show positive results in cases of Mainer’s syndrome, and nervous diseases. The liquid squash of the plant and positive affect on irritation, muscle weakness due to nicotine, cough, and high blood pressure. It should be also mentioned that even in case of continuous use, the motherwort preparations do not cause any kind of negative side effects. By its sedative qualities, motherwort is 3-4 times more efficient than valerian. The continuous use of the plant also has efficient affect on diseases like atherosclerosis, climacteric neurosis, glaucoma, some skin diseases, impotence, etc. Motherwort has also chologogue qualities, stabilizes stomach-intestine functional operation. The plant is officinal in former USSR and Germany.
The liquid squash of the plant, even in small doses, has microbe killing quality. The medicinal plant is also a component of Zdrenko’s mixture. In the former Soviet Union the demand for this medicinal plant has been around 200-300 tons a year. According to the authors of the book, the use of the plant in ambulatory conditions has positive influence on hypertonic diseases. The regular use of the preparations have shown good results not only in stabilizing the blood pressure, but also in improving the self-feeling and raising the work capacity of the patients. The efficiency of the plant has doubled when used mixed with hawthorn flowers (40 grams of each mixed in 1 L hot water; 100 ml, 3-4 times a day). This mixture had positive affects on hypertonic diseases and arrhythmia.
Use
To make an extract, soak 2 tea-spoons of cut plant in one cup of cold water for 8 hours, dry and use the preparation 3 times during the day. To make a decoction, 4-6 grams plant or 4-9 grams seeds boil in one cup of water for 10 minutes, cool, filter and drink 2 times during the day for vessel spasm. The decoction can be also made by mixing 15-20 grams of material in 200 ml water, boiling for 10 minutes. It should be taken 1 table-spoon, 3-6 times a day, 30 minutes before eating.
To make an alcohol extract from the plant, 2 portions of fresh plant juice is mixed with 3 portions of 70-degree spirit, taken 25-30 drops, three times a day. The powder made from dry plant can be taken 2-4 grams during the day.
The fresh ground plant juice is drunk with water, 30-40 drops, 3-4 times a day, 30 minutes before eating.
In cases of nervous system problems, dizziness, and asthma, mix 15 grams of motherwort, hawthorn flowers, and 5 grams of camomile; soak 1 table-spoon of the mixture in one cup of hot water for 8 hours, then take ½ cup, three times a day, one hour after eating.
Other use
Motherwort is also melliferous. The honey from the plant is light golden, with pleasant aroma and pleasant taste. During 8-9 years the seed still can be planted. They contain 30% oil. Drying oil is made from it. Motherwort is also used in dying the clothes into green color.
Warning
These are folk remedies and are no guarantee is made as to either their effectiveness, or their safety.