In this article we will talk about a plant that is equally respected both in official medicine and in folk medicine. This natural healer is Eleutherococcus. Useful properties and contraindications for use vary depending on the state of health of the patient, his age, gender and some other factors. We will pay special attention to the features of taking over-the-counter drugs based on Eleutherococcus in women and men. Despite the fact that this plant is considered useful for everyone, there are certain restrictions on its use. We will also tell you about what precautions should be taken so as not to be among the deceived buyers who purchased a counterfeit drug.
Botanical description of the plant
Eleutherococcus belongs to the Aralian family. In our country, the plant can be found in the Far East, in the Amur region and in the south of Sakhalin.
Of the approximately thirty varieties, only one species has found application in medicine - this is prickly eleutherococcus. The beneficial properties of it are well studied and are considered in many ways similar to those of ginseng.
Medicinal Eleutherococcus is a thorny shrub with numerous basal branches covered with thin and sharp spikes directed downward. These spikes are present only on young branches. The old ones are smooth gray trunks resembling woody ones.
The leaves are complex - on a long stalk there are several palmately located inverted oval leaves with small notches along the perimeter. The flower is a basket of yellow and purple pistil and stamen flowers. The fruit is a bunch of black berries, each with a diameter of up to 1 cm, with five large bones inside. They ripen in September.
In medicine, the root of a plant such as Eleutherococcus is used. Useful properties of berries are poorly expressed, so they are not widely used in medicine.
The most valuable part of the plant
For the preparation of medicines, a long-term underground part, that is, a root, is used. The most valuable plant has at least five years. Despite the fact that the root system is highly branched, it is easily removed from the ground, as it is located in the upper soil layer. The area over which the rhizomes of one bush are stretched can reach up to 30 square meters. m
Far Eastern Eleutherococcus is well known in European countries. Its beneficial properties are valued no less than those of ginseng or Rhodiola rosea.
Not in Siberia and in the foothills of the Caucasus, where the climate is close to the Far East, Eleutherococcus is grown in nurseries. He loves to grow in warm, well-lit elevated places in humid and warm forests with prevailing coniferous and broad-leaved trees.
In September, the whole of Eleutherococcus is dug up. Useful properties and contraindications (berries are not involved in our review because of their low pharmacological value) are always considered from the point of view of the value of the roots and rhizomes of an adult plant. It is on their basis that medicines are prepared.
Nutrient content
What explains the very high biological value of such a plant as Eleutherococcus? Its useful properties and contraindications are due to the presence of rare anthocyanins, essential oils, resins, gums, pectin substances and glycosides in the roots. Glycosides called eleutherosides are the most essential component of a medicinal plant. They stimulate the production of endorphins, and also contribute to the synthesis of enzymes that accelerate the process of burning carbohydrates, preventing them from being deposited in ballast adipose tissue. Eleutherosides in Eleutherococcus seven, and five of them are classified as lignans. They are responsible for the unique antitumor, antihemorrhagic, antimicrobial, stimulating and adaptogenic properties. Eleutherococcus, whose beneficial properties are sometimes correlated with those of another natural doctor from the Aralian family, ginseng, unlike the latter, does not contain saponins.
General therapeutic effect
Eleutherococcus-based drugs act very quickly, but not too long.
The main focus is on enhancing the body's resistant functions. With outbreaks of influenza epidemics and SARS, Eleutherococcus must be taken daily. Medicinal properties and contraindications are usually indicated in the instructions attached to the drug.
Eleutherococcus is unique due to its soft and multidirectional tonic effect on the entire central nervous system.
As for the limitations, only natural, pressed tablet Eleutherococcus has no contraindications for age. The medicinal properties and contraindications of each type of drug should be described in the annotation attached to the drug. It does not depend on whether the preparation is multi- or monocomponent. Even if it is classified as a dietary supplement and is sold over the counter.
After prolonged physical activity, it is very useful to take pills, which are powdered and compressed into eleutherococcus, to improve oxygen metabolism inside the cells. Useful properties and contraindications (tablets can be with or without a shell) are tied to the individual indicators of each individual person. They are directly related to body weight, age, lifestyle, the state of the immune system, the presence of chronic diseases and other aggravating factors.
Benefits for Men's Health
With increased physical exertion, accompanied by stress, even quite healthy members of the stronger sex should take Eleutherococcus from time to time. Useful properties for men are expressed in the inclusion of adaptive reserves of the body. The plant helps to distribute the stress load evenly in order to prevent complications on individual systems or organs. For men's health, it is strongly recommended to periodically use the beneficial properties of tincture of Eleutherococcus. It is advisable to take the tincture just before the very beginning of the intense load associated with both mental stress and physical. It is best to add liquid alcoholic extract of Eleutherococcus directly to tea. Useful properties will manifest very quickly. Thirty drops are enough for one glass of drink. You can pour boiling water on one tablet of the pressed root, let it brew for twenty minutes and drink it.
Eleutherococcus helps to overcome chronic fatigue syndrome and, which is important for men, has a positive effect on the functions of the reproductive organs (decreased libido and erectile dysfunction).
Application Restrictions for Men
Representatives of the stronger sex can not always drink Eleutherococcus preparations. In this context, we’ll talk about what else Eleutherococcus has. Contraindications relate to those cases when a person takes drugs that are intensively affecting the central system. This applies to both excitatory and sedative drugs. With epilepsy, without first consulting a doctor, you should also not drink eleutherococcus. Useful properties and contraindications apply to tablets, and to liquid solutions containing this plant.
Women's Health Benefits
Pregnant, as well as breast-feeding, any medication can be taken only after the appropriate verdict of the doctor. This can be said about Eleutherococcus. It is difficult to overestimate the beneficial properties for women during the rehabilitation period after an infectious disease. Arterial hypotension, neurasthenia, asthenia and convalescence after somatic disease are indications for the use of Eleutherococcus preparations. It is possible to use tablets, alcohol-containing tinctures and extracts, as well as syrups.
With hypotension, it is very good to drink eleutherococcus regularly. Useful properties and contraindications (in tablets or in the form of a liquid emulsion, it does not matter) relate only to cases of individual intolerance. All drugs with this plant gently and quickly raise blood pressure, calm the nervous system and stimulate mental activity.
With increased emotional stress and after severe stress, which led to a critical decrease in blood pressure, it is recommended to immediately take a medicine containing eleutherococcus.
Many women feel unwell during the premenstrual period. They experience sensations corresponding to chronic fatigue syndromes and seasonal depression. This is due to specific hormonal changes that occur in every woman of reproductive age every month. You can significantly affect your well-being by including a multivitamin syrup or tablets with Eleutherococcus in your daily diet.
During menopause, it is also very useful to sometimes drink a course of eleutherococcus.
Application Restrictions for Women
Well-known performance, which is famous for Eleutherococcus. Useful properties and contraindications are most often identified when trying to combine it with other drugs. Equally important are the individual characteristics of the body. Eleutherococcus should not be combined with barbiturates. A double action on the central nervous system of potent drugs can lead to unpredictable consequences.
During pregnancy and lactation, the alcohol-containing form of Eleutherococcus should be excluded. As for tablets, capsules and water-based syrups, their use is possible only after consultation with a doctor.
As an unpleasant consequence of an overdose, there may be an allergic reaction in the form of an itchy rash and redness on the skin, as well as slight diarrhea.
Release form
Eleutherococcus is available in the form of liquid extracts and suspensions, as well as in the form of solid pills (tablets and dragees) and capsules with powder.
Alcohol tincture is whole or crushed roots infused with 40 percent ethyl alcohol. The proportion is 1: 1. Both fresh and dried roots are taken as the main raw material. Possible sediment. Shake before use. Store alcohol tincture in a dry, dark and cool place. Best of all - in the refrigerator, in the medication compartment. Alcohol tincture can retain its beneficial qualities for up to five years.
Eleutherococcus syrup is usually supplemented with ascorbic acid or rosehip extract. It is made in the form of a thick sweet syrup in water with sugar or sweetener. 250 ml glass bottle. The storage method is similar to alcohol extract, but not more than 12 months from the date of manufacture. Open syrup should be consumed within one month.
Capsules are gelatin flasks filled with dry powder from dried and crushed roots and rhizomes of eleutherococcus and ascorbic acid. The weight of one capsule is 250 or 500 mg.
Tablets are released in the shell and without it. Uncoated tablets are compressed powder from the dry roots of Eleutherococcus. They are used to make decoctions. Dragee-coated tablets are a multivitamin complex enriched with extract from dioecious nettle, dogrose and other medicinal plants with the addition of vitamin concentrates.
Mode of application
Eleutherococcus preparations are taken only orally. The course of therapy for both women and men, in order to avoid addiction, should not exceed one month.
Concentrated alcoholic extract is taken 15-45 drops (depending on individual indicators) two to three times a day. A pharmacy bottle usually has a 50 ml packaging. This is enough for one course. A second course is carried out in two to three weeks. Eleutherococcus can be taken not only for preventive purposes, but also in emergency cases when it is necessary to increase blood pressure or have increased mental or physical stress, as well as during relaxation.
Multivitamin tablets in a shell and dragee are taken one at a time 20-30 minutes before a meal.
Uncoated tablets can be swallowed with a glass of warm boiled water, or you can pour boiling water, insist in a warm place for 20 minutes and drink immediately or throughout the day. Do not drink milk and sparkling water.
Cooking Eleutherococcus tincture at home
Eleutherococcus alcohol tincture can be prepared at home. To do this, take three hundred grams of dry or 150 grams of fresh roots with rhizomes, cut into small pieces and pour one liter of ethyl alcohol or vodka. Insist in a dark place for two weeks. Stir or shake every day. After this period, the tincture is ready for use.
Daily intake is not more than 15-20 mg. For the course of therapy, it is recommended to drink half a teaspoon of the extract daily, for a month, three times a day.
Contraindications
Eleutherococcus preparations are biologically active additives to the normal diet and are sold in pharmacies without a prescription, but you need to know in which cases you should refrain from taking medicines containing this plant. In this article, we have already mentioned some cases. This applies to pregnant and lactating women. It is contraindicated to combine preparations of Eleutherococcus with tranquilizers and barbiturates, and with the use of antiepileptic drugs. You should not drink Eleutherococcus at night - you risk not falling asleep. With hypertension, drinking it is also not recommended because of the ability to quickly increase blood pressure. Anyway, with functional disorders of the cardiovascular and central nervous systems, self-activity with such a potent phytomedicine is fraught with serious problems. Therefore, with arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, stroke, arterial hypertension, Eleutherococcus will have to be forgotten.
In oncology, the plant described in the article cannot be taken, but to prevent the occurrence of neoplasms, it is even recommended to drink it in several courses throughout the year.
I must say that Eleutherococcus, like any herbal medicine, can provoke an allergic reaction. Moreover, an allergy to it does not appear immediately. Visible symptoms occur after several days of regular use. In this case, this drug will have to be abandoned.
Another observation of phytotherapists applies to all herbal bioactive supplements. In one of twenty cases, a reaction is possible that is directly opposite to the expected one, that is, instead of increasing tone and improving health, you can get a headache and worsening of overall well-being.
Proper packaging is a sign of a bona fide manufacturer
To protect yourself from all possible risks, purchase medicines containing eleutherococcus only in pharmacies or from official representatives, carefully study the accompanying documents. Each package must be provided with instructions. A conscientious manufacturer of dietary supplements and medicines always reports the full chemical composition of its product, indications and contraindications for its use, method of use, possible side effects, etc. Pay particular attention to the composition of the drug, its date of manufacture and shelf life, and also make sure details of the manufacturer.