Hyssop officinalis is a herbaceous aromatic perennial plant up to 50 cm tall with erect, tetrahedral, branched stems and opposite, small, linear-lanceolate leaves. Hyssop's flowers are two-lipped, irregular, dark blue, less often purple. This plant is found in the wild in East and Central and Europe, in Western Asia, the Mediterranean and North Africa. In the CIS, grass grows in Ukraine, the European part of Russia (in the steppes and forest-steppes), in the Caucasus and in Belarus.
For medicinal purposes, hyssop was used during the time of Hippocrates and Avicenna, who attributed this plant to the best expectorant. And for colds, hyssop officinalis was taken as an infusion along with honey and figs. In the Middle Ages, the disinfecting properties of this plant were used to purify the air, and hyssop was then a common anti-pediculant.
Today hyssop is used in cooking, cosmetology, perfumery and medicine. We will talk about the last area of application of the plant.
Hyssop harvesting for medicinal purposes
For the manufacture of medicines, the ground part of the plant is used (the upper parts of the stem along with flowers and leaves). Flowering grass is harvested in the July-August month, and only the upper parts of the shoots should be cut. Next, the grass is bundled, hung for drying in a ventilated room or dried in dryers with temperatures up to 40 degrees. Raw materials can be stored for 2 years.
And from the flowers, by distillation, a bitterish essential oil with a spicy taste is obtained, which has a dark yellow color and a smell similar to tansy.
Inside take infusions and tinctures, and externally - powders from the dried crushed parts of hyssop or make compresses with fresh leaves. Essential oil is used for the preparation of external medicines.
Chemical composition
The ground flowering part of hyssop contains bitterness, ursolic, rosmarinic, terpenic, caffeic and oleanolic acids, tannins, bioflavonoids, essential oils, tannins, ascorbic acid, flavonoids, gum, resins. And in the essential oil of this plant, camphene, pinene, alcohols and aldehydes were found.
Hyssop officinalis: properties and application of the plant in medicine
This plant is included in the pharmacopeias of many European countries, and by its therapeutic effect it is close to sage. Studies have proven that hyssop officinalis is a powerful antiseptic with a predominant antistaphylococcal effect. In addition, official medicine uses this herb as a nootropic and biostimulant, it improves attention and memory processes. Hyssop also has a balanced, mild antidepressant effect, without causing drowsiness. It is advised to use in asthenic conditions, as well as in periods of recovery after surgery, injury or prolonged illness.
Traditional medicine recommends the use of hyssop inside the infusion for respiratory diseases, as an expectorant, antispasmodic and antitussive for bronchial asthma, laryngitis, bronchitis, tracheitis. And with colds, hyssop infusions can also have an antipyretic effect.
Due to the content of bitterness, hyssop officinalis stimulates appetite, has a carminative and mild laxative effect. Hyssop grass is also used for digestive disorders, constipation, abdominal pain, chronic colitis, flatulence and chronic inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The anthelmintic effect of the plant has also been established.
In some cases, the herb is used in alcoholism for the speedy elimination of withdrawal symptoms.
Hyssop found a medicinal use as an effective external agent that accelerates the healing of burns, ulcers and wounds, for resorption of infiltrates and hematomas. To do this, rinse and lotions.
With skin diseases (eczema, dermatitis, itchy dermatoses) , powder from the leaves of hyssop officinalis is used as an antiseptic. And with purulent-inflammatory skin diseases, compresses with the infusion of this herb are successfully used. The same compresses are also made during stagnation of breast milk in nursing mothers.
With tonsillitis, stomatitis and gingivitis, hyssop infusion is rinsed with a mouth.
Hyssop also has properties to tone and soften the skin.
With success hyssop officinalis is used to treat dyspepsia, neurosis, anemia, angina pectoris, rheumatism, joint diseases, fungal infections, to increase blood pressure, and to regulate sweating. Topically applying the infusions of this herb is useful for inflammation of the eyes, stomatitis, hoarseness, bruises, wounds and eczema.
Recipes for the use of hyssop for medical purposes
1. Infusion. One table. take a spoonful of leaves per 400 g of boiling water, insist for an hour, filter and drink half a glass of warm food three times a day before meals.
2. Tincture of herbs. For 100-200 g of vodka take 20 g of raw materials. A week insist and filter. Take orally three times a day for tea. spoon.
3. Infusion for external use. For 200 grams of boiling water take 2 tea. spoons of hyssop herb, half an hour insist. Used for flushing, compresses and gargling.
4. With bronchial asthma, chronic colitis, bronchitis. Insist on the table. a spoonful of dried grass in two tbsp. water for two hours. Filter. Take four times a day, 50 g.
5. For the treatment of scars, injuries and hematomas. Apply preparations with hyssop essential oil three times a day to damaged areas.
6. A pillow filled with hyssop, hops and rosehip petals will help to calm the nerves and eliminate fatigue. Before going to bed, you should tamper well so that the medicinal plants mix and grind. Your head will be drowned all night in a delicious aroma, and you will breathe with healing essential oils.
Contraindications
Due to the fact that hyssop essential oil has neuro-toxic properties, ingestion of oil is not allowed. For a long time, hyssop preparations can not be used. It is also contraindicated during pregnancy (increases the tone of the uterus), children under two years of age, with epilepsy, high blood pressure and with individual intolerance.
Children under 12 years of age and older are given less concentrated doses of hyssop preparations.
Before using hyssop, a doctor’s consultation is required!