Ochanka is a low-growing herbaceous plant of the Norichen family. It is common in the European part of Russia, Moldova, Ukraine, Italy and southern Germany. In agriculture, grass is weedy and belongs to parasites that harm crops. But in folk and official medicine, eyebright has become widespread. She is actively fighting eye diseases, as evidenced by her name, and is also used to treat other ailments. If the size of the site allows you to select a small area for the eye, this must be done. Then the medicine will always be at hand, and delicate flowers diversify the flower garden.
Botanical Description
The genus of eyebright is an annual semi-parasitic herb. The plant has a core root that can go deep into the soil. Often haustoria develop on the roots - processes that attach to the donor plant and feed the parasite. If the eyebright will grow among cereal or other useful plants, it will be able to develop at the expense of them, but will gradually dry the "donors". Also, the grass is able to grow without the help of haustoria, although it makes it much slower.
Due to the erect and highly branched stalk, the eyelet resembles a small bush 5-50 cm high. The shoots are covered with red-brown bark and short pile. Small petiole leaves are mounted opposite. They have an ovoid shape and serrated edges. On a young plant, the foliage is located along the entire length of the shoots, but the lower leaves quickly dry and fall off.
In August, small two-lipped flowers bloom on the tops of the stems. They are located in the axils of the leaves and form a spike-shaped inflorescence. The flower is 6-10 mm long. Purple stripes are visible on white petals, and a yellow spot is necessarily present on the lip. Flowering continues until mid-October. After pollination, seed capsules with many oblong small seeds ripen on the eye.
Types of eyebright
According to various classifications, the genus of eyebright has 170-350 species. In culture, only certain varieties are most often used, since they are most valuable from a medical point of view.
The eye is medicinal. The herbaceous annual with an upright, branched stalk reaches a height of 10-15 cm. Small leathery leaves with a relief pattern along the veins are painted in dark green. In July-September, small flowers bloom. On the white petals there is a yellow spot and delicate purple touches. After pollination, a dry seed box matures. Small brown seeds have a ribbed surface.
Eyebright is straight. The grass consists of a single or weakly branched brown-brown stem 10-35 cm high. The internodes are located at equal distances, they contain single, short-leaved leaves. Egg-shaped leaves with a serrated edge have a different shape along the entire length of the plant. The axillary pale violet flowers are located from the middle of the shoot, but a denser inflorescence is formed on its top. Flowering occurs in June-October.
Breeding
Eyebright is propagated by sowing seeds. Sowing them for seedlings does not make sense, since the plant absolutely does not tolerate transplanting. In open ground, seeds can be sown in late autumn or in mid spring. Autumn crops are more desirable, as the first seedlings appear earlier, and flowering will be longer.
Sow eyebright in small holes to a depth of 5 mm. Germination requires light, so you can only slightly press and powder the seeds with soil. The planting site should be designated so as not to confuse young shoots with weeds.
Growing Features
Under natural conditions, the eye grows on mountain slopes, vacant lots, in the steppes, and along roadsides. Growing it in culture is quite simple. The plant develops well in open, sunny places or in a small shade. On heavily shaded areas, the eyeball is ill and almost does not bloom.
The soil for planting should not be too fertile. Wet and moist soils are also unacceptable. Before planting, it is well to loosen the ground and add sand or small pebbles to it. Clay or sandy soils with an acid reaction are ideal.
In temperate climates, there is no need to worry about watering. Eyebright will have enough natural rainfall. She also does not need fertilizers.
So that the eye-catcher does not destroy other plants, it is planted separately in the flower garden. During the year, 2-3 weeds from large weeds will be needed. Fine grass needs to be left, it feeds the parasitic plant and hides the bare ground. In the fall, it is recommended to dig the soil where the stone-eye grew and remove the old growth. In the spring, self-seeding will appear and the summerman will be restored to its former place.
Eyebright is resistant to plant diseases and parasites. The most common problem is aphids, it quickly captures the shoots. If the preparation of medicinal raw materials is not planned, you can treat the plant with insecticides. Otherwise, it is worth trying a soapy water treatment. Heavily infected specimens must be torn out and destroyed.
Composition and useful properties
Flowers and shoots of eyebright contain many biologically active substances, among them:
- fixed oils;
- coumarins;
- flavonoids;
- essential oils;
- saponins;
- trace elements (magnesium, chromium, copper, manganese, silicon).
The procurement of medicinal raw materials is carried out during the flowering period. The shoots are cut and dried in the open air under a canopy, or in special dryers with temperatures up to 40 ° C.
The most common use of eyebright is for eye diseases. She effectively fights conjunctivitis, redness of the mucous membranes, allergic reactions, dryness, age-related decrease in vision, spots on the cornea. Of course, eyebright is not a panacea for all vision problems. With cataracts, glaucoma and other serious diseases, treatment must be supplemented with other drugs.
In addition to the listed properties, the eyeball has anti-inflammatory, expectorant, astringent and tonic effects. Decoctions and infusions from it are used to combat:
- ARI;
- bronchitis;
- eczema
- gastrointestinal upset;
- gastritis;
- an allergy.
How to apply eyebright
There are many recipes based on eyebright. For lotions on the eyes usually use a tincture of grass. It must be prepared in a water bath so that the temperature of the liquid does not exceed 60 ° C. 25 g of dried grass are poured into a glass of water and incubated for 20 minutes. The filtered drug should be used during the day.
For internal use, use an alcoholic extract of eyebright. In a glass of alcohol with a strength of 70% pour 50 g of raw materials. Insist for 10 days, in a dark place at room temperature.
In laboratory conditions, eyebright extract is made. It has anti-inflammatory and general strengthening effect, and also reduces dystrophic processes in the eyeball. You can buy the drug at the pharmacy.
Contraindications
The use of eyebright has a number of contraindications. It should not be used by pregnant and lactating women, as well as children under the age of three.
It was noted that taking drugs from the eyeball reduces blood pressure, so they are contraindicated in hypotensive patients. If there is an allergy to field grasses, the likelihood of a reaction to the eye is also high. Also, doctors do not recommend taking medicine with her for people with low acidity of the stomach.
