Buckthorn is known and appreciated by herbalists, designers, and beekeepers. Herbalists use its bark as a carminative that relieves spasms and inflammation.
Gardeners grow bushes on their plots - against the backdrop of viburnum, elderberry, juniper, and spruce they look very impressive. Buckthorn is an excellent honey plant. It is also useful in the household: folk craftsmen weave baskets from branches, carve crafts from wood, and make dyes for woolen fabrics and leather from the bark.
But, above all, this plant is used as a medicinal plant. If you have hypertension, diabetes, obesity, gastritis, colitis, skin diseases, metabolic disorders or menopausal syndrome, it is worth getting to know its capabilities in more detail.
Description of the species
Brittle buckthorn or alder buckthorn (synonyms - buckthorn, brittle buckthorn) is a deciduous bush up to 7 m high. Sometimes it looks like a tree. The Krushin family, to which this species belongs, has 55 types (they mainly grow on the American continent).
There is also an evergreen bush with thorns. The alder variety really resembles this tree: the same large branches with a gray-brown surface covered with light spots (in young shrubs it is reddish and shiny). The red layer under the outer corky shell is the defining feature of the species.
The buds of the bush are bare, without covering scales. The foliage is entire, elliptical in shape, the leaves are arranged alternately. The shrub blooms in May. Yellow-green flowers on short (up to 1 cm) pedicels are collected in racemes protruding from the leaf axils.
You can recognize the plant by the shape of the fruit: red (when green) or blue-black (when ripe) berry in the shape of a ball with a diameter of up to 10 mm. The berries ripen (with two seeds inside) in August.
Spreading
Brittle buckthorn is distributed throughout the temperate zone of Eurasia. It can be found in the European part of Russia and Western Siberia. The plant's habitat reaches all the way to the Arctic Circle.
Buckthorn grows on the edges, clearings, and in the undergrowth of various forests. Buckthorn takes root well along river valleys, river banks, in meadows, along the edges of swamps and lakes.
Buckthorn grows well in fertile soils and tolerates excess moisture in the ground. It can be classified as a shade-tolerant breed. Brittle buckthorn reproduces by seed, but can be regenerated by shoots from stumps.
The fruits and bark were previously used to dye fabrics and wool in a wide variety of colors and shades.
Chemical composition
All above-ground parts of the joster bush contain anthracene derivatives in the form of glycosides: franguloside, glucofranguloside, franguloside, glucofranguloside, frangulins A, B, emodin, glucoside B, 8-glucoside chrysophanol, glucofrangulins A, B, frangulinanthrone, palmidin C, glucofrangulinanthrone fiscion, frangulindianthron, glucofrangulindianthrone, frangulinemodindianthrone, frangulinchrysophanoldianthrone.
The bark, leaves, buds and fruits of buckthorn contain anthracene derivatives, mainly in the form of glycosides - anthraglycosides
The highest concentration of these compounds (up to 8%) was found in the cortex. In addition to glycosides, it is also rich in aglycones, triterpene substances, resins, flavonoids, and alkaloids.
A study of the biochemical composition of the bark also showed the presence of anthranol, anthraquinone, coumarins, a vitamin complex, pectin, essential oils, saponins, tannins, and naphthaquinones.
Tannic compounds, alizarin, alkaloids, sucrose, malic acid, and traces of essential oils were found in the wood; the foliage is rich in frangufoline, franganine, alkaloids and vitamin C; fruits and seeds - chrysophanol and palmidine.
Pharmacological features
Wolfberries owe their amazing healing powers to their composition. In particular, anthraglycosides are aggressive towards the gastrointestinal tract: they activate peristalsis and carminative effects.
The laxative effect is also increased thanks to the aglycone franguloemodin - within 10 hours it is synthesized during the hydrolysis of anthraglycosides under the influence of bacteria and digestive enzymes, therefore, as a carminative, it works locally, in the colon.
The alkaloid identified in the bark of the buckthorn tree has antibacterial and antifungicidal properties, as well as pronounced sedative properties.
The main pharmacological effect of buckthorn bark is due to the content of anthraglycosides
Growing
Agricultural technology
Highly winter-hardy and drought-resistant (excellent), slightly affected by pests and diseases (good). Brittle buckthorn blooms at the end of April, the fruits ripen in August (good). Shade-tolerant. Very unpretentious, undemanding to soils, grows in dry, poor and dense soils, as well as swampy ones. Produces a few root shoots.
Reproduction
Propagated by seeds and root suckers.
Varieties
Buckthorn brittle:
asplenifolia zhoster asplenifolia fine line - fine line
Areas of use
Magpie berries are grown for landscaping: beautiful and useful raw materials will always be at hand. But this is not their only purpose.
On the farm
Buckthorn is in demand not only in medicine - compositions are made from the berries and bark for dyeing woolen fabrics and tanning leather. The result is a rich olive or brown color. Joster branches are flexible and suitable for weaving baskets and other products.
Buckthorn for dyeing fabrics
Beautiful wood is suitable for carving, making decorative plywood, nails and lasts for shoemakers, and other handicrafts.
In cosmetology
A decoction of the bark will relieve rosacea, relieve inflammation, restore damaged skin and refresh the face.
Buckthorn bark can be used as a natural hair dye. Depending on the initial tone, the hair acquires a red-brown or golden color.
In medicine
The medicinal potential of the buckthorn was known already in the 16th century. Decoctions of the bark relieved constipation, liver failure, and skin problems. It is used as a non-aggressive carminative with a prolonged effect. The ingredient can be found in pharmaceutical preparations for gastrointestinal diseases.
Unlike medications with a similar spectrum of action, buckthorn bark has a gentle effect: it does not injure the mucous surface, but only accelerates peristalsis. With the appropriate dosage, this product is safe even for children and nursing mothers. Buckthorn is recommended as a laxative for those losing weight.
In folk medicine, buckthorn bark, also called buckthorn, magpie berries, wolf berries
But the possibilities of wolfberries are not limited to cleansing the gastrointestinal tract. Medicines are used with buckthorn extract and as an anti-inflammatory agent. The healing effect and carminative effect are useful for rectal fissures and hemorrhoids. The bark also works as an antispasmodic, so its decoction is prescribed for spastic colitis.
How to grow brittle buckthorn
When growing shrubs yourself, you can choose any territory; the unpretentious plant will gladly accept the existing soil. However, the best option is considered to be soil with a high percentage of turf.
- The land should be protected from gusts of wind, and also provided with stable moisture. Do not overdo it, since the branched roots of the bush will be able to extract water even from poor soil.
- The plant propagates by seeds or vegetatively.
- No preliminary procedures, just dig a cubic hole with a side of half a meter. Fill the hole with humus, sand and soil.
- Place the seedlings in the center of the hole, straighten and sprinkle the roots with soil. It is important to compact the soil.
- Holes should be made along the perimeter of the area being used, which will later be filled with water.
- Moisturizing and mulching occurs using peat or compost compositions.
- The shrub should be pruned regularly to renew the appearance and health of the plant.
- Buckthorn cannot coexist with weeds; remove all unnecessary new shoots.
- Moistening and loosening are welcome.
Now you know the maximum useful information about buckthorn. Use wolfberry for its intended purpose, then feel the healing potential of this plant crop. Be healthy, we wish you success!
Indications and contraindications
Herbalists use buckthorn (buckthorn, wolfberry or magpie berries) to treat dysentery, gastrointestinal pathologies (ulcers, gastritis), liver, kidney and heart failure, and chronic cough.
Medicines based on it are indicated for ascites and anal fissures. Rheumatism, arthritis and radiculitis are treated with tincture of buckthorn fruits in alcohol (external use), and dermatological problems (eczema, wounds with suppuration, carbuncles) are treated with a decoction. Medicines are also active for obesity, as well as helminthic infestation.
Buckthorn bark is a natural raw material, but it also has its limitations in use. It is not recommended to use the product against the background of:
- intestinal obstruction;
- Crohn's disease;
- acute abdomen syndrome;
- appendicitis;
- spastic constipation;
- uterine bleeding;
- inflammation of the abdominal cavity;
- oncological lesions of the gastrointestinal tract;
- individual intolerance.
Intestinal obstruction
Pregnant and lactating women can use buckthorn-based preparations only under the supervision of a doctor. You cannot combine buckthorn bark with other carminative drugs - weakening of peristalsis and increased symptoms of constipation are possible (especially with weak muscles of the internal organs and a sedentary lifestyle).
Green fruits and fresh bark of joster are toxic; to ferment harmful substances, the raw materials must be stored for at least a year.
Do not forget that frequent and prolonged use of laxatives is addictive. After stopping the drugs, problems with bowel movements may occur.
Strictly adhere to the instructions for use and the doctor’s recommendations: increasing the prescribed dose or course (usually it does not exceed 7-10 days) is dangerous due to symptoms of overdose (abdominal pain, dyspeptic disorders, convulsions).
Cosmetological properties of wolfberry
Healthy skin is a clear indicator of the health of the whole body as a whole. For the treatment of minor lesions, not only professional cosmetic preparations are suitable, but also folk decoctions of wolfberry. Internal use should be alternated with external use, washing with tincture. Relieving inflammation, rejuvenating the skin, along with restoring damaged epithelial fragments are invaluable properties.
Steam two tablespoons of raw materials in a glass of boiling water and let the mixture sit for 30 minutes. When the solution has cooled, squeeze out all the small particles and dilute to the original volume. Plain water will do. The shelf life of the product does not exceed two days from the moment of preparation, be careful.
Store the prepared preparation in the cold to ensure quality is preserved. One procedure takes half a glass. Soak cotton wool in the broth or use cosmetic ice after freezing the product. After a week of regular use, skin problems such as acne will disappear for a long time.
Recipes based on buckthorn
Herbalists use various medicinal forms of the plant: bark decoction, extracts (liquid and dry). It is also used in complex treatment. It complements the formulation of dietary supplements.
The bark is included in tea recipes for stomach pain, constipation and hemorrhoids, and the roots are used as choleretic teas and diuretics. Buckthorn berries have anthelmintic properties and are useful for liver pathologies. Bark syrup is used in children's practice.
Bark decoction
The proportions of ingredients are standard: 1 table. l bark for 1 cup. water. Steam for 20 minutes. After straining, add water (boiled) to the initial level. Drink ½ cup of medicine. 2 rubles/day. Distribute the intake evenly, for example, at 8 a.m. and at 8 p.m. Usually the medicine manifests itself no earlier than after 8 hours, but to be on the safe side, it is better not to move away from the toilet.
The same composition is prescribed for fever and liver failure (for internal use). Used externally for scabies in children (just wash the whole body). In such cases, veterinarians also use the product.
All medicines are made from dried raw materials. If you have to use fresh, heat it at 100°C for about an hour.
Alcohol tincture
Prepare the ingredients: 1 part crushed bark and 5 parts edible alcohol (30%) or vodka. You need to insist for 10 days. The contents must be stirred periodically. This remedy is used for dermatological problems: furunculosis, pyoderma, streptoderma, and other damage to the dermis characterized by mixed microflora such as staphylococcus or E. coli.
In complex treatment, the bark is prescribed for gastrointestinal ulcers with high acidity, inflammation of the liver and gall bladder.
Positive dynamics are observed in the treatment of malaria, menopause, tachycardia, coordination disorders, central nervous system pathologies, diabetes mellitus, excess weight, and dermatological problems caused by metabolic disorders using medications based on cucumber.
The fruits of wolfberry are indicated for changes in the rhythm of bowel movements, anemia, dropsy, and heavy discharge during menstruation. It is better to take berries that are 2-3 years old to avoid stomach irritation. Use the product in powder form in minimal doses.
Buckthorn cocktail with prunes and rosehip syrup
According to reviews on thematic forums, this cocktail is one of the most popular for cleansing the intestines of everything unnecessary.
You will need a bag of buckthorn bark, prunes with pits (400 g) and holosas. Dried fruits should be boiled for 40 minutes in 1.5 liters of water. Remove the plums and add 15 g of buckthorn bark to the compote. Boil the broth and leave in a warm place for 5 hours, wrapped in a warm towel.
After straining, add up to 1.2 liters of water to the resulting broth. Now you can add holosas and mix thoroughly. The laxative should be stored in the refrigerator. You can drink 100 ml at night (2 hours after dinner), preferably warm. The course of treatment is 12 days. If necessary, you can repeat after 21 days.
Procurement of raw materials
Buckthorn bark is collected in early spring, during sap flow. It is best to harvest before the first leaves appear: this way the plant will have a better chance of surviving after collecting the bark. The selected trunk is cut down at a distance of 15–20 cm from the ground, and suitable branches are also cut off. Circular cuts are made on the felled trunk, spaced 15 cm apart, and the bark is carefully separated.
Drying can be done indoors or outdoors. The bark is stirred from time to time to ensure proper drying. Blackened pieces are thrown away. The raw material is considered ready when the bark begins to break with a bang when bent. Can be stored for up to 5 years in a dry place with good ventilation.
Before harvesting buckthorn, it is important to consider that fresh raw materials contain frangularoside. This substance causes nausea and a gag reflex in humans. Eating fresh bark may contribute to poisoning. To avoid this, raw materials are stored for about a year before use or heat treated at a temperature of +100 ℃ for an hour. This allows frangularoside to oxidize, followed by conversion to glycofrangulin.
The bark is collected in early spring when the sap begins to flow. The optimal time for harvesting raw materials is before the first leaves appear. Thanks to this, the survival of the plant can be ensured. When collecting bark, an oblique cut of the trunk is made. It should be held at a distance of at least 10 cm from the ground. The fallen trunk is cleared of lichens, circular cuts are made on it at intervals of 10-15 cm, and then they are united with longitudinal cuts. The bark is removed and dried on a horizontal surface in the open air or under a canopy. Periodically, the raw materials are mixed and readiness is checked. The shelf life of the bark is five years. Store raw materials in pressed form in a closed container in a cool, ventilated room.
