Lamium album L.

Perennial plant 30-60 cm high, creeping, horizontal root, with long underground shoots. The stem is erect, simple, rarely branched, four-sided at the base, hairy at the top. The leaves are simple, whole, oppositely arranged, on petioles, without leaflets, ovate or ovate-triangular, with a saw-shaped edge, with a pointed end, 3-8 cm long and 2-4 cm wide. Flowers white or yellow-white, bisexual, collected in 6-8 upper leaf axils. The plant blooms from May to October, the fruits begin to ripen from June.

Lamium purpureum

Purple Dead-nettle is a biennial plant. The plant grows up to 30 cm. The stems tend to be of two types: lying or raised, the plant is very branched, the stem is reddish. Leaves covered with hairs, folded with strong venation. The upper leaves of the plant are purple in color. The flowers are located in the axils of the upper leaves of the plant. The basic coloring of the flowers is: white, white-pink, pink or purple. The plant blooms from spring to late autumn.

Other Dead-nettle species are also used in medicine, there are about 25 of them in total, but this time we will only look at the more common ones in our nature. The effect is half the same for all of them, often differing only in some chemical elements and their concentration in the plant. Many species are used as ornamentals.

Only the flowers of the white Dead-nettle are used for medicinal purposes, but since this harvesting process is very complicated, the tops of the plant with all the flowers can be harvested throughout the summer. Plants whose tops are cut off in early summer regrow and bloom again in autumn. For purple Dead-nettle, use both flowers and leaves - collect with all the tops of the plant.

It should be understood that the tops of the plant act less actively than the flowers themselves, so it is recommended to collect the flowers separately and dry them separately - this is possible for white Dead-nettle . Plants are dried in a shady and well-ventilated place by spreading a thin layer on sieves, forced drying is also possible, not exceeding 35C. The drug is ready when it remains crumbly. Flower drug is stored in tightly sealed containers for 1 year. If stored too long, the plants turn a dirty gray and are easily destroyed by pests.

The flowers of the white Dead-nettle and the purple Dead-nettle are rich in mucilages, tannins, saponins, essential oil, alkaloid (traces), ascorbic acid, flavonoids (isoquercitrin, 3-glycoside-kaempferol, choline, histamine, tyramine), vitamin C. Among these substances in the leaves of the plant carotene was also found - 15mg%, glucoside in the roots.

Medicinal significance

The flowers of white Dead-nettle and purple Dead-nettle have a wide range of effects: anti-inflammatory, calming, blood-cleansing, anti-convulsant, astringent. White Dead-nettle dissolves phlegm and has mild hypnotic properties. White Dead-nettle also has other properties - expectorant, diuretic and bleeding stop.

In folk medicine, the flowers of the white Dead-nettle and the purple Dead-nettle are used very widely, because they have a wide spectrum of effects. The setting is used in the treatment of kidney inflammation and inflammation of the entire ureteral system, as well as diarrhea, jaundice, anemia, nervous excitement, insomnia, the respiratory system, as well as the respiratory organs, the digestive tract, as a sedative and blood purifier.

The flowers of the white Dead-nettle and the tops of the purple Dead-nettle are used as blood-stopping and astringent agents, in cases of lung and uterine bleeding, hemorrhoids, cystitis, urethritis, nephritis, urticaria and non-healing scars.

In folk medicine, Dead-nettle preparations are used to regulate the menstrual cycle, get rid of bladder spasms, treat inflammation of the kidneys, nephritis, pulmonary tuberculosis, bronchitis, skin diseases, diarrhea.

The infusion, extract and flower powder are also used externally for the treatment of bruises, eczema, urticaria, exudative diathesis, as well as wounds and burns. Flower arrangements are also used to treat itchy rashes and ulcers.

The juice of flowers and leaves is used externally to treat diathesis, furunculosis, skin rashes in children. Flower infusions and extracts are used to gargle the throat as an anti-inflammatory for angina.

Dead-nettle flowers and tops are included in tea mixtures that treat allergic dermatitis, psoriasis, liver and other ailments.

Not recommended for use

Dead-nettle is not a poisonous plant and it has no side effects, except for cases where a person is allergic to it. Therefore, a small overdose is not dangerous. This plant is not recommended for long-term use in case of increased blood clotting, atonic constipation, hypotonia, and is also not recommended during pregnancy.

Recipes

Setting of Dead-nettle flowers: pour 1-2 tablespoons of the flower with 400ml of boiling water, let it set for 2 hours, then separate the layers. Use ½ glass, 4-5 times a day.

Setting of Dead-nettle : pour 1-2 tablespoons of drug with 400ml of boiling water, set for 2 hours, then separate the layers. Use ½ glass, 4-5 times a day.

Dead-nettle juice: squeezed from the juice and leaves. Use 2-3 tablespoons with a spoonful of honey, 3 times a day.

Solution for oral use: 2-3 tablespoons are placed in 1/2L of boiling water in a thermos. This is the acceptable daily dose. For external use, the drug dose is doubled.

Infusion of white Dead-nettle flowers: pour 4-6 tablespoons of crushed flowers with 2 cups of boiling water, keep in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes, then cool for 45 minutes, separate the thickets and restore the original volume. Drink in equal doses, during the day.

Usually for oral use, the preparation is prepared at the rate of 1 tablespoon of drug (flowers and leaves) per one glass of water. Use ½-1 glass 4-5 times a day. A more concentrated solution is prepared externally - 2 tablespoons of drug per 1 glass of water. If the plant is available fresh and the juice can be squeezed out of it, then the normal dose is 1 tablespoon, 4 times a day - it can also be used externally.

In many countries, white Dead-nettle , purple Dead-nettle are among the edible leafy plants, similar to gouty gout, dandelion, thistle and nettle, etc.