A tincture from the leaves of a perennial ornamental plant is a time-tested remedy for the treatment of chronic joint diseases. It is used to eliminate pain and swelling in joints due to arthritis, arthrosis, osteochondrosis of any localization. Course use of tinctures helps improve blood supply to damaged cartilage and bone tissues, ligaments and tendons. The burning juice of the caudate bird has a distracting, local anesthetic and powerful anti-inflammatory effect.
Characteristic features of a medicinal plant
The most important ingredient in the chemical composition of the plant's leaves is the alkaloid colchicine. Due to its pronounced warming effect, blood circulation improves in damaged joints. The use of tincture has a positive effect on the blood supply to damaged tissues with nutrients and biologically active substances, molecular oxygen. Poultry leaves also contain other useful chemical compounds:
- bioflavonoids;
- phytoncides;
- organic acids;
- mucus and tannins;
- essential oils;
- microelements - zinc, magnesium, potassium, copper, molybdenum, phosphorus, calcium;
- fat- and water-soluble vitamins.
Wild poultry grass is found in the subtropical zones of Asia, Africa, and the southern regions of Europe. In our country, it has become widespread due to its high decorative value and low maintenance requirements. And then the ability of Chinese onions to improve the condition of joints that had undergone destructive and degenerative changes was established.
The useful plant has found application not only in folk, but also in official medicine. Hell root extract (another name for poultry plant) is included in some dietary supplements produced in the form of ointments, gels, and balms.
The appearance of the Chinese onion is quite unusual. Part of a very large fleshy bulb, sometimes exceeding 8 cm in diameter, rises above the ground surface. The leaves of the plant are long, thin, and pointed at the ends. In mid-autumn, Chinese onions throw out powerful arrows, strewn with small, inconspicuous flowers with a pungent onion smell. It was during this period that the maximum amount of biologically active substances accumulated in the leaves. The most useful medicinal tincture is obtained from such plant raw materials.
| Substances from the chemical composition of Chinese onions | Pharmacological action and medicinal properties of ingredients |
| Alkaloid colchicine | Eliminates pain and swelling, increases range of motion in joints |
| Bioflavonoids | Improve blood circulation and supply of affected joints with nutrients and biologically active substances |
| Organic acids | Accelerate the removal of inflammatory process products and tissue breakdown from joints |
| Vitamins and microelements | Prevents the spread of pathology to healthy articular and extra-articular structures |
For skin rashes
We have already looked at the photo of Indian onion and the medicinal properties of the plant. I would also like to talk about its benefits in the fight against various skin rashes - acne, boils, pimples.
Here the leaves of the plant are finely ground to a paste. Then apply the composition to the affected area of the skin and cover it with a napkin. The procedure lasts no more than 5 minutes. As soon as an intense burning sensation appears, it must be stopped.
Pharmacological action and medicinal properties
The therapeutic effect of Chinese onion tinctures is based on the pharmacological properties of substances from its chemical composition. Almost all biologically active compounds improve the functioning of the human musculoskeletal system. Useful substances complement each other’s therapeutic effects, enhance and prolong them. The following clinical activity is characteristic of medicinal tinctures:
- anti-inflammatory . Alkaloids, even in small doses, inhibit the enzyme responsible for the production of prostaglandins - mediators of pain, swelling and inflammation;
- anti-gout. Course use of the tincture helps remove tophi - crystals formed from uric acid salts - from joints;
- distracting and locally irritating . The folk remedy is characterized by an immediate analgesic effect due to increased sensitivity of nerve endings located in the subcutaneous tissue;
- antimicrobial. Traditional healers recommend a burning remedy for people with pathologies of infectious origin. It has antibacterial, antimycotic and mild antiviral properties;
- decongestant _ Substances from the chemical composition of Indian onions normalize microcirculation in the periarticular soft tissues. They prevent the migration of macrophages and neutrophils to foci of the inflammatory process;
- cleansing. Tannins and mucus have the ability to bind and remove toxic products of inflammation and tissue decay from joint structures.
Tinctures of a perennial plant are used to treat joint diseases of any severity. Regularly rubbing these products into the joint area helps eliminate pain, morning swelling of the joints and stiffness of movement.
Extreme care should be taken when collecting leaves. Drops of clear viscous juice quickly appear on the slices. If it gets on the skin, then only prolonged rinsing with clean running water will help get rid of the itching and burning.
Caring for Indian onions
Indian onions do not require careful care. If you put it on a north window, it will grow very well. It is recommended to slightly shade the plant.
In summer, watering is done frequently; the soil may dry out. Various fertilizers can be used. In summer you can see that the leaves dry out slightly. There’s nothing wrong with it; you can prune it in the spring and the onion will continue to grow.
Indications for use
Tinctures based on ornithischium caudate are used to treat joint diseases of any etiology. These can be pathologies provoked by both the inflammatory process and destructive changes in tissues. The greatest therapeutic effectiveness of tinctures appears in the initial stages of the disease. But they help eliminate the symptoms of pathologies even with already developed complications. Indications for the use of a burning agent are:
- spondyloarthrosis;
- coxarthrosis;
- gonarthrosis;
- gouty, rheumatoid arthritis;
- thoracic, cervical, lumbar osteochondrosis;
- intervertebral hernia;
- tendonitis and tendovaginitis.
It should be remembered that the use of poultry tinctures does not cancel the course of taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and chondroprotectors. It is necessary to inform a rheumatologist, vertebrologist or orthopedist about the use of a folk remedy. There is a high probability that the doctor will reduce the dosage of drugs, which often exhibit significant side effects.
In a room with a tailed poultry bird, there are very few fungal spores and pathogenic bacteria in the air space. During growth, Chinese onions release phytoncides that can destroy pathogenic microorganisms. Therefore, traditional healers recommend keeping poultry plant on their windowsills for people prone to frequent respiratory infections.
Contraindications and side effects
Chinese onion juice is a common cause of allergic reactions in gardeners. During growth, poultry leaves very often dry out at the ends, even with high air humidity. To increase the decorative appearance of the bush, flower growers cut off the darkened areas. If a person is hypersensitive to colchicine, then even a microscopic dose of the juice will cause burning pain, redness and swelling of the skin. After a few minutes, rashes may appear on the dermis. In this case, the skin must be washed with water, take a tablet of any antihistamine (Claritin, Loratadine, Suprastin) and consult a doctor.
Chinese onion tinctures are strictly forbidden to be used during pregnancy and breastfeeding. They are not used in the treatment of children under 18 years of age, with hematopoietic disorders, including poor blood clotting.
For fungal diseases
To prepare the medicine you will need juice from Indian onion leaves. It is thoroughly mixed with Vaseline in a ratio of 1:3. For better mixing, you can preheat the Vaseline in a water bath.
The shelf life of the resulting ointment is no more than one week. The product is used to treat nails and skin affected by fungus. A bandage is left on top.
Proper preparation of tinctures
Almost all recipes for Chinese onion tinctures for treating joints contain vodka or alcohol. Pharmacies sell 70% and 96% ethyl alcohol for external use. You should purchase the medicine without any dyes, flavors or preservatives. To prepare tinctures, you can use both fresh and dry, pre-collected leaves. All work must be carried out wearing medical gloves. Here are the most effective recipes for tinctures for joint pain and stiffness of movement:
- Cut 100 g of fresh leaves (6-7 pieces) into pieces 1-2 cm wide and lightly grind in a mortar until juice appears. Place the plant material in a container made of ceramic, porcelain or dark glass and pour in a liter of vodka or 90% ethyl alcohol diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio. Seal the container and place in a dark place for 2-3 weeks;
- Grind 10 dry leaves in a mortar to a powder and pour into a dark glass jar or bottle. Pour in a liter of vodka or 96% ethyl alcohol diluted with water in a ratio of 1:1. Leave in a dark place for 3-4 weeks. For better extraction of biologically active substances, the container must be shaken daily;
- Place 3 whole large leaves, 20 g of fleshy onion and a flower arrow, cut into small pieces, into a dark glass container. Pour in a liter of vodka or 96% ethyl alcohol diluted with water in a ratio of 1:1. Place the container in a cool, dark place for 1-1.5 months.
Tailed poultry can be infused not with vodka, but with vegetable oil. You can use sunflower, corn, olive. But the best medicine comes from flaxseed oil. Place fresh Chinese onion leaves in a bowl made of non-oxidizing material (glass, ceramics, clay). They need to completely fill the container, but do not compact it. Carefully pour in the vegetable oil down the side until it reaches the neck. Close the container with a lid and place in a dark place. Leave for 30 days, shaking occasionally.
To treat diseases of the musculoskeletal system, oil and alcohol tinctures are used 2-3 times a day. They are rubbed into the knees, lower back, neck, hip, elbow, and shoulder joints. Folk remedies can also be used in the form of compresses. To do this, moisten a sterile napkin in the tincture and apply it to the area of pain and inflammation for 1-2 hours.
No matter how effective folk remedies are, they should only be used as an auxiliary treatment. It does not replace taking pharmacological drugs - NSAIDs, glucocorticosteroids, chondroprotectors. The possibility of using Chinese onion tinctures and medications together should be discussed with your doctor.
Growing at home
This perennial plant grows to large sizes at home; its diameter can exceed the size of a man's fist. The bulbs multiply quite quickly, up to 15 children can appear at once, they can immediately be transplanted into separate containers and new shoots can be grown. To plant, you must perform the following steps:
- Prepare medium-diameter pots and fertile soil. In addition to the soil, you need to take humus and sand. In percentage terms it is: 3 parts soil to 1 part humus and 1 part sand.
- Pour wood ash into the pot as fertilizer.
- Tamp the onion into the center of the prepared soil and water it with water. The main thing is that the top of the bulb is underground, otherwise it will die.
This plant is easy to grow at home, it is not fussy, and does not require regular and frequent watering. It should be moistened when the soil becomes so dry that it gathers into an earthen lump. You need to place the pot of onions on the windowsill; they love sunlight. In an unlit, dark place in the corner of the room, the plant will not die, but will grow small and will not bloom.
As soon as the plant is in the fresh air, it begins to actively bear fruit with small bulbs, so in the summer you should take the plant out to the loggia or garden. The babies can be found at the base of the bulb; to make it easier to find the babies, you can look at the photo of the fruiting onion.