Every plant produces ingredients, vitamins, tannins and juices that help it establish itself in its location. Primarily, these compounds allow the plant to maintain its metabolism and ensure its safety against predators, for example. Secondarily, humans take advantage of these substances, including those of the creeping bugle.
Occurrence and cultivation of the creeping bugle.
The creeping goutweed is mentioned since the early Middle Ages, for example, by Hildegard von Bingen. The herbaceous plant grows 10 to 30 centimeters high and bears blue flowers. The creeping goutweed is called since the early Middle Ages about Hildegard von Bingen. The herbaceous plant grows 10 to 30 centimeters high and bears blue flowers. As a labiate, two of its five petals are fused together dorsally, the remaining three ventrally. The corollas are strengthened by a wreath of five sepals that appear mostly green, occasionally with a bluish tinge. The entire flower is protected on the underside by a winged bract. Two flowers face each other on the square stem in up to six rows. The distances become shorter towards the top and the whorl turns cross-opposite. Four stamens and two carpels complete the bisexual flower. The herbaceous plant forms a rosette of leaves at the base, the leaves of which are ovate to oblong in shape. The apex of a leaf is round, the leaf margin is weakly notched, and the surface is usually glabrous, occasionally with short hairs. The calyx fruit breaks up into four nut-like calyxes. In addition, the günsel ensures its reproduction also by means of stolons and rhizomes allow overwintering. Wood-forming, secondary thickness growth is absent. In fields near ruins and farms, as well as along dirt roads, the günsel finds nutrient-rich soil.
Effect and application
The creeping goutweed has been considered a medicinal plant since ancient times. Collected all parts during the morning until noon, because most of the juices are enriched with minerals during the warm hours of the day. In May and June, the creeping bugle grows in height and sets flowers. At this time, searching and collecting are most successful. The plant is cut during flowering and hung up to dry. The juices stored in the rhizome (stem shoot and reservoir under the ground) are also processed into pharmaceutical products. On the mucous membranes, the goutweed has a soothing effect and on the whole organism strengthening and healing effect on wounds. External use is to be distinguished from internal use. Squeezed goutweed is doused with oil and placed in the sun for about two weeks. Then strain and apply the oil to bruises and sprains. Similar help promises an ointment that can be made with pork fat. The goutweed is chopped into small pieces, briefly fried in the fat and put in a cold place. After about 24 hours, it is reheated, filtered through a sieve and the finished ointment is stored in the refrigerator. The ingredients of the goutweed, such as tannins, have astringent, i.e. astringent, effects, which are used for sore throats and pharyngitis as well as for the treatment of wounds and their subsequent treatment. It is also these tannins that give a slightly tart taste to tea and wine, for example. An infusion is obtained by pouring hot or cold water over the parts of the plant, first carefully pounding dry leaves and the fruit. Hot water dissolves the aromatic substances and is used as an inhalation for colds and flus. Furthermore, a tea prepared from dry or fresh parts of the plant stimulates appetite, helps with indigestion and has a blood pressure lowering effect. For a bath, any above-ground parts of the plant are crushed and first also poured over with boiling water before they develop their effect. From the creeping goutweed can be prepared a tincture with double grain or spirit of wine, of which 10 to 15 drops are taken one to three times a day if necessary. The young shoots of the günsel give a tart-sour taste to wild herb salads and as an addition to meat, the günsel is steamed beforehand in butter until soft. Other important ingredients that help the human body to protect itself from deficiency diseases are saponin and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) as well as essential oils. In Africa, the goutweed was used against fever and diabetes because of the harpasogid it also contains.
Importance for health, treatment and prevention.
The flowers are readily visited by butterflies, which makes the goutweed an important garden plant. It is less interesting to bees in terms of nectar yield. Nevertheless, they regularly fly to the günsel, because the tannins are an important means against rotting and have an antiviral effect on the one hand and an antibacterial effect on the other. Those tannins have a calming effect on the human organism and serve equally as a sleep aid and against insomnia. It is also used to treat heartburn, biliousness and inflammation of the mouth and throat. Digestive disorders are also treated, whereby the günsel develops a constipating effect. Teas made from dried flowers and flower parts help prevent rheumatism and skin inflammations and bring relief from hemorrhoids and angina. It is also used for tonsillitis and ulcers, joint inflammation, scars and after bone fractures, and helps the body to regenerate and recover. It also influences the filtration of water into the tissues and reduces the risk of edema. The plant itself uses the iridoids contained in the goutweed, first and foremost ajugol, to deter predators from damaging or destroying it. In addition, when used in humans, it impedes the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines. This subsequently stimulates the body to produce endogenous, i.e. the body’s own, cholesterol. Aucubin is contained in the sap of the plant and has an anti-inflammatory effect. On the itching and swelling after insect bites, the crushed part of the plant has an anti-irritant effect due to aucubin.
