Creeping couch grass belongs to the genus of couch grass. The root of the plant can be used to treat various ailments.
Occurrence and cultivation of creeping couch grass.
Creeping couch grass belongs to the genus of couch grass. The root of the plant can be used to treat various ailments. Creeping couch grass (Elymus repens) is the name given to a plant that belongs to the genus of couch grass (Elymus) and belongs to the family of sweet grasses (Poaceae). It is also known as couch grass, common couch grass or common couch grass. The name of the plant comes from the term “couch grass”, which means tough. Creeping couch grass is a perennial plant. Its growth height varies between 50 and 150 centimeters. Especially the sterile shoots show a high growth. The bare plant stems are either upright or bent in the lower direction. The green foliage leaves have a blue hoop that can be wiped off. The blades of the leaves reach a length between 6 and 30 centimeters and a width of 3 to 10 millimeters. The inflorescences of creeping quackgrass are slender and have a length of 5 to 20 centimeters. In the second year, the plant produces about 50 seeds. In Central Europe, the flowering period of the common couch grass takes place between June and August. Creeping couch grass is native to Europe, where it is often a nuisance to gardeners and farmers. Thus, it is often considered an undesirable weed. Other growing areas can be found in Australia, South America and in the north of Asia. The couch grass prefers to thrive in meadows that are rich in nutrients, arable land, roadsides, as well as along shorelines and overgrazed pastures.
Effect and application
Although creeping couch grass is considered a weed, it also has beneficial properties. Thus, the rhizomes of the plant are used in northern Europe as cattle feed, which is rich in nutrients. Eastern Europeans even appreciate the plant as a food, eating it as a salad garnish or syrupy substitute for coffee. In addition, the common couch grass is used by naturopathy as a medicinal herb against various ailments and diseases. The dried roots as well as their runners are used. The plant’s beneficial ingredients include mucilage, triticin, mineral salts such as potassium, iron, saponins, silicic acid, essential oils such as thymol and carvacrol, as well as vitamin A and vitamin B. The plant’s roots have a diuretic effect. They allow common couch grass to have a diuretic and expectorant effect. Between March and August, the root, rhizome and flowers can be collected. Extracts, essences, powders, cold extracts and decoctions can be prepared from their components. To use the diuretic effects, it is recommended to take the creeping couch grass in the form of a tea. For this purpose, the plant roots are used. The rhizomes, brewed with boiling hot water, can remove harmful germs from the urinary tract in a short time. Furthermore, unpleasant symptoms during urination such as burning sensation are alleviated. The tea is prepared as a decoction. Two teaspoons of the root are mixed with one cup of water. The user boils the water for 5 to 10 minutes. After pouring, a cup of tea can be taken twice a day. A tea mixture with the creeping quack is also considered useful for acne. The user mixes 20 grams of couch grass with 10 grams of horsetail, 10 grams of pansies and 10 grams of nettle. He then pours two heaped teaspoons of this mixture over a quart of boiling hot water. After infusion for 10 minutes, the tea is strained. Then a cup of tea can be drunk three times a day. A tincture can also be made from the root of the creeping couch grass. Some ready-made preparations also have couch grass root as an ingredient. Fresh couch grass is also used in homeopathy. There, the plant is prepared with alcohol with a content of 90 percent. For dilution, on the other hand, 30 percent alcohol is used. The potentization of the remedy is between D 4 and D 5.
Significance for health, treatment and prevention.
Creeping couch grass has the positive property of having an anti-inflammatory effect on diseases of the urinary tract, such as cystitis, or the intestines. Responsible for this are the heterogeneous biopolymers of the plant, which have enveloping and anti-irritant protective effects.The mucilages, in turn, have a detoxifying and blood sugar-lowering effect. They also strengthen the human immune system. Folk medicine uses the common couch grass as a remedy for gall and liver complaints, urinary retention, stomach and intestinal inflammations, gout and rheumatism. Other uses include rickets, menstrual cramps in women, and bleaching and skin problems such as acne. In naturopathy, couch grass is also used against constipation, stone diseases such as gallstones or kidney stones, and orange peel skin (cellulitis). Furthermore, the use of the plant is considered useful for jaundice, enlargement of the prostate, prostatitis or intestinal ulcers. The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices also recommends the use of creeping couch grass. Thus, the Institute advises the use of the roots as part of a flushing treatment, if the patient suffers from inflammation of the urinary tract. Likewise, the medicinal herb is considered helpful for the prevention of kidney gravel. There are few known contraindications to the use of creeping couch grass. However, those suffering from cardiac or renal insufficiency or severe edema (water retention) must refrain from taking the plant. Pregnant and breastfeeding women are advised to ask their doctor for advice before using the remedy. The same applies in case of hypertension.
