Forget-me-not is one of the well-known garden plants. It can also be used as a medicinal plant.
Occurrence and cultivation of the forget-me-not.
Unfortunately, the forget-me-not is largely ignored in modern times from a medical point of view. Yet it has various beneficial effects for health. The forget-me-not (Myosotis) is a genus of plants that belongs to the family of broad-leaved plants (Boraginaceae). Some subspecies such as the field forget-me-not (Myosotis arvensis) are also used as a medicinal herb. Popular names for the plant are blue eyebright, mouse ear, and the longer the better. Forget-me-not is mostly an annual herbaceous plant, but this depends on the species. Thus, there are more than one hundred different species of the genus. The field forget-me-not belongs to the annual plants, while the forest forget-me-not is a biennial plant. The marsh forget-me-not, on the other hand, belongs to the perennial specimens. Basically, they are very similar, except for the growth habit. Most species of forget-me-nots have small flowers of light blue coloration. The height of growth of the forget-me-not reaches up to 30 centimeters. In spring, the first growth occurs hairy leaves, which have the shape of a lancet. The soft leaves have a light green color. The flowering period of the plant occurs from April to August. Forget-me-not is native to Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and the extreme south of South America. In North America it is only cultivated. The field forget-me-not also grows in Central Europe. Since the forget-me-not is one of the undemanding plants, it can be found almost everywhere if the soil does not dry out. Thus, it can thrive in suitable soil in the sun and partial shade.
Effect and application
Some species of forget-me-not, such as field forget-me-not, are suitable for the treatment of various ailments and diseases. Valuable ingredients of the plant are potassium, alkaloids and tannins. Its uses are similar to those of lungwort and comfrey. However, the healing effect of forget-me-not is less pronounced than the other two plants. The most common form of administration of forget-me-not is considered to be forget-me-not tea. To prepare it, one to two teaspoons of the plant are poured over a cup of boiling hot water. The subsequent infusion time is ten minutes. After straining, the forget-me-not tea can be taken in small sips. External application with the tea is also possible when skin inflammations or bruises are present. Thus, envelopes can be applied to the skin areas to be treated. Further application options are washes and baths. In earlier times, the fresh sap of the forget-me-not was used to treat nosebleeds. Another field of application of the forget-me-not is homeopathy. This uses both the herb and the root of the plant. The homeopathic drug can be taken orally, into the muscle or under the skin. Intravenous administration is also possible. The homeopathic is used as drops, tablets, injectable solution or tincture. A tincture of forget-me-not can also be prepared by oneself. For this purpose, the medicinally active ingredients are placed in a screw-top jar and filled with spirit of wine or double grain. This is done until the plant is completely covered. For a period of two to six weeks, this mixture must then infuse. The next step is straining, which is followed by decanting into a dark bottle. To prepare a homeopathic tincture, the mixture is diluted with nine parts of water each. In addition, the mixture must be shaken. If this process is too complicated, it is possible to purchase homeopathic mixtures of forget-me-not in the low potencies D2 or D3. The herb of the forget-me-not can be collected in the months of April, May and June.
Importance for health, treatment and prevention.
The use of the forget-me-not as a medicinal plant took place as early as the Middle Ages. Although a positive effect against tuberculosis could even be scientifically confirmed, the plant is hardly used therapeutically in the present. The reasons for this are not known.It is believed that the effect of the medicinal herb is less than other plants. However, this is also the case with medicinal herbs, which are regularly used for various therapeutic purposes, despite their lesser effect. The German name Vergissmeinnicht dates back to the 15th century. According to a legend, the small plant asked God that it does not come to its oblivion. Unfortunately, the forget-me-not is largely ignored from a medical point of view in modern times. Yet it has various positive effects on health. Thus, the plant has anti-inflammatory, sedative, astringent and tonic effects. Folk medicine uses it for the treatment of bacterial or viral infections. These include intestinal tuberculosis, pulmonary tuberculosis and bronchitis. In homeopathy, forget-me-not is used to treat a tendency to catch a cold or swollen lymph nodes. Other applications are diarrhea and inflammation of the digestive system. But also external health problems such as skin complaints or injuries such as bruises can be effectively treated with the small plant. Furthermore, the forget-me-not is suitable for the therapy of nosebleeds and supports the phase of convalescence. The antiviral and antibacterial properties of the forget-me-not have not yet been scientifically proven. Side effects are not to be feared when using the plant. However, there are some contraindications. For example, the herb should not be used in thyroid diseases. The same applies to the treatment of children. The reason for this is the lack of conclusive studies.
