Lesser burnet (Pimpinella saxifraga) is a close relative of anise, which is popularly used as a spice in this country. Even the people of the Middle Ages appreciated the medicinal plant for its wide range of effects. They used the lesser burnet against many diseases, even against the Black Death (plague), which was raging in many places at that time. In Germany, its medicinal effects were first documented in writing in 1588.
Occurrence and cultivation of the lesser burnet.
The burnet loves dry bright locations and nutrient-poor calcareous soils. Lesser burnet belongs to the family of umbelliferae (Apiaceae) and the genus of burnet. The medicinal plant, which can be used against many ailments, is also called common burnet, buckweed, pimpinelle, and because of its pungent aftertaste on the tongue, pepperweed. The herbaceous perennial plant reaches a maximum height of 60 centimeters and has a hairless, grooved and hollow stem. There are stemless, small pinnate leaves on the stem, which are arranged in opposite directions. The large white inflorescences of lesser burnet are double corymbose and 5 to 15-rayed. After the plant flowers (June to October), small dark seeds form in the umbels. While still in bloom, new leaf rosettes sprout from the stems, which are bristly, flat-haired, or glabrous, depending on the species. The yellowish gray, about finger-thick root of the lesser burnet has a spindle-like shape and reaches down to a soil depth of 20 cm. The burnet loves dry light locations and nutrient-poor calcareous soils. Therefore, it grows preferentially on dry lawns, in dwarf shrub heaths, along roadsides and in orchards. The common burnet is found in large parts of Europe up to Central Asia. However, it is not native to the Balkans, Portugal and Scandinavian countries.
Effect and application
Those who want to use lesser burnet as a natural remedy, collect it in March/April or September/October. It is important that it is clearly identified botanically, as there are other umbellifers that are very similar to it in appearance and sometimes even poisonous. Thus, it is often confused with the (fortunately non-poisonous) lesser meadow-head, which has a similar leaf shape. Today, only the spicy-smelling and pungent-tasting root of burnet is used for natural medicine. It is even used as a food seasoning and flavoring in the production of bitters. After gathering, the root is cleaned, cut lengthwise, pulled onto a string and hung to dry. Then, a week later, it is post-dried in the oven. After that, the user chops it into tiny pieces. In the past, the herb was also used medicinally. However, its effectiveness could not be proven. Therefore, it was subsequently no longer used for natural medical treatment. The root of the lesser burnet can be used in many ways, depending on the disease to be treated. It is used internally as tea, gargle, tincture, lozenges, cough syrup and homeopathic globules. However, the user should know that homeopathy makes its Pimpinella alba not only from the root of the lesser burnet, but also from that of the greater burnet (Pimpinella major). It is usually administered in the potencies D1 to D6. As an ointment, homeopathic tincture and spray, it is used externally. If the ancient natural medicinal plant is taken or applied in the correct dosage, there is no need to worry about side effects or interactions with other remedies. Since it has a very mild effect, it can even be administered to children.
Importance for health, treatment and prevention.
The root of lesser burnet contains pimpinellin, coumarins, furanocoumarins, tannins, essential oils, saponins, polyacetylenes, quinic acid, caffeic acid and sitosterol. The main active ingredient is pimpinellin, which has anti-inflammatory (anti-bacterial) and expectorant effects in respiratory diseases. The use of lesser burnet for catarrh of the respiratory tract is even expressly recommended by Commission E of the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices of the BGA. The buckweed has been used successfully for centuries to treat bronchitis, cough and hoarseness. Inflammatory sore throats, laryngitis and asthma are also effectively combated with Bibernellen products.The following basic recipe is suitable as a cough tea: 1 heaped teaspoon of beaver nell root is infused with 1/4 liter of cold water and boiled for one minute. After straining, the user suffering from a cough or cold drinks a cup of Small Beaver Nelly Tea sweetened with honey three times a day to loosen phlegm. The unsweetened decoction of the tea is used for gargling in cases of frequently recurring sore throat and hoarseness. It can also be drunk after use. If the gargle tastes too bitter for the patient, a mixture of beaver root, chamomile flowers and bloodroot in the ratio 2:2:1 is recommended. 30 drops of the ready beaver tincture are poured into a glass of water and also used for throat disinfection in angina. As an ingredient of sprays, the sick person can use fenugreek against his asthma. As an externally applied tincture, fenugreek heals purulent ulcers and other open wounds. In addition, the root of the lesser burnet has a digestive effect and relieves flatulence and intestinal inflammation. Fenugreek tea and tincture stimulate menstruation and thus cure cycle disorders. As a tincture and ointment, it is used to treat skin rashes and eczema. In addition, lesser burnet has diuretic, diaphoretic and blood thinning effects. Sebastian Kneipp even applied the medicinal plant to patients with kidney inflammation and rheumatic diseases. As a homeopathic remedy, it is used to treat bronchitis, gastrointestinal disorders, ringing in the ears, spinal complaints, headaches and nosebleeds.
