Siberian Larch

2024 Author: Rachel Wainwright | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 07:39

Instructions for use:

1. Medicinal properties
2. Application in traditional medicine

Siberian larch is a large coniferous tree from the genus Deciduous, the Pine family. The height of the tree reaches 30-40 meters, the trunk is 80-100cm in diameter. Siberian larch is widespread in the European part of Russia, the Urals, Siberia, Altai. Usually grows in coniferous forests with Siberian cedar and Scots pine, less often forms larch forests.

The medicinal properties of Siberian larch

The medicinal raw material of Siberian larch has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, analgesic, enveloping and laxative effects.

Needles, bark, sap (resin), shoots and buds (they are harvested in spring) have healing properties.

Siberian larch needles contain essential oils, ascorbic acid, adhesives. It can be harvested throughout the summer, but the maximum nutrients in it are at the end of June and at the end of August.

The bark of this tree contains tannins, flavonoids, catechins, gum, organic acids. The resin of Siberian larch contains essential oils and rosin (which is almost entirely composed of abietic acid).

The use of Siberian larch in folk medicine

Needles are used for arterial hypertension and for vitamin C deficiency in the form of a decoction or water infusion. For the treatment of scurvy (and its prevention) and periodontal disease, fresh Siberian larch needles are chewed, it has a pleasant sour taste, is rich in vitamin C and eliminates bad breath.

Young shoots of Siberian larch in the form of a decoction are used to treat cough in chronic bronchitis (with purulent sputum), urolithiasis, flatulence, helminthic invasions, and also as a laxative. Baths from infusion of fresh branches are used for rheumatism, gout and neurological diseases.

The resin of Siberian larch has long been used to treat diseases of the oral cavity (gingivitis, tonsillitis). It has an astringent, wound healing, anti-inflammatory and detoxifying effect. It contains many fatty acids (palmitic, oleic, linolenic).

The resin of Siberian larch can be chewed for gastritis, duodenitis and other diseases of the digestive tract. In addition, the resin is useful for smoking, during an epidemic of viral diseases.

Outwardly, Siberian larch resin is used as an irritating and distracting agent in the treatment of rheumatism, gout, myalgia (muscle inflammation), neuralgia. Resin-based ointments have an antimicrobial effect and are indicated for inflammation of the respiratory tract, abscesses, panaritiums, etc. For diseases of the respiratory system, inhalations based on essential oils of this tree are used.

Siberian larch bark infusions are recommended for heavy and painful menstruation, intestinal infections, diarrhea.

Compresses based on turpentine from this tree are indicated for radiculitis, sciatica, toothache.

For a long time in Yakutia, fresh knots of Siberian larch were cooked for 2-3 days, and then the broth was used 1 teaspoon 3 times a day to get rid of headaches, pain in the heart, with encephalitis, kidney and liver diseases.

In addition, since ancient times, a mushroom growing on the trunk of this tree - "larch sponge" has been used as a medicine. It was used for consumption and lung diseases. At present, a special substance, agaricin, has been isolated from the "larch sponge". It is he who helps well with debilitating sweating in patients with tuberculosis. In addition, the "larch sponge" is used as a hemostatic and laxative.

Information about the drug is generalized, provided for informational purposes only and does not replace the official instructions. Self-medication is hazardous to health!