Zoster laxative: description, area, use

Zhoster laxative belongs to the family of buckthorn. More often this plant looks like a small tree, sometimes - like a bush. The buckthorn laxative (the second name of the zoster) can be easily distinguished from the alder. The branches of this tree end in spines, the leaves are finely milled, opposite, they have the shape of an ellipse. Flowers zhostera also small, crowded, greenish. They have four sepals, stamens and a petal. Flowers bloom in May-June. The fruits of the laxative hopper are the size of a pea globular drupe bluish-black color, which has 3-4 ovate bones 5 mm in length, with a curved back and a slightly pronounced facet on the ventral side. The flesh is juicy, greenish-brown. The fruit ripens towards the end of August - in October. They do not crumble for a long time.

Zoster laxative: the range

The plant is widespread in Eastern and Western Europe (with the exception of its northern regions), in Central Asia. The vast area of the laxative zoster is detached from the European part. It is located in the Caucasus (except for the eastern Transcaucasia) and in all regions of the Crimea.

Zhoster laxative : chemical composition

The bark of the bush contains a lot of tannins. Its fruits include anthraglycosides, pectin and coloring, bitter and other substances, flavonol glycosides, gum, mucus, sugar. 100 grams of leaves of this plant account for up to 700 mg of vitamin C.

Laxative Zhoster : Procurement

For medicinal purposes, fully ripened plant fruits without pedicels are used. When collecting it is desirable not to break off branches to break off berries from them. This, of course, speeds up the procurement process, but can lead to the complete destruction of the jostle thickets. Fruits are first waxed, then they are dried in not too hot ovens or in dryers, spilling a layer of 2-3 cm on sheets or nets. It is necessary to beware of burning. Raw materials should not contain admixtures of twigs and other berries of black color. Especially dangerous are the fruits of the buckthorn alder: they provoke vomiting. They differ in that they have only 2 bones, which in shape resemble lentils and have a cartilaginous beak at the top. And the branches of this buckthorn have no thorns, and the leaves are not opposite, but are arranged singly.

Zhoster laxative : use in home and medicine

In earlier times, the plant was used as a dye for silk, cotton and woolen fabrics. It also has beautiful wood and is sometimes used in woodworking. Zhoster is an excellent honey plant. However, due to the fact that the plant is an intermediate host for the rust of oats, it is not recommended to plant it near fields. For medicinal purposes, the fruits of the plant are used. Correctly dried, mature use them as a gentle laxative for constipation. The therapeutic effect is due to the anthraglikosides contained in them. From the fruit prepare a decoction or infusion. A tablespoon of dried raw material is poured with boiling water (a glass). The product should be infused for at least 20 minutes, and preferably 2 hours. After this, the drug is filtered and taken at night for ½ cup. The freshly squeezed juice of the fruit of the zoster also has the same gentle laxative effect. In the pharmacy you can buy a liquid extract of the zoster. It also needs to be taken at night, but only 1 teaspoonful. Zhoster laxative is included in the general fees that help with constipation. Also, its fruits are used as an external agent for arthritis. For this purpose, the fruits insist on vodka (100 g of berries per ½ liter of vodka) for 12 days. The joints are rubbed twice a day with the resulting remedy.