Content
- 1 When do alder cones appear and what do they look like?
- 2 Chemical composition
- 3 How are alder cones useful and what help
- 4 Preparation and application methods
- 5 The use of alder cones in traditional medicine
- 6 Application in cosmetology
- 7 Contraindications to the use of alder cones
- 8 When and how to harvest alder cones
- 9 Conclusion
- 10 Reviews of alder cones
The use of alder cones in folk medicine is popular for many ailments. In order for the fruit of the tree to have a beneficial effect on the body, you need to study their features and properties.
When do alder cones appear and what do they look like?
Medicinal alder (Alnus glutinosa) is a tree from the Birch family up to 30 cm tall. The trunk is straight with dark brown bark, the leaves are round or ovoid, shiny.
In early spring, simultaneously with bud opening, alder blooms and releases staminate and pistillate catkins. The latter woody by September and turn into small cones of dark brown or black color.
In the photo of alder cones, you can see small sinuses between the hard scales. From October to April, seeds emerge from them and spread throughout the surroundings along with water and wind.
Chemical composition
The benefits and harms of alder seedlings are explained by their chemical composition. Mature tree cones contain many nutrients. Namely:
- tannins;
- tannins;
- flavonoids;
- gallic acid;
- steroids;
- terpenoids;
- fixed oils;
- chlorogenic acid;
- protocatechuic acid.
When properly processed, buds can be beneficial for many inflammatory diseases and metabolic disorders.
How are alder cones useful and what help
Means based on alder cones have pronounced hemostatic and anti-inflammatory properties. When used correctly, they:
- help with gastric and intestinal disorders, stop fermentation processes;
- relieve bleeding gums;
- are beneficial for stomatitis and gingivitis;
- soothe irritations of the mucous membranes with gastritis and colitis;
- relieve inflammation and pain with gout and rheumatism;
- improve the condition of malaria;
- help fight bacterial processes in case of poisoning and intestinal infections;
- promote quick recovery from colds;
- relieve inflammation with angina and laryngitis;
- restore the intestinal microflora.
Alder cones are very popular as a remedy for diarrhea. Decoctions based on them help to quickly cope with diarrhea and eliminate its consequences for the body.
Preparation and application methods
Traditional medicine offers several effective ways to treat alder cones. On the basis of medicinal raw materials, you can prepare products for internal and external use.
How to brew, make decoctions from alder cones
The most popular are cone decoctions - they are easy to prepare and have strong medicinal properties. For example, with gastritis and inflammation of the large intestine, the following remedy is beneficial:
- 50 g of alder cones are poured into an enamel container;
- pour 1 liter of water;
- after boiling, boil over low heat for 15 minutes;
- removed from the stove and kept under the lid for another 40 minutes;
- filtered through cheesecloth.
You need to take the product 50 ml three times a day on an empty stomach. For nosebleeds, cotton swabs are moistened in an alder preparation and inserted into the nostrils.
Another decoction has a good effect on dysentery:
- 20 g of crushed cones are poured into 1 liter of boiling water;
- heat over low heat for 15 minutes;
- insist closed for two hours and filter through cheesecloth.
Drink alder broth in half a glass warm before meals.
Infusion
In diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, an infusion of alder cones has a good effect. It is simple to prepare it:
- chop two large spoons of dry buds;
- pour raw materials 250 ml of boiling water;
- cover the container with a lid and leave for two hours;
- the cooled infusion is passed through folded gauze.
Take the drug four times a day, half a glass, best on an empty stomach.
Ointment
From alder cones, you can prepare a healing ointment for treating cuts, burns and wounds. It is made according to the following recipe:
- alder cones are crushed in a volume of 20 g;
- mixed with an equal amount of aspen bark powder;
- add marsh saber in the same volume;
- measure out 2 large spoons of the mixture and pour 300 ml of boiling water;
- in a water bath, warm up for about 20 minutes.
The finished product is infused until it cools down, after which it is filtered through folded gauze. Add 50 ml of high-quality vodka and four tablespoons of vegetable oil to the broth. The components are mixed and used to apply to damaged skin. Store the alder preparation in the refrigerator.
Tincture
An alcoholic tincture on alder fruit is a powerful drug. It is used for colds and diseases of the respiratory organs, for intestinal infections and joint ailments.
The recipe for the preparation looks like this:
- 100 g of dry cones are crushed and poured into a glass vessel;
- pour raw materials with 500 ml of alcohol or good vodka;
- close tightly and shake;
- for two weeks they are sent to a dark place without access to sunlight.
After the expiration of the term, the tincture of alder cones is filtered and poured into another container. You need to take the remedy three times a day, 25-40 drops, depending on the disease. You can use the drug for rubbing and compresses for rheumatism, arthritis and gout. For diseases of the gums and throat, the agent is diluted with water in equal proportions and used for rinsing.
The use of alder cones in traditional medicine
Basically, alder seedlings are used for therapy for intestinal and gastric diseases. But traditional medicine offers other uses as well.
The use of alder cones for diarrhea, with diarrhea
Alder stems contain a lot of tannins and have a fixing effect on diarrhea. The following broth brings a good effect:
- dried cones are crushed in a volume of 10 g;
- pour a glass of hot water;
- bring to a boil over low heat and immediately remove from the stove;
- kept under the lid for two hours;
- filter through cheesecloth.
Adults should take a decoction of alder cones for diarrhea for 1/4 cup on an empty stomach each time before meals. The tool will help to cope with loose frequent stools and improve digestion.
Alder cones for rheumatism and arthritis
For joint diseases, use alder cones balm, or liquid ointment. The recipe looks like this:
- two large spoons of alder fruit and aspen bark are crushed and mixed;
- bring in a large spoonful of chopped cinquefoil;
- pour the mixture with a glass of hot liquid and put in a water bath;
- simmer the product on low heat for a quarter of an hour;
- removed from the stove and insisted until cooled.
75 ml of alcohol and 30 ml of unrefined sunflower oil are added to the strained broth, after which the drug is removed in the refrigerator for a week. Shake the product before use, then rub it into the sore joints for several minutes, and then cover the treated area with a bandage.
Alder cones with dysbiosis
Herbal raw materials help well with dysbiosis, which has arisen against the background of poisoning or prolonged use of antibiotics. Traditional medicine recommends preparing such a decoction:
- alder seedlings are crushed in the volume of two large spoons;
- pour 250 ml of hot liquid;
- simmer over low heat for ten minutes;
- passed through a sieve and folded gauze;
- topped up with clean water to the original volume.
The broth should be taken three times a day, a large spoonful.
Alder cones with stomach ulcers
Alder cones are treated with chronic peptic ulcer disease. The drug is made as follows:
- two large tablespoons of cones are poured with a glass of boiling water;
- simmer for about 15 minutes over medium heat;
- cover the container with a lid, wrap it with a towel and insist for an hour;
- filter the precipitate remover.
It is necessary to take the infusion twice a day, half a glass on an empty stomach.
Alder cones with angina
Anti-inflammatory substances in the composition of woody seed fruits fight bacterial processes in angina. Alder decoction soothes irritated throat, relieves pain and promotes early recovery of mucous membranes. The drug is prepared according to this recipe:
- 30 g of crushed cones are poured into 500 ml of water;
- simmer over low heat for 15 minutes;
- remove the pan from the stove and leave it closed for two hours;
- filter the broth through a layer of gauze.
Use a warm agent to gargle. In the early days of the development of the disease, the procedure can be carried out hourly.
Alder cones with inflammation of the appendages
Alder fruits are beneficial for gynecological inflammations. In particular, in case of diseases of the appendages in women, it is recommended to prepare the following compound decoction:
- alder seedlings are crushed in an amount of 20 g;
- mixed with an equal volume of dry white willow bark;
- measure out a large spoonful of the collection and pour a glass of fresh boiling water;
- for ten minutes, keep in a water bath over low heat;
- insist until cool and pass through cheesecloth for filtration.
You need to drink the remedy twice a day, half a glass, shortly before breakfast and before dinner. In total, treatment is continued until the condition improves.
Alder cones with laryngitis
Tannins and organic acids in alder fruit have a beneficial effect on laryngitis, help to cope with inflammation, eliminate sore throat and cough. A medicinal product based on plant raw materials is prepared as follows:
- five large spoons of crushed seedlings are poured into 1 liter of water;
- put the agent on moderate heat and boil for half an hour;
- removed from the stove and kept under the lid for another hour before cooling;
- filter through a layer of gauze.
You need to use the broth for rinsing up to five times a day.
Application in cosmetology
Useful properties and contraindications of alder seedlings are used in home beauty recipes. Bump-based products cleanse the skin, tighten pores and tighten the epidermis. With their help, you can get rid of the first wrinkles and even out the complexion.
For frequent acne and skin irritation, it is recommended to prepare a lotion for washing:
- 10 g of plant materials are ground;
- pour 300 ml of boiling water;
- insist two hours closed.
The finished product is filtered and used for washing every day in the morning and in the evenings. It is necessary to carry out procedures until the condition of the skin improves.
Alder buds are beneficial for weakened hair as they strengthen the roots and nourish them with valuable substances. To care for curls, prepare a simple rinse:
- 45 g of seedlings are poured into a thermos;
- pour 500 ml of boiling water;
- stand for three hours;
- filter the product.
It is necessary to rinse the curls with infusion every time after washing. In addition, for ten days, the product is rubbed into the root area every evening and left overnight.
Contraindications to the use of alder cones
The healing properties and contraindications of alder cones are closely related to each other. Sometimes stem fruits can harm the body. It is necessary to refuse to use them in any form:
- during pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- with a tendency to constipation;
- with sluggish digestion;
- with individual allergies;
- with acute pancreatitis or open stomach ulcer.
Alder cones are offered to children only after 12 years. It is necessary to use decoctions and infusions in strict accordance with recipes in small dosages. If constipation, nausea and light dizziness develop against the background of the use of alder cones, the drug should be stopped immediately.
When and how to harvest alder cones
The time for collecting alder cones occurs at non-standard times, from late autumn to early spring. It is in the winter that the fruit contains the maximum amount of tannins, tannins and anti-inflammatory components. Collect them together with the shoots - first, they carefully cut off the tops of thin branches from the tree, and only then cut off the cones.
Although alder winter seedlings are hard enough, they still need to be thoroughly dried to harvest them. The raw materials are laid out in the attic or in a warm room with good ventilation and left until the buds are completely tough and brittle. From time to time, the seedlings are agitated so that mold and mildew do not appear. For storage, the workpieces are removed in paper bags or fabric bags in a dry place, protected from bright light. Buds retain medicinal properties for two years.
Conclusion
The use of alder cones in folk medicine is quite diverse. Basically, infructescence is used to treat diarrhea, gastritis and ulcers. Also, raw materials are in demand for bleeding gums and colds.
Reviews of alder cones
