If you have forgotten your first aid kit at home or you don’t have a kit of this kind, you can always turn to nature for help. Medicinal plants can be found all over the world, and sometimes you may step right near one without knowing that it can help you. Plants are beneficial in every survival situation. In this article, we will discuss the project on medicinal plants and their uses will help you if you ever get stranded.
1. Project on Medicinal Plants and Their Uses: Plantago
Plantago lanceolata L., or popularly known Plantago or tongue, grows everywhere, from the plains to medium altitudes. You recognize her after her leaves resting on the ground or very close to its level, round and rounded, with excellent ribs that resist breaking resistance when you pull them out of the stem.
The leaves of this plant have emollient properties, hemostatic (stop bleeding) and antidiarrheal. Because of vitamin K, they also have slightly astringent action, while tannin provides healing effects. If you cut, scratch, you will sting different insects, pick up some fresh leaves, sprinkle them with some clean water and bandage with them affected area.
Plantago will cleanse the pus; if it is formed, it will disinfect and heal the wound. Replace the leaves with new ones after a few hours for prolonged action in case of more severe injuries.
2. Arnica montana (Wolf’s bane)
Arnica montana L. is the scientific name and grows in the mountain regions, adorning the alpine pastures with its yellow-golden inflorescences. The flowers of this herb contain volatile oil, choline, triterpene alcohols, carotenoid dyes. In case you injure or suspect insect bites that will eat or the areas are red and rusty, apply the popcorn pressed first between the fingers to release the active substances.
This improvised dressing of arnica flowers is particularly useful, antiseptic and healing. You will do the same if you fell and hit, and the affected areas swelled and missed. Though these accidents are regrettable and must be avoided with the utmost caution, it is good to know how we can quickly deal with the bumps. Arnica will decongest the harsh blows.
3. Wood Avens
This herb grows in wet forests and shady areas. Geum urbanum L. is recommended for stomach upset, indigestion, acute stomach pain, liver, bile.
It is pleasant to taste because of the substance called eugenol which has a very aromatic and spicy cherry scent. The root, the part of the Wood Avens with the most medicinal properties, contains much tannin. If you stayed long on the mountain and for various reasons, such as poor hand hygiene or food, you contacted infectious diarrhea, collect Wood Avens and make a tea that you drink on your naked stomach, unsweetened.
Also, use it to relieve pain and discomfort during menstruation when you are on tours, wash your wounds with it and rinse your gums to stop bleeding. Wood Avens tea is also an excellent, cheap and easy mouthwash when you are in the middle of nature, and if you mix it with some wild mint leaves, it will refresh your breath and cleanse your tongue.
4. Lingonberry
Vaccinium vitis idaea L. is a medicinal plant growing in shady and humid forests in alpine and subalpine regions. Its leaves have antiseptic and diuretic action by the substantial content of arbutin.
You will pick fresh leaves and prepare a concentrated tea to fight stomach pains and to treat constipation. Mute happens that this happens because the goriness adapts to different atmospheric pressures and to preserved food. Healthier, less invasive than a drug, Lingonberry will also help the kidneys eliminate toxins better and protect the bladder from possible inflammation.
5. Iceland Moss
Cetraria islandica is another medicinal plant that loves the rocky cliffs of alpine queens. Stone-to-stone tea is beneficial if you feel your throat and tonsils inflamed. If you cough a cold, drink this natural tea, which by the soothing and soothing action, will prevent a cough, laryngitis, and tracheitis.
Moreover, Iceland moss is part of those herbs that increase bile secretions and increase appetite. Nausea and vomiting sensations are easy to fight with stone-made tea. All you need to make these teas are a metal bowl, spring water, and a burner.
6. The Fern
The Fern is a living herbaceous plant, which has a thick rhizome of 1-2 cm and long to 30 cm in the ground. The rhizome grows thin, black roots. In spring, the leaves of the fern are twisted in the form of carrions. As they become, they break out and can reach a length of 50-140 cm and a width of approx. 25 cm. It grows and develops well through mountain forests in wet and shady places.
The fern rhizomes are used in the pharmaceutical industry for the preparation of anti-tape drugs. The fern is sometimes confused with the female fern, which, unlike the common fern, is much smaller.
7. Stag’s-horn clubmoss
The Stag’s horn club moss is another plant that grows in wet forests and wetlands in the area of fir and spruce. It is a plant that multiplies very hard, reaching maturity after 20-30 years. That’s why it’s good to have the plant harvested by cutting, not by pulling out, in July. The plant is used as a diuretic for skin irritation but is recognized for its ability to treat female and male infertility.
8. Chicory
The chicory is a loved plant for the blue color of its flowers. A cultivated variety of chicory is famous for its coffee surrogate made from its roots.
The leaves at the base are very elongated and deeply divided, similar to dandelion leaves, and those on the upper part of the stem are even smaller. The chicory leaves have a bristle surface, unlike the dandelions that are smooth. Chicory is harvested for medicinal use both air and root. The air part (Herba Cichorii) is collected during the blooming period from July to September. The roots (Radix Cichorii) are harvested in autumn in September.
The active principles of chicory give the plant a stomach, collagen, hepatoprotective, depurative, slightly sedative, antiarrhythmic, hypotensive, hypoglycemic, laxative effect.
Chicory preparations are used to stimulate appetite, adjuvant treatment of biliary and liver disorders, acne and constipation.
The tender leaves of the Foliosus variety can be salad-like. Unlike coffee obtained from coffee beans, chicory coffee does not present the risk of dependence or psycho excitation phenomena. Also, it seems that this coffee substitute has favorable effects on digestion and calms abdominal pains.
Helpful Video: