Budra herb: medicinal properties and contraindications, photo

Ivy buddra (Glechoma hederaceae L.) got its name from the leaves that resemble ivy in appearance. It is a low, widespread herb from the Lamb family (Labiaceae). The maximum height that it reaches is 60 cm, but more often the plant does not exceed 15-20 cm. The stems are creeping, and the flowering shoots are ascending. The leaves are petiolar, the lower ones are reniform, the upper ones are reniform heart-shaped. Flowers 2-3 in axillary rings, purple or bluish-purple, rarely reddish or white. The smell of the plant is specific, strong and rather sharp.

It grows in gardens, among bushes, at the edge of a forest, under fences, in fields, along roads, in cemeteries. Blooms from the second half of April to July.

It is so widespread that it is probably easier to say where it is not - in the Far North and in the hot south. Interestingly, in America initially it was not. She got there with white settlers who brought her as a salad and medicinal plant.

See Gadazelili with Budra, Potato Casserole with Budra.

Botanical description

Ivy buddra (Latin Glechoma hederacea) is a perennial plant belonging to the Lipocephalus family. She has thin, creeping, tetrahedral stems, rising 20 cm above the ground and stretching up to half a meter.

Leaves are small, heart-shaped, with wavy edges, arranged in pairs on the petioles. Flowers are small, light lilac with a bluish tinge. Flowering lasts from early May to early September. From mid-July, its fruits ripen: small oblong brown nuts.

Wild ivy budra is not uncommon in the Caucasus, Central and Eastern Europe, Asia and even North America, and its decorative cultivation is also widespread there.

Did you know? In V. Dalya's dictionary, budra is referred to as "forty ailments" - a herb for forty ailments.

What substances are found in the plant

Ivy buddra in its leaves, stems and flowers contains:

• Tannins.
• Carotene.
• Bitterness.
• Saponins.
• Ascorbic acid.
• Amino acids.
• Resins.
• Choline.
• Essential oil.
• Iridoids.
• Alkaloids.
• Potassium.
• Manganese.
• Molybdenum.
• Zinc.
• Titanium.
• Acids (succinic, tartaric, feluric, sanapic, acetic).
• Phenol carboxylic acids.
• Cysteine.
• Methionine.

Weed or the right crop?

In case of an unplanned appearance of budra in the garden or in the yard, especially if it fell out of place, it is difficult to regard it differently than an invasion of weeds. In view of the active sprawl of the plant, which can quickly seize an unattended lawn, and the laboriousness of getting rid of it, it is difficult to believe in the increased love of gardeners for it. However, this herb has many advantages that make it extremely rewarding to grow:

• it is very decorative: it has beautiful leaves with various colors (green, green-white, crimson);
• it is a wonderful soil-covering plant, unpretentious and resistant to diseases, a good option for rockeries;
• her leaves are rich in essential oils, thanks to which they have a smell close to mint (for this plant is also called "catnip");
• this plant is a wonderful honey plant, and all gardeners know how important it is to attract bees to the site;
• grass widely used in folk medicine as a choleretic, antiseptic and expectorant.

Important! When used for medicinal purposes, it is important to observe the correct dosage: this plant contains alkaloids, the action of which can lead to cardiac arrhythmias and pulmonary edema.

Side effects

Contraindications for ivy budra are quite serious. If people do not pay attention to them or use drugs from the plant in high doses, the following reactions may occur:

• Abdominal pain.
• Increased sweating.
• Nausea.
• Profuse salivation.
• Vomiting.
• Pulmonary edema.
• Headache.
• Breathing disorder.
• Failure of heart rhythms.

If the listed symptoms appear, it is necessary to give the patient any adsorbent available in the house and call an ambulance.

Beneficial features

Due to its pleasant smell, the ivy budra plant has long been used by culinary experts as a seasoning. In pharmaceuticals, it is used to flavor certain drugs. In official medicine, drugs from budra are used to treat pulmonary diseases (bronchitis, tracheitis, asthma, pneumonia), some diseases of the liver, urinary system, thyroid gland. Outwardly, it is used in the complex therapy of skin ailments.

Traditional medicine uses this herb more widely. Healers are confident in the following healing properties of ivy budra:

• Expectorants.
• Antiseptic.
• Wound healing.
• Anti-inflammatory.
• Diuretics.
• Anti-sclerotic.
• Anti-cold.

Who shouldn't use this herb

It has not only the healing properties of ivy budra. And she also has contraindications. It is important to remember that this plant is poisonous. Therefore, everyone, without exception, should use it carefully for culinary or therapeutic purposes.

Healers and doctors do not advise drinking drugs from Budra under the following conditions:

• Hypertensive crisis.
• Lactation period.
• Pregnancy.
• Reduced acidity.
• Lactation period.
• Blood clotting problems.
• Renal failure
• Individual intolerance.
• Allergy.
• Childhood.

Conditions for landing

If you have chosen a budra for growing in your garden, you need to adhere to several conditions. She prefers intense diffused light, but grows well in shaded areas. It is advisable that during the day it is illuminated by the sun for a longer time. This plant does not have any special requirements for the quality of the soil; it takes root well on most soils. The grass is thermophilic, so it is better to start planting when the ground warms up and the outside temperature reaches + 10 ° C, but it will grow and develop at a temperature of about + 20 ° C.
As a groundcover, it can be used to decorate around the trunks of garden trees. It will take root well, filling the voids between conifers and shrubs.

You will probably be interested in reading about such ground cover perennials as evergreen Iberis, sedum, periwinkle, primrose, saxifrage, carnation, loosestrife, rejuvenated.

It is also suitable for creating lawns and lawns, it looks organically in a flower bed, where at the beginning of summer it can even prevail until the time of flowering begins.

What ailments helps to get rid of

The beneficial properties of ivy budra allow it to be used to treat such diseases:

• Cold (helps to avoid serious consequences of hypothermia).
• Bronchitis.
• Pneumonia.
• Tracheitis.
• Bronchial asthma.
• Bronchopneumonia.
• Angina (drinking teas and gargling).
• Sinusitis (taken orally and instilled into the nose).
• Thyroid problems.
• Dropsy.
• Liver cancer (as part of complex therapy).
• Any inflammation of the organs of the genitourinary system.
• Tuberculosis.
• Any ailments accompanied by convulsions (relieves spasms).
• Diseases of the intestines and stomach.
• Hemorrhoids.
• Helminthiasis.
• Stones in the kidneys.
• Headaches.
• Coughing.
• Scrofula.
• Dermatitis.
• Gout.
• Toothache.
• Stomatitis, gingivitis.
• Hearing impairment.
• Varicose veins.
• Has a healing effect on fractures.
• Externally used for burns and other injuries.

As you can see, the list is quite impressive.

Testimonials

Not many people know about ivy bud as a medicinal plant. More often it is considered a malicious weed, therefore it is ruthlessly destroyed. Therefore, there are very few reviews on the network about its medicinal properties. Basically, this herb is used externally, as they are afraid that it is poisonous. The respondents report that the lotions from her broths are remarkable in helping to remove bruises, swelling, painful sensations after bruises. Compresses and baths made on the basis of Budra decoctions are effective for gout, tired legs, and various rashes.

How to plant ivy buddha

Both seeds and cuttings can be used to plant this herb. Budra, like any wild plant, is unassuming, so planting in an open field and caring for it will not require much trouble and effort from you.

Seeds

Growing budra outdoors from seeds should be started in spring or autumn, as they are frost-resistant and can winter wonderfully.

Seeds are simply sown in pre-moistened and treated soil, and sprinkled on top with a small layer of earth, slightly compacting it. To make the plants grow faster, it is worth watering at least twice a week.

Did you know? Fresh budra leaves are used to prepare summer tonic drinks and alcoholic liqueurs.

Cuttings

An easier way is to grow budra from cuttings. They can be planted all summer. To obtain such planting material, shoots without flowers, no longer than 15 cm, are separated, then placed in water, peat-sand mixture or wet sand. The roots will grow back soon enough, after which the resulting cuttings can be planted in the chosen place. A budra planted in this way does not require any special cultivation and care, it is enough what you do for other plants.

Preparation of the tincture

The healing properties of ivy budra are manifested in tinctures prepared from it. They can be cooked with alcohol and vinegar. Once again, we remind you that when using this plant, you need to strictly observe the proportions and dosage.

Here are some recipes.

1. On vodka. Any glass container with a lid is suitable. One part of the collected, washed and chopped fresh grass is poured with ten parts of vodka. Close the container tightly. They place it for 10 days in a place inaccessible to the sun and children. At the end of this period, the tincture is filtered through a cloth and placed in the refrigerator. Apply it inside 20 drops before meals. This remedy helps with problems with the digestive tract, genitourinary system, headaches, infectious diseases.

2. On vinegar. 20 grams of dry raw materials are placed in a container and poured with ordinary vinegar, which is taken in 100 ml (half a glass). Insist for a week, shaking occasionally. The agent is used externally for the treatment of skin diseases.

3. Lotion. Take in equal amounts (any) vodka and a decoction of Budra, mix. It turns out a good remedy for acne, which needs to be wiped off problem skin.

Folk recipes

We offer several ways of preparing potions from ivy budra, which are used by folk healers in their practice:

1. Take a dessert (without a slide) spoonful of herbs, pour 500 ml of white boiling water, cover the container with a napkin and leave for a quarter of an hour. Strain. Take with menopause 1/3 cup. Drink the infusion warm before meals.

2. Place a teaspoon of raw materials in a thermos, pour 200 ml of boiling water, close. Soak for at least 2 hours.Filter out. Healers recommend this remedy for liver cancer at various stages. The resulting infusion must be divided into 4 parts and drunk in a day. At the same time, before taking, add budra juice (up to 15 drops) to each portion, which is prepared as follows: twist freshly picked raw materials in a meat grinder, squeeze the juice, mix with vodka (1: 2).

3. Infusion of budra and yarrow. Place 2 soup spoons of yarrow in a porcelain dish, add 200 ml of white boiling water. Insist half an hour. Place 1 soup spoon of budra in a separate bowl, add 200 ml of boiling water. Insist for 20 minutes. Filter and mix both infusions. The resulting product should be instilled into the nose for chronic rhinitis. You can also inhale with it.

4. Collection including budra. With its help, pneumonia is treated in the chronic stage. Take two soup spoons of budra and poplar buds, add a spoonful of elderberry flowers, pour 220 ml of boiling water and leave for 12 hours. Drink in 5 meals.

5. You can prepare another collection, also used for pneumonia. It includes such herbs, taken in equal quantities: coltsfoot (leaves), yarrow, Veronica officinalis, ivy budra. All components are mixed well, take a soup spoon of the resulting mixture, pour 250 ml of white boiling water, cover with a napkin, leave for a quarter of an hour, filter. You need to drink this infusion during the day.

All recipes use dry raw herbs.

Care rules

As mentioned above, ivy budra is quite unpretentious, which means that planting and leaving it will not unduly distract you from other work in the garden. But still, when growing, you need to know that it is hygrophilous, thermophilic and should be fed during intensive growth.

Watering

Since Budra is hygrophilous, it is undesirable for the earth to dry out under it, so you need to water it, somewhere, twice a week. In hot weather - more often, and it is advisable to moisturize the leaves every day. If plants overwinter at home in pots, water them very sparingly.

Fertilizer

In the period from May to the end of July, when the air warms up to +20 ° C, which is comfortable for Budra, it begins a period of active growth. At this time, at least once a month, it needs to be fed with complex mineral or organic fertilizers.

Transfer

It is undesirable to transplant budra, since it does not need it. If there is such a need, then this should be done in the spring, cutting off the shoots before transplanting.

Growing area

Ivy budra is a grass that can be found in many parts of Russia, including Siberia and the Far East. It grows in the Transcaucasus, Kazakhstan, and Georgia. In some states of America, it is considered a malicious weed. She feels great in bushes and on pastures, under trees in forest thickets and in clearings open to the sun, in meadows and near human dwellings, where she takes places along fences, near landfills, in the far corners of the garden. If you do not control its growth, thanks to its creeping rhizomes, budra can occupy the entire area.

Diseases and pests

Budra is susceptible to diseases mainly when grown at home, in the garden it is necessary to greatly disrupt care so that catnip will be struck by pests:

• whitefly and aphids are more common on home flowers;
• with a lack of nutrients and moisture, the tips of the leaves dry out and turn yellow;
• if the environment is too hot, spider mites develop;
• Powdery mildew occurs if the plant receives too much water and is in poorly ventilated areas.

For the treatment of powdery mildew, fungicidal agents are used, and you can get rid of the tick with cold air and regular spraying.

Preparation of the broth

Ivy budra has medicinal properties not only in alcoholic drugs, but also in products prepared in water. Dry raw materials are mainly used. We offer several recipes:

1. It is necessary to take a soup spoon of herbs without a large slide, place in a cup, pour 220 ml of boiling water. Place all this in a bowl of water, slightly larger than a cup in volume. Put on fire and simmer for about half an hour. The water in the larger bowl should boil slightly. Remove from heat. Cool down. Strain. Add boiled water to the broth prepared in this way to make the volume equal to 200 ml. Take the finished product 50 ml before meals.

2. Pour five soup spoons of herbs with cold or hot water (in this case there is no difference) and simmer for about 5 minutes. Strain. Use for compresses or baths. Inside, such a remedy cannot be taken!

3. Pour a spoonful of herbs with 1 liter of water and boil for about 10 minutes. Cool slightly. Use for inhalation for diseases of the pulmonary system and for rinsing the mouth.

Procurement process

Ivy budra has a growing season from spring to frost, but it is harvested for medicinal purposes, as a rule, during the period of its mass flowering. Only the upper (ground) parts of the plant are suitable. The rhizome is not used. You need to cut the stems in the morning or in the evening, when there is no dew on the leaves. Since this plant spreads on the ground, extraneous fragments are almost always collected (dry last year's stems, other small plants). Therefore, the collected raw materials must be carefully sorted out. After that, it is spread in the shade on paper or canvas. The layer should be no more than 3-4 cm. You can also bring the bud to readiness in the dryer. The temperature should be maintained no higher than 35 degrees. The finished raw material tastes very bitter and breaks easily. It is placed in glass jars and stored for no more than 12 months.