Introduction of Horsetail:Bottle brush or field horsetail.
✵The article gives records of the herb Horsetail, its English name, Latin name, common names, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Equisetum arvense L., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of this plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant species, the features of the herb Horsetail, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Horsetail(Bottle brush).
English Name: Horsetail.
Latin Name: Equisetum arvense L.
Common Names: Bottle brush, common horsetail, corncob plant, field horsetail, horsetail grass, running clubmoss, scouring rush, shave brush.
Property and flavor: cool in nature, tastes bitter.
Brief introduction: Horsetail is an ancient nonflowering perennial with hollow, bamboolike stems and tiny scalelike leaves. The sterile green stems are used medicinally.
Botanical source: Common herbal classics defined the herb Horsetail as the sterile shoots of the species (1).Equisetum arvense L. It is a plant species of the Equisetum genus, the Equisetaceae family. The sterile shoots are used medicinally. This commonly used species is introduced:
(1).Equisetum arvense L.
Botanical description: Equisetum arvense is a perennial herb. Rootstock creeping and rooting, black or dark brown. Stems are upright on the ground, in 2 types. The vegetative stem grows out after the spore stem withers, with a height of 15~60 cm and 6~15 ridges. Leaves degenerate, the lower part unites into a sheath, the sheath teeth are lanceolate, black, the margin is grayish white and membranous; Branches are whorled, the center is solid, 3-4 ridged, single or re-branched.
Spore stem grows in early spring, often purple-brown, fleshy, unbranched, with long and large sheaths. The sporangium grows out from May to June, terminal, blunt, and 2~3.5 cm long; The sporophyl are hexagonal, peltate, spirally arranged, and bordered by growth-shaped sporangia. Spore has 1 shape.
Ecological environment: Equisetum arvense grows in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, including Asia, North America, and Europe. The plant grows in wet meadows, ditches, sandy land, cultivated land, hillsides, and meadows.
Growth characteristics: Equisetum arvense has strong adaptability to climate and soil. Equisetum is strong and easy to cultivate. It is advisable to plant in a wet environment and sandy loam soil. For potting purposes, appropriately increase the saprophytic soil. It is advisable to keep the potting soil moist frequently and spray water in the dry season to improve the air humidity. Although the plant prefers lights, proper shading will make the branches bright green and increase the ornamental value.
Characters of herbs: The herb is the dried green, sterile shoots, and fresh sterile shoots.
Horsetail has a weakly diuretic effect, diuretic effect is identified mainly due to its components saponin equisetonin, flavone glycosides. The diuretic effect of horsetail is mild.
Horsetail help strengthens and regenerates connective tissue, mainly due to its component silica, the body needs silica to form joint cartilage and connective tissue. It explains the herb's traditional applications in rheumatoid arthritis and connective tissue disorders, bone fractures, osteoporosis, and injuries to the teeth or nails.
Horsetail has an astringent effect, due to its flavonoids and silicic acid content.
Medicinal efficacy: Horsetail was once held in high esteem as a tuberculosis cure. Today it is recommended by herbalists as an astringent, to stanch bleeding, and as a diuretic for edema, weight loss, and various bladder and kidney problems. The herb has considerable mineral content, composed primarily of silicic acids and silicates, and salt content helps increase calcium absorption and strengthens bones, hair, teeth, and nails, enriches the blood, and helps to heal broken bones and damaged connective tissue associated with arthritis. Topical formulations are used to encourage healing and stanch bleeding in burns and wounds, particularly poorly healing ones, and treat fractures, sprains, and rheumatic conditions such as arthritis. It is used in homeopathy for urinary problems. In Europe, the herb is approved for infections of the urinary tract, kidney and bladder stones, wounds and burns. In homeopathy, the herb is used for urinary tract and kidney disorders. TCM works recorded the herb functions to stanch bleeding, prompt urination, and improving eyesight, it is indicated for hematemesis, hemoptysis, hematochezia, metrorrhagia and metrostaxis, nosebleed epistaxis, bleeding wound, hot eyes, slight corneal opacity, gonorrhea, etc.
Administration of Horsetail (Bottle brush):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Horsetail (Bottle brush)
Herbal classic books and TCM Books:
Dosage: An infusion is prepared using 2 to 4 grams, 2 to 4 teaspoons of dried horsetail per cup of water. Three 350 mg capsules are taken three times a day. The daily dose of horsetail is 6 grams of herb, the herb should be administered with plenty of fluids. To make a tea, 200 mL (milliliter) boiling water is poured over 2 to 3 grams of herb and boiled for 5 minutes, strain after 10 to 15 minutes. Horsetail must be protected from light in well-sealed containers. TCM works recommend the herb internally as water decoction, 3~15 grams, externally proper amount, mashed and apply a coating.
Contraindications, Precautions and Adverse Reactions: The FDA once listed it as an "Herb of Undefined Safety", horsetail appears to be safe for most people to use in moderation, ingesting large amounts of the parts other than the stem may cause adverse reactions. The toxic reaction has been noted in children who chew the stems. Livestock that consumes horsetail develop toxic reactions including abnormal pulse rates, fever, muscle weakness, weight loss, and other complications.
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1.Introduction of Horsetail:Bottle brush or field horsetail.