Collection of medicinal plants
In Russia there are over 20 th. species of lower and higher plants, of which 2500 possess medicinal properties. The official medical use about 240 species. Bioactive substance in the plant body accumulates in its different parts and in certain periods of plant development. In some species of plants medicinal substances accumulate in the kidneys, leaves and stems, others - in the flowers or fruits, the third - in the roots or in the cortex, wherein the amount of them in different phases of vegetative plant remains constant, and sometimes even varies during the day. In this connection, usually collect only those parts of the plants, which contain the greatest number of medicinal substances. At untimely assembly plants can be procured with the lowest active compounds, therefore, their value will be insignificant. Time and place of accumulation of biologically active substances in the plant actually define the term of its billet.
Collect kidney herbs
As a medicinal plant use buds of birch, poplar and pine. Collect them in early spring, when they swell, but we have not yet started to grow; usually it happens in March - April. Large kidney (pine) cut with a knife, fine (birch) threshed after drying branches. Dry buds should be very careful: a long time in a cool ventilated area, as in a warm room, they begin to blossom.
Collect bark herbs
The bark of trees and shrubs - Dubai, Viburnum, buckthorn - should be collected in the spring, in a period of intensive leakage of juice. At this time, it is easily separated from the timber. Later, in the late spring and summer, when growth stops, bark is not removed. To remove the bark on young branches severed or cut, annular sharp knife make incisions at a distance of 25-50 cm from one another, connect them with one or two longitudinal incisions, and then removed in the form of grooves or ducts. If the bark is covered with growths bushy lichens, they should be thoroughly cleaned with a knife; Otherwise, you can ruin the raw materials, without getting out of it full drug.
Collect leaves of medicinal plants
Collect the leaves are during budding and flowering plants. Do this in dry weather, tearing the leaves hands. Usually collect only developed basal, low and middle stem leaves. The leaves are faded and the more fading, partially eaten by insects or infected by fungi, can not collect - full of these medicines will not work.
Herbs
Herbs are usually harvested in early flowering, some species - in full bloom. Cut off their sickles, knives or shears without rough surface parts. Sometimes in the thick grass plants standing braids or mowing scythes, and then choose from mowing.
Collection of flowers medicinal plants
Flowers and inflorescences to be collected at the beginning of flowering. During this period, the flowers contain more active ingredients, less crumble on storage, more resistant to drying and retain their color. The flowers are harvested by hand, plucking them and cutting off the peduncle. Sometimes collecting inflorescences are special devices - shovels. So, eg, threaded scoops collected inflorescences pharmacy daisy.
Collection of the fruits and seeds of medicinal herbs
Most are rich in medicinal substances ripe fruit and seeds, so they are collected selectively, as fully ripe tearing hand, without stalk. At Rowan, cumin and other plants, whose fruits are in umbels or corymbs, them and pluck, and then after drying carefully separated from the stalks. Rose hips are encouraged to collect, along with the remnants of the calyx, that they stay on top of the fruit. This cup is removed after drying, rubbing the fruits of his hands. Particularly difficult to collect juicy fruits - blueberries, raspberries, zemlyanyku. Putting them in a basket, each layer must be laid branches, the fruits of non-caking and not choking.
Collection of root parts of medicinal plants
Roots, rhizome, bulbs usually collected during the withering away of the aerial parts, when the plants go into dormancy period (end of summer - autumn). They can collect and early spring before regrowth of the aerial organs, but in the spring period is very short harvesting (several days). Dig out their shovels, sometimes stretched out or loose soil fork rake. The rhizomes and roots from the earth shake at first, and then rinsed in clean water. If the workpiece has a greater or lesser scale, washing is best done in large wicker baskets in flowing water. Washed roots immediately spread out on mats, clean grass, burlap or paper and dried. Then clean the roots and rhizomes from the remnants of the stems, fine roots, damaged or rotten pieces and delivered to the final drying.
Terms of collecting medicinal plants
All aboveground plant parts are collected only in dry weather. If in the morning there was dew or rain has gone, the preform before commencing, as the plants are completely dry off. In the evening, when there is dew, collection also cease. The best time collecting medicinal raw materials is the time from 8-9 to 16-17 hours. Underground parts, which, after collecting wash, can be harvested and when the dew or rain.
You should not collect the dusty, contaminated plants, eg near a road with heavy traffic. Do not harvest the plant parts, damaged by disease, Pests. Raw materials must be immediately collected in a container. The best container for collecting medicinal plants, especially flowers, inflorescences, leaves, juicy fruit, are small boxes and baskets. Dry fruits, seed, underground parts can be stacked in bags, buckets and other containers.
Delivered to the point of drying raw materials they spread on the canvas, cloth or a clean floor and view. Choose accidentally got another plant, non-raw material, dead and damaged parts of plants, pebbles, clods and others.
