Every gardener knows wheatgrass well as a tenacious perennial weed. Oh, how much nerve and effort goes into fighting wheatgrass on your property. This plant successfully takes root in garden plots and often causes a lot of trouble. Few people realize its amazing healing qualities.

Wheatgrass is a grass with narrow, elongated leaves that stretch upward from the root system to a height of up to half a meter. This plant is one of the representatives of the grass family. The width of each individual sheet does not exceed a centimeter.

The perennial crop has thin but quite strong roots. They grow quickly and, strengthening to a depth of up to fifteen centimeters, create a thick continuous carpet in the ground. The small part of the root system remaining in the soil is capable of developing very quickly, reviving anew an independent plant.

Wheatgrass inflorescences can be seen at the beginning of summer. They form a long spike of up to thirty centimeters, which, starting in August, forms fruits - brown grains. The crop is a good food product for herbivores, and predators use its leaves to cleanse the body.

The plant is often popularly called dog grass, root grass, worm grass or wheatgrass. Each name, to some extent, characterizes a cereal crop that has taken root well in fields, meadows and gardens.

Composition and medicinal properties

Wheatgrass contains many valuable substances. It includes:

• organic acids;
• mineral salts - magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc and manganese;
• silicic acid;
• carbohydrates;
• vitamins A and B;
• essential oils;
• protein.

The herbal culture contains starch and various organic compounds of plant origin - saponin, tricitin, inulin and tannin. Wheatgrass also contains substances containing nitrogen and fructose.

Medicines that have anti-inflammatory, diuretic, laxative and expectorant properties are made from the root of this plant. Many wheatgrass-based medicines are used for complex treatment:

• genitourinary diseases – nephritis, cystitis;
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract - gastritis, cholecystitis, colitis and enteritis;
• disorders of the musculoskeletal system - osteochondrosis and arthritis;
• skin inflammatory reactions - eczema, dermatitis and furunculosis;
• metabolic disorders - rickets, diabetes and anemia;
• inflammation of the respiratory system - pneumonia and bronchitis.

The rhizomes of the culture are included in medications that are prescribed for diseases of the urolithiasis and bile ducts. Preparations are prepared from wheatgrass pollen to treat allergic reactions.

Harm and contraindications

There are no specific contraindications for this medicinal herb.

It is prudent to use preparations based on wheatgrass in children under two years of age and in case of individual intolerance.

Do not take medications if allergic reactions occur.

All wheatgrass medicines are prescribed by a doctor, who determines the required dosage in each individual case.

Healing infusions and decoctions are prepared from wheatgrass for internal and external use. Rhizomes and leaves are often used to wipe the skin of infants with diathesis, prickly heat, diaper rash or jaundice. When such diseases occur, newborn children are bathed in a crushed plant infused with water.

Wheatgrass root, from which the tincture is prepared, helps in the treatment of arthritis, osteochondrosis and hemorrhoids. This drug should be taken once a day for a month. It contains: two glasses of hot water and ten grams of dried plant roots. Before taking, the infusion is aged for at least twelve hours.

Juice squeezed from the leaves and rhizomes of the plant is a good way to combat excess weight. The healthy freshly squeezed liquid is diluted in a small amount of water and drunk half a glass four times a day. Juice mixed in a 1:1 ratio with honey can also slightly improve your vision. This heated mixture is taken for six months, a tablespoon three times a day.

A decoction prepared from wheatgrass is used in the complex treatment of diabetes, rickets and hypertension. You can get rid of enuresis by preparing an infusion from the root system of the plant in a water bath. Herbaceous culture cooked in milk also helps women with infertility and ovarian disease.

Medicinal potions are prepared from dried roots and leaves of wheatgrass, prepared independently or purchased at a pharmacy.

Applications and medicinal recipes from wheatgrass

A healing recipe based on wheatgrass includes the preparation of juices and various medicinal drinks for the treatment of relevant diseases. Well proven as effective therapeutic agents:

Decoction of wheatgrass rhizomes

It contains thirty grams of roots and water. Cook the broth over low heat for twenty minutes. The healing mixture helps well with osteochondrosis if you take it three times a day, one hundred milliliters. For abscesses, furunculosis and barley, drink this decoction for three weeks. Healing baths are also made from it to treat hemorrhoids and diathesis rashes.

Infusion of dried roots

It is prepared from two tablespoons of rhizomes, poured with half a liter of boiling water. After preparing the infusion, you should let it brew for eight hours. You need to drink this drug twenty minutes before breakfast, lunch and dinner in a heated form. The infusion has a good diuretic, expectorant and diaphoretic effect. It is also often used as a laxative, to treat cystitis and gout.

Juice from wheatgrass roots and stems

Well-washed fresh stems and roots of the plant are doused with boiling water and chopped in a meat grinder. This herbal mass is filled with water, mixed and filtered. The green liquid is cooked for three minutes. Cooled finished juice can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two days. Consume during the day three times before meals when stones form in the bile ducts and bladder.

For diabetes

A medicinal remedy is prepared from a liter of water and four spoons of dried and ground wheatgrass rhizomes, which helps improve metabolism in diabetes mellitus. The mixture is boiled for about half an hour over low heat, after which it is filtered. It should be taken five times a day in the amount of one tablespoon.

For rheumatism

The decoction should be consumed for a month. Twice a day you need to drink one glass of this remedy. Also, for hemorrhoids and diathesis, special baths are made for external use:

• put fifty grams of wheatgrass roots in a five-liter saucepan;
• cook for twenty minutes;
• Remove from heat and let sit until completely cooled.

The infusion is filtered and added to the bath. This treatment procedure should take about half an hour. For healing, you need to take fifteen baths with a temperature of 38 ° C.

Fresh wheatgrass roots are used to prepare side dishes, soups and salads.

A healthy mixture of three roots - dandelion, wheatgrass, burdock

The roots of dandelion, wheatgrass and burdock have miraculous healing powers. With the help of these plants you can heal the body and cure many ailments. In addition to the beneficial properties of wheatgrass rhizome, the healing power of the roots of two amazing plants is added:

• Dandelion. The root of this common weed helps treat not only diathesis, inflammatory processes, arthritis, joints and osteochondrosis, but is also successfully used for cancer. Valuable roots are collected in the spring, pulling out plants that have not yet bloomed. In this state, dandelion has the most beneficial properties.
• Burdock. The versatile healing qualities of this culture are known to many. With the help of burdock rhizome, various skin diseases, kidney diseases and cholecystitis are treated. Burdock is also an indispensable component for healing hepatitis and liver cancer.

The roots are collected in the spring, cleaned well, washed and dried. The recipe for a tincture made from the root system of burdock, wheatgrass and dandelion is very simple. To do this you need:

• pour a tablespoon of the roots of three plants mixed in equal quantities into the pan;
• pour in half a liter of hot water;
• leave for two hours.

Half a glass of this infusion should be drunk twenty minutes before meals. Sometimes each type of root is brewed separately, and each decoction is taken for one week in order - burdock, wheatgrass and dandelion.

Wheatgrass rhizomes are used for preparations. Collection is carried out in early spring before shoots form on the plant or in autumn when the upper part is still juicy and green. The dug up roots are cleaned, washed and dried. There are two types of drying:

• thermal - using ovens, dryers and furnaces;
• natural - under the influence of sunlight.

Dry roots, which have an elastic structure, are ground into a fine mass and poured into jars. The storage container must be airtight with a tight-fitting lid. Under no circumstances should moisture get into it, otherwise the medicinal raw material will deteriorate very quickly.

It is necessary to store the medicine in places protected from sunlight. Usually they put jars in a closet or hide them in a pantry. If you follow all the rules for storing crushed roots, then their storage period reaches three years.

This plant has been used by traditional healers to treat many pathologies since ancient times. Wheat grass has a diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant and laxative effect. Plant preparations help regulate salt metabolism. In addition to its use in alternative medicine, the plant is also valued by cosmetologists. Products based on this miraculous plant are used to treat various types of skin ailments.

In addition to medicinal properties, the roots of the plant have enormous nutritional value. In times of famine, the rhizomes were dried, ground and baked into bread. Today the plants are also popular. It is added to salads, meat and fish dishes. The dry rhizome is still suitable for making flour. In addition to all of the above, wheatgrass is fed to livestock. Otherwise, the plant is called root grass, dog grass, dandur grass, worm grass.

Botanical characteristics

Creeping wheatgrass is a perennial herbaceous glabrous or pubescent herbaceous plant of the Poa family, reaching a height of one hundred or more centimeters. The plant is equipped with a massive branched long creeping rhizome with a large number of daughter shoots, smooth bare or pubescent straight erect stems, bare flat linear green or grayish leaves, small green inconspicuous flowers collected in spikelets.

The plant blooms throughout the summer. Wheatgrass fruits are grains that are similar in appearance to wheat. Europe, North Africa, Asia, Russia, Ukraine are the habitat of wheatgrass. Fields, meadows, slopes, forest clearings are the plant’s favorite places to grow.

Some tips regarding the collection, preparation and storage of plant materials

The roots of the plant are valuable medicinal raw materials. Rhizomes are harvested during autumn or spring plowing. You can also start collecting raw materials at the beginning of spring. During harvesting, the roots must be separated from the shoots, cleaned of soil and other foreign impurities, thoroughly washed and dried.

You can dry raw materials either outdoors, under a canopy, or in an automated drying chamber at a temperature not exceeding fifty degrees. Don’t forget to turn the roots over periodically, this will help them dry out better and more evenly.

After drying, the roots need to be piled up and thoroughly ground with your hands or in a mortar. Wheatgrass is odorless, but has a slightly sweet taste. Don't forget to separate the leaves and small roots. The roots can be used for three years, no more. Raw materials should be stored in glass containers.

Composition, healing power of wheatgrass

The roots of the plant contain a considerable amount of:

• carbohydrates;
• agroperine;
• glucovalin;
• malic acid;
• squirrel;
• mucous substances;
• pectin compounds;
• saponins;
• fatty and essential oils;
• carotene;
• micro- and macroelements;
• ascorbic acid;
• starch.

The plant has wound-healing, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, laxative, diuretic, analgesic, enveloping, blood purifying, lactic and diaphoretic effects.

Wheatgrass preparations contribute to:

• blood purification;
• removing toxins and toxic substances from the body;
• lowering the level of bad cholesterol;
• accelerating tissue regeneration;
• strengthening the walls of capillaries;
• elimination of inflammatory processes;
• normalization of sleep;
• improving appetite;
• normalization of the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
• treatment dropsy, nephritis, gout, arthritis, rheumatism, cholelithiasis, cough, tuberculosis, gastritis, bronchitis, rickets, hemorrhoids, diathesis, urethritis, jaundice, diabetes.

Wheat grass in alternative medicine preparations

➡ Preparation of a diuretic. Pour a tablespoon of dry crushed roots of the plant with half a glass of boiled water, place on the stove, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and continue to simmer for a quarter of an hour. Cool, filter the drug and consume 20 ml of the medicine four times a day, before meals.

➡ Rheumatism: infusion therapy. Brew 30 g of dried wheatgrass rhizomes in two hundred milliliters of boiled water. Place the mixture in a warm place for ten hours and filter. It is recommended to take 50 ml of the drug four times a day. The same remedy is used to relieve joint pain and treat gout.

➡ Skin ailments: the use of healing baths. Mix dried wheatgrass roots in equal proportions with burdock. Pour the raw materials into a bucket and fill half with water. Place the container on the stove, wait for the product to boil and continue to simmer for twenty minutes. Add the decoction to the bath. It is necessary to take a bath for a quarter of an hour.

➡ Tuberculosis: treatment with decoction. Pour a couple of tablespoons of dried wheatgrass rhizomes with 300 ml of milk. Boil the mixture, cool, filter. Take 150 milliliters of the drug twice a day.

➡ Preparation of infusion for the treatment of osteochondrosis and gout. Brew thirty grams of dry crushed wheatgrass roots with 400 g of boiling water. Infuse the product throughout the night. Drink 100 ml of the remedy four times during the day.

➡ Gallstone disease, gastrointestinal ailments: use of decoction. Pour the dry, finely chopped rhizome of the plant, about fifty grams of 800 ml of boiled water, place on the stove, boil, and then set aside for half an hour in a warm place. Drink 200 ml of the drink three times throughout the day.

➡ Oncological diseases: decoction treatment. Pour 40 grams of dried plant roots into an enamel pan and add half a liter of water. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for another twenty minutes. The product must be infused for three hours. Drink 70 ml of decoction four times a day.

➡ Abdominal dropsy: wheatgrass treatment. Pour about fifteen grams of finely chopped rhizomes of the plant with boiling water, set aside to brew. It is recommended to use 20 g of the product twice a day.

➡ Cold: juice treatment Take fresh wheatgrass roots and grind them using a meat grinder. Squeeze out the juice. Combine the resulting juice with the same amount of water and boil a little. Take a few spoons of the medicine five times a day.

:arrow: Preparation of a blood purifier. Steam the chopped roots in 400 ml of boiling water. Let the product sit a little. Take half a glass of the drink three times a day.

➡ Chronic pancreatitis: treatment with decoction. Pour 50 g of wheatgrass roots into a saucepan, add 300 ml of water, place on the stove, and boil. Cool and drink half a glass of the drug three times a day.

In the article we discuss creeping wheatgrass. You will learn the chemical composition of the plant, the medicinal properties of wheatgrass and contraindications to its use. We will tell you how to prepare infusions and decoctions for the treatment of cough, diabetes, oncology, joints and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Creeping wheatgrass is a herbaceous plant of the Cereal family (lat. Gramineae). This weed reduces the yield of neighboring crops by drawing water and minerals from the soil.

Latin name: Elytrigia repens. Other names: dog grass, wheatgrass, ponyry, dandur, root-grass, grass-grass, dog-tooth, ortanets, grass-worm, grass-grass, grass-grass, plover. Look what creeping wheatgrass looks like in the photo. Appearance (photo) of creeping wheatgrass

What does it look like

The rhizome of creeping wheatgrass is long and horizontal with numerous secondary shoots. The root of wheatgrass penetrates to a depth of 5 to 15 cm. The shoots of the plant reach a height of 40 to 150 cm.

The leaves are flat, linear. The length of the leaf plate is from 15 to 40 cm, width - up to 10 mm.

Flowers are collected in spike-shaped inflorescences of 3–8 pieces. The length of the spikelet is from 1 to 2 cm, width - 5-7 mm. The inflorescences grow on the axial stem and form a common spike from 7 to 30 cm long. Wheatgrass blooms from June to July.

The fruits are flat, long seeds. Creeping wheatgrass bears fruit from July to September.

Where does it grow

In the wild, the wheatgrass plant is found in Europe, Asia and North Africa. In Russia it grows almost throughout the entire country.

Creeping wheatgrass prefers fertile, moist soils. The plant is found in mountains and plains. Grows near other cereal crops. Loves wetlands.

Grass and rhizome

Wheatgrass and its rhizome are used as medicinal raw materials.. The beneficial properties of creeping wheatgrass are used to treat oncology, diabetes, diseases of the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract and musculoskeletal system.

Medicinal raw materials of wheatgrass can be purchased at the pharmacy in the form of dried leaves, stems and roots or in the form of a ready-made tincture and extract of the plant. At home, infusions and decoctions are prepared from dry raw materials.

Chemical composition

Wheatgrass contains:

• glycosides;
• carotene;
• essential oil;
• potassium;
• manganese;
• magnesium;
• zinc;
• iron;
• polysaccharides;
• organic acids;
• vitamin A;
• B vitamins;
• Sahara;
• triticin;
• mucus.

Medicinal properties

The herb and root of wheatgrass have medicinal properties. The medicinal properties and contraindications of wheatgrass lie in the chemical composition of the plant. Organic acids and glycosides strengthen the walls of blood vessels and normalize metabolism, polysaccharides increase immunity.

The plant has diuretic and laxative effects. Products based on it are used to treat constipation, cholelithiasis and urolithiasis.

The healing properties of wheatgrass root are used for bronchitis, pneumonia and ARVI. Decoctions and infusions of the plant have diaphoretic and expectorant effects.

When used externally, wheatgrass-based products are effective for osteochondrosis, rheumatism, gout and skin diseases. The plant has anti-inflammatory, analgesic and regenerating effects.

How to collect

Wheatgrass is harvested throughout the entire growing season. Rhizomes are collected in early spring or late autumn after the plant has completely flowered. The stems with leaves are cut with a sharp knife, the rhizomes are dug up, cleared of soil and washed under running water.

Medicinal raw materials are laid out evenly on a flat surface and dried in the open sun at a temperature not exceeding 50 degrees. Store creeping wheatgrass in paper bags or fabric bags for a year.

How to use

In folk medicine, the medicinal properties of creeping wheatgrass are widely used. Based on medicinal raw materials, you can prepare tea, decoction, tincture and freshly squeezed plant juice at home.

Depending on the disease, these remedies are taken orally or used externally in the form of lotions, compresses and rubbing. To enhance the therapeutic effect, medications and external procedures are combined. Let's look at the most common recipes based on creeping wheatgrass.

Cough infusion

Creeping wheatgrass can be purchased at a pharmacy. Infusion of wheatgrass has an expectorant and diaphoretic effect. The drug is taken 20-30 minutes before meals. If the drink is prepared in advance, you need to warm it up a little before drinking.

Ingredients:

1. Creeping wheatgrass rhizomes - 2 tablespoons.
2. Water - 500 ml.

How to cook: Grind the wheatgrass rhizomes, put them in a thermos and pour boiling water over them. Leave with the lid tightly closed for at least 8 hours. Strain the finished drink.

How to use: Take 150 ml of the drink 3 times a day.

Result: Wheatgrass infusion has anti-inflammatory and diaphoretic effects, effectively eliminates cough and clears the bronchi of mucus.

Decoction for the stomach

For disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, a decoction of creeping wheatgrass is useful. The drink is used to treat gastritis, ulcers, duodenitis and indigestion.

Ingredients:

1. Dry wheatgrass roots - 5 tablespoons.
2. Calendula flowers - 1 teaspoon.
3. Water - 250 ml.

How to cook: Pour water over the roots and flowers of the plants, place in a water bath and simmer under the lid over low heat for 10-15 minutes. Remove the broth from the heat, leave to steep for 2-3 hours, then strain.

How to use: Take ½ glass 3-4 times a day half an hour before meals.

Result: The drink has analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. When taken regularly, it effectively restores the gastric mucosa and normalizes digestion.

Enemas for constipation

Wheatgrass has a laxative and anti-inflammatory effect. Enemas with a decoction of the plant are used for chronic constipation.

Ingredients:

1. Wheatgrass root - 60 tablespoons.
2. Water - 600 ml.

How to cook: Pour water over the medicinal raw material, place it on the stove and bring to a boil. Simmer over medium heat, covered, for 8-10 minutes. Remove the pan from the stove, filter the broth and dilute it with water so that the liquid volume is 600 ml.

How to use: For an enema, use a warm decoction with a temperature of 36-37 degrees. The procedure is repeated 2-3 times a day.

Result: The procedure effectively softens stool. Ingestion of wheatgrass decoction enhances intestinal motility.

Bath for joints

A decoction of creeping wheatgrass is used to prepare medicinal baths for hemorrhoids and joint diseases. The procedure is contraindicated during the acute phase. After the acute process has stopped, baths can be taken daily.

Ingredients:

1. Wheatgrass roots - 60 gr.
2. Water - 2 liters.

How to cook: Cover the wheatgrass roots with water, place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Simmer the liquid under the lid for half an hour. Filter the finished broth through a strainer or gauze and squeeze out the cake.

How to use: Add the resulting decoction to the filled bath. The duration of the procedure is 20−30 minutes. Take warm baths daily.

Result: The procedure eliminates pain, increases motor activity of joints, removes salts and toxins from the body.

Decoction for diabetes

A decoction of wheatgrass is used in folk medicine for the treatment and prevention of diabetes. The drink effectively normalizes metabolism and regulates blood sugar levels.

Ingredients:

1. Wheatgrass - 4 tablespoons.
2. Horsetail - 1 tablespoon.
3. Water - 5 glasses.

How to cook: Pour water over the herb plants, place in a water bath and boil until the volume of liquid is reduced by half. Remove from heat and strain.

How to use: Take 1 tablespoon 4-5 times a day.

Result: The drink increases the body's defenses and normalizes metabolism. In combination with insulin-containing drugs, it regulates blood sugar levels.

Juice for oncology

Creeping wheatgrass juice effectively cleanses the body of waste and toxins and has a detrimental effect on pathogenic cells and neoplasms. The drink is prepared from fresh leaves and stems of the plant.

Ingredients:

1. Fresh wheatgrass leaves - 300 gr.
2. Water - 50 ml.

How to cook: Rinse the leaves of the plant under running water, sort them and remove damaged blades of grass. Place the greens in a blender and blend at maximum speed until the consistency of mush. Transfer the mixture to multi-layer gauze and squeeze out the juice. Add water and stir.

How to use: Take 2 tablespoons of the drink 3 times a day before meals. The course of treatment is 3 weeks.

Result: When taken systematically, the drink stops the development and spread of cancer cells and reduces the size of the tumor.

Contraindications

Contraindications for use of creeping wheatgrass:

• individual intolerance;
• children under 2 years of age;
• pregnancy period.

Before using products based on wheatgrass, you should consult your doctor. The specialist will select the dosage and course of treatment. Excessive consumption of herbal preparations leads to disruption of the gastrointestinal tract.

Classification

Creeping wheatgrass belongs to the genus Wheatgrass (lat. Elytrigia), the family Poaceae (lat. Gramineae). The plant belongs to the order Poaceae or Poaceae (lat. Poales), class Monocots (lat. Liliopsida), department Flowering or Angiosperms (lat. Magnoliophyta or Angiospermae).

Varieties

The genus Wheatgrass includes 14 plant species:

• elytrigia acuta;
• elytrigia elongata;
• elytrigia meotica;
• elytrigia repens;
• elytrigia tesquicola;
• elytrigia arenosa;
• elytrigia intermedia;
• elytrigia obtusiflora;
• elytrigia campestris;
• elytrigia juncea;
• elytrigia sosnovskyi;
• elytrigia corsica;
• elytrigia meotica;
• elytrigia mucronata;
• elytrigia stipifolia.

For more information about wheatgrass, watch the video:

Creeping wheatgrass infographics

Photo of creeping wheatgrass, its beneficial properties and application:
Infographics on creeping wheatgrass

What to remember

1. The medicinal properties of wheatgrass are used to treat oncology, diabetes, diseases of the respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract and musculoskeletal system.
2. Plant-based products have anti-inflammatory, expectorant, diaphoretic, and diuretic effects.
3. Despite the minimal list of contraindications, wheatgrass-based preparations should be used strictly according to the instructions, without exceeding the dosage. Excessive consumption leads to symptoms of poisoning and intestinal upset.

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Classmates

Syn.: zhitets, plover, rye, ponyry, dandur, root-grass, dog-grass, worm-grass, etc.

A perennial herbaceous plant with long creeping underground rhizomes. It is used in medicine as a medicinal plant that has valuable medicinal properties: anti-inflammatory, blood purifying, emollient, diaphoretic, lactic, diuretic, etc.

Ask the experts a question

Flower formula

Formula of wheatgrass flower: O2T3P2.

In medicine

Creeping wheatgrass is not a pharmacopoeial plant in domestic official medicine, but is widely used in folk medicine and homeopathy. The grass and rhizomes of wheatgrass have medicinal value; they are used as a diuretic, diaphoretic, expectorant and mild laxative. Sometimes in medical practice, wheatgrass rhizome is used as a medicinal agent that regulates salt metabolism, as well as an enveloping, laxative and blood purifying agent.

Contraindications and side effects

In cosmetology

Wheatgrass is used for allergic skin diseases as an anti-inflammatory agent for lichen planus, as an anti-inflammatory and antipruritic agent for pyoderma, including furunculosis, acne, viral skin diseases, hyperkeratosis, scleroderma and baldness. For furunculosis, a strong decoction of wheatgrass rhizome has a positive effect.

In other areas

In addition to the medicinal effect, the rhizomes of creeping wheatgrass have great nutritional value. In the years of famine they were dried, ground and baked into quite decent quality bread. Currently, wheatgrass is used in cooking, for example, salads, side dishes for meat, fish and vegetable dishes, and soups are prepared from fresh rhizomes. Dried rhizomes are suitable for producing flour; they are used to cook porridge, jelly, beer, bake bread, and are also used as a coffee substitute.

The rhizomes of creeping wheatgrass, cleared from the ground, are used as feed for livestock, rabbits, and poultry. As a medicinal plant, wheatgrass is eaten by cats and dogs, especially in early spring - it is their favorite green. Creeping wheatgrass is a valuable hay and pasture plant; when cultivated it can produce a hay yield of up to 50-60 c/ha.

Some species (elongated wheatgrass, medium wheatgrass, and other species) are valued in breeding as plants widely used for producing frost- and cold-resistant wheat-wheatgrass hybrids that produce good quality grain.

Classification

Creeping wheatgrass (lat. Elytrigia repens) is the most famous species of the genus Wheatgrass of the family Poaceae, or Gramineae. The genus includes about 30 species of perennial grasses, common in extratropical regions. There are approximately 20 species in Russia, some of them (feather grass) are endemic to the steppes of the European part and Ciscaucasia and are listed in the Red Books of the USSR.

Botanical description

Creeping wheatgrass is a perennial glabrous or pubescent herbaceous plant 60-120 cm in height with a long, creeping, branched underground rhizome, forming numerous aboveground single daughter shoots. The root system is fibrous, formed by numerous thin adventitious roots. The stems are smooth, glabrous or pubescent, and are enclosed in leaf sheaths for most of their length. The leaves are vaginal, linear, 5-8 mm wide, green or grayish, clearly ribbed on top, sharply rough, with blades at the base with small but clearly visible ears. The sheaths are long, at the place of their transition into the leaf blade there is a short outgrowth - the tongue. The flowers are small, green, inconspicuous, collected in spikelets of 4-7 pieces, which in turn form long inflorescences - a complex spike. At the base of the spikelets (1-2 cm long) there are two smooth, pointed, short-awned spikelet scales with 5-7 veins. Flowers with a strongly reduced perianth, enclosed in floral scales. There are 3 stamens, with rather large swaying anthers. Pistil with an upper single-locular ovary and two sessile stigmas. Creeping wheatgrass flower formula: O2T3P 2 . The fruit is a grain. It blooms in June-July, bears fruit in August-September.

Spreading

Creeping wheatgrass is distributed almost everywhere and is found throughout European Russia. A widespread and common plant of meadow communities, bare and overgrown substrates and banks of water bodies, as well as fields (a noxious weed), fallow lands, vegetable gardens, bush thickets, wastelands and roadsides. Prefers rich and well-aerated soils.

Thanks to its long rhizomes, it is able to quickly cover large areas, which is why wheatgrass is considered a difficult-to-eradicate field weed. On 1 hectare there can be up to 250 million wheatgrass buds, which germinate very quickly when mechanically damaged, finding themselves at shallow depths or in loose soil.

Regions of distribution on the map of Russia.

Procurement of raw materials

Wheatgrass rhizomes are best harvested during autumn or spring plowing, as they contain the maximum amount of biologically active substances and are carried to the soil surface in large quantities. Raw materials harvested early in the spring, before the stems grow, are of great value. Having dug up the rhizomes, they are shaken off the ground and cleaned of remnants of stems and leaves. If natural drying (in the sun) is expected, the rhizomes are not washed, but only shaken off the ground. Washing is advisable if artificial drying is planned (in dryers at a temperature of 50-55°C). After drying, the rhizomes are piled up and ground by hand until small roots break off and the remains of soil and leaves fall off. The rhizomes are then weeded out or selected. It is recommended to store raw materials (rhizomes) whole in well-closed glass jars. The shelf life of raw materials is 2-3 years.

Raw materials must be treated with caution, as they are easily damaged by moths, beetles, weevils and other barn pests.

Chemical composition

Rhizomes of creeping wheatgrass contain carbohydrates: triticin, mannitol (2.5-3%), levulose (3-4%); agroperine, glucovalin, as well as salts of malic acid, protein and mucous substances, saponins, pectins, fatty and essential oils, carotene, ascorbic acid, mineral salts. Wheatgrass rhizome contains the most starch (up to 40%).

Pharmacological properties

Creeping wheatgrass root and preparations made on its basis (tinctures, decoctions, freshly squeezed juice) are recommended for the prevention and treatment of cholelithiasis and urolithiasis, and also for use as a diuretic, for the treatment of diseases of the biliary and urinary tract: cystitis, nephritis, urethritis, urinary incontinence, chronic bladder infections).

Wheatgrass root has enveloping and mild laxative properties; it is effectively used for the prevention and treatment of diseases of the liver, spleen and gastrointestinal tract (colitis, enteritis, cholecystitis, hepatitis, gastritis, gastric catarrh, etc.). Wheatgrass also has an expectorant effect; taking decoctions and infusions from wheatgrass roots is effective for diseases of the lungs, bronchi and various inflammations of the upper respiratory tract, accompanied by sputum production. The roots and rhizomes of creeping wheatgrass have healing and anti-inflammatory properties; they are used to combat skin diseases - acne, furunculosis, eczema, trophic ulcers, and various types of dermatitis.

Wheatgrass helps strengthen the walls of blood vessels, it purifies the blood and lowers cholesterol levels, normalizes blood pressure, improves lipid metabolism and metabolism.

Use in folk medicine

In folk medicine, wheatgrass rhizome is used much more widely than in official medicine. In folk medicine, wheatgrass rhizomes are used as a diuretic, anti-inflammatory, enveloping, mild laxative and metabolism-improving agent. In the form of decoctions, wheatgrass rhizomes are drunk for diseases of the liver, lungs, kidneys, urinary incontinence, urethritis and cystitis, taken for chest pain, fever, jaundice, irregular periods, aches. For furunculosis, childhood diathesis and eczema, children are bathed in a bath with the addition of wheatgrass rhizome juice and given to drink, especially with rickets. The juice of fresh wheatgrass leaves is used to treat colds, ARVI, bronchitis, cholelithiasis, urolithiasis, and pneumonia. Healing baths with an infusion of wheatgrass herb are recommended for skin diseases (lichen planus and blistering dermatitis), rashes, scrofula and hemorrhoids, and for chronic constipation, enemas are recommended; the decoction can also be taken orally. A decoction of dried wheatgrass rhizomes is used as an anti-inflammatory agent for rheumatism, inflammation of the bladder, gout, jaundice and dropsy. Creeping wheatgrass is a good remedy for diseases with disorders, metabolic arthritis and osteochondrosis. Preparations of creeping wheatgrass quickly cure furunculosis, help with juvenile acne and other skin diseases. Wheatgrass is included in the collection for compresses for dry, delicate skin with reduced resistance and pyoderma (for oral administration). Together with stinging nettle, wheatgrass is used to treat premature graying. For sweaty feet with an unpleasant odor, apply wheatgrass to them at night.

Wheatgrass is eaten by cats and dogs; it has an anthelmintic effect.

Historical reference

The generic name of the plant comes from the Greek. "elytron" - scales. Old Latin name of the plant (Agropiron repens). It has a number of popular names: zhitets, ryan, ryan, ponyr, dandur, root - grass, dog grass, worm - grass, etc.

Literature

1. Atlas of medicinal plants of the USSR / Ch. ed. N.V. Tsitsin. M.: Medgiz, 1962. P. 87-89.

1. Blinova K. F. et al. Botanical-pharmacognostic dictionary: Reference. allowance / Ed. K. F. Blinova, G. P. Yakovleva. M.: Higher. school, 1990. P. 229.
2. Gubanov, I.A. et al. 142. Elytrigia repens (L.) Nevski – Creeping wheatgrass // Illustrated guide to plants of Central Russia. In 3 vols. M.: Scientific T. ed. KMK, Institute of Technology. research, 2002. T. 1. Ferns, horsetails, mosses, gymnosperms, angiosperms (monocots). P. 236.
3. Zamyatina N.G. Medicinal plants. Encyclopedia of Russian nature. M. 1998. 485 p.
4. Peshkova G.I., Shreter A.I. Plants in home cosmetics and dermatology. M. Ed. House of SMEs, 2001. 680 p.

Genus: Wheatgrass (Elytrigia).
Family: Cereals (Gramineae).
Latin name: Elytrigia repens.
Common names: lifer, wheatgrass, duckweed, cowgrass, plover, dog's tooth, wolf's tooth, fire of the fields, root-grass, dog-grass, worm-grass.

Description.

Creeping wheatgrass is a perennial herbaceous plant, known mainly as a malicious weed, but in addition to the fact that this grass annoys gardeners and gardeners, it, like almost any plant, also has beneficial properties.

The structure of creeping wheatgrass

The rhizome of creeping wheatgrass is horizontal, cylindrical, straw-yellow. It can reach a length of 15 m and penetrate the soil to a depth of an average of 5 to 15 cm, sometimes up to 1 m.

The leaves are most often blue-green or grayish, narrow-linear in shape, flat, rough, alternate. The leaves are 15-40 cm long, 3-10 mm wide at the base and 2-10 mm higher along the stem.

The stem is erect, bare, leafy, hollow inside. Its height varies from 40 to 150 cm, but as a rule, 60-100 cm.

The flowers have green scales and are collected in straight, long, narrow spikes. There are usually 5-10 flowers in a spike, and it is 7-15 cm long. The spikelets are collected into a sparse spike from 10 to 30 cm long. The spikelets and lower flower scales gradually taper towards the apex and turn into an awn.

One plant of creeping wheatgrass can produce up to 10,000 seeds, which remain viable in the soil for about 12 years.

The fruit of wheatgrass is a filmy, elongated, hairy, boat-shaped grain.

It reproduces mainly by rhizomes.

Distribution and habitat

Creeping wheatgrass grows in wastelands, fallow lands, forest clearings, along forest edges, near roads, in meadows, arable lands and vegetable gardens. It is difficult to eradicate due to the fact that the rhizome is long, creeping, knotty, and pieces of its roots do not die when cut and produce new shoots. But outside the soil, wheatgrass rhizomes quickly dry out and die.

Prefers humus-rich, moist, loose sandy and marshy soils.

It occurs frequently in nature. Very common in Russia in the temperate zone. It is also found in the temperate zone of Western Europe and other continents.

Flowering and harvest time

The plant blooms in June - July, its fruits ripen in July - September.

Wheatgrass root has medicinal properties. It is collected in early spring or autumn during soil cultivation (late August - September). Dry the raw materials in dryers at 60-70 °C or in air under a canopy. Since gradually dried material is very easily affected by mold fungi and, naturally, in this case becomes unsuitable for use, it is often mixed. The shelf life of raw materials is 2 or 3 years. The taste of the raw material is sweetish, there is no smell.

Chemical composition

The beneficial properties of creeping wheatgrass are determined by its unique chemical composition.

The root part of wheatgrass and its juice contain many carbohydrates (triticin), mucus and saponins, many mineral salts, especially potassium, silicic acid and iron, vitamins A and , as well as organic acids.

Application and beneficial properties of creeping wheatgrass

Preventive and medicinal properties of the herb

The beneficial properties of wheatgrass are as follows: the plant has diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, mild laxative, tonic, enveloping, anti-inflammatory properties. Regulates disorders of carbohydrate, mineral and lipid metabolism (action of inositol). Helps strengthen the vascular wall.

Indications for use are:

colds, bronchitis, pneumonia, rheumatism, heart disease, liver (hepatitis, cirrhosis), biliary tract, kidney, urethra, cystitis, gastritis, colitis, edema, fever, bladder neurosis, jaundice, partial loss of vision, anemia, rickets, furunculosis, acne.

Contraindications for use

Like all medicinal plants, wheatgrass has contraindications for use.

So, it is better to refrain from using wheatgrass in case of hypotension, acute pancreatitis with diarrhea, or exacerbation of gastric ulcer. In addition to the fact that you need to remember about contraindications, you should avoid overdose of drugs prepared using wheatgrass. In case of overdose, pain in the kidney area may occur.

Traditional medicine recipes. Preparation and use of medicines from creeping wheatgrass

A decoction of wheatgrass root, an infusion of rhizomes, as well as juice from its root, stem and leaves have medicinal properties.

A decoction of wheatgrass rhizomes is prepared as follows: 25 g of dry raw materials are boiled over low heat in 0.25 liters of water for 10 minutes, left for 1 hour, then filtered.
Instructions for using the decoction. Take 3 times a day, 1 tablespoon before meals. The decoction is also used externally (in the form of baths) for eczema, furunculosis and exudative diathesis.

An infusion of wheatgrass rhizomes is prepared as follows: 10 g of dry raw material is infused in 400 ml of chilled boiled water for 12 hours, then filtered. Then you need to pour 200 ml of boiling water over the rhizomes for 1 hour and strain through 3 layers of gauze. Both infusions are mixed.
Instructions for using the infusion. Take half a glass after meals 2-4 times a day.

Wheatgrass juice is squeezed from fresh rhizomes (April - early May, or in the fall), stems and leaves. Before use, the grass and roots are washed in running water, scalded with boiling water and passed through a meat grinder, then diluted with water (1:1), squeezed through a thick cloth and the juice is boiled for 3 minutes. Take 3-4 times a day, 0.5-1 glass 20-30 minutes before meals. Course 3-4 months.