Geranium is a familiar home plant. There is it in almost every home. Many people think that the indoor flower has received such a distribution due to its unpretentiousness, but this is not the only thing. Geranium is valuable complex of unique, healing properties. However, there are no less serious contraindications. This article will tell you about how fragrant geranium can be useful, what substances it contains and in what cases it is contraindicated.
Features
The fragrant perennial is characterized by a rounded shape of the leaves and a branched stem. The flowers are small, color varied. A characteristic feature of fragrant geranium is the smell.
As early as the 16th century, Europeans noticed that a lot of useful qualities carry this amazing fragrance. At one time, geranium was considered the "flower of the poor", because to a greater extent it was grown by poor people. Exhaust smell helped to get rid of burning, soot in the room, cleaned the air from toxic compounds, excess moisture. Later, scientists confirmed the presence of antibacterial properties.
The scented flower is a regular at school windowsills. As the exuded substances kill dangerous microflora and frighten off harmful insects. Geranium and its essential oil are often used in traditional medicine and cosmetology.
Chemical composition
The composition of plant materials include the following components:
- flavonoids;
- catechins;
- glucose and fructose;
- saponins;
- tannins up to 4%;
- pectins;
- organic acids;
- essential oil;
- phytoncides;
- carbohydrates and minerals, especially a lot of calcium;
- carotene;
- vitamins;
- alkaloids;
- tannins;
- starch.
In the green mass of geranium is another valuable component - geraniol. This aromatic alcohol-containing substance has antimicrobial and antibacterial properties. Apply in perfumery.
Medicinal properties
Thanks to all the substances that make up, fragrant geranium has a large list of useful properties. All of them are difficult to list. Here are the main ones: antiseptic, diuretic, decongestants, bactericidal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant properties.
In folk medicine, fragrant geranium is used:
- In the treatment of diseases of ENT organs, otitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis, tonsillitis. It is believed that the remedy of flowers is quite effective for pain in the ears.
- Often, geranium helps to cope with the symptoms of gynecological diseases. Essential oil allows you to get rid of unpleasant sensations during the period of PMS, as it has a calming effect on the nervous system, relieves irritability, makes a good sleep. Deciduous decoctions are suitable for the treatment of ovarian cysts.
- Treatment of pediculosis. Insecticide geranium characteristic insecticidal action. Herbal preparation helps to get rid of lice and their larvae.
- Excellent relieve pain syndrome from geraniums with neuralgic diseases. In this case, the affected area is treated with a natural remedy and wrapped with cellophane to create a greenhouse effect. Similarly, they relieve pain from radiculitis, intercostal neurosis, osteochondrosis.
- Geranium is used for hemorrhages. Flower medicine can block internal bleeding.
- Fragrant scent is an excellent alternative to chemicals for scaring away midges, mosquitoes and other harmful insects. Especially safe tool for children, only in the absence of allergies.
- The healing qualities of geranium for dermatological diseases are indispensable. It treats boils, helps with burns, dermatitis, ulcers, eczema.
- The fragrant geranium serves as a natural disinfectant. Apply to cleaning and disinfecting of air indoors during epidemics, at flu and ORVI.
Application Methods
Useful components found in leaves, roots, trunk, flowers of geranium. They are made infusions, decoctions, extracts of essential oils, rubbing. More often in traditional medicine use the young green leaves of the plant.
Decoction
Prepare the tool simply enough at home. To do this, pour boiling water over part of the dry leaves and roots of the flower and leave to simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes. Then let the mixture cool, strain.
Use the decoction preferably in the form of heat and 1 spoon during a meal. Infusion advised to use:
- for diseases of the upper respiratory tract, cough - drink 3 times a day;
- for angina, peptic ulcer, use daily for a month for a tablespoon 2-3 times;
- for eczema use a decoction of geraniums in the form of lotions and baths;
- if you freeze the broth, you can wipe your face with ice cubes, which is well reflected in the appearance of the skin.
The juice
To get the healing liquid from the flower, you should chop the green mass and squeeze the juice. The resulting ingredient is very helpful in the treatment of cataracts at an early stage. It is advised to bury the eyes one drop per day. This procedure will not only save, but also improve vision.
If the geranium juice diluted with boiled water and add a little honey, you get an excellent means for preventing vision. Wash your eyes in the morning and evening.
The juice of the plant copes well with the common cold and nasal congestion.. It is necessary to drip a couple of drops of juice in the nasal passage, and after 2-3 days the amount of mucus will decrease, swelling will pass. When internal bleeding is recommended to take 25-30 drops of fresh juice 1 time every 2 hours.
Essential oil
Essential oil from the fragrant geranium is not a scarce product, if necessary, it is available in any pharmacy. True, the price is often different. It all depends on the manufacturer, volume, variety of plants. For example, Egyptian geranium is valued higher, respectively, the cost of the ether more.
Flower oil is obtained from green shoots. Apply it in such cases:
- for massage treatments, geranium extract is added to the massage base or cream 5 drops each;
- A good healing effect for the body can be achieved with the help of healing baths, adding about 7-8 drops of geranium essential oil to the water, and also honey and sea salt;
- as warm compresses and lotions;
- for inhalation, 3-4 drops of oil diluted with warm water, the vapor is inhaled deeply through the nose or mouth.
Breathing ether of fragrant geranium is useful not only by means of inhalation, you can drip oil on a napkin and spread the smell in the room. Flower aroma soothes the nervous system, relieves headaches.
Infusion
Among all herbal remedies, tincture of geranium has the highest demand. For it you need 8-10 green leaves, which should be poured 250 ml of hot water. Insist 10-12 hours.
Used for colds by rinsing the mouth and nose. Applied also for headaches, toothaches, neurological diseases.
Infusion of geraniums is used as a component of compresses., adding rye flour, camphor spirit. Thus, it will be possible to achieve a good result with back and joint pains, treatment of sciatica, osteochondrosis, and otitis.
Harmful properties
Unfortunately, fragrant geranium has not only positive qualities, but also negative ones. When taking herbal medicines you should pay attention that they can provoke an increase in blood viscosity, and also have a hypotonic effect.
It is recommended to make an allergotest before admission.
Juice fragrant geranium is a poisonous substance. You can not use it in a concentrated form. It is desirable to comply with the proportions in the preparation of medicines.
Contraindications
The following categories of people are not advised to use geranium and preparations based on it:
- pregnant and lactating women;
- children under 12 years old and the elderly;
- in the presence of individual intolerance;
- in chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys;
- with thrombophlebitis and varicose veins;
- with low blood pressure;
- people suffering from bronchial asthma.
Before the use of drugs inside recommended to consult with your doctor.
Care and reproduction
There is no doubt that fragrant geranium is quite a useful plant, and it does not hurt to have it in your house. However, it is important to know some rules regarding flower growing.
- Provide bright lighting. In the sun, the flower should be at least 3-4 hours a day.
- Temperature is important, in summer + 25 ° С, in winter + 15 ° С. These are extreme temperature readings.
- Loose, breathable, light soil.
- Trim and transplant annually, preferably in mid-March.
- Water moderately, only after the soil is completely dry.
- Fragrant geranium propagates in a vegetative way, it can be cuttings that remain after pruning a plant. However, before planting, it is worthwhile to cut the place of the cuts with an antiseptic in order to exclude the possibility of damage to rot.
So, we make a conclusion: having a fragrant geranium on hand, with its numerous healing properties and rich composition, you can forget about the road to the pharmacy. But it is important to familiarize yourself with the contraindications and basic recommendations for the care of the flower.
