Description:

Adonis vernalis - a perennial spring herb with a short rhizome and corded brown-black roots. Stems erect, slightly branched, with brown scales at the base. Leaves are sessile, repeatedly divided into narrow linear lobes.

The flowers are large, single, golden-yellow, with many petals, stamens and pistils. The sepals are broadly ovate.

The stamens and pistils are arranged spirally on a cone-shaped flower. The fruit is a compound achene (Polygonum). The nuts are obovate, wrinkled, with a short, hook-shaped downward-curved nose. Height 15-40 cm. Adonis Turkestan is a perennial spring plant. It is characterised by high growth (70 cm), branching stems, leaves (repeatedly pinnately divided for lanceolate pointed toothed lobes) and flowers (with a bluish Corolla elongated elliptical petals and 26-30 mm 8-11 mm in length and width).

Habitat. Adonis vernal and Volzhsky grow on black earth soils in various grass steppes, on dry slopes, hills, forest clearings, forest edges and among thickets of shrubs, Adonis Turkestan - in the subalpine belt of mountains, Adonis Amur-in cedar forests, mixed and deciduous forests and in thickets of shrubs.

The part used. Grass (stems, leaves, flowers, and unripe fruits).

Chemical composition.

Grass contains cardiac glycosides of cymarinum, adondakis, flavonovy glucoside adonivernit, several other cardiac glycosides, saponins, adonit alcohol, phytosterols and mineral salts. Plants are poisonous.

Application

Adonis has long been used in folk medicine in many countries for various heart, kidney and colds, malaria, various colic, convulsions, hysteria, shortness of breath and as a diuretic for dropsy and leg edema. Herbal infusion excites and regulates the activity of the heart, expands the blood vessels of the heart and kidneys, increases heart contractions, equalises the heart rhythm and eliminates congestion. The infusion also has a diuretic, anticonvulsant, analgesic and soothing effect, reducing the excitability of the motor apparatus of the Central nervous system. In German folk medicine, an infusion of the herb is used for various heart diseases, Graves disease, dropsy, rheumatic pain in the joints and muscle system, as a sedative for convulsions and whooping cough.

Adonis was introduced to scientific medicine at the end of the last century by the famous Clinician Prof. S. p. Botkin and his student doctor N. A. Bubnov. In medical practice, Adonis is used in the form of water infusions of herbs as one of the most important means that regulate and stimulate the activity of the heart. The infusion is used for various cardiovascular diseases and especially for chronic heart failure and heart neuroses, and in combination with bromine — for increased nervous excitability, insomnia, convulsions, epilepsy and alcoholic psychoses.

Adonis with repeated use does not have a cumulative property, that is, the property of accumulating action, because of the relatively small resistance of the active principles. The pharmaceutical industry also produces special preparations made from Adonis: adonizid, dry extract and tablets (pill) Adonis-bromine containing dry Adonis concentrate, potassium bromide and codeine. Adonis drugs are used only as prescribed by a doctor.

All types of Adonis have a therapeutic effect, but differ in different degrees of biological activity. The most valuable Adonis spring, which is usually used in medicine. Adonis of Turkestan in activity is equal to Adonis of spring, and sometimes exceeds it; Adonis of Amur is almost equal to it. Less healing power has Adonis Siberian. The weakest effect is shown by Adonis Volzhsky. The use of all types of Adonis, as a poisonous powerful heart remedy, requires great caution.

Method of application

7 g of dry Adonis herb infuse in 1 glass of water. Take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.