Hyssop officinalis: application and beneficial properties

Botanical description

Content

Hyssop is a perennial, unpretentious, herbaceous shrub that can grow in one place for up to 5 years. Originating in Central Asia and the Mediterranean, the shrub blooms with white, blue or purple flowers. The flowers have the shape of a spike, which is formed at the ends of the shoots. The stem is branched, the leaves are hard and raised at the edges, dark green in color. The leaves have small hairs that can secrete essential oil. Due to the high content of this component, the leaves and flowers have a unique bitter taste. The flowering period begins in July and ends in September with the formation of fruits. For treatment, the above-ground parts – leaves and stems – are used.

Description of the plant

Hyssop is a small shrub. On its stem, leaves in the shape of lacents are located opposite each other. Pinkish flowers surround the base of the leaves. It has a strong spicy smell. Reaches up to 70 cm in height.

The homeland of the medicinal plant is Mediterranean countries, where it grows freely in meadows and hills. In Europe, hyssop is grown as an ornamental, essential oil and spice plant. In our country it can be found in the foothills of the Caucasus.

What does hyssop treat?

This multifunctional plant can be simultaneously used for completely different purposes - prevention, treatment, and cooking. Hyssop is the herb that everyone should have in their medicine cabinet. The plant became famous for its healing properties several centuries ago.

• It is used in folk medicine to combat diseases of the respiratory system and sore throat.
• Effectively fights the treatment of asthma.
• It helps to get rid of constipation.
• Eliminates increased sweating.
• Treats conjunctivitis.
• Effective for rheumatism.
• It copes well with poor appetite and digestive problems.
• Eliminates disorders in the immune system, strengthens the immune system.
• It will help get rid of bruises and wounds.
• The problem of worms is solved.
• The herb has found use as an anthelmintic, expectorant, and to calm the nervous system.
• It has an antiseptic effect (especially on the ureters), treats inflammation of the urinary tract.
• Regulates the functioning of the brain and central nervous system, helps improve memory, concentration, and increase performance.
• With its help, wounds heal faster, pain and inflammation disappear.

Since ancient times, this raw material has gained the reputation of a general strengthening drug.

The herb hyssop, whose medicinal properties are beyond doubt, is used in medicine as decoctions and tea. Decoctions are especially effective in treating the upper respiratory tract; tinctures help cope with gastrointestinal pathologies and bloating.

Important!

Before using any of the remedies, it is necessary to obtain mandatory consultation from a specialist, because any plant has a number of contraindications.

Use in traditional medicine

Due to its unique healing properties, the plant is well known in many European countries and is included in official medical reference books:

• In Bulgaria, hyssop is used for bronchitis, asthma, chronic gastritis, and as an antiperspirant.
• In India, not only the shoots of the plant are used for medicinal purposes, but are also widely used in cooking.
• In Germany, medicinal preparations based on hyssop are widely used for the treatment of women's diseases, colds and viral diseases. Particular attention is paid to the anti-tuberculosis properties of the plant. Hyssop preparations are used for effective treatment and prevention of this serious disease.
• In Austria, an alcohol solution has become widespread, which is used in the treatment of bronchial asthma.
• In France, they prefer to use tinctures and decoctions of hyssop to treat dental colds.
• In Russia, traditional medicine does not use hyssop as a medicine. However, oil from the plant can be purchased at the pharmacy. It is used for both cosmetic and medical purposes.

Valuable chemical composition

Hyssop, the beneficial properties of which are determined by its unique composition, contains essential oil, which is the most valuable component. Essential oil is a mixture of aldehydes, hydrocarbons, alcohols containing pinenes, camphenes and other substances. It is a natural phytoncide and has antimicrobial properties, which has been repeatedly proven by scientific experiments.

In addition, hyssop contains high concentrations of tannins - glycosides, which are indispensable in the fight against a number of diseases.

The rich composition of blue St. John's wort boasts the content of useful resins, diosmins, flavonoids, various acids, etc. Just 100 grams of hyssop leaves contain at least 170 mg. vitamin C. Due to its disinfecting properties, blue St. John's wort is classified as a phytoncide.

Compound

To be able to determine the direction of use, the chemical composition of the plant was studied:

1. Essential oil. Oil is extracted from the leaves of the plant using steam distillation. Its consistency is viscous and light, and has a yellow-green color. Thanks to its tart and sweet fragrance, it can be used in aromatherapy and have a positive effect on the general condition of the body. It lifts your spirits and gives you strength. The healing properties of the volatile component can help cope with asthma, bronchitis, and sore throat. Rubbing with oil is widely used for colds. For nervous exhaustion and depression, adding a few drops to the bath is recommended. It is recommended to carry out external treatment of wounds, hematomas, acne, eczema, warts.
2. Tannins. Tannins are a component of many plants and are found in all parts of them. They have an astringent effect and, reaching the intestines, help to heal from dysbiosis, stop the activity of pathogenic microbes, remove waste and toxins, the effect of radiation, and promote the absorption of necessary, beneficial substances.
3. Diosmin. Flavonoid, a medicine of natural origin. Promotes vasoconstriction of norepinephrine on the venous walls. Increases tone and decreases venous capacity.
4. Hyssopin. Flavonoid activates enzymes in the body. Widely applicable in traditional and folk medicine. Antioxidant. It is valued for its ability to support the cardiovascular system, prolong youth and even life.
5. Hesperidin. A natural medicine that strengthens blood vessels and improves blood circulation. Used to prevent vein pathologies. The strongest cardioprotector.
6. Resins. They are similar in composition to essential oil. In its uncured form it is a balm. They have a wide spectrum of action: bactericidal, laxative, anthelmintic, wound healing.
7. Vitamins. The composition contains a large proportion of ascorbic acid, as well as A, B, E, PP, K and D.
8. Microelements - manganese, selenium, copper, calcium, iron, chlorine, boron, fluorine, flint, tungsten.
9. Ursolic acid is often used in sports circles and is an excellent anti-obesity remedy. It is an inhibitor of cancer cells. It has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory, antitumor properties.

Contraindications

The plant is mildly poisonous, so there are contraindications for its use; it must be used very carefully. The doctor will help you decide on the permissible dosage of the drug used. You will first need to undergo a series of tests, based on the results of which a conclusion is drawn about the need or impossibility of taking the drug in each specific case. This is necessary in order to avoid possible harm to the body.

There are not many contraindications, but they do exist:

• Hyssop should not be used by people suffering from hypertension, epilepsy and nervous system disorders;
• For pregnant women and nursing mothers, they should refrain from using products prepared from this plant. In the early stages, hyssop (decoctions and infusions) can provoke a miscarriage, and in nursing mothers, reduce the amount of milk;
• there are restrictions in case of kidney disease, as well as if the acidity of the stomach is increased;
• children under 12 years of age should not drink in decoctions and infusions.

Important!

It is necessary to use drugs for treatment strictly following all criteria, dosages and contraindications, otherwise pressure changes and rapid heartbeat may occur.

Harm of hyssop

If consumed uncontrolled and excessively, the plant can cause harm to the body. Main symptoms of overdose:

• muscle spasms, colic;
• diarrhea and stomach disorders;
• exacerbation of gastritis with high acidity;
• heart failure, blood pressure drop to critical;
• nausea and vomiting, heartburn;
• convulsions and dizziness;
• allergic rash, urticaria, swelling with individual intolerance.

Attention! If warning signs appear, you should immediately stop taking the herb. If there is no improvement, consult a doctor.

Collection and storage

Hyssop is harvested for winter storage.
Raw materials should be harvested between July and August. This is the period when the grass blooms. It is necessary to cut off only the flowering tops twice during the summer season; do not touch the woody areas. For drying, the prepared parts should be placed in the attic or any other room where there is sufficient air exchange. The optimal temperature for drying is 30 - 40 degrees. Elevated temperatures are dangerous because the essential oil, which is the most useful component of the raw material, is lost under their influence, thereby affecting the quality of the medicinal plant. To prevent loss of essential oil, it is best to store finished dried raw materials in a hermetically sealed container. It is recommended to start chopping the herb immediately before use.

The healing benefits of medicinal hyssop

• The plant is famous for its anti-inflammatory, expectorant, analgesic, antiseptic, diuretic, wound-healing, and antiseptic properties.
• In folk medicine, they successfully treat coughs, bronchitis, tuberculosis, catarrh, asthma, colds, and diseases of the respiratory system.
• The hyssop plant, whose beneficial properties are extensive, heals injuries, wounds, hematomas, bruises, scars, inflammatory processes and fungal skin infections.
• It is used against ailments of the gastrointestinal tract and digestive system problems.
• It eliminates severe sweating and alleviates the symptoms of menopause.
• The plant treats inflammation of the genitourinary area, rheumatism, and gynecological ailments.
• Products based on it stimulate brain activity, awaken appetite, and accelerate metabolic processes.

The medicinal properties of the herb hyssop can be listed for a long time. This wild herbal medicine has a truly extensive and versatile range of medicinal effects. Moreover, each individual case has its own miraculous recipe.

Use in folk medicine

Hyssop is called a sacred herb and is one of the oldest medicinal plants. It also has names - bee grass, fragrant hyssop. In folk medicine, fragrant flowers are of particular value, since they have much more healing power. The medicinal qualities of this plant can be compared with the properties of sage. Depending on the purpose of administration, the method of using the dosage form will differ.

1. A decoction is a widely used recipe prepared with blue St. John's wort; it is not difficult to obtain. 100 grams of flowers and leaves of the plant are poured into 1 liter of boiled water and boiled for 5 minutes. 150 grams of granulated sugar are poured on top. The strained broth is ready for use. You need to drink no more than 100 ml. per day. This remedy copes well with diseases of the upper respiratory tract, sore throat, and colds.
2. A classic infusion - it perfectly soothes the stomach, relieves bloating and gas, increases appetite, improves digestion, is used for gargling, mouthwash, and is effective for herpes if lotions are made with it. A remedy is prepared from 2 tablespoons of blue St. John's wort poured into a liter of boiling water, the mixture should steep for 30 minutes. The strained medicine is taken 0.5 cups 2-3 times a day.
3. Hyssop tea and tea drinks based on it are used as a prophylactic against colds and during flu epidemics, it is useful for older people, as it slows down aging, and helps with coughs, which are caused by dry mouth and throat. This infusion is recommended for cancer patients, as it tones and removes carcinogenic substances. To prepare tea, you will need 250 ml. water and 2 small spoons of herbs. After boiling, the mixture should sit for 10-15 minutes. For prevention, the drink should be drunk 2 times a day.
4. Hyssop syrup will come to the rescue with the first symptoms of a cold, sore throat, and nasal congestion. It’s easy to make the medicine at home - put a tablespoon of the listed name in an enamel saucepan - hyssop, anise seeds, fennel, raisins, add 3 finely chopped figs, pour in a liter of hot water, bring to a boil, boil until the water is reduced by half. Rub the remaining mass through a sieve, add 4 tbsp. honey, stir until the honey is completely dissolved. Transfer the finished product into a glass jar, if necessary, take it into your mouth and slowly dissolve, 1 tablespoon at a time. 3 times a day. The syrup helps both adults and children.

Recipes for treatment

1. A decoction for treating colds - a simple remedy will help relieve the condition. 2 small spoons of fresh hyssop leaves are poured into a glass of water and brought to a boil over low heat. The finished broth is infused for 10 minutes. If dry herbs are used, there should be no boiling stage. Simply pour boiling water over the prepared herb. You need to drink 200 ml of the healing potion. an hour after eating. This technique can lower the temperature without any pills.
2. A recipe against bronchial asthma - to prepare it you need to stock up on boiling water, a thermos and dry blue St. John's wort herb. 4 large spoons of hyssop are carefully crushed, poured into a thermos and poured with a liter of boiling water, screwed tightly, and allowed to stand for an hour. Then the solution is filtered and returned to the thermos. This product should be consumed in 200 ml doses. 30 minutes before meals for one month, drink only warm.
3. Hyssop for tinnitus - with a medicinal composition prepared on its basis, this unpleasant phenomenon can be eliminated. Crushed leaves added to honey and mixed with it are taken 1 small spoon three times a day. To prepare the product, you need to take a tablespoon of both ingredients.
4. For the intestines - to eliminate colic and soothe the inflamed intestines, you can prepare a healing tincture. You will need 1 liter of dry white wine and 100 grams of dried herbs. The leaves, previously finely crushed, are poured with wine and placed in a dark room for exactly 3 weeks; the composition will need to be shaken from time to time. The finished tincture must be filtered and consumed in 50 ml doses. morning, afternoon and evening.
5. For the eyes - excellent for eliminating conjunctivitis. The eyes are washed with a product prepared on its basis.
6. Hyssop in alcohol will help get rid of inflammatory processes in the oral cavity. To prepare a miracle, the product must be filled with 20 grams of raw materials with alcohol taken in an amount of 120 ml. Infuse for 7 days. 1 small spoon of this composition is mixed with a glass of water, and the resulting solution is used to rinse your mouth at least 3 times a day.
7. Use in cooking - the herb is also known to culinary experts around the world as a spice endowed with a unique taste and aroma. Fresh as well as dry leaves and flowers have a very pleasant, spicy, slightly tart aroma. The taste is reminiscent of camphor, hot ginger and intriguing sage at the same time; it will not leave anyone indifferent. Fresh hyssop will fit perfectly into a vitamin-rich autumn salad. It will look harmonious with classic vegetable appetizers and in dishes made from fresh cottage cheese. Dried blue St. John's wort seasoning can be used to flavor veal dishes, pea or bean stew. Good to add to roasts, bean dishes, soups, fresh cucumber and tomato salads, and cottage cheese. Many fans add weed to stuffed sausages and eggs. In southern European countries, dried hyssop is often an integral part of sauces and processed cheeses. Used for the production of liqueurs. It occupies an important place in dietary nutrition. When canning, you can add sprigs of herbs to cucumbers and tomatoes; this is an excellent seasoning.

Important!

The herb hyssop, which is used in cooking, is a very strong spice, so you shouldn’t get carried away with it. It can interrupt the taste of the main dish, and you should not forget about contraindications!

Benefits for men, women

Since ancient times, it has been known that the herb hyssop increases libido in men. It is used as a natural aphrodisiac. To prepare the product, you just need to chop the flowers and leaves of the plant, and then pour in white wine. The ratio is 10 tablespoons per 1 liter of white wine. The mixture should infuse for 10 days. It is important to shake the container daily. Take 50 ml in the evening a few hours before bedtime.

Herbal decoction of hyssop also has a beneficial effect on the female body. It effectively relieves pain during menstruation.

To prepare a healing decoction, you need to mix the following herbs in equal proportions:

• hyssop;
• Linden blossom;
• marjoram;

Add water to the resulting herbal collection and boil for 5 minutes. Two days before the expected menstruation, you can drink the solution one glass twice a day.

The plant also helps relieve menopause symptoms.

After regular consumption of hyssop tea, the following is observed:

• improvement of general condition;
• sleep restoration;
• decrease in the intensity of tides;
• elimination of sweating;

In case of erosion, it is recommended to douche with a decoction of herbs.

Where to buy hyssop

You can buy hyssop at the pharmacy in the form of herbal tea, essential oil, or dried herb. This component is included in such products as cough medicine Linkas and cold collection “Defender”.

However, you don’t have to be puzzled by the question of where to buy hyssop. It is quite possible to grow this herb yourself, at home. The unpretentious plant reproduces by seeds or division. Seeds should be sown in winter or early spring. If the seedlings are constantly watered, then in the summer the bush will delight with flowering stems that can be harvested.

Important! It is the flowering stems that are planted with a medicinal mission.

Growing Hyssop

Hyssop is not picky about growing conditions. In the wild, it grows well in sandy, rocky soils. Tolerates drought. Therefore, it will not be difficult to grow it on your site or even in a pot.

Plant seeds are sown in autumn or early spring. Seeds germinate one or two weeks after planting. If germination is high, they need to be pruned or thinned out. Bushes are planted at a distance of about 30-35 centimeters from each other.

In the future, care comes down to fertilizing, weeding, watering and loosening the soil. Watering should be done with cool water. You need to feed with mineral or organic fertilizers at the beginning of the season, i.e. in the spring.

It can grow in one place for about 5 years. Then the plant will need to be transplanted to another place, rejuvenating it with new young shoots or sowing seeds.

Hyssop - growing from seeds

The plant reproduces vegetatively and by seeds, grows well in well-groomed, fertile soils.

Hyssop is a honey plant, honey is considered very useful and valuable for health. Plant it next to a bed of cucumbers or other bee-pollinated vegetable plants. Bees will pollinate vegetable crops; it is not for nothing that beekeepers love this plant very much.

To grow, the beds are dug to a depth of 25 cm, leveled and compacted a little. Manure (3 kg per square meter) and mineral fertilizers (nitrophoska, nitro-ammophoska, garden mixture) 2 tablespoons per square meter are added to the soil.

The seeds are very small, they are planted in March or early April for seedlings, it is possible to sow directly into open ground at the end of April or beginning of May, to a depth of 0.5 - 1.5 cm, with row spacing of 15 - 20 cm. Do not plant the seeds in the ground It is recommended to plant deeply; the seedlings will emerge slowly or not at all.

As soon as the seedlings reach a height of 5 - 6 cm, they need to be planted. Care is simple - you need to water once a week, weed, loosen and feed.

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Hyssop and skin pathology

A favorite recipe of Greek herbalists is healing oil made from fresh flowers of blue St. John's wort. The manufacturing technology is complex, which is unlikely to make it a popular product for a home first aid kit in our latitudes. However, the successful use of such oil again amazes the imagination: it can even cure long-standing purulent wounds.

We can turn to easy-to-manufacture compositions:

• Universal bactericidal weapon: infuse hyssop (1 part) with vodka (10 parts). Duration - 7 days . Then filter and store in the refrigerator (vegetable shelf). The application is wide - from abrasions in children to lotions for boils.
• Infusion for compresses for pustular diseases and weeping eczema : two parts each of chamomile flowers and horsetail herb and one part hyssop. The proportion is three tablespoons per 200 ml of boiling water.

Blue St. John's wort for any disease

Ordinary St. John's wort is called a cure for 99 diseases, but how many ailments does indigo-colored St. John's wort treat? Herbalists have not yet taken up the calculations, but we can say for sure – certainly no less than 100!

The “fault” is the unique composition of hyssop. Tannins, essential oils, unique resins and flavonoids. And in fresh hyssop leaves you will find another bonus - a rich supply of ascorbic acid. Compare: 100 grams of hyssop “tops” contain 170 mg of vitamin C – the same as in fluffy kiwi!

So why still stock hyssop in your medicine cabinet? The beneficial properties and contraindications of European weed will help with a variety of problems:

• They improve appetite, strengthen the stomach, remove gases and help a hearty meal be better digested. Herbalists especially recommend hyssop decoctions for older people whose gastrointestinal tract is already beginning to become lazy.
• Blue St. John's wort is a strong antiseptic with a wide spectrum of action. Colds, sore throats, staphylococcal infections and even intestinal parasites - hyssop will be able to cope with the most unpleasant illness.
• Juzefka decoctions will definitely help you return to a full life after severe fatigue or serious illness. The plant improves brain function, restores memory, enhances concentration, and acts as a mild antidepressant without the slightest side effects.
• And this fragrant herb is a real women's medicine. in youth, it will help normalize the cycle, and during menopause, it will help cope with hot flashes. And morning washing with a decoction of hyssop is needed at any age - it will help narrow the pores, refresh the face, and restore an even skin color.
• Accidentally got a burn or hurt yourself? And here hyssop can help - its beneficial properties and contraindications will allow you to get rid of traces of a kitchen burn, an ordinary bruise, and even a significant hematoma.

Useful properties of the plant

If you didn’t know, hyssop is a very useful plant, rich in healing properties. The time of collection is very important for it, since the content of active substances before and after flowering differs significantly. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the plant when it begins to bloom. By the end of the season, the plant gives a second harvest.

Even in the Middle Ages, this herb gained respect and reverence as a medicinal plant and as a seasoning, having a special meaning and cult in monasteries. It had a strengthening effect on the entire body, which is very important for older people.

The herb has a pleasant taste and smell, so it is suitable for gargling for inflammation of the throat and mouth. You can combine hyssop with sage.

The herb slightly increases blood pressure, so it is often added to tea mixtures, one of the side effects of which is a decrease in blood pressure.

The plant is used as a cough suppressant and during attacks of bronchial asthma. It acts against night sweats, increases appetite, and is a diuretic. Hyssop is also often used as a preventative against stroke.

Natural hyssop contains about 8% tannin and 0.5%-1% essential oils, glycosides and diosmin, bitter substances, organic acids, and vitamin C. This plant has the following medicinal properties:

• has a disinfecting effect;
• promotes digestion;
• relieves flatulence;
• increases appetite;
• acts against excessive sweating;
• stimulates the immune system;
• relieves varicose pain;
• works as an antibiotic;
• helps with cough and phlegm;
• treats bruises;
• disinfects the urinary tract;
• supports kidney function, has a diuretic effect;
• relaxes the airways;
• reduces bloating.

The plant can be consumed fresh, dried or frozen. You will also be interested in reading about lofant anise and linden tea.