Strawberries are a perennial herbaceous plant of the Rosaceae family up to 20 cm high. The rhizome is short, oblique, with numerous brownish-brown auxiliary roots. Stem erect, leafy, covered with hairs. Leaves in long petioles, trifoliate, dark green above, green glaucous below, gently pubescent. Rooting shoots develop from the breasts of the basal leaves. It blooms from May to July. The flowers are white, arranged on long pedicels.
The fruit is false, incorrectly called a berry. It is a bright red vessel, fleshy, fragrant, bright. Matures in July - September. Forest strawberries are widely distributed in the European part of Russia, Western and Eastern Siberia, the Caucasus and Central Asia. It grows on sunny slopes, hills, clearings of forests, clearings, edges of forests and in light forests. They are often found in the form of brush. Of vegetative propagation. The medicinal raw materials are ripe fruits and leaves. The berries are harvested early in the morning, if the dew decreases, or at the end of the day without cups and stems, since the dews collected during the time period deteriorate rapidly and fade with heat. The dried berries should fall apart.
The leaves are collected at the time of flowering plants with petioles no more than 1 cm long, dried immediately outdoors in the shade or in a well-ventilated room, spraying a thin layer and stirring occasionally. The leaves are stored in bags no more than 1 year, berries - 2 years.
Fresh strawberries in calories - 41 kcal per 100 g of product. It is characterized by a high content of carbohydrates, so its use in large quantities can cause the appearance of additional pounds. The juice of strawberry and calories is also 41 kcal, and 100 g of strawberry gelatin will enrich the body with 51 kcal.
Strawberries contain sugar, organic acids, fiber, pectin, tannins, nitrogenous substances, alkaloids, iron salts, phosphorus, calcium, cobalt, manganese, B vitamins, carotene, ascorbic acid and folic acid. In the leaves, ascorbic acid, tannins, lubricating ether and few alkaloids. Fresh fruits and the decoction of dried berries have a beneficial effect on digestion, quench thirst, stimulate hunger, eliminate inflammatory and ulcerative processes in the gastrointestinal tract, bile and urinary tract.
Strawberries are useful in gastritis, colitis and dysentery. Fresh fruits - a good remedy for the treatment of anemia. Strawberry leaves are used in atherosclerosis, diseases of the kidneys, bladder and spleen, with bronchial asthma, haemorrhoidal and uterine hemorrhages, stones and sand in the kidneys. They are used as diuretics, in violation of the metabolism of salt, to lower blood pressure. Infusion of leaves helps with colitis, gastritis, bronchial asthma, gallstones, improves sleep, normalizes motility. In addition, the infusion dilates the blood vessels, increases the overall tone of the body. Strawberry leaves are part of the vitamin teas, which have a tonic, hematopoietic and antisclerotic effect, improve metabolism.
As a source of vitamins it takes a decoction of the leaves and fruits of the strawberries. It is prepared as follows: 20 g of crushed dried raw materials are poured with 1 cup of hot water and boiled for 10 minutes, then infused for 2 hours, filtered and taken 1 tablespoon 3 times a day. Similarly, take a decoction for atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease and arrhythmias. For the treatment of hypertension it is useful to take an infusion of strawberry leaves. For this purpose, 20 g of dry ground raw material insist 2 hours in 1 cup of boiling water, filter and drink 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day.
For mental fatigue and anemia, a decoction of strawberry leaves is used as a tonic: 20 g of powdered raw materials are poured with 1 cup of hot water and boiled for 5-10 minutes, then infused for 2 hours, They are filtered and taken 1 tablespoon 3 times a day. . For diseases of the spleen, a decoction of the leaves is taken 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day. To excite the appetite with enterocolitis, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcers, the infusion of strawberry leaves is drunk on a table, howling spoon 3-4 times a day. The same infusion is useful in the form of lotions for bleeding hemorrhoids. For diseases of the biliary tract, such as an infusion, take 1/2 cup 3-4 times a day before meals.
In case of bronchitis, the decoction of the leaves of the strawberry rhizomes helps. It is prepared as follows: 20 g of dry powder raw material is poured with 1 cup of hot water and boiled for 15 minutes, then filtered and the volume of the liquid is brought to the initial boiled water. Take 1 spoon table howling 3-4 times a day. Broth leaves and strawberry fruits help with kidney disease, bladder, enuresis and are used as diuretics in violation of salt metabolism. For this purpose, 20 g of dried powder raw material is poured with 1 cup of hot water and boiled for 5 to 10 minutes, then infused for 2 hours, filtered and the volume of the liquid is brought to the original with boiled water . Drink 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.
In the case of urolithiasis with a therapeutic and prophylactic purpose, especially in the preoperative period, when the type of stones is not installed, the infusion of strawberry leaves is used: 20 g of dried raw materials are extracted for 1 hour in 1 cup of boiling water, filter and drink 1 tablespoon 4 times a day.
The use of strawberries in large quantities can cause a side effect: reddening of the skin, itching, rash, dizziness, desire to vomit and many other unpleasant sensations, which occur with the termination of the use of the berries. Strawberries are not recommended to eat during pregnancy, since their small seeds are a strong allergen. In addition, they irritate the intestinal mucosa and are not recommended for use in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as in renal and hepatic colics, biliary dyskinesia, pancreatitis.
