BORRAJA

BORRAJA

Borago officinalis Linnaeus Fam. Boraginaceae.

Castilian: Borage.

English: Borage.

French: Bourrache.

From the family of Boragináceas.

Herbaceous, which measures 30 cm. 1 m in height. Almost everything has pelillos the stem and leaves are small, winding edges. The flowers have a cup divided into five parts with star - shaped. It was originally cultivated in Europe and much of the country. Vive associated with various types of tropical deciduous forest, subcaducifolia, subperennifolia And evergreen; Xeric scrublands, mountain cloud forests of oak and mixed pine.

It was said that the hot air (infusion of flowers) was an excellent heart stimulant, but nothing further from the truth, hence the phrase that applies to a project or an agreement that has not been brought to an end: " He has been in hot air. ".

Borage have medicinal applications against flatulence, bronchitis, cystitis, retention of urine, fever and hives.

The cataplasms scalded borage leaves, applied on the areas.

Unknown in antiquity, is believed native to the northwest of Africa, where he went to Europe through trade of the Arabs.

FEATURES: Plant annual about 50 cm. tall, completely covered with hair hedgehog. Born in the fall and dies in the summer of next year. Leaves alternate, dark, very rough, with the basal petioles hugging directly to the upper stem. The flowers, stars, blue, are grouped in clusters at the tip of the stem.

LOCATION: In Europe, where it grows on the roads abandoned alongside roads in wetlands.

ACTIVE: The entire plant contains mucilage (gelatinous substance) in abundant quantity tannins, saponin, resin and, especially, silicic acid, which are attributed to the properties of the plant.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES: If there is evidence that does not cause any effect on the heart muscle, were tested and their properties sudorific diuretic, and also serves to soothe pain caused by trauma.

COLLECTION: The leaves must be collected in spring when they are still tender, and the flowers, who cut one by one, in midsummer, when they are well open. The flowers should be dried immediately, in the shade, paper or on a canvas of clothing.

USES AND APPLICATIONS: As sudorific, the flowers are used in infusion. The fresh leaves little scalded with hot water and applied over the area affected by pain, relieve the latter. May well boiled and taken as a vegetable (as if they were Swiss) The resulting liquid, the boiling is a good diuretic. There are those who coated with egg and flour friéndolas with much oil.

Used Part.

The oil obtained from seeds, flowers and occasionally leaves.

Active Principles.

Flowers: mucilage neutral (30%) abundant minerals (silica, calcium, potassium) resins, flavonoids, anthocyanins allantoin; pirrolizidínicos traces of alkaloids. The leaves contain tannin and silicic acid (2. 2%)

Oil seeds (30%) rich in unsaturated fatty acids: oleic, linoleic, gamma - linolenic acid (precursors of prostaglandins)

Drug Action.

Flowers: The mucílagos confer demulcent properties, with an anti - inflammatory action; reepitelizante, for the allantoin. The salts of potassium, along with the flavonoids, producing a diuretic effect and sudorific.

Oil: for its wealth of gamma - linolenic acid (the precursor of prostaglandins) serving as hypercholesterolemic, antidismenorreico, emollient (eudérmico) In addition it is considered that having a positive impact on the regulation of the hormonal system and the general metabolism.

Indications.

It is used mainly from the Rabo also called Alacran to treat ailments such as cough, flu, whooping cough, bronchitis, asthma, angina, kidney pain, smallpox, measles, chicken pox, stomach infections, typhoid, ulcers, rheumatism and gout. Due to its linoleic acid content, lowers the rate of cholesterol. Diuretic, expectorant and sudorific. Battle states melancholy, as it stimulates the adrenal glands. The flowers are used to flavor wine. The leaves are consumed raw in salads or cooked. The borage seed oil regulates the hormonal system, helping to regulate menstrual cycles and disorders of menopause.

The recommended treatment is to use the branches with their flowers and a cook who is administered orally, which in some cases is mixed with chamomile. It is used to reduce fever and relieve skin problems, is also recommended as a diuretic. It is said that since the seventeenth century the ancient Mexicans used it as a purge or to fortify the body.

External use: The crushed leaves are applied in the form of hot poultice to ease the pains of gout and soften boils and abscesses.

Contraindications.

Flowers: Liver Diseases, cancer, pregnancy (because of its content in pirrolizidínicos alkaloids)

Do not prescribe dosage forms with alcohol content to children under two years or consultants in the process of alcohol addiction.

Caution / Poisoning.

Take into account the alcohol content of the fluid extract and tincture.

Galenica forms / Dosage.

Flores.

Internal use:

Infusion: 5 - 10 g / l. Infuse 10 minutes. One to three cups a day.

Fluid extract (1: 1) 10 - 30 drops, one to three times a day.

Tincture (1: 5) 30 - 50 drops, one to three times a day.

External use: cataplasms of leaves and flowers, by its action demulcent.

Borage oil:

Internal use: 75 mg, in soft capsules, 2 to 4 a day, after meals.

Topical use: pure oil or emulsion O / A 5%.

Bibliography.

Bézanger - Beauquesne, L; Pinkas, M; Torck, M. Dans la Plantes Les Thérapeutiques Moderne. 2. Paris: Maloine, 1986, p. 107.

Bézanger - Beauquesne, L; Pinkas, M; Torck, M; Trotin, F. Medicinal plants of temperate Regions. Paris: Maloine, 1980, p. 279.

Bruneton, J. Elements of Phytochemistry and Pharmacognosy. Zaragoza: Acribia, 1991, p. 88; 395.

Farnworsth, NR. Relative safety of herbal remedies. Natura Medicatrix, 1995; 37 - 78: 30 - 35.

James, A; Duke, Ph. D. Handbook of Medicinal Herbs. 5. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press, 1987, pp. 81; 234; 518.

Fernandez, M; Nieto, A. Medicinal Plants. Pamplona: Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, 1982, p. 44.

Gupta, MP. 270 Medicinal Plants Ibero - American. Santafe de Bogota: Latin American Program of Science and Technology for Development (CYTED) 1995, p. 201.

Le Floc'h, E. Etude Ethnobotanique une contribution to the Flore Tunisienne. Imprimerie officielle de la République Tunisienne, 1983, p. 199.

Mulet, L. Ethnobotanical survey of the province of Castellon. Castellon: Provincial, 1991, pp. 87 - 8.

Mulet, L. Toxic Plants of Valencia. Castellon: Provincial, 1997, p. 96 - 7.

Paris, RR; Moyse, M. Summary of Matter Médicale. Take III. Paris: Masson, 1971, p. 137.

Peris, JB; Stübing, G; Vanaclocha, B. Applied Fitoterapia. Valencia: M. I. Official College of Pharmacists, 1995, pp. 179 - 80.

Peris, JB; Stübing, G; Figuerola, R. Guide to Medicinal Plants of Valencia. Valencia: Las Provincias, 1996, p. 60.

Rivera, D; Obon, C. The Guide INCAFE of useful and Poisonous Plants of the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearics. Madrid: INCAFE, 1991, pp. 829 - 31.

Van Hellemont, J. Compendium of Phytothérapie. Bruxelles: Association Pharmaceutique Belge, 1986, p. 69.

Villar, L; Palacín, JM; Calvo, C. Gomez, D; Montserrat, G. Medicinal Plants of the Aragonese Pyrenees and other tierrras Huesca. 2. Huesca: Provincial, 1992, p. 50.

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