Gratiola officinalis - Gratiole

Gratiola officinalis, known as Gratiole, is a multi-year herbaceous plant from the family of Plantaginaceae. This plant is at home in Europe and parts of Asia and was traditionally used for its medical properties. Due to their toxic ingredients, Gratiola officinalis is used today with caution, and their application is usually limited to homeopathic and heavily diluted preparations.

Morphology

Gratiola officinalis is a herbaceous plant that typically reaches a height of 20 to 60 centimeters. The plant has an upright, square stem that is branched in the upper part. The leaves are arranged, lanceolate to ruler and have a serrated or almost smooth leaf edge structure. The leaves are about 3 to 6 centimeters long and sit directly on the stem, without a stem (sitting).

The flowers of Gratiola officinalis are cygomorphic, that is, they are symmetrical and resemble in their shape of a tube. They are about 1 to 2 centimeters long, white or pale yellow and have a five -zwig hem. The heyday ranges from June to August. The flowers are arranged individually in the armpits of the upper leaves. After flowering, the plant forms small, egg -shaped capsule fruits that contain numerous seeds. The seeds are very small and are sprinkled out of the open capsules when ripening.

Distribution and habitat

Gratiola officinalis is widespread in Central Europe, but can also be found in Western Europe, Southeast Europe and parts of West Asia. The plant grows preferably in damp and swampy areas, such as on the edges of ponds, rivers, trenches and in damp meadows. It thrives particularly well in acidic, nutrient -rich soils and can often be found in company of other moisture -loving plants. Gratiola officinalis has become rare in many regions and is under nature conservation in some countries, since their natural habitats are threatened by drainage and intensive agriculture.

Folk medical applications

Gratiola officinalis is a plant with a long history in folk medicine. In earlier centuries, it was estimated due to its heavily laxative and ematic (vomiting triggering) properties. The plant contains a number of biologically active compounds, including cucurbitacine that are responsible for their toxic effects. These compounds can cause severe gastrointestinal symptoms in higher doses and are also known for the liver -damaging effect of the plant.

Gratiola officinalis has traditionally been used to treat various symptoms, including digestive disorders, water addiction (edema), liver and milzer's diseases. The plant was often used as a drastic laxative to free the body of "mucilic materials", which was considered therapeutically sensible in the context of the humoral pathology at the time.

Today Gratiola officinalis is hardly used in conventional medicine due to its toxicity. Instead, she is used in homeopathy, where it is used very diluted for a variety of symptoms, including digestive disorders, menstrual complaints and cardiovascular problems. It is important to emphasize that the safe application of the plant is only recommended in a strongly diluted form, and the application in self -medication should be avoided.

Toxicity and safety aspects

Gratiola officinalis is poisonous in all parts of the plant, especially in the leaves and roots. The cucurbitacine in the plant have a strongly irritating effect on the mucous membranes and can lead to severe poisoning, which are expressed by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps and in severe cases through liver and kidney damage. Due to these risks, the plant has largely taken a background as a remedy today, and its use should only be carried out under medical supervision.

In earlier times, the improper use of Gratiola officinalis led to numerous poisoning cases, which contributed to the fact that the plant was displaced from common medical practice over time. In modern medicine, it is primarily known as a poisonous plant, and its therapeutic potential is considered to be limited due to the serious side effects.

Ecological meaning

Despite their toxicity, Gratiola officinalis plays a role in the ecosystem of their habitats. It is part of the moist and swampy habitats that have a high biodiversity. The plant contributes to stabilizing the soil in these sensitive areas and is part of the complex network of plants that occurs in wetlands. Your seeds and plant parts can contribute to the food chain, although the toxic properties limit their attractiveness for most animal species.