The authors of the classic antiquity did not know the varied medicinal properties of the alder. Who first wrote about them was Santa Hildegarda, German benedictine abbess of the century XII, that published two interesting treaties on medicinal plants. In centuries XVIII and XIX, when the palúdicas fevers made damage and the concerned quinine of America was difficult to obtain, the alder crust was used successfully as febrífugo, to which it was described as European quinine. At the present time, the alder continues itself using in fitoterapia, besides to have other many applications. Its crust is used to tan the leather and his serrín to smoke meats and fish. Its wood is very resistant to the water and practically imputrescible, and with her some bridges are done of London and Venice; in addition, it serves to make excellent pile shoes.
Habitat: frequent in the humid forests of all tempered Europe. It grows sporadically in some regions of North America (where also the red alder grows, of characteristic similars).
Description: tree caducifolio, of the family of the Betuláceas, that can reach up to 20 meters of height. Raised trunk, with cracked crust of grayish color. Indented leaves, of green color dark by, and above clear by envés. It is a monoico tree, that is to say, that has in a same plant the masculine flowers, grouped in 12 amentos from 6 to cms., and the feminine ones, forming small 2 fragmentation hand grenades from 1 to cms.
Used parts: the crust of the young branches and the leaves.
Properties and indications: the crust of the alder is very rich in tannin (until 20%). It also contains a colorante of glucosídico type, emodina red substance, and lipídicas substances. By his tannin wealth, it is a great astringent, that as much dries and tans the mucous in internal use as external. In addition, it has febrífugas properties. It is indicated in the following cases:
Diarreas summery, gastroenteritis and colitis.
Estomatitis (inflammation of the buccal mucosa), tonsilitis and faringitis: Garglings with the resulting liquid of their decocción are made.
Varicose, sores and hurt ulcers of difficult healing: Its decocción is applied in compresas on the affected zone.
Febrile diseases like the paludismo or the brucelosis, when it is indicated to lower the fever. In these cases the cofoundation of the crust by oral route is applied, under facultative control.
The leaves of the alder, contain tannin and sugars, in addition to a glutinous substance that covers them, composed by two alcohol (glutinol and glutanol) and their corresponding acids. These are their properties:
Vulnerarias, that is to say, that helps to heal the wounds and to cure the contusions. They turn out specially useful to heal to the sore feet and the gallings that take place as a result of long long walks, or of inadequate footwear. The flattened leaves are placed, within the socks, with their superior face in contact with the skin. One takes place a lightening in the sensation of fatigue of the feet, and a fast treatment of the gallings.
Antireumáticas: one becomes involved to the patient with leaves of alder warmed up previously to the sun or within a furnace, covering well the sore zone. To cover with a blanket. This "bath of leaves" turns out a good remedy to alleviate the rheumatic and artrósicos pains, besides to have sudoríficos and purifying effects.
Galactófagas, that is to say, that causes the retirement of the milk of the mothers who raise. For it, during several consecutive days, a cataplasm is placed on the breasts.
Use: decocción that is prepared with 30-40 grams of crust of young branches, that are made boil during 15 minutes; 2 or 3 daily cups are taken.
For external use, the same decocción is used for rinsings and garglings, as well as for compresas. In cataplasms the leaves are applied locally, or as vulnerarias (flattened within the sock with the superior face in contact with the plant of the foot), like antirheumatics (covering the sore zone, after to be warmed up in a furnace), or as galactófagas (on the breasts). The alder leaves must be applied green, whenever it is possible, specially when are used like vulnerarias.
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