BLESSED CENTÁUREA (cardo santo cnicus benedictus)

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	BLESSED CENTÁUREA
	*cardo santo cnicus benedictus*

Name
BLESSED CENTÁUREA

Scientific Name
cardo santo cnicus benedictus

BLESSED CENTÁUREA

Other Names:

Blessed Thistle, Blessed Centáurea, Centáurea Sudorífica

This it has received the pomposo title of "" blessed "santo" or due to its many medicinal properties, but mainly, by its effects against the plague. It was used during the Average Age against this frightful disease, possibly with more faith than success. In century XV Federico III of Germany provided itself to him to the emperor, that suffered of forts jaquecas. After it has been considered like remedy of almost all the diseases, the modern investigations chemistry-phamacists have revealed their true applications.

Habitat: one is extended by all Europe and Asia. Occasionally one is also in North America, as well as in Chile and Argentina. Own of ribazos and edges in dry lands.

Description: cms. plants from 20 to 50, with stem and vellosas leaves, pertaining to the family of the Compound ones. Their leaves are great and thorny, with ribbings very marked in envés. The floral chapters, little numerous, are of yellow color, and they are surrounded by reddish thorns.

Used parts: the stems, the leaves and the flowers.

Properties and indications: it contains a bitter principle, the cnicina, that acts stimulating the glands that secrete the digestive juice in the stomach and thin intestine. Of there its stomach action tonic, digestive and aperitive. Also it favors the functions of the liver and the páncreas, when clearing and desinflamar these organs.

In fact, these properties are common to most of the rich plants in bitter substances. But the thistle santo presents/displays the advantage to have, in addition, an important percentage of mucílagos and tannin, that they harness his action on the digestive apparatus. By all it, their main indications are:

Digestive atony, heavy lack of appetite, digestions and vomits.

Healing antiseptic and in external application, which had mainly to the antibiotic properties of its active principle, the cnicina. According to Fernandez and Nieto, this substance is effective against bactérias of gram-negative type, like the Brucella, the Shigella and the Escherichia coli. It is used to wash wounds, ulcers of the skin and for baths of seat in case of hemorroides.

Gastric Hipoacidez, that is to say, shortage of juice in the stomach.

Insufficiency of the hepática and pancreática function.

Exhaustion and convalecencia of debilitating diseases.

Diurético and febrífugo, due to its content in flavonoides and essential oil.

Hipoglucemiante: recent investigations have shown that this plant makes descend the level from glucose in blood. Therefore it is a good complementary treatment of the diabetes.

Use: in infusion or decocción done with a handful of fresh or dry leaves, 30 to 50 grams by liter of water. To take up to 3 daily cups, along with the meals. If this tisane is too bitter, honey or brown sugar can be sweetened with a little. For its external use, to use in compresas soaked in a decocción made with a handful of leaves, stems and/or flowers by each liter of water. They are applied locally on the zone of the affected skin. Also baths can be taken from seat with this same decocción.

Precautions: the tisanes and decocciones para.uso.interno, must be done diluted enough, because otherwise they can produce a very intense effect on the stomach, that can arrive at the vomit.

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