INDIA BERRY (fresalfragaria vesca)

	I
	INDIA BERRY
	*fresalfragaria vesca*

Name
INDIA BERRY

Scientific Name
fresalfragaria vesca

INDIA BERRY

Other Names:

Amarrubia, Anube, Arrugui, Fragaria, India berry, Guindón, Magueta, Meruéndano, Metra

The strawberry comes using as food for millenia, but their medicinal properties were not discovered until century XVI. The great Swedish botanist Linnaeus, who put name to numerous vegetal species, tells that he cured himself of the drop that suffered after being put under a dietetic regime, in that the strawberry was one of his main components.

Habitat: common in the edges of the ways and edges of wooded regions of all Europe. In Spain one becomes less frequent in the south. At the moment it is cultivated widely in the tempered regions of Europe and America. Also it can be asilvestrado.

Description: it plants vivaz of the family of the Rosaceous ones, who reaches of 5 to 20 cm of height. The leaves are trifoliadas, paler by envés. Their flowers are of white color, and have 5 petals. The true fruits are in fact the granites that are adhered to the surface of the strawberry.

Used parts: the strawberries (false fruits) and the leaves.

Properties and indications: the strawberries contain diverse sugars, mineral salts, vitamins To, B and C, organic acids, pigments, enzymes and mucílagos. Small amounts of salicílico acid and salicylates have been discovered in them also, substances similar to the aspirin, that grants antiinflammatory action to him. According to Font Quer, the juice (juice) of strawberries is one of the most complex products of the vegetal kingdom, by the variety of substances that compose it.

The strawberries contribute health to everybody, since they tonifican and they stimulate the organic functions, and purify the blood. These are their functions:

Depurativas and alcalinizantes: the strawberries facilitate the elimination of remainder substances, like úrico acid, that cause inflammation in the joints and the kidney. They are very recommendable in case of arthritism and drop, caused by an excess of úrico acid.

Laxatives: due to his content in mucílagos, they facilitate the intestinal transit and the evacuation. They are indicated to fight the constipation and the intestinal laziness.

Tonificantes and remineralizantes: they are recommended specially in case of anemia, lack of appetite and states of convalecencia of febrile or debilitating diseases. They open the appetite and they stimulate the metabolic functions.

Emollients: applied externally on the skin in cataplasm form, the strawberries have a suavizante, cleaning and embellecedora action muy.superior.a the one of many chemical lotions. They have been used, in local application, to cure sabañones, rubbing every day the parts affected (generally the hands) with mature strawberries.

The leaves of the fresal contain tannin and flavonoides, that they make astringents and antiinflammatory. They are used in the following cases:

Diarreas and gastroenterocolitis, by its tannin content.

Cracks of the skin and the nipples: applying them locally on the affected zone, they dry them and they heal.

Inflammations of the mouth (estomatitis), encías (gingivitis) and the throat (faringitis), in rinsings and garglings.

Use: Internally they are taken in infusion: It is made with 40-50 grams of leaves by liter of water. It is of very pleasant flavor. To take 4 or 5 daily cups. Externally, in compresas: with the same infusion that para.uso.interno, but a little more concentrated, is soaked compresas of cotton which they are applied on the cracks of the skin or the nipples. Also in mouthwashes and garglings with the concentrated infusion.

Precautions: to some sensible people the ingestion of strawberries produces urticaria to them by allergic reaction. They can try to desensitize itself, putting a piece of strawberry underneath the language every day, during 8 or 10 days.

U.E.P. Add to Favorite Home Page Recommend this Plant
2008 © HIPERnatural.COM www.hipernatural.com Your Source of Natural Health in Internet