From century XVIII, the investigations in the scope of chemistry and the nutrition, have shown the remarkable curativas properties of the leaves and fruits of the walnut. Today we know that the nuts present/display a high nutritious value, with a content proteinic similar to the one of the meat, to which they surpass as far as the quality of his fats, and as far as its vitaminic mineral wealth and. It is necessary to remember that the nut is endocarpio or bone of the fruit, and its eatable interior is the seed. Pericarpio or rind of the green nuts, known like nogalina, is the external part of the fruit, fleshy and green; which, although is not eatable, is, along with the leaves, the used part more in fitoterapia by its medicinal properties.
Habitat: original of central Asia, one is spread by all central and southern Europe, as well as by the north of the American continent. It prefers warm valleys and sandy lands.
Description: tree of up to 30 meters of height, the family of the Juglandáceas. Its crust is of grayish color, and the leaves have a length peciolo. It presents/displays two types of flowers, masculine and the feminine ones. The fruit is one drupa.
Used parts: the leaves and the fruits.
Properties and indications: The leaves and the nogalina (green rinds of the fruits), contain abundant tannins of gálico type and catéquicos (9%-11%), that confer their property strongly to him astringent; as well as quinónicos derivatives, most important of which he is juglona, bitter substance that, along with the organic vitamin G and acids, explains its antiseptic, healing, tonificantes, vermifugal and hipoglucemiantes properties. These are their main applications:
Digestive upheavals: its intense action astringent does that the leaves of walnut and the nogalina (green rind) are useful in all the cases of diarrea, gastroenteritis, colitis, intestinal decomposition and flatulencias. Its tonificante action on the organs of the digestion, is pronounced by an increase of the appetite, a greater rapidity in the passage of foods by the stomach, and a greater bile secretion and pancreático juice. The convalescent dispépticos, inapetentes and, will be able to improve with their use.
Gynecological upheavals: the leucorrea (white flow), the cervicitis or colpitis (inflammation of the neck of the matrix) and the ulcers of the neck of the matrix, constitute the most important application of the walnut. Its antiinflammatory and antiseptic action is very effective when it is administered in form of vaginal irrigation. But attention: before applying no type of treatment in anyone of these feminine ailments, one requires the exploration and valuation of the case by a gynecologist, to discard that they could be of malignant or cancerous origin. The vaginal irrigations do not have never to be applied during the pregnancy. In order to obtain a more intense effect, it is recommended to take the infusion, in addition to the local applications.
Uretritis (inflammation of uretra or conduit of tinkles it) and cystitis: it is applied to a decocción of leaves and/or nogalina (green rinds) by means of an urinary sounding, with which one alleviates to the irritation and irritation that feel when tinkling, and the urinary mucous are desinflaman.
Affections of the skin and the mucous: the application of a decocción of leaves of walnut or nogalina (green rind) on the skin, is very beneficial whenever an action is required astringent, healing and antiinflammatory: eccema, impétigo (yellow scabs), foliculitis, dyes, sores and ulcers that do not heal. Sabañones, the anginas, the faringitis, the conjuntivitis and the hemorroides, are others of the many affections that improve remarkably with their application.
Intestinal parasites: the vermifugal action is more intense in the rinds of the green fruits (nogalina) that in the leaves.
Diabetes: the leaves and the rind of the fruits have demonstrated a smooth hipoglucemiante effect (they diminish the sugar level in the blood). Although by single himself they are insufficient for the treatment of the diabetes, can be useful complement of other dietetic measures, because they allow to reduce the dose of antidiabetic drugs. The seeds of the fruits, that is to say, the nuts, contain a 15% of proteins of high biological value, a 60'% of fats formed by linoleico and linolénico acid, and important amounts of calcium, phosphorus and vitamins To, B1, B2 and B6. Chewed well, they are a very nutritious, suitable food for sportsmen, students and young people in age of growth. They agree to that they suffer exhaustion, asthenia or upheavals of the nervous system. According to it has been possible to verify, the habitual consumption of nuts reduces the level of the sanguineous cholesterol.
Use: infusion with 10 or 20 grams of leaves and/or nogalina (green rinds) by liter of water, 3 to 4 daily cups; this infusion does not have to along with interfere other plants or prepared phamacists who contain salts of iron, gelatin, mucílagos or alkaloids, that can neutralize their properties; the ideal is to take it single, or sweetened with honey if it is desired. Decocción with 20 grams of nogalina (green rinds) by liter of water; as vermifugal a pair of daily cups interferes.
For external use, decocción with 100 grams of leaves and/or nogalina (green rinds) in a liter of water, doing it to boil during 15 minutes; it is applied in vaginal irrigations, uretrales washings, ocular washings (conjuntivitis), in baths of seat (hemorroides), in washings or compresas on the skin, or in garglings (faringitis); they recommend 2 or 3 applications every day.