Alocasia - medicinal properties and contraindications. Alocasia - medicinal properties Recipes for medicinal alocasia

It is familiar to many lovers of indoor floriculture and is revered for its unpretentiousness and high decorative qualities. But every gardener knows about the toxicity and irritating effect of alocasia juice.

In culture, the most widespread species is Alocasia macrorhiza, which develops a fleshy rhizome vaguely reminiscent of ginseng root. There are facts that some unscrupulous sellers of medicinal plants pass off the rhizome of arma as the “root of life” (ginseng), which exposes buyers to great danger of serious poisoning. At the same time, alocasia, if used correctly, can provide significant assistance in the treatment of a number of ailments, since its juice has medicinal properties.

Chemical composition of medicinal raw materials

The chemical composition has not been studied enough. It is only known that the juice of the plant contains the volatile substance aroin, which is credited with medicinal properties.

Alocasia: indications and contraindications

It is not included in the register of medicinal plants in countries outside its natural distribution area. Therefore, scientific medicine rejects all recommendations for the therapeutic use of drugs prepared on the basis of arma (especially for internal use). But when treating alocasia with drugs, one should take into account the high toxicity of the plant juice. Therefore, in order to avoid severe poisoning, it is necessary to strictly follow the recommended dosages and frequency of administration.

It is important that when using Arma preparations as external agents, a chemical burn to the skin is possible. To determine the sensitivity threshold, it is necessary to apply a drop of the drug to the skin in the elbow area (on the inside of the elbow) and observe the reaction. Severe inflammation of the skin will serve as a signal to reduce the concentration of the drug, which must be diluted with boiled water.

Alocasia: preparing medicine

Alocasia tincture

A tincture is prepared using 40% alcohol (or vodka). In particular, alocasia leaves must be chopped in a porcelain or plastic bowl (with a plastic knife). Next, you need to pour vodka in an equally proportional ratio (1:1). By the way, infusion is carried out in a dark place for at least 14 days (3 weeks are usually recommended).

Externally, the drug is used as compresses, lotions or rubs. For example, for thrombophlebitis, various dermatological diseases (eczema, psoriasis, etc.), hemorrhoids. By the way, when using the tincture for rubbing, patients experience a decrease in pain in the case of joint pain, myositis and osteochondrosis.

Traditional healers practice internal use of alocasia tincture to treat a number of diseases, for example, prostatitis, pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis, blood diseases, etc. But orally, alocasia tincture is also prescribed for the treatment of mastopathy and various tumors. The method of internal administration of alocasia tincture involves a gradual increase in dosage. For example, if initially the dose is 1 tsp, then by the end of the course of treatment the dose increases up to 1 tbsp. drug. But the healer selects treatment tactics individually.

Leaf pulp

A paste is prepared from fresh alocasia leaves by grinding in a wooden or porcelain mortar. But the pulp is used exclusively as an external remedy in the form of compresses in the treatment of joint and rheumatic diseases, as well as in dermatological practice.

Ointment

This medicinal preparation can be prepared using a gruel obtained from grinding alocasia leaves, mixed with a fat base (vaseline, lanolin, lard, etc.) in a ratio of 2:3. This ointment can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than three weeks. The ointment can also be prepared using alocasia tincture, mixing it with a fat base in a ratio of 1:4. The shelf life of such an ointment is practically unlimited. Alocasia ointment helps, for example, in the healing of trophic ulcers, relieves pain from rheumatism, arthritis and arthrosis.

Alocasia oil

The oil is prepared from a pulp using the oil extraction method. It is recommended to use non-drying oils, such as olive oil, as an extractant. Pour the pulp prepared from 1 leaf of the plant into 100 ml of vegetable oil and leave for 14 days in a dark glass bottle. At the end of the infusion period, filter the oil and squeeze out the remainder. By the way, you can store the oil in a cool place for 3 months. Alocasia oil is used in the form of compresses or for rubbing in for rheumatic and joint pain.

Leaf infusion

The active substances contained in alocasia juice are destroyed under the influence of high temperature. Therefore, all preparations are prepared “cold method”. To prepare the water infusion, you need chilled boiled water, which is poured over the crushed raw materials in a ratio of 1:10. The infusion time using the “cold method” is at least 24 hours. But you can store the medicinal infusion for no more than a day. The drug is recommended for use in compresses, lotions and rinses in the treatment of skin diseases.

Baths

The infusion for baths is prepared using the “hot method”, for which the crushed raw materials are poured with boiling water (1 liter) in a thermos. Infusion time - 1 hour. This infusion is enough to prepare a bath with a volume of 5 - 10 liters. For gouty bumps, such procedures are recommended to be carried out daily before bed; exposure time - 20 minutes. By the way, at the end of the procedure, the affected joints should be wrapped in woolen cloth.

Alocasia salty

Salting of alocasia leaves is carried out for the purpose of preparing medicinal raw materials for preparing baths. For each alocasia leaf you will need 2 - 3 tbsp. table salt. Grind the raw materials, mix thoroughly with salt and put under pressure for 24 hours. By the way, this raw material is enough to prepare a bath with a volume of 10 - 20 liters.

The medicinal subspecies of Alocasia includes a variety called Alokasia macrorhiza. It is recognized by its tuberous root, reminiscent of a fleshy ginseng tuber. Its healing properties are not inferior to such well-known medicinal plants as golden mustache, eucalyptus, and calamus root.

It has long been famous for its beneficial properties. Scientists at the All-Union Research Institute studied the plant for 40 years. Numerous experiments have confirmed its medicinal properties.

Leaves, roots - everything is used in the process of preparing tinctures, oils, drinks that are beneficial for the body as a whole.

They are able to normalize sleep and improve mental state. Essential oils have antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Their action is detrimental to staphylococcal and streptococcal infections. Capable of destroying tuberculosis bacillus and E. coli.

The released phytoncides ionize the air, neutralizing it from toxins.

What kind of plant?

Arma is a perennial native to Latin America.. It thrives in the tropics, growing up to two meters in height. We have a houseplant with evergreen heart-shaped leaves riddled with white veins.

It blooms with monoecious flowers of a yellowish tint, which produce red berries when ripe.

Popularly called shamrock: in the rosette of the plant there are three leaves. When a young leaf appears, the very first one dies.

Another name is weather forecaster. It’s simple to explain: before the rain, transparent drops appear at the tips of the leaves. They are like a barometer signaling changes in the weather.

“Flower Shop” will tell you about alocasia:

A course of treatment

Medicines must be used in precise dosage, under the supervision of an experienced healer. Consultation with a family therapist should not be neglected.

Alocasia is a poisonous plant. All work with it is carried out with gloves. The preparations should be prepared by an experienced herbalist who knows the exact dosage required to obtain the remedy.

The course of treatment depends on the disease patient and type of drug used.

Preparations based on it

To obtain potions, cut off a dying trefoil leaf at the base., including the petiole, which began to dry out. On this basis the following drugs are obtained:

• alcohol or water infusion;
• ointment;
• pulp of leaves;
• oil;

Official medicine does not recognize the medicinal properties of alocasia. It contains a number of toxic substances.

Chemical composition of the plant

The shamrock has not been fully studied, but studies have confirmed the presence of mercury, hydrocyanic acid, and cyanide compounds in it that are dangerous to humans.

Even a small drop that gets on the skin can cause a severe thermal burn. The pot with the plant should be kept out of the reach of children and pets.

The leaves are capable of releasing beneficial phytoncides in large quantities.. They stimulate and strengthen the human body. The presence of essential oils allows you to fight dangerous viruses and infections.

What does it help with?

Traditional medicine widely uses alocasia-based drugs for various diseases.

For oncology

Chinese scientists, conducting research in 2012, found that trefoil macroroot kills malignant cells in the liver. Even official medicine has confirmed that alocasia tincture is effective for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Taking the drug for the treatment of oncology occurs under the supervision of a doctor. Starts with one drop per day. It is diluted in a spoon of water.

The next day, dilute two drops and so they increase every day, reaching 25. Then they take it according to the drop reduction scheme. Afterwards there is a break.

The tincture is used in combination. You cannot increase the dose of the drug - you should remember its effect on the body as a whole.

Thyroid

For a sick thyroid gland, apply compresses with alcohol tincture. They are applied every day for 5 hours for a week.

Then you need a three-day break. This is done until complete healing.

Varicose veins

Diseased veins in the legs are treated with tincture compresses. The treatment is designed for a three-day course. I soak a gauze bandage generously in alcohol tincture and apply it to the swollen veins.

Healthy areas should be covered or made sure that the product does not get on them. Cover the top with compress paper, wrap it with an elastic bandage, and keep it for three days. During this time you need to walk less.

In bed, your feet should be higher than your head (a pillow should be placed underneath). When the bandage is removed, the veins are smeared at night for another three months.

Alocasia against varicose veins:

Stomach ulcer

To obtain a remedy for stomach ulcers, honey is added to the alcohol infusion. The resulting mass is kept for 10 days and taken a spoonful three times before meals. Then a break for two weeks and you can repeat it, keeping the same proportion.

How to cook?

To prepare your own medications, you must follow the exact dosages of the medications used.

Alcohol tincture

To prepare it you will need:

• take 40% vodka or alcohol of the same concentration;
• Grind the alocasia leaves in a porcelain mortar and pestle;
• mix the alcohol with the crushed plant, maintaining a 1:1 ratio;
• leave for three weeks in a dark place in a glass jar;
• filter before use.

Used in compresses, lotions, rubbing.

Water infusion

How to cook:

• cool boiled water to room temperature;
• Finely chop the leaves, add 1 to 10 water;
• Stir immediately and leave for 12 hours.

Store this infusion for no longer than a day in the refrigerator.

Ointment

Preparation:

• grind the leaves into a paste;
• mix with Vaseline or lard 2 to 3;
• Store in the refrigerator for no longer than three weeks.

If you mix alcohol tincture with fat 1 to 4, then you get an ointment with an unlimited validity period.

Alocasia ointment for arthritis:

Juice

It is practically never used in its pure form; it is very poisonous.. If the treatment involves the use of juice, then it is squeezed from a living leaf and taken strictly as prescribed by an experienced healer.

Leaf pulp

To prepare the paste, simply grind the leaves in a mortar. Use only as an external remedy.

There is no shelf life. It must be prepared immediately before use.

Oil

How to cook:

• Make a paste from cut 1 leaf;
• add it to 100 ml of olive oil;
• shake, pour into a dark glass container;
• insist for two weeks;
• strain, squeezing out the remainder, and store in the refrigerator for three months.

Methods of application

Before using the prepared medicine it is necessary to conduct a sensitivity test.

To check the body's reaction, apply a drop of the product used to the bend of the elbow and wait 10 minutes. At the slightest discomfort, immediately rinse with water.

Compresses

They are done after a test check strictly on diseased areas. Healthy skin should be protected from contact with the drug. The duration depends on the disease and the herbalist's prescription.

Alocasia joint compress:

Massages and baths

For a 10-liter bath, prepare the following solution: Pour crushed leaf into a 1-liter thermos for an hour.

They are usually done before bed, setting aside 20 minutes for this. After a massage or bath with alocasia, the body should be kept warm.

Contraindications

You should not use shamrock medicinal products if:

• diseased kidneys;
• allergic reactions;
• a woman is pregnant or breastfeeding;
• children have not reached 16 years of age.

Traditional medicine is not a panacea. Recipes suggested by healers should always be discussed with your doctor. For successful treatment, a general picture of the whole organism is needed so as not to cause further harm.

Alocasia has a general strengthening, analgesic effect, is a biological stimulant, resists cancer, but it cannot be taken at your own discretion.

The joint work of the patient, healer and doctor will have a positive effect.

Alocasia (or, as it is often called, trefoil, arum, weather grass) has long taken root among our people. This unpretentious flower has beautiful decorative leaves and “knows how” to predict rain. Alocasia can help in the treatment of many diseases, but at the same time, it can easily be poisoned.

Chemical composition

The chemical composition of alocasia has not yet been thoroughly studied. It was studied by doctors and scientists in Altai and the People's Republic of China (Sichuan Province). During the research it was revealed that the plant contains:

• flavonoids (quercetin, chalcones, hyperoside, etc.);
• alkaloids (5 different types, including aroin, similar in composition to quinine and ajmaline);
• coumarins;
• hydrocyanic acid;
• mercury (4.0 ± 0.2 mg/kg);
• sublimate;
• cyanide compounds.

Studies have shown that this plant does not contain tannins, cardiac glycosides, saponins and fluroglucides.

Did you know? The Buddhist healer Badmaev, while in St. Petersburg and providing medical assistance to the heir of the last Russian Tsar Nicholas II, actively used arum in his practice.

What are the benefits of alocasia: medicinal properties

The presence of poisons in the composition of arum did not allow this plant to officially become one of the recognized medicines. However, large-rooted alocasia has long been used by humans to cure many diseases, and the properties of this plant have been studied in research institutes. Practice and research have shown that preparations from arum:

• suppress the growth of hepatomas;
• have an analgesic effect (for myositis, joint pain, osteochondrosis, toothache, stomach cramps, etc.);
• help with miasmatic poisoning;
• have an expectorant effect;
• have healing and absorbable properties;
• have an antimicrobial effect;
• relieve inflammatory and allergic reactions, help with insect bites.

The presence of this helps improve the atmosphere: phytoncides and essential oils saturate the air, kill bacteria, and tone the body.

Alocasia has found its use in the treatment of gout, tuberculosis, intestinal diseases, fibroids, etc.

Important! Most of the toxic substances of arum alocasia are contained in its juice - it can cause burns to the skin and mucous membranes.

Rules for the collection and storage of medicinal raw materials

Alocasia is an indoor flower, so you can always keep medicinal raw materials on hand. Its collection is carried out without harming the plant - it itself, as it were, gives up an unnecessary leaf.

At the moment when the growth of the young leaf (the fourth) begins, one of the old ones (usually the lowest leaf) begins to dry out. This moment is the most appropriate - it is necessary to cut off the wilted leaf along with part of the petiole. In this case, you should be careful and make sure that the poisonous juice does not splash or get into your eyes or skin. It is worth using rubber gloves. After collecting raw materials, be sure to wash your hands with soap.

Arum leaves are rarely stored for future use. But you can, for example, pickle the leaves and use them later for baths. The leaf must be cut, mixed with 3 tbsp. l. salt and leave for a day under pressure. This portion is enough for a volume of water from 10 to 20 liters.

Traditional recipes: treatment of diseases

Depending on what alocasia treats, traditional healers use alcohol and water tinctures, balms and ointments. Most of them are used externally - in the form of compresses, rubbing, lubrication. Internal use is usually recommended for cancer (especially gynecological diseases).

Did you know? Arum can predict weather changes- before it rains, droplets of moisture appear on the tips of the leaves.

Alcohol tincture

Alcohol tincture from arum is prepared in two versions - for external use (compresses, lotions and rubbing) and for internal use.

To make the first option, you need to finely chop the leaves, place them in a glass container, pour vodka (covering them completely). Place a tightly closed container in a dark place for 14 days. Before use, strain the infusion.
Compresses are used:

• for thyroid nodules, mastopathy (daily for 7 days - for 4 hours). After a three-day break - repeat;
• for varicose veins, compresses should be applied only to diseased areas. The compress should be secured with an elastic bandage and worn for three days. Mobility should be limited as much as possible; if possible, it is better to lie down more and keep the sore legs above head level (place a pillow). After completing the procedure, lubricate the diseased veins with the tincture at night for three months;
• for dermatitis, eczema - lubricate problem areas of the skin.

For internal use, the cut leaf is poured into a glass container with 100 g of alcohol (70%) and left for 10 days in cool and dark conditions. They treat prostatitis, tuberculosis, etc. Scheme of use: first dose - 1 drop per st. l. water in 30 minutes. before meals once a day, then add a drop daily (bring up to 30 drops). After this, do not increase the number of drops and gradually finish the tincture. You can repeat the course no earlier than after two weeks, the third - after three months.

Did you know? Alocasia first appeared in Russia under Catherine II- On her orders, arum was planted in the Winter Garden in St. Petersburg. This plant grew two meters tall.

Water infusion

This infusion is made in two ways - hot and cold.

In the first case, the arum leaf should be crushed, pour a liter of boiling water and leave for an hour. This tincture of alocasia has found its application in the treatment of bumps on the feet and in the preparation of foot baths. It is better to take baths before bedtime, for 20 minutes. At the end of the procedure, wrap the sore leg with a woolen scarf.

In the second case, the crushed leaves must be poured with cool water (1:10) and left for at least 24 hours. This infusion is used for washing, rubbing, and making compresses.

To treat sore joints and rheumatism, a paste of arum leaves is used. Fresh leaves should be chopped with a blender or knife. Then grind with a pestle in a porcelain mortar until a mass of the same consistency is obtained. Use the gruel for compresses. It can be used in preparing ointments.

Important! When making arum pulp, you need to make sure that the leaves are not green (they still contain a lot of poisonous juice). The leaf should be dark and wilted, beginning to dry out.

Ointment

The ointment helps in the treatment of trophic ulcers, arthritis, rheumatic pain. To make it, any fat base is used - badger fat, lard, ghee or cream and fresh alocasia juice (3:1). If you use a paste of leaves, then you need to take two parts of it to three parts of fat. Mix everything. This ointment can be stored for no more than a week.

To obtain the potion, cut off the dying trefoil leaf at the base, including the petiole, which has begun to dry out. On this basis the following drugs are obtained:

• alcohol or water infusion;
• ointment;
• pulp of leaves;
• oil;

Official medicine does not recognize the medicinal properties of alocasia. It contains a number of toxic substances.

All work with the plant should be carried out with gloves due to the fact that alocasia juice is very caustic. To prepare the tincture, take the lowest leaf, which has already withered and begun to die, crush it and pour vodka or 40% alcohol. Then the mixture is placed in a dark place for a week and a half, after which it is filtered and treatment begins.

Alcohol tincture of alocasia is used internally according to a certain scheme. Take 1 drop three times a day, half an hour before meals, dissolving the tincture in a spoon of boiled water. Each subsequent day, the dose is increased during administration by 1 drop, bringing the amount to 25 drops per dose.

After this, the dosage is gradually reduced, reducing the intake of alocasia to 1 drop on each subsequent day.

In folk medicine, prostatitis, fibroids, fibroids and cancer are treated in this way in consultation with a doctor. In case of cancer, the number of drops is increased to 40. Externally crushed tuber is also applied to tumors.

To prepare medicinal oil, one leaf is crushed to a paste and mixed with 100 grams. olive oil. The mixture is infused for 10-14 days in a cool, dark place, after which it is filtered and rubbed into the affected joints for pain. This oil retains its properties for up to 3 months.

Treatment

To obtain potions, the lower leaf of the plant, which begins to die, is used. It is cut off along with the petiole at the very base.

Alocasia tincture with alcohol is made after grinding the leaf and petiole in a porcelain mortar. The leaf is first cut with a plastic knife and in a plastic container. How much slurry is obtained, the same amount of vodka is taken.

The suspension is kept for 3 weeks in the dark. This tincture of alocasia with alcohol is used for external rubbing in joint pain and skin problems. For internal use, the course is selected individually, and the drug is taken under the supervision of a healer.

An ointment is also made, which consists of gruel, grated as for tincture and a fat base in the ratio of 2 parts gruel and 3 parts lard, petroleum jelly and similar products. Store the ointment in the refrigerator.

Alocasia oil is made by cold extracting the pulp from the leaf into olive or other oil. In this case, 100 g of oil is taken per sheet, the process is carried out in a dark place for 3 weeks, then the remaining fibrous substances are squeezed out, and the oil is used for 3 months. Apply it externally.

Infusions of gruel in water are used for baths, but the mass must be infused for 24 hours; after 24 hours it retains its healing properties. All preparations are prepared using cold and warm methods. Boiling or using boiling water will destroy the complex composition.

The resulting drugs are used:

• for diseases of bones and joints;
• in skin problems, any dermatitis;
• with varicose veins and thrombophlebitis;
• benign and malignant tumors;
• tuberculosis;
• stomach ulcer.

Currently, these remedies are used in folk medicine. Research on the plant is being carried out intensively, its medicinal effect is confirmed, but alocasia is not included in the pharmacopoeia of official medicine.

To prepare medicines, cut off the dying trefoil leaf at the base.

Why do alocasia leaves turn yellow?

Alocasia or Arma is a tropical plant from the araceae family. Its homeland is the tropics and subtropics of Central and South America, Asia and Australia. In the natural environment, the appearance of a plant largely depends on its growing conditions.

Height can vary from 40 centimeters to 2 meters. Its stems can be either herbaceous or tree-like. In indoor conditions, alocasia does not grow tall and its shoots do not become lignified.

The leaves are large, on long petioles. At first they have a round shape, but as they grow they become heart-shaped or arrowhead-shaped - this depends on the specific type of plant. The leaf surface is glossy, dark green, and has white veins, giving alocasia an elegant appearance.

Arma blooms very rarely. The inflorescence is a spadix of small cream flowers framed by an oval veil. Ripe fruits look like spherical red berries. The plant has healing properties.

Alocasia is a genus of perennial herbaceous plants of the Araceae family. Representatives of the genus grow in height from 40 cm, some stretch up to 2 m or more, that is, they have both compact, small sizes and giant tree-like forms.

In most cases, evergreen, occasionally with leaves falling off in winter. It is distinguished by the unusual shape of flowers and fruits. Cuts of the plant exude a clear liquid called milky sap.

Alocasia is native to the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. In its natural environment it can be found in Malaysia and Ceylon. One of the features of alocasia is that it uses leaf blades to get rid of excess moisture in the soil and air.

A strong, thick, shortened stem is usually vertical, occasionally elongated and creeping. The rhizome is thick, short, often tuberous.

Depending on the species, the number of leaves may vary, and during the flowering period some species may have only one leaf. Many species, in addition to one leaf, have cataphylls that perform a protective function in relation to the newly emerged leaf.

The petioles are long, juicy, fleshy, dense, often veiny, and have stomata on the surface of the leaves, through which the plant gets rid of excess moisture. Young leaves are predominantly round in shape. The alocasia plant has large, dense adult leaf blades 20-100 cm long, with solid edges of an arrow-shaped, core-shaped, oval or shield-shaped, with a pointed end, sometimes pinnately dissected into asymmetrical oval or triangular segments.

In many species, in addition to the dark green color, the leaves have red spots, white or yellow pronounced strokes, and veins. Copper-red alocasia does not have a spectacular pattern on the leaf plate, but the upper and lower sides are painted in different colors.

Alocasia rarely produces its own flower. Flowering varieties are extremely rare among alocasias. Inflorescences begin to form, in most cases, together with new leaves and only in deciduous varieties.

They have an unusual, candle-shaped shape in the form of small fragrant pale pink or light beige flowers, collected in an inflorescence spadix. Externally, the inflorescence is partially wrapped in a wide blanket, shaped like a slightly unfolded scroll.

The inflorescence is located on a dense shortened peduncle. After pollination, fruits are formed - bright red berries of an ellipsoidal or hemispherical shape, containing 1-5 seeds. As the fruit sets, the cover gradually cracks and opens.

Alocasia is grown for its beautiful decorative leaves, since the flowers do not have much aesthetic value. In flowering plants, the growth and formation of new leaves slows down, even stops; they partially fall off. Because of this, it is recommended to remove the flowers and treat the cut areas with activated carbon.

The tubers of some species are edible, rich in starch, and grown for human consumption. All parts of the plant contain toxic substances that can cause harm to health; ingesting them can cause numbness and swelling of the tongue and throat.

The fragrant alocasia has medicinal properties and is widely used in Chinese folk medicine. The leaves are used in the treatment of pneumonia and tuberculosis, the stems are used for stomach pain and toothache.

At home, caring for alocasia requires regular, but at the same time uncomplicated. Creating suitable conditions is quite simple. By following simple maintenance rules, the plant will delight you with its tropical, exotic appearance for many years.

Bloom

Alocasia blooms only when comfortable conditions for growth and development are created, and only after reaching adulthood (5-7 years). Flowering is always accompanied by stress for the plant, since budding takes a lot of energy from the perennial.

During this period, the growth and formation of new leaves stops, many species shed their leaves. Because of this feature, it is recommended to remove the formed inflorescences, since many lovers of exotic tropical plants grow them precisely because of the unusual, spectacular foliage.

What to do if the weather leaves turn yellow and lose their decorative appearance? The main reason why alocasia leaves turn yellow is improper placement of the flower. When exposed to direct sunlight for a long time, the leaves begin to wither, turn yellow and fall off.

The optimal lighting for a flower is bright but diffused light. Another possible cause may be unsuitable water for irrigation, containing iron, salts and chlorine. For irrigation use distilled or settled water.

Diseases and pests

Indoor plants that come from tropical and subtropical regions attract with their unusual beauty. Learning the “biography” of a flower, we realize that it is valuable not only for its decorative effect. All house plants improve the atmosphere around them, and some are considered medicinal.

The air in the room where the flowers are located is inevitably moistened and purified, and the psychological climate in the house improves. All this is true for alocasia, the medicinal properties of which are often of interest to its owners.

Dialectics of poison

There are about 70 varieties of alocasia, but healing properties are attributed to 2 types:

• Alocasia macrorrhiza, known as arma or arum indica, is a tall herbaceous plant with bright green heart-shaped leaves almost a meter long and succulent petioles; it has a thickened rhizome, similar to ginseng root;

• Alocasia odora (A. odora), a large plant with fleshy leaves, similar to highly elongated shields, up to 1 m long.

There are known cases when the rhizome of alocasia was passed off as ginseng, which exposed buyers to the danger of severe poisoning.

A common property of all types of alocasia is toxicity. The juice contains cyanide and mercuric chloride (mercuric chloride), which cause burns and swelling of the mucous membranes.

The juice and pulp of the lower leaves, which begin to turn yellow, are used in traditional Chinese medicine, but the healing properties of alocasia have not been confirmed in the European Pharmacopoeia. There is also no proven method for producing medicines based on this plant.

What is practiced at home as treatment with the help of arma is done at your own peril and risk. Therefore, information about its healing properties is offered not as a guide to action, but as a reason to think about the dialectics of life, in which benefit and harm are closely intertwined.

Young leaves should not be rubbed in hands or consumed internally. Do not allow children or pets to touch the alocasia plant.

Dialectics of poison

Since alocasia is poisonous, it is rarely attacked by insect pests and is resistant to various diseases. However, if the conditions of care and maintenance are violated, the plant can be attacked by aphids, spider mites, mealybugs, thrips and scale insects.

When a spider mite attacks, thin white cobwebs appear on the underside of the leaf. They fight the pest by spraying the affected areas with a weak tobacco infusion, and sprinkle the places where the cobwebs appear with ground sulfur.

With the appearance of the scale insect, dark spots appear on the plant. They fight it by spraying with a soap-tobacco solution with the addition of kerosene or denatured alcohol.

When aphids appear, the leaves lose their decorative appearance, dry out, and become deformed. The pest settles on the underside of the leaf, feeds on its sap, and multiplies quickly. To kill aphids, spray a solution of nicotine sulfate with soap in a ratio of 1 gram of powder per 1 liter of soapy water.

Pest control begins at the first signs of damage; leaf blades are wiped on all sides with a soap solution, powdered with ground sulfur; in advanced cases, broad-spectrum insecticides are used, for example, Actellik.

After treatment, a day later, the plant must be rinsed well in the shower, after covering the soil with film. If insect pests are detected, the treatment is repeated again.

Due to waterlogging of the soil, stagnation of water and too dense soil, the plant becomes ill with a fungal disease - root rot. For control, fungicides (Topsin, Fundazol) are used, the flower is transplanted into new loose soil, and the affected and rotten parts are removed.

The formation of brown spots on the leaves of alocasia indicates a powdery mildew disease: in this case, the plant is treated with copper-containing preparations (Oxychoma, Polycarbacin). To prevent alocasia disease, the flower is sprayed with a soap solution and treated with colloidal sulfur.

Types and varieties

Only one variety of alocasia, called Alokasia macrorhiza, is classified as medicinal. It contains the lowest concentration of toxic substances, and its roots are even eaten in some countries.

This plant is recognized by its tuberous root, similar to the fleshy ginseng tuber. The healing properties of large-rooted alocasia are not inferior to such well-known medicinal plants as golden mustache, eucalyptus and calamus root.

Zamioculcas zamifolia (Z. zamiifolia);

Zamioculcas lanceolata (Z. lanceolata);

Zamioculcas variegated.

There are about 70 species of alocasia in nature. Of all the varieties of alocasia, only a few species are grown at home, where they grow no more than 1 m in height, although in natural conditions they can reach three meters.

According to height, all types of alocasia are divided into two groups:

• The first includes all large species with a height of more than 1 m: the brightest representatives of this group are large-rooted alocasia or arma, fragrant, kalidora;
• the second combines compact species up to 1 m in height - Alocasia sandera, Alocasia capulata, Alocasia Amazonica. The most popular for growing at home are Alocasia Polly, large-rooted, sandera, black velvet and others, distinguished by their original texture and color of foliage. The most popular for growing at home are Alocasia Polly, large-rooted, sandera, black velvet and others, distinguished by their original texture and color of foliage.

Large rhizomatous

Alocasia macrorhizomatous

A rather tall species, at home it grows up to 3-5 m, with a diameter of up to 2.5 m. Other names are mountain alocasia, lead-gray alocasia, thick-stemmed alocasia. In its natural environment it is found in South Asia, on the islands of Oceania, and in the tropical forests of Australia.

It mainly grows in roadside ditches, along the edges of wet fields, near housing. Alocasia macrorhizomatous has various varieties and garden varieties. The leaf blade is a uniform light green color, very large, oval-arrow-shaped, more or less vertical, can reach 100-120 cm in length and up to 50 cm in width, the edges are soft-toothed and sinuous.

Black corduroy

Alocasia black corduroy

A deciduous and decorative variety with a low stem (up to 10 cm), a round or oval leaf shape, 35 cm long, 25 cm wide, on strong petioles 15-25 cm long. Other names are alocasia velvet, alocasia “Black Velvet”.

At home it grows up to 30-45 cm in height. The sophistication and unusualness of Alocasia Black Corduroy lies in the color of the leaves: the lower part is a solid green color, the upper part is velvety, rich dark green with a metallic tint and pronounced white veins. It blooms with a pink spadix up to 10 cm long, with a pink and white spathe.

Kalidora

Alocasia calidora

A popular hybrid obtained by crossing fragrant alocasia and alocasia gageana. Up to 1.5-2 m in height, the leaves are large, up to 1 m long and 50-70 cm wide. The color of the leaf blades has been preserved in its original form - bright green.

Amazonian

Alocasia amazonica

A deciduous ornamental plant, a hybrid variety, obtained by crossing Alocasia Sander and Alocasia Lowe. The stem is 15-20 cm high, the leaves are dark green thyroid with a Y-shaped notch at the base, on which individual lobes with clear white relief veins are clearly visible.

The edges are jagged or wavy. The leaves sit on long pink-green petioles with dark strokes, 40-60 cm long. The plant blooms with small white-pink flowers, collected in an inflorescence spadix 15-20 cm long, but does not bear fruit at home. Alocasia Amazonian at home has a height of 40-60 cm, the crown diameter reaches 60-80 cm.

Sandera

Alocasia sandera

Belongs to tall species. Alocasia sandera grows up to two meters and has a tuberous, shortened rhizome. The leaves are 30-40 cm long and up to 15-20 cm wide, thyroid or arrow-shaped, elongated, dark green in color with a metallic glossy sheen.

Large-rooted

Large-rooted alocasia

Another name for thick-stemmed alocasia, Indian or arma. Found naturally in Eastern India. In recent years, interest in the species has practically disappeared in Russia. Unlike other species, it calmly tolerates drying out of the earthen coma, temperature changes, and low air humidity.

Large-rooted alocasia is a tall plant in cultivation, up to 1.5-2 m high, with a strong, fleshy stem. In the natural environment it reaches 5 m. The leaves are large, up to 1 m long, glossy, solid green or light green in color, on long petioles, arranged alternately.

Copper red

Alocasia copper-red

In cultivation, the bush reaches a maximum height of up to 1 m, the crown grows in diameter up to 1-1.5 m. The rhizome is creeping, 1-1.5 cm thick. It is the most spectacular, decorative and compact among cultivated alocasias.

A distinctive feature of copper-red alocasia is the different colors of the sides of the leaf blade. The upper part of Alocasia is a glossy copper-green, the lower part is purple, red in color, which is why this type of plant got its name.

The leaves themselves have smooth, solid edges, oval, ovoid or heart-shaped, glossy with a metallic tint, leathery, with beautiful clear venation, up to 32-35 cm long, up to 20 cm wide.

The Dragon

A popular variety, it is sometimes called “dragon skin” because of the unusual texture of large oval-heart-shaped, slightly elongated leaves with a sharp end, reminiscent of leathery wings and scales. The light green color of the leaf plate with a metallic glossy tint is effectively complemented by dark green veins.

Red Secret

Alocasia red secret

The copper-red variety of Alocasia was obtained relatively recently; it is a miniature variety, reaching a height of no more than 40 cm. Alocasia Red Secret has large, fleshy, swollen leaves. The underside of the leaf of a young plant is red-green, becoming silver-green with age. Once a year it blooms for two weeks, forming a white ear.

Bambino

Alocasia bambino

A hybrid variety of Alocasia Sander, a miniature form of which is no more than 40-60 cm high. The leaf blades are dark green, narrow, arrow-shaped, with pronounced white-green veins. Alocasia Bambino blooms with white and purple flowers.

Alocasia venti

Perennial, reaching a height of 1.5 m or more. The leaves are fleshy, large, 50-60 cm long, 40-50 cm wide, gray-green with a glossy metallic tint, the underside of the leaf is dark red. Quite unpretentious to growing conditions.

It grows quietly in partial shade, although in brighter light its decorative properties are better demonstrated. When provided with constant heat, Alocasia Venti grows well and forms daughter nodules.

Smelly

Alocasia fragrant

Another name is Alocasia Odora. It is a perennial herbaceous plant up to 2-2.5 m high, with a thick short rhizome containing a small amount of milky sap. From the top of the stem, on 1.5 m petioles, leathery leaf blades of a heart-oval or heart-shaped arrow shape are formed, up to 100-130 cm long and up to 1 m wide, short-pointed at the apex.

In its natural environment, it is found in tropical forests, bamboo groves, along river banks, and in swamps in Japan, China, India, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Rhizomes are often used in Chinese folk medicine to treat abdominal pain, cholera, hernia, and insect and snake bites. The perennial is inedible due to the presence of calcium oxalate. In Japan, there is a ban on eating alocasia. Odor's species is very similar to the edible plant Colocasia gigantea and Colocasia edible.

A tall deciduous and decorative hybrid of Alocasia Sander, often used in interior landscaping. Alocasia Polly is a compact low plant 50-65 cm high, with a shortened stem. Large shield-shaped, pointed leaves grow from a basal rosette on long, fleshy petioles.

Leaf blades are up to 50 cm long and up to 20 cm wide, glossy, dark green in color with bright white large veins, with a jagged edge. Due to the shape and color of the leaves, the species is called the “African mask”.

Klobuchkovaya

Alocasia capulata

Rarely flowering, relatively low plant that grows up to 60-100 cm. Alocasia capulata grows in tropical rainforests in Western India and on the island. Burma. The leaf blades are large, dense, ovoid or thyroid-shaped, with rounded edges of a monotonous bright green color.

In the natural environment, leaves grow up to 1 m, up to 60-80 cm wide, petioles up to 30-50 cm long. The trunk is thick, up to 5 cm in diameter, branching, reaching a height of 60-80 cm. With age, growing, it loses its compactness, as a result of which it is used for landscaping spacious rooms.

A course of treatment

Tincture

To prepare it, you need one of the lowest leaves of alocasia along with the petiole.

1. It is crushed.
2. Pour in 500 ml of 40% alcohol.
3. Leave to infuse in a dark place for 2-3 weeks.

The finished tincture is filtered and used for external and internal use. Arma tincture is taken internally to treat fibroids, tuberculosis, various neoplasms and joint diseases.

1. Use the tincture starting with 2 drops per 1 tablespoon of water 2 times a day 20-30 minutes before meals.
2. Add 1 drop of tincture daily, increasing the amount of water accordingly. When reaching 15 drops, the amount of water should be 1/4 cup.
3. Gradually, the volume of the medicine is increased to 25 drops at a time.
4. Then they also begin to reduce the dosage, 1 drop per day.

After completing the course of therapy, you need to take a break for 2-3 months, and then repeat the course from the beginning. For the treatment of severe diseases and malignant neoplasms, it is recommended to take at least 3-4 courses.

For external use, alcohol tincture is needed:

1. Dilute with water in a 1:1 ratio.
2. Apply a cotton napkin soaked in this composition to the sore joint or areas of skin disease for 30-40 minutes.
3. Repeat the procedure for 7-10 days.

To treat varicose veins, apply a compress daily before bed for 2-3 months in a row.

Also, alcohol tincture of alocasia can be used to relieve itching from insect bites.

Water infusion

1. Carefully cut and chop the bottom leaf of the alocasia.
2. Pour a glass of boiled water at a temperature of 80-90 ºС.
3. Leave for 8 hours in a cool place.

Store in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days. This infusion is used for rinsing, compresses and lotions.

Leaf pulp

The bottom leaf of the trefoil is ground in a meat grinder to a mushy state. The resulting pulp is applied to sore spots for joint pain. To treat skin diseases, the leaf is crushed with a knife so that a minimum of juice is released.

1. Chop the leaf along with the stem.
2. Pour 5 tablespoons of warm linseed or olive oil into a dark glass bowl.
3. Keep in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.
4. Filter thoroughly and pour into the same container.

The resulting oil is good for 3 months. The product is used for rubbing into the skin or as compresses for joint and rheumatic pain.

1. Take 3 parts of fatty cream or fat.
2. Add 1 part of large-rooted alocasia juice.
3. To stir thoroughly.

Store the product in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. The ointment is used to treat joint diseases and trophic ulcers.

Hood

1. Grind the bottom leaf and stem of the alocasia.
2. Pour a bottle of vodka and close tightly.
3. Infuse for 2 weeks at room temperature in a dark place.

The extract is used in the form of compresses:

Root

Alocasia rhizome is crushed and applied to tumors of various origins.

Treatment

Medicines must be used in precise dosage, under the supervision of an experienced healer. Consultation with a family therapist should not be neglected.

Alocasia is a poisonous plant. All work with it is carried out with gloves. The preparations should be prepared by an experienced herbalist who knows the exact dosage required to obtain the remedy.

The course of treatment depends on the patient’s illness and the type of drug used.

Below are the most common zamioculcas diseases and methods of treating them.

Destruction of the root system. During this disease, the flower practically does not grow. This occurs due to overwatering, which poses the greatest danger to the plant. Watering was too frequent or there was no water outlet to the pan.

Dark spots on the trunk. Appear due to improper care of the plant. To eliminate stains, you need to review your care regimen.

Stem shrinkage due to lack of water. Another cause of this disease may be soil hardening. It is necessary to loosen it and provide the plant with proper watering.

A common problem is when zamioculcas leaves turn yellow, which can be caused by the following reasons:

1. Natural aging, due to which only the lower leaves turn yellow and fall off. At the same time, new leaves appear at the top of the plant. This is a normal, natural process that does not depend on care.
2. Sudden changes in temperature. In this case, the plant experiences massive yellowing of the leaves. You need to check whether the flower is in a draft and whether a cold air stream is hitting it.
3. An incorrect watering regime causes yellowness on young leaves.
4. Dry indoor air causes leaf tips to turn yellow and dry out. It is necessary to occasionally spray the plant with warm water.

Application and medicinal properties

Alocasia belongs to the class of poisonous plants, so improper use or too large doses can cause serious poisoning with serious consequences or death.

Kidneys are the body’s filters, which remove all harmful substances out, so if the genitourinary system malfunctions, alocasia should be used with caution. Contraindications to the use of tincture are also diseases of the stomach or liver, hemophilia and individual intolerance to the components.

Side effects of the exotic flower include dizziness and weakness, nausea or vomiting, rashes and digestive system upset. In such cases, you need to immediately stop treatment with alocasia and find an alternative method.

As a base for the tincture, I use dying leaves with still green cuttings, which are crushed and infused with alcohol or vodka. For 100 g of raw materials you will need 500 ml of alcohol, the main thing is to maintain the exact dosage.

The drink is kept for 10 days in a dark room and stored away from direct sunlight. Start using 2 drops diluted with a tablespoon of water. Drink the tincture before meals, once a day.

The drug is contraindicated in individuals under 15 years of age, because it negatively affects the development of the nervous system. It is recommended to resort to alocasia only in extreme cases when there are no other alternatives.

Alocasia is an ornamental deciduous plant. Very often it is used to decorate the interiors of apartments and offices, which is due to its amazing exotic beauty.

But the owners of this tropical flower very often do not even realize that they are dealing with a very unusual plant - healing and poisonous at the same time.

In this article we will take a closer look at what alocasia is - the medicinal properties and uses of this plant.

Description

Alocasia (arum) is an evergreen perennial ornamental tuberous herbaceous indoor plant of the aroid family with large dense oval-heart-shaped leaves on succulent long petioles and thick rhizomes. It is the amazingly beautiful large leaves that are the main decoration of this flower.

They can be green, variegated, and also have very thick veins. It is also interesting that no more than 3 of them grow on a stem, since when the 4th leaf appears, the very first one dries up and then dies.

Most likely, this is why this flower is popularly called “shamrock”, while the entire stem is covered with scars from previously dried leaves.

The alocasia plant, the medicinal properties of which are described in the article below, is quite large. It reaches a height of one, sometimes two meters, which depends on the specific species.

Chemical composition

Initially, it must be emphasized that the chemical composition of arma has not been sufficiently studied. But studies that were carried out by the Altai Medical University and the Altai State University demonstrated that large-rooted alocasia (its medicinal properties are actively used in folk medicine) contains poisons, as well as mercury.

Scientists also established the presence of biologically active substances in arma, including: flavonoids, quercetin, lycuroside and hyperoside, alkaloids and coumarins. A total of 5 different alkaloids were found in alocasia, one of them is close in composition to ajmaline and quinine.

In addition, studies have revealed the complete absence of anthracene derivatives, tannins and saponins, fluroglucinol and cardiac glycosides in the composition of arma.

Due to its strong toxicity, and probably because of it, arma has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat cancer. The anti-cancer potential of the plant, namely its aqueous extract, was studied at Sichuan University.

In general, arma is a powerful biogenic stimulant with high phytoncidal properties, excellent medicinal effects, and in addition, it strengthens the immune system.

The tincture of this plant also helps with rheumatism, thrombophlebitis, allergies, polyarthritis, hemorrhoids, and a variety of skin diseases, including psoriasis.

And experts in traditional Chinese medicine recommend this tincture for pneumonia, pain in the intestines and stomach, and toothache.

But we must remember that the advisability of using such drugs can only be determined by a qualified doctor, and in this case, self-medication can have negative consequences.

Alocasia tincture

The tincture is prepared using alcohol or vodka. The leaves of the plant need to be crushed in a plastic or porcelain bowl and poured with vodka (1:1).

It is necessary to infuse in a dark place for about 14 days (usually three weeks are recommended).

The drug is used externally in the form of compresses, rubs or lotions for a variety of dermatological diseases (psoriasis, eczema, etc.), thrombophlebitis, hemorrhoids.

Leaf pulp

The pulp is prepared from fresh leaves of the plant, grinding them in a porcelain or wooden mortar. The finished product is used in the form of compresses for the treatment of rheumatic and joint diseases, in dermatological practice.

This medicinal drug can be prepared using gruel, which is obtained from grinding the leaves of the plant, mixing them with a fat base (lanolin, petroleum jelly, lard, etc.). This ointment can be stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of 3 weeks.

It can also be prepared from alocasia tincture by mixing it with the base (1:4). The shelf life of this ointment from the alocasia plant is almost unlimited.

The healing properties (photo in this article) of this remedy relieve pain from arthrosis, arthritis and rheumatism, and help with the healing of trophic ulcers.

Alocasia oil

The oil is made from a pulp using the oil extraction method. It is recommended to use non-drying oils, for example, olive oil, as an extractant. The finished product, prepared from a plant leaf, needs to be poured with 100 ml of oil and kept in a dark glass jar for two weeks.

After infusion, the mixture must be filtered, and then squeeze out the remainder. The drug can be stored for three months in a cool place.

Oil from the alocasia plant, the medicinal properties of which are described in detail in this article, is used for rubbing or as compresses for joint and rheumatic pain.

Baths

The infusion is prepared using the “hot method”. To do this, alocasia (a flower whose medicinal properties help with joint pain) is crushed, and the resulting raw material is poured into a thermos with a liter of boiling water. The mixture is infused for 1 hour.

This infusion is enough to create a bath with a volume of up to 10 liters. Such procedures for gouty bumps should be carried out every day before bed; The exposure period is 20 minutes.

After the procedure, the affected joints must be wrapped in a woolen cloth.

Leaf infusion

The active substances that make up arma are destroyed when exposed to high temperatures, therefore, all preparations must be prepared using the “cold method”. To prepare a water infusion, you need boiled, chilled water.

Crushed alocasia (flower) is poured into it, the medicinal properties of which help cope with various skin diseases. The infusion period is about a day. The medicinal infusion can also be stored for a maximum of 24 hours.

The drug should be used for rinsing, compresses and lotions.

Alocasia salty

Salting the leaves of the plant is carried out to prepare medicinal raw materials. For each arma sheet you will need 2 tablespoons of salt. The raw materials need to be crushed, then mixed thoroughly with salt. Place the prepared mixture under pressure for 24 hours. Such raw materials are enough to prepare a bath with a volume of up to 20 liters.

Before using the prepared drug, it is necessary to conduct a sensitivity test.

To check the body's reaction, apply a drop of the product used to the bend of the elbow and wait 10 minutes. At the slightest discomfort, immediately rinse with water.

Compresses

They are done after a test check strictly on diseased areas. Healthy skin should be protected from contact with the drug. The duration depends on the disease and the herbalist's prescription.

Massages and baths

For a 10-liter bath, prepare the following solution: pour the crushed leaf into a 1-liter thermos for an hour.

They are usually done before bed, setting aside 20 minutes for this. After a massage or bath with alocasia, the body should be kept warm.

At home, you need to prepare medicines from alocasia with extreme caution; in no case should you increase the recommended dose of plant materials in tinctures and decoctions and, moreover, take more medicine than necessary.

Also, do not forget about the poisonous juice of the plant - if it comes into contact with the skin or mucous membranes, severe irritation or burns may occur, and before using alocasia for medicinal purposes, it is better to conduct a special test.

To do this, drop a little of the prepared tincture on the inside of the elbow or on the forearm and wait for a reaction; if there is a strong burning sensation, redness and swelling, it is better to avoid using alocasia.

To prepare it, you need one old alocasia leaf along with the petiole; it is crushed, poured with 500 ml of 40% alcohol and left in a dark place for 2-3 weeks. After this, the tincture is filtered and used for external and internal use.

Alocasia tincture taken internally is used to treat fibroids, tuberculosis, neoplasms and joint diseases. Take the tincture starting with 2 drops per 1 tablespoon of water once a day 20-30 minutes before meals, add 1 drop of tincture daily, increasing the amount of water.

When the dose of 15 drops is reached, the amount of water should be 14 glasses. The dose is increased to 25 drops at a time, then they also begin to reduce the amount of tincture, 1 drop at a time. After completing the course of treatment, you need to take a break for 2-3 months and repeat the course from the beginning.

Massages and baths

Contraindications

Kidney disease, liver disease and hemophilia require complete cessation of the oral use of alocasia-based products. The plant should not be used as a medicine even with minor manifestations of allergies. The use of alocasia preparations by children, as well as pregnant and lactating women, is not allowed.

Before taking Alocasia medicine internally, you should consult your doctor.

Tropical plants grown in pots as indoor flowers are often medicinal, just like the local field and forest plants we are accustomed to. One of these healers, living on the windowsill, is alocasia.

This perennial tropical plant belongs to the Araceae family and the Alocasia genus. It reaches a height of forty centimeters to two meters, depending on growing conditions.

In nature, alocasia can have both a herbaceous and tree-like stem of considerable thickness, directed upward. In apartment conditions - only grassy.

The root is short, thick, stolon-shaped or tuberous.

Alocasia leaves are evergreen, large with long petioles. When young, they have a round shape, which over time becomes heart-shaped or arrow-shaped (depending on the type of plant).

The inflorescence of Alocasia is vertical, having an ovoid leaf cover. The flowers are monoecious, small, yellowish in color, collected in a spadix. The fruits are hemispherical red berries. Alocasia juice is clear and milky.

The plant grows in tropical and subtropical forests of Asia, Australia, Central America and South America.

It is immediately worth noting the fact that alocasia is not recognized by official medicine as a medicinal plant for the reason that it contains several toxic substances. However, despite this, traditional healers - first in the places where they grow, and today everywhere - effectively use alocasia in the treatment of a number of diseases.

The chemical composition of the plant has not been fully studied, but enough research has already been carried out to say with confidence that it contains: cyanide compounds (cyanides), sublimate, senyl acid, mercury, coumarins, essential oils, flavonoids, quinine, ajmaline, hyperoside, quercetin , lycuroside, phytoncides and indole alkaloids.

No saponins, glycosides or tannins were detected in Alocasia.

For medicinal purposes, we most often use Alocasia montana, which is the most common inhabitant of apartments. When used correctly, it brings incomparable benefits to the body, while with a significant overdose it can lead to death.

The phytoncidal properties of the plant help resist viral diseases, providing a bactericidal effect. It has been noticed that if there is this tropical guest in the house, it is much more difficult to get sick with influenza and RDS.

The combination of several very active alkaloids at once inhibits the development of cancer, and therefore traditional healers recommend using alocasia as an additional therapy.

The plant’s ability to rejuvenate the body and increase the elasticity of blood vessels allows it to be used as a means to prevent heart attacks and strokes. In addition, alocasia reduces the risk of cerebral atherosclerosis.

The beneficial effect the plant has on the heart muscle helps to cope with diseases that cause heart rhythm disturbances. For non-advanced forms, alocasia can become the main therapy.

The tropical guest saves from decreased appetite, especially with anorexia nervosa. By actively stimulating appetite, alocasia promotes weight gain.

Infusions from the plant are also used to treat various joint diseases, as well as salt deposits and spurs.

For problems with the gastrointestinal tract and thyroid gland, alocasia helps restore their functions.

This plant is also used to combat dermatitis and eczema as an antipruritic and anti-inflammatory agent. After exposure to the drug, patients immediately notice a significant improvement in their condition.

In addition, there are indications for the use of various medicines from the plant for pulmonary tuberculosis; paralysis caused by problems in the brain and various malaria.

Complete refusal to use alocasia internally requires kidney disease, liver disease and hemophilia. It is also impossible to use the plant for medicinal purposes if you are intolerant to it. Even with minor allergic reactions, it is unacceptable to treat them.

In addition, the use of alocasia preparations by pregnant and lactating women, as well as children under sixteen years of age, is not allowed.

During treatment, side effects may occur, which include: weakness, vomiting, dizziness, upset stomach. In such cases, taking the plant must be stopped immediately.

Since the sap of the plant is very caustic, to prepare the preparations they take the lower leaf of alocasia, which has already begun to dry out, but the petiole is still green. All manipulations must be carried out with gloves.

To prepare the medicine, tear off the old leaf of the plant with its petiole and cut it as finely as possible. After this, it is placed in a glass container and filled with half a liter of alcohol. The composition is stored in a dark place for three weeks. After this time, the drug is filtered.

The infusion is used internally for cancer and tumor diseases, as well as joint diseases, tuberculosis and heart problems. At the beginning of the course, drink two drops diluted in a tablespoon of water. Gradually increase the dosage by one drop every day (the volume of water also increases).

After the dosage reaches twenty-five drops, it is reduced in the same way to the initial one. A break of at least two months is required between courses of treatment.

Externally, the drug is used for varicose veins, inflammation of the joints, and nodules on the thyroid gland. The drug is diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio and a napkin soaked in it is applied to the affected area for forty minutes once a day. The duration of the course is one week.

For one hundred grams of old crushed leaves, take one liter of boiled water. The poured leaves are infused for at least twenty-four hours. The drug is used to wash dermatitis and eczema.

For this remedy, used as compresses for joint diseases, old alocasia leaves are taken and ground in a plastic container with a pestle (not metal). Compresses are applied once a day for a week.

To avoid skin burns from the fresh juice of the plant, all actions for collecting leaves must be carried out with rubber gloves. Contact of alocasia in its pure form with the skin is unacceptable.

After handling it, hands should be washed thoroughly with soap. It is impossible to use pure plant juice or green leaves that have not begun to dry out for treatment.

This will lead to serious burns and severe poisoning, which can lead to death without timely medical attention.

The use of alocasia as a medicinal plant is justified, since it has a beneficial effect on various diseases, but one should be very careful when approaching such treatment. If there is any doubt about the correct preparation of the drug, its use should be abandoned.

You should not use shamrock medicinal products if:

• diseased kidneys;
• allergic reactions;
• a woman is pregnant or breastfeeding;
• children have not reached 16 years of age.

Traditional medicine is not a panacea. Recipes suggested by healers should always be discussed with your doctor. For successful treatment, a general picture of the whole organism is needed so as not to cause further harm.

Alocasia has a general strengthening, analgesic effect, is a biological stimulant, and resists cancer, but it cannot be taken at your own discretion.

The joint work of the patient, healer and doctor will have a positive effect.

The second name for alocasia is trefoil, because each petiole can produce no more than three leaves. She was also popularly nicknamed “the weatherman” for her ability to predict rain by the appearance of droplets of moisture on the leaves.

Alternative medicine has long been using this flower to treat viral diseases, diseases of the heart and blood vessels, gastrointestinal tract, and even in the treatment of cancer. But let's start in order.

Alocasia should absolutely not be used for the treatment of people with liver disease, kidney disease, or patients with hemophilia. Individual intolerance to the plant may occur, so if you are being treated for the first time, start taking it orally with small doses. Allergic reactions are possible - in this case, treatment should be stopped immediately.

Due to the fact that the plant is poisonous, it should not be taken by pregnant women, during lactation and by children before adolescence. Everyone else should consult their doctor before use. Self-medication can harm the body.

Side effects may include: nausea, headache, increased heart rate, and indigestion. In this case, treatment should be stopped immediately.

Keeping alocasia at home

Being a tropical plant, Alocasia large-rooted is thermophilic. In spring and summer, it prefers a temperature of 22-26°C, and in autumn and winter the temperature should not fall below 18°C. The plant cannot tolerate drafts and sudden changes in temperature.

In summer, the flower is watered abundantly and often; in winter, watering is limited. Overmoistening of the soil easily causes rotting of the roots, so after watering, be sure to drain excess water from the pan, and between two waterings, lightly dry the earthen clod.

Alocasia is demanding on lighting, but does not tolerate direct sunlight. In summer it should be shaded, or placed next to the window, and not on the windowsill. In winter, the plant needs lighting. Variegated varieties of alocasia especially need bright light.

The flower loves spraying and showering. For additional moisture, you can place a bowl of water nearby; periodically it is useful to wipe the leaves with a damp sponge. In cold weather, the plant does not need high air humidity and water procedures.

Alocasia requires feeding in spring and summer. To do this, use a universal complex fertilizer for indoor flowers, diluting it in water according to the instructions. You need to fertilize 1-2 times a month. In winter, the plant is fed occasionally.

Most of all, alocasia needs nitrogen, which ensures the growth of green mass.

Young plants are replanted annually in early spring using the transshipment method, so as not to injure the small roots. The new pot should be 2-3 cm larger than the previous one. Older flowers are replanted once every 2-3 years.

Large species love space and look best in large rooms, near artificial ponds and fountains. Compact types are located near beds, in the kitchen and in the living rooms. The only thing is that this species does not tolerate drafts and close proximity to working central heating radiators.

How to care for alocasia so that the foliage and decorative appearance of the flower does not suffer? Mainly, it is necessary to create conditions as close as possible to natural ones, then caring for the perennial will be simple.

The plant can become not only an exotic decoration for the home, but also serve as a barometer, predicting a high probability of precipitation, so the appearance of water drops on the leaves indicates impending rain.

The moisture-loving houseplant Alocasia loves moist soil. In the summer, watering should be regular - once every 2 days, the earthen ball should not dry out. Use distilled or soft, settled water; the soil in the pot must be constantly moist; if water accumulates at the bottom of the pan, it should be removed immediately.

Air humidity

Originally from the tropics, alocasia prefers high air humidity. To maintain a healthy appearance in the summer, the leaves of the plant are sprayed, the pot with the flower is placed on a tray with wet pebbles or expanded clay, but care should be taken that the pot does not stand in water, otherwise the roots may rot.

In the cold season, when the central heating system is turned on, the pot with the indoor alocasia plant is placed away from the radiators, and air humidifiers are used to create additional humidity. It is useful to regularly wipe the leaves with a damp cloth or sponge.

Lighting

The tropical plant prefers bright light, but in summer it is better to shade the plant or remove it from direct sunlight. In winter, some species need special care; the alocasia flower (especially varieties of copper-red, Amazonian alocasia, Polly) should be provided with additional lighting.

Species and varieties with monochromatic leaf colors are more tolerant of lack of lighting; variegated ones require additional lighting.

Temperature

Temperature changes can cause deterioration and even death of the plant. In summer, the optimal room temperature is about 20°C, in winter not lower than 18°C. The flower should be protected from drafts.

Top dressing

Caring for alocasia at home requires the application of complex mineral fertilizer for indoor plants. In the spring and summer, this is done every 14-20 days. Potash fertilizers are most suitable for tropical perennials.

During flowering, feed twice a month with complex fertilizer with a high nitrogen content. If the nitrogen content in the soil is insufficient, plant growth slows down and alocasia diseases may occur. In winter, the flower is fed once a month.

The soil for alocasia should be nutritious, medium density, loose, with good permeability to moisture and air, a substrate with a slightly acidic reaction. Prepare the soil for the plant: leaf, coniferous, peat soil (1 part each) and ½ part sand.

Possible difficulties

The perennial alocasia is a fairly unpretentious plant, but some problems may arise when grown at home. This is mainly due to errors in the maintenance of the flower. Insufficient watering can provoke the proliferation of spider mites.

Fading leaves can be a signal of both excessive and insufficient watering; the watering regime should be reconsidered or the soil should be replaced with a lighter and looser one. If the leaves begin to cry, you should reduce spraying and watering.

Slowing or stopping the growth of the plant indicates a lack of nitrogen in the soil; to solve the problem, the flower is fed with a urea solution at the rate of 1 gram per liter of water. If the leaf plates are too small, the flower experiences a lack of nutrients; fertilizing should be applied.

If the tips of the leaves begin to dry out, this indicates an insufficient level of air humidity; the roots are experiencing a lack of water.

How to save alocasia if it loses its bright color, which indicates insufficient lighting? In this case, the flower pot should be moved to a more illuminated place. If natural light is not enough, additional artificial lighting is used.

The appearance of dark spots on the leaf plate indicates frequent temperature changes and the presence of drafts.

When a perennial begins to lose leaves, check the rhizome for rot. If there is no damage to the underground part, the flower is transplanted into new soil. Alocasia is artificially put into a “dormant” mode, the flower pot is left in a cool, dry room, and when new shoots form, the pot is returned to conditions comfortable for the flower.

Alocasia is used to make ointments, tinctures, oil and juice.

• Most often, trefoil tincture is used for medicinal purposes. To prepare, you need to chop the leaves and pour 40% alcohol into them. The mixture is stored for 10 days in a dark place. The tincture is used externally to treat osteochondrosis, myositis, and joint pain.. The sore spot is thoroughly wiped with a swab dipped in the infusion.
• Alocasia tincture is used in compresses for mastopathy, thyroid nodules and enlarged veins in the legs. It is important to cover healthy areas with fabric. Therapeutic compresses are applied for several hours, the course of procedures is 7-10 days, then a break for a couple of days and a repeat course.
• Treatment with trefoil tincture is carried out according to a special scheme. You need to start with one drop of tincture per spoon of water, add one drop every day. Take half an hour before meals three times a day. After reaching a dose of 25 drops, it is necessary to reduce it drop by drop every day. The tincture is recommended to be taken for fibroids and myomas..
• Alcohol tincture of the weather is used for cancer. To prepare it, you need to pour 200 grams of chopped leaves with a liter of vodka. After 10 days, the solution is filtered and taken according to the scheme, starting with two drops per tablespoon of water.
• The plant can be infused in water. Pour the paste from the leaves into a glass of warm water and leave for 8 hours. The solution is stored in the refrigerator for no more than a day.
• To prepare an ointment with a weather agent, you need to mix a neutral cream or interior fat with plant juice or pulp from the leaves. The ointment is used to treat joints and ulcerative wounds.
• To prepare the oil, you need to mix 5 tablespoons of warm flaxseed or olive oil with a paste of young leaves of the plant. After thorough mixing, the sediment is removed, and the finished oil is stored in the refrigerator in a dark container. Shelf life - no more than three months.

It should be noted that the properties of alocasia have not yet been sufficiently studied and are not used in traditional medicine. Other names for alocasia are trefoil, arma, weatherman. Using preparations from the plant without appropriate knowledge is life-threatening.

The medicinal properties of the plant can be used in precise dosage, under the guidance of an experienced healer and after consultation with the attending physician. External products are used only after a trial application to the skin. The healer selects the dose of alocasia for treatment individually.

Using the knowledge of Chinese doctors who most fully substantiated the use of medicines from alocasia, we will rely on their experience:

1. Medicines are made from the leaves to relieve toothache, treat tuberculosis and pneumonia.
2. Alocasia large-root is used to treat polyarthritis, osteochondrosis, gout, and hemorrhoids.
3. Essential oils of the plant are used as antimicrobial agents. They are used for staphylococcal, streptococcal, intestinal infections, and in the fight against influenza viruses.
4. With the help of alocasia infusions, itching from the bites of blood-sucking insects is relieved. The drug is an antidote for snake bites.
5. With the help of external influences, bumps under the skin resolve and heal, gout and hemorrhoids are relieved, and spurs disappear.
6. Alocasia improves the atmosphere in your home simply by being there. It is said that several plants of shamrock and violet together can change even the character of an angry person living in this atmosphere.

Alocasia- an amazing plant, which is better known among us as the indoor flower trefoil. In nature, it grows in the tropical forests of Malaysia and Ceylon, and is also found in Southeast Asia. The medicinal properties of alocasia are best known in China, where it is used to treat a number of diseases.

We like to grow the flower indoors at home because of its ability to predict the weather. When rain approaches, the air humidity rises and droplets of moisture appear on the leaves of the trefoil. That’s why we also call it “weatherman”. What kind of plants are they, what are their main medicinal properties, how are they used in folk medicine, what types are known to us, how to grow them, care for them and use them for medicinal purposes - we’ll talk about this in this publication.

Types of Alocasia

Alocasia has a wide range of beneficial properties, for which it is widely used in folk medicine, but first let’s look at its types and habitats. So, this is a beautiful tropical flower that has a thick tree-like stem and usually three main large leaves at the base of the stem.

The trefoil inflorescence is vertical, yellow in color, consisting of many small flowers collected in one spadix, wrapped in an ovoid perianth leaf. The flower is whimsical and requires special care.

The most common types of alocasia are as follows:

• Amazonian- an evergreen plant, reaching a height of 15 centimeters in the stem and having petioles 40-60 cm long, large leaves of an elongated thyroid shape. The flower feels great in high humidity conditions, so it is most often placed in the kitchen or even in the bathroom.
• Klobuchkovaya- a plant native to Sri Lanka and India, its height can reach one meter, the stem has a diameter of up to 6 centimeters, the leaves are shiny and large, up to 1 meter long, pointed at the top.
• Large-rooted- grows naturally in India and Malaysia, has stems reaching two meters in length or even more, the peduncle is 30 cm long and covered with a yellow-green perianth.
• Sandera– found in tropical jungles, has short tuberous rhizomes and leaves up to 40 centimeters long and up to 15 cm wide.

Large rhizomatous alocasia

Alocasia large-rooted is common in the tropics. Its juice is poisonous, but despite this the plant is widely used in Chinese medicine. Medicines made from the stem heal stomach pain, toothache, eliminate intestinal discomfort, and also treat tuberculosis and pneumonia. The flower does not require special care at home.

Alocasia capulata

Large-rooted alocasia is a powerful plant with many leaves. Its berries are medium-sized with a diameter of up to 8 millimeters. The flower has a wide range of beneficial properties. It effectively treats tuberculosis and tumors of various types.

In folk medicine, its medicinal properties are used to heal:

• fibroids;
• mastopathy;
• blood diseases;
• thrombophlebitis;
• psoriasis;
• prostatitis;
• asthma;
• polyarthritis;
• osteochondrosis.

Amazonian alocasia

Amazonian is a short plant, compared to the large-rooted species, 40–60 centimeters high with leaves up to half a meter long and up to 20 centimeters wide. The leaves are dark green in color with pronounced jagged edges.

Alocasia flower: how to care for it at home?

The large-rooted weatherweed flower, grown at home, does not require any special care rules. It needs to be watered quite often, and in the summer, fertilizers with a high nitrogen content must be applied.

Alocasia transplant

It is best to transplant trefoils in March. This is done once every two years or as needed. The method of replanting a flower would be more correctly called transshipment, since the plant is moved to another flower pot with a larger diameter without destroying the earthen lump around the rhizome.

Why do alocasia leaves turn yellow?

The leaves of the large-rooted weather plant and other species turn yellow due to lack of moisture and increased dry air. To prevent this phenomenon, it is recommended to water the plant more often and spray its leaves with a spray bottle.

Reproduction of alocasia at home

Reproduction at home is carried out in the following ways:

• cuttings;
• tubers;
• shoots;
• rhizomes;
• seeds.

It is better to plant trefoils in the spring, and you can sow seeds in the ground in winter. Before planting, the soil is moistened and sprinkled with soil.

Alocasia flower: beneficial properties

The weatherflower flower has a lot of useful medicinal properties, so it is actively used in Chinese folk medicine.

Indications for using the plant at home for medicinal purposes:

• stomach pain;
• pneumonia;
• tuberculosis;
• benign and malignant tumors;
• joint diseases and so on.

The flower helps restore damaged tissues and organs, enhance the body's protective functions and normalize sleep.

Application of alocasia tincture

The use of flower tincture is permissible only after consultation with a medical practitioner.

Typically, therapeutic use occurs according to the following scheme:

• Externally - moisten a napkin with the tincture and apply it to the sore spot for about an hour, the procedure is performed once a day, the course of treatment is a week.
• Orally - according to a special phytotherapeutic regimen: start using 1 drop, add another drop daily until a dose of 30 drops per day is reached, then begin to reduce the number of drops in the reverse order.

The course of treatment is 2 months.

Alocasia tincture recipe

The classic recipe for preparing a tincture with medicinal properties is as follows:

• cut off the oldest, but still green, leaf of alocasia;
• chop it well with a knife;
• pour 100 milliliters of vodka or alcohol;
• put in a dark place for 10-12 days.

Take only after consultation with your doctor.