Prickly tartar: medicinal properties, description and photo. Tatarnik prickly (budjak), milk thistle Show plant similar to milk thistle


Prickly tartar is an incredibly tenacious weed. You can meet it on the slopes of the Caucasus Mountains, in the desert regions of Central Asia, in the Baltic states and Central Russia.

Prickly tartar - an incredibly tenacious weed

Surviving in places with the most difficult and extreme conditions, this prickly grass shows its persistent character every time. There is a legend that the invasion of this plant was compared to the Tatar-Mongol yoke. This is where its names came from: prickly tartar or Basurman grass.

Indeed, this is a real fighter. It is classified as an ordinary herb, but has the appearance of an ominous warrior. The spindle-shaped root, like a drill, is screwed deeply into the ground. The thick, erect stem is covered with woolly webs. In 2 years of life, the plant reaches a height of two meters.

The wing-like branches of the tartar are studded with sharp yellow thorns. The branch span is up to 1.5 m wide. The leaves are oval, elongated, serrated along the edges. Each tooth is crowned with a poisonous spine, and the surface of the leaf constantly secretes a gray sticky secretion. When you encounter such a huge thorny bush that looks like a bird of prey, you want to turn off the road.


It is classified as an ordinary herb, but has the appearance of an ominous warrior

The flowering period begins in July and lasts until mid-autumn. Spiny baskets appear at the tips of the branches. They contain 3 crimson inflorescences, reminiscent of small asters. At the moment of ripening, the basket closes, leaving a bunch of dried straw-colored petals on the surface. The container with seeds ready for propagation is very light and has unusually tenacious qualities. With the help of the wind, on the fur of animals and on the feet of random passers-by, the tartar grass sets out to populate new territories.

Gallery: spiny tartar (25 photos)

When to collect medicinal herbs (video)

Healing qualities

Currently, the plant has not received the attention of official medicine. There are still no published scientific papers on its chemical composition and therapeutic properties. Therefore, prickly grass is not sold in pharmacies.

But traditional healers have long noticed this plant and have been using it for many years in the fight against many ailments. In their opinion, everything in this herb is useful: roots, stems, leaves, inflorescences, spines, and especially the seeds. By the way, tartar fruits consist of 40% oil.

The properties of thorny weed have been studied for years. Folk wisdom was compiled into recipes and passed on from generation to generation. The plant was collected with extreme care, wearing thick gloves. And this is not surprising: by the autumn of the second year of life, the thorns of the tartar tree turn into edged weapons.

Unscientific methods of traditional medicine have yielded results. A wide range of medicinal properties of this weed have been experimentally proven.


There are still no published scientific papers on its chemical composition and therapeutic properties.

A very strong blood clotting ability has been revealed. This property is mainly used externally for wounds of varying complexity. But theoretically it can be used for hematological diseases. When the son of Nicholas II was diagnosed with hemophilia, all means available at that time were used to fight the disease. But the blood of the heir to the throne did not contain the required amount of protein responsible for stopping the blood. Having carried out all possible diagnostic procedures, the doctors of that time realized that they would not be able to cure Alexei Nikolaevich. The only thing they could do was try to improve his quality of life. Some historians describe that a doctor was brought from the Tatar lands to the emperor’s court. In his arsenal there was Basurman thorny grass, with the juice of which he tried to alleviate the serious condition of a sick child. With the help of the Tatar, the healer managed to make the heir’s blood cleaner and thicker, increase hemoglobin and blood pressure.

Medicines prepared on the basis of powder from the roots of the tartar and the oil of its seeds have a depressing effect on many types of pathogenic bacteria. At the simplest level, this property of the plant is successfully used in the treatment of purulent wounds and many other skin diseases of a bacterial nature. But besides this, cases are described in which prickly tartar helped in curing botulism. This is a very serious disease, which in its advanced form is often fatal. The difficulty lies in the fact that the causative agent of the disease is of animal origin. It withstands chemicals and heat treatment. The toxins released by the botulism bacterium accumulate in the body and completely affect the nervous system. Ancient healers, with the help of tartar, managed to completely localize this serious disease in the initial stage.

In the end, official medicine drew attention to the incredible strength of the Tatar. Currently, it is even used in the fight against cancer. In combination with chemotherapy, its use gives successful results. Especially after operations related to the removal of cancerous tumors, to prevent relapses. Everyone knows the fact that surgery does not completely guarantee getting rid of a tumor, because during the growth process it constantly releases cancer cells into the bloodstream, which spread throughout the body. The property of the tartar plant to block the growth of pathogenic bacteria and purify the blood increases the protective qualities of the body.

In folk medicine, common tartar is considered the strongest natural antibiotic. Many healers describe its power in the fight against genitourinary tract infections and fungal diseases of a sexually transmitted nature. Of particular interest is the described case of curing neurosyphilis by Tatar.

In those days when doctors did not yet have the ability to conduct accurate laboratory tests, it was difficult to diagnose this disease. The infection entered the body sexually and, as it developed, produced symptoms similar to either meningitis or cerebral fever. Confused healers did not have time to come to their senses when the disease completely destroyed the nervous system, causing paralysis and death. But with the help of treatment with Basurman grass, it was possible to completely defeat this terrible disease.

Common tartar (video)

Poisonous Double

In nature, there are a lot of plants similar to prickly tartar. Thus, almost every medicinal herb or edible mushroom has a poisonous counterpart. To avoid sad consequences, it is important to learn to distinguish between them. Basurman grass is often called thistle or thistle. This is not just erroneous, but also a dangerous misconception. Basically, some similarities are confusing. This is not surprising: thistle and tartar belong to the Asteraceae family and have similar features. However, these are completely different plants with dissimilar properties. To understand this, it is enough to carry out a comparative description.

The main thing that is confusing is the almost identical flowers and the presence of spines. Both weeds bloom as adults, but thistle has a height of no more than 20 cm, and tartar - more than 2 m. Therefore, growth characteristics are the main criterion for distinguishing between these plants.

It is impossible to compare sow thistle and prickly tartar, medicinal properties and their contraindications. After all, these plants are the complete opposite of each other. Basurman grass has incredible healing power, but thistle is not used in medicine. Moreover, thistle is a toxic and poisonous plant; it has a separate page in history.

Since ancient times in Rus', thistles have been personified with evil spirits, endowing this ubiquitous weed with the dark energy of evil. In Europe, on the contrary, it was considered a reliable protection against enemies and a symbol of inevitable punishment for crimes. And in old England, family coats of arms were decorated with it, and knights named their orders in its honor.

Milk thistle belongs to the Asteraceae family and is sometimes also called the Asteraceae family. The Mediterranean is considered the homeland of the family.

The beneficial properties of milk thistle have been known since the time of Theophrastus. His works contain mention of this plant. Both Avicenna and Galen knew about the use of thistle (another name for milk thistle) for treatment. In the 16th century in Europe, many healers used thistle as a cure for diseases of the spleen and liver. The plant is used not only as a medicinal product, but also simply as food. Moreover, all elements of thistle are suitable for nutrition. And for treatment, roots and seeds are collected.

Undoubtedly, everyone saw these thorny bushes when they went out into the countryside. Thistle grows up to 150–200 cm, the leaves are long (about 80 cm) and narrow, with small thorns on the sides. Blooms from July to early September. Its flowers are pink or purple, sometimes white. The shape resembles prickly baskets with colored balls.

A plant such as milk thistle thrives on dry roadside strips in the southern and northern parts of Russia, and on the Iberian Peninsula, the Balkans, the Caucasus, and has spread to Africa and even to South and North America.

Interesting features of the plant

Milk thistle (Sílybum mariánum from Latin) or in the Russian tradition Maryin thistle (Maryin tatarnik). The plant has another Latin name - Carduus marianus, that is, thistle literally.

In ancient times, people called milk thistle thistle because they believed that it scared away devils and other evil spirits. Therefore, dried plants were hung over the entrance to protect the house. For the same reasons, sorcerers made amulets from it. And the Maryina thorn is called due to the widespread legend that the white marks on the leaves of the spotted thistle are the milk of the Virgin Mary herself.

The plant easily takes root in any climate and is not afraid of bad ecology. This is why so many thistles grow right along the roadways in cities. But you can’t collect it in such places.

A wild plant is very aggressive towards other grasses and literally fills the entire field, leaving no room for other plants. However, people have learned to cultivate milk thistle and grow it in gardens for industrial needs. It is used in medicine and cosmetology.

Milk thistle honey does not contain all the beneficial properties that the plant itself does. But it is still useful as a remedy for the common cold and as a dietary natural sweetener.

Composition and properties

The medicinal properties of the plant found various uses in the Middle Ages, in Ancient Greece, and even in the east. For example, in Greece, milk thistle helped against ailments such as depression, childhood dropsy, and menstrual disorders in women.

Nowadays, the composition of thistle has already been studied and the groups of components that are most beneficial for the body have been identified. Milk thistle is known to contain:

  • flavonoids (silibin, silydianin, silychristin);
  • the most necessary micro and microelements for the full functioning of the body (magnesium, potassium, calcium, chromium, iodine, selenium, strontium, vanadium);
  • fatty acid;
  • vitamins A, K, E and some vitamins D

The main property of the plant is the ability to restore liver cells damaged for various reasons.

This natural hepatoprotector is the main one for some tablet drugs, namely “Silibil”, “Gepabene” and “Karsil Forte”.


Indications and contraindications

After studying the chemical composition of Mary's thistle in 1968 at the University of Munich, it was found that the plant is effective if diagnosed:

  1. liver problems (hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver dystrophy);
  2. Varicose veins;
  3. decreased production of gastric juice and bile;

Vitamin E and selenium together help reduce the risk of tumor development. Field thorn oil is often used to treat hemorrhoids in serious stages. In addition, the plant helps in such cases:

  • In dermatology it is used in the treatment of various dermatitis, eczema or vitiligo
  • Relieves inflammation
  • Helps remove toxins in cases of serious poisoning
  • Has anti-allergenic properties
  • Used to reduce the risk of vascular disease
  • Used for intestinal problems
  • Treats some gynecological problems.

The popularity of milk thistle as a remedy in ancient times is also explained by the fact that it cannot cause much harm to the body, even when taken in large doses. Various thistle decoctions can be taken by people of all ages.

But! Pregnant women are prohibited from taking infusions, since the consequences are unknown.

And you need to be careful when using decoctions for those who already have a strong secretion of bile or whose stomach acidity exceeds the norm.

  • epilepsy;
  • chronic asthma;
  • acute cholecystitis;
  • acute pancreatitis;
  • renal failure;
  • some mental disorders;
  • advanced liver cirrhosis (then you need to drink special pharmaceutical drugs, but not infusions)

Another warning concerns people who are concerned about kidney stones; before using milk thistle, it is better to consult a doctor.

Recipes for infusions and extracts

In folk medicine, seeds, leaves, juice and even the root of the plant are used. The juice of the plant itself has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect. It is enough to cut the stem and apply one side to the wound. This juice is also drunk for constipation, as a laxative and as a diaphoretic.

A decoction of the roots is effective for treating catarrh of the stomach and when leg cramps bother you. The decoction is prepared as follows: pour boiled water (200 ml) over the crushed roots and keep in a water bath for about 30 minutes. Squeeze well and add as much water to the broth as there is infusion. The decoction should not be strong.

To prepare a regular decoction, you need to collect the seeds of the plant correctly and finely crush them. Requires 30 gr. pour the powder obtained from the seeds with water; Boil in a container with a volume of 0.5 liters. It is recommended to drink 1 tablespoon of this remedy, but every hour.

The tincture is prepared as follows: ground seeds (meal), in the amount of 50 g. pour 0.5 l. alcohol or vodka. Keep in a dark place for 10 days, and do not forget to shake from time to time. Take the infusion when the pancreas or liver is bothering you. But a doctor must prescribe treatment.
Mary's thistle tea with mint is also beneficial. Total 1.part. crushed seeds, pour a glass of boiling water and leave for 20 minutes. Tea is drunk 2 times a day: in the morning and before bedtime.

To lose weight, some people take milk thistle oil. To prepare this oil, you need to steam 0.5 liters of any vegetable oil to a boil and add 3 tablespoons of seeds. Steam the seeds in this way for 30 minutes, then drain. Oils are used to treat wounds, treat frostbite and gynecological diseases.

Watch also the video

The prickly tartar is one of those herbs that can boast of rare confusion in definition. Its external resemblance to a thistle misleads many: both the leaves have spines and the flower is lilac-pink, but it is not a thistle, but a prickly tartar. On the Internet, you can also quite often find the same mistake - they write about tartar, but in the photo there is a thistle. So what is this confusing plant?

Description of the spiny tartar

Tartar prickly bush

The prickly tartar (Latin name Onopordum acanthium) belongs to the family Asteraceae (Latin name Composifae), or Asteraceae (Latin name Asferaceae). Also known as thistle (erroneously), thorn, thistle, prickly burdock, thistle, red-headed thistle, tsar murat, Basurman grass, grandfather, etc.. This plant is biennial, grows up to 1.5-2 meters, almost all ( except flowers) is covered with spines. It is distinguished by a branched stem with spiny leaves.

The leaves of the tartar have an oblong-oval shape, reach 25-35 cm in length, pinnate, covered with a network of clearly visible veins, especially on the underside of the leaf, the edges are uneven, coarsely toothed, there are spines at the ends of the teeth, slightly pubescent, towards the bottom the stems are narrowed into a petiole, and those located higher are sessile, oblong.

The flowers of the plant are collected in large (up to 6-8 cm) inflorescences-baskets, rounded-spherical in shape. Flowers, as a rule, are located on the upper branches in groups of 3-4 flowers or singly. The shell of the inflorescences is also covered with spines. Tatar flowers are bisexual, tubular, have a faint aroma, and are purple-violet or pinkish-violet in color. Peduncles up to 12-15 cm long. Also slightly pubescent, covered with spines, grow from the axils of the upper leaves.

After flowering, the tartar forms fruits, which are small, oblong brown-brown achenes (up to 2-3 mm long), having a small reddish fluffy tuft, with the help of which they are easily carried by the wind. The flowering period begins in June and continues throughout the summer until late autumn. The prickly tartar grows almost everywhere, it is unpretentious. It can be found in wastelands, ravines, pastures, along the banks of rivers and lakes, in abandoned gardens, along roads and in garbage dumps. Distributed throughout our country, except for the Far North. The prickly tartar is not only a medicinal plant, but also a good honey plant.


Medicinal properties of the plant

Although prickly tartar is a plant that is still little studied by modern medicine, its medicinal properties have been known since the Middle Ages. Thus, the famous Arab medieval physician Avicenna wrote in one of his treatises on medicine about the use of tartar root as a hemostatic agent for bleeding in women and hemorrhoids. Preparations made from Tatar flowers are a good tonic that increases the human body’s resistance to the adverse effects of environmental conditions and is an adaptogenic therapeutic agent.

The prickly tartar has the property of improving heart function, normalizing low blood pressure, and is also a diuretic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and hemostatic agent. Modern medicine has established that drugs containing prickly tartar, when used for a long time as a remedy, do not cause practically any side effects.

When this plant is used in small doses, the drugs have a stimulating effect on the central nervous system, and in large doses they tend to act depressantly. Preparations containing tartar have cardiotonic, bactericidal properties and increase smooth muscle tone. Decoctions of the prickly tartar are also distinguished by their ability to help in the treatment of malignant tumors, festering wounds, tetanus, rheumatism, skin cancer, scrofula, asthma, cough, kidney and bladder diseases, gout, and pulmonary tuberculosis.




Preparation of medicinal raw materials

Flowering rosettes and shoots with leaves of the prickly tartar are harvested as medicinal raw materials. The preparation of medicinal tartar must be done by wearing old leather gloves and armed with scissors or pruners. Only young, undamaged leaves are harvested, carefully cutting them off and placing them in a basket or box - they cannot be crushed.

Flowers are cut and arranged separately. Before drying, it is necessary to remove the thorns; they are simply cut off, and large leaves are cut lengthwise, and the raw materials prepared in this way are laid out on a clean litter or mesh for drying. Dry in the shade and always under a canopy so that raindrops do not fall on the raw materials. Finished raw materials are stored in a dry, cool place for no more than two years.

When preparing medicinal raw materials, try not to confuse it with thistle, they are very similar. Pay your attention first of all to the shape of the leaves: tartar has large, whole leaves, while thistle has more carved leaves. Another obvious difference is that these plants have different flower buds - the tartar has large green inflorescences, while the thistle has thin pinkish-purple petals even before the flower bud is formed. When working with tartar raw materials, remember that it is very bitter, so you will need to wash your hands very carefully.


The use of prickly tartar in folk medicine

Prickly tartar has long been used and is often used in traditional medicine recipes for the treatment of cancer, various fibroids, and the pancreas. The properties of tartar are widely known to stop blood, have a bactericidal, diuretic effect, and also have a beneficial effect on the activity of the cardiovascular system. Tatarnik is used to prepare decoctions, infusions, dry powder, fresh juice and alcohol tinctures. In any of these dosage forms, the properties of this plant are well demonstrated.

For coughs, flu, bronchitis or pneumonia, for chronic respiratory diseases, rheumitism, gout and gastrointestinal diseases, it is recommended to drink an infusion prepared from a tablespoon of crushed dry leaves of tartar, which is poured into a glass of boiling water and left for at least an hour, then the infusion is filtered and drunk ½ cup, 25-30 minutes before meals, 3-4 times a day.

For general loss of strength, anemia, overwork or chronic fatigue syndrome, as well as for low blood pressure or gastrointestinal diseases, take a teaspoon of powder from the flowers and leaves of tartar. It should be taken 3-4 times a day with plenty of water.

For neuroses, with pronounced anxiety or with insomnia, a decoction prepared according to the recipe is recommended: 5-10 grams of tartar inflorescences are poured with 300-400 grams of boiling water and boiled for at least 5 minutes, then removed from the heat and left for another 40 minutes, filtered and drunk ½ glass 3 times a day.

For kidney disease, to normalize low blood pressure and heart function, for cystitis and urethritis, and also as a general tonic, a decoction is prescribed according to the recipe: 5g. Pour a glass of boiling water over ground tartar root, boil for 10 minutes, let cool and strain. Drink according to Art. l. 3-4 times a day.

Blooming tartar After undergoing operations to remove malignant tumors, for skin cancer, scrofulosis, various ulcers and lupus, a tincture of tartar is prescribed, which is prepared according to the following recipe: a glass jar or bottle is completely filled with tartar flowers and poured vodka under the neck. Then they put it in a dark place for a month. The container with the tincture must be shaken periodically. After a month, squeeze out and strain the resulting tincture. Take tincture 25-30 ml. in the mornings and evenings before bed, 2-3 times a day.

For skin cancer, the decoction can also be used externally. Taking powder from tartar leaves also gives a good effect. Before taking the powder, pour boiling water over it until it becomes a paste and take a teaspoon three times a day.


Now more and more people are interested in traditional methods of treatment. And even doctors do not avoid such recipes, especially for medicinal herbs. And many are surprised to learn that some weeds, which gardeners mercilessly destroy, turn out to be very useful.

Such plants include spiny tartar. People also call it thistle, thorn, dedovnik, burdock or devil's horn. Very often this plant is confused with thistle due to the fact that their flowers are similar. But some features make it possible to correctly determine which plant is the prickly tartar. Photos allow you to see their differences.

Description of the Tatar

This plant belongs to the Asteraceae family. Its long, prickly, branching stem can reach a height of two meters.

This, and also the shape of the leaves, distinguishes prickly tartar from thistles. A photo of the plant shows that they are large and oval in shape. Unlike tartar, thistle has carved small leaves and a long single stem, almost without thorns.

But their flowers are similar: a bright lilac or violet spherical basket, slightly pubescent at the edges. When harvesting plants, you need to learn to determine which of them is prickly tartar. Only it has medicinal properties; thistle does not have such beneficial effects. Tartar blooms from July to September. This plant got its name because it is almost completely covered with large, sharp, yellowish spines. They are even present on the edges of leaves and on the shells of inflorescences.

Where can you find the plant

The prickly tartar is quite unpretentious. Therefore, in Europe it grows almost everywhere, except for the Far North. It is especially common in the middle zone, in the north of the Caucasus and Central Asia, in the Crimea and Western Siberia. There is a lot of tartar in Switzerland; it is even found in northern Africa.

You can find the plant in landfills, vacant lots, along river banks and in abandoned vegetable gardens. The plant loves sunny places, the banks of ravines and meadows, and is often found near housing. It is often exterminated in gardens, considering it a harmful weed. But in addition to having beneficial properties, Tatar is also a good honey plant. It is grown industrially in the Moscow region and in Belarus.

How to procure and store raw materials

Before collecting herbs for medicinal purposes, you need to learn to distinguish between thistle and prickly tartar. A photo taken with you will help you avoid mistakes.

To prepare raw materials, you need to put on old leather gloves and arm yourself with pruners or sharp scissors. You only need to cut off young, undamaged leaves and shoots. They are placed in a box or basket to prevent them from getting wrinkled. It is advisable to place cut flowers separately. It is recommended to collect them during flowering. Before drying, you need to remove the thorns so that they do not get into the medicinal raw material, and cut the large leaves lengthwise. Sometimes the roots of plants of the first year of life are also used, which are dug up in late autumn. The grass is laid out on a clean mat or net to dry and left in the shade under a canopy. You can dry the raw materials in the oven. Prickly tartar is a very bitter plant, so after working with it you need to wash your hands thoroughly.

Finished raw materials are stored for no more than 2 years. It is best to store them in boxes lined with paper inside or in fabric bags.

Prickly tartar: application

1. The most important area in which the plant has been used for a long time is traditional medicine. All parts of the plant are used in the form of decoctions and infusions. Powder from dried parts of the plant or fresh juice of its leaves are also effective. Fresh herbs, crushed into puree, are often used externally.

2. Prickly tartar can also be eaten. It contains saponins, inulin, protein and a lot of ascorbic acid. The leaves are used in salads or as a filling for pies. Almost 30% of vegetable oil was found in the seeds, which is very similar in properties to sunflower oil. And the roots contain a lot of starch. They can be made into flour or fried.

3. The prickly tartar plant is effectively used for cosmetic purposes. Fresh juice is good for acne and pustules; the decoction treats dandruff and hair loss. Tatarnik has a good effect on the condition of the skin, making it elastic and smooth. Sitz baths with its decoction even help against cellulite.

Tatarnik prickly: medicinal properties

Avicena wrote that the plant has many beneficial qualities and can be used in the treatment of various diseases. It was he who noticed the property of the tartar to stop bleeding.

In addition to the hemostatic effect, the following properties of the prickly tartar are also known:

Increases the body's resistance to adverse environmental conditions;

It is a tonic and adaptogenic agent, strengthens the immune system;

Increases the tone of the smooth muscles of internal organs;

Normalizes blood pressure and improves heart function;

Has anti-inflammatory and bactericidal effects;

It is a mild and effective diuretic;

Cleanses the blood well;

Normalizes the activity of the nervous system, calms and improves overall performance.

For what diseases is it used?

Kidney and bladder diseases;

Cardiovascular diseases, especially with hypotension;

- pulmonary tuberculosis, asthma, cough or cold;

Gout, rheumatism and hemorrhoids;

Diseases of the pancreas, gastritis;

General loss of strength, chronic fatigue and anemia;

Neuroses and insomnia;

Tartar decoctions are considered effective even for malignant tumors;

It helps well in the treatment of festering wounds, ulcers and skin cancer, even with scabies.

Contraindications and side effects from taking

It is not recommended to use prickly tartar for people with high blood pressure, tachycardia and a tendency to allergic reactions. Usually the plant is very well tolerated, and according to doctors it is low-toxic. But in some cases, taking tartar can cause an allergic reaction. Sometimes depression of the nervous system can occur if prickly tartar is consumed in large doses. Its use is therefore not recommended for children under 8 years of age, pregnant and lactating women.

Traditional medicine recipes

1. Decoction of roots for inhalation.

You need to take 30 grams of dry crushed roots and boil in a water bath in a liter of water for 15 minutes. After infusion, the decoction must be strained and steam inhalation done. This procedure twice a day will quickly relieve coughs and colds.

2. A decoction of the roots for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

20 grams of crushed dry raw materials are boiled in half a liter of water for 5-10 minutes and left under the lid until completely cooled. The strained broth should be drunk in small portions 5-6 times a day until complete recovery.

3. Tartar decoction to restore strength.

If you prepare a decoction from the stems, leaves, flowers and roots of the plant using the method described above, it will perfectly help improve your immune system, calm you down and add strength. You need to drink half a glass twice a day.

4. Use of dry tartar powder.

To make the medicine, you need to take equal parts of the dried roots and the above-ground part of the plant. Grind the raw materials in a coffee grinder and take a tablespoon diluted in a small amount of water. This medicine is good for bladder diseases.

5. Syrup from the flower baskets of the plant.

It is boiled from 400 grams of water, 100 grams of sugar and tartar flowers so that they are completely covered with water. After boiling the syrup by half, you need to infuse it and strain it. It will make an excellent cough medicine.

6. Infusion to increase blood pressure.

Flower baskets and tartar leaves - 10 grams each - are poured with a glass of boiling water and wrapped for a day. It’s even better to prepare the infusion in a thermos. You need to take it three times a day, a tablespoon. The infusion also perfectly cleanses the blood.

7. Fresh juice from the leaves and stems of the plant has a wide spectrum of effects:

It is instilled into the nose for sinusitis;

They make lotions for hemorrhoids;

Wipe the skin for pustules and various inflammations.

8. Tincture of tartar flower baskets in alcohol is an excellent remedy for any skin diseases. To prepare it, pour the flowers in a liter jar with pure alcohol and leave in a dark place for at least a month, stirring daily.

Thistle, or milk thistle, has long been known among people for its beneficial properties. This medicinal plant has a wide range of effects on human health, helping to strengthen the immune system, restoring the body after serious illnesses, and helping to reduce inflammatory processes.

Thistle, or milk thistle, has long been known among people for its beneficial properties.

The healing plant is visually familiar to everyone. On a thin green stem, a beautiful pink or white bud opens with thin petals bunched into a tight bunch. The herb has a beneficial effect on the body due to its high content of vitamins and minerals. Thistle is rich in:

  • essential oils;
  • tannins;
  • acids (malic, oxalic, malonic, citric, glycolic), saponins, bioflavonoids and alkaloids.

The main active ingredient of thistle, due to the content of which it has a therapeutic effect on the body, is vitamin K. It also contains protein, macro- and microelements that supply the body with necessary minerals, which is especially useful for the immune system, bones and cartilage tissue.

This wonderful plant never ceases to amaze with its composition. The presence of mineral elements such as calcium, potassium and iron in the medicinal plant makes this medicinal herb an effective remedy in the treatment of many diseases of the spine. People who, due to the specific nature of their work activity, are at risk of receiving frequent injuries to bones, tendons and ligaments, are advised to regularly use the plant; this will help significantly strengthen the body.


The healing plant is visually familiar to everyone

Regular use of thistle (another name for thistle) helps strengthen blood vessels and normalize the functioning of the circulatory system and heart muscle due to the fact that the plant contains magnesium. It prevents the appearance of blood clots and reduces the risk of arterial hypertension, heart attacks and strokes.

Milk thistle is simply a storehouse of useful substances, which is hard to find equal in nature. In addition to the fact that thistle inflorescences are actively used in folk medicine for preparing various decoctions and tinctures to treat various diseases, people have learned to collect pollen from the inflorescences of this plant, using it to make honey and propolis, which are very tasty and incredibly healthy.

Gallery: thistle (25 photos)

Using milk thistle to treat the liver (video)

The healing powers of thistle

Milk thistle is one of the most effective natural plants, which is used not only for the prevention of diseases, strengthening the human immune system, but also has a therapeutic effect. Doctors are the biggest skeptics regarding the use of plants for treatment, and they often recommend their patients to use thistle in decoctions and tinctures as an aid. Thistle has extensive healing effects:

  • treatment of infectious diseases;
  • reduction of inflammatory processes;
  • restoration of reproductive function in women;
  • normalization of the functioning of the circulatory system;
  • activation of the protective functions of the immune system;
  • removal of excess fluid from the body;
  • therapy of diseases of the respiratory system.

Milk thistle, if taken regularly as an additive to tea, helps strengthen memory and mental activity, which will be especially useful for older people, whose risk of senile dementia increases due to chronic diseases and age-related changes in the body.

The use of thistle helps women adjust hormonal levels, restore erratic menstrual cycles, and normalize the body’s condition after pregnancy and childbirth. It is used to treat various female diseases. The plant helps to stop inflammatory processes in the organs of the genitourinary system and improve blood circulation in them.


Milk thistle is simply a storehouse of useful substances, which is hard to find equal in nature

The plant will also be useful for those people who are susceptible to frequent infectious diseases; it strengthens the immune system and increases the body's resistance to external negative factors. For allergies that worsen in the spring, thistle helps reduce the severity of rhinitis and cough.

It helps men restore sexual strength, and regular use of thistle significantly reduces the risk of adenoma, prostatitis, and urethritis. For hemorrhoids, the plant helps relieve signs of the disease, increases the tone of the blood vessels of the rectum, being an effective way to quickly remove hemorrhoidal cones and prevent exacerbation of the disease.

When not to use a plant

Thistle is a plant unique in its healing properties, which has a positive effect on the entire body, promoting rapid recovery from various diseases. But it is worth remembering that thistle cannot be used by everyone. Like some other medicines, tartar has contraindications, and ignoring them can cause not only the lack of the expected therapeutic effect, but also the appearance of extremely negative reactions from the body.

It should be noted that some people have individual allergic reactions to this medicinal plant, so before using thistle, it is recommended to consult a doctor and conduct a trial dose, which will show how well the body tolerates the components of thistle.


Milk thistle, when taken regularly as an additive to tea, helps strengthen memory and mental performance.

Silibum (milk thistle) should be used very carefully for people with liver diseases, in the presence of cholecystitis, chronic appendicitis and kidney dysfunction, which manifest themselves in frequent colic. These diseases are not a strict contraindication to the use of medicinal herbs, but their presence increases the risk of a negative reaction from the body.

It is also necessary to be aware of such a feature of the herb as the risk of overdose if it is used excessively. Like other medications, the plant will have a therapeutic effect when taken in moderate dosages, but when used in large quantities, the body will react extremely negatively. Thistle has a stimulating effect on the central nervous system, but if it is used excessively, mental activity, attention and concentration will be greatly depressed.

Recipe for healing infusion

Thistle is an effective, and most importantly, safe remedy for those who suffer from insomnia. The herb treats toothache, and in case of inflammation of the genitourinary system, for example, cystitis, it will quickly remove unpleasant symptoms and speed up the healing process. And to get the maximum effect from using milk thistle, it must be prepared correctly. This is very easy to do. It is enough to take a small amount of inflorescences and pour boiling water over them, leave to brew for an hour and then take them daily in a certain dosage.

What concentration of the decoction should be and how often it can be taken depends on the patient’s diagnosis and how the plant is tolerated by the body. The duration of administration varies, the main thing is not to stop taking the healing decoction immediately after the symptoms have disappeared. The medicinal herb needs some time for it to begin to act in the body in full force, not only relieving the symptoms of diseases, but also providing a therapeutic effect.

On average, the frequency of taking the decoction is up to 4 times a day, but this amount can be reduced or increased depending on the individual characteristics of the body. Before using the decoction, you should consult with your doctor, he will help you choose the desired concentration of the decoction and the frequency of its administration.

Tatar can also be used externally. A decoction or tincture based on it has a wound-healing effect, activating the skin regeneration process and helping to quickly resolve large hematomas.

Milk thistle herb (video)

Gynecology and urology

Thistle is a universal medicinal herb for the treatment of female and male diseases of the genitourinary system. Doctors often recommend using milk thistle decoction for internal use by women who have problems with reproductive function. This natural medicine will help restore hormonal levels and cure inflammatory processes in the appendages.

Due to the high content of vitamin E, milk thistle not only stops the inflammatory process, but also promotes the healing of uterine erosion. If the disease was diagnosed in the early stages, drug treatment can be avoided; it is enough to start consuming a decoction of medicinal herbs daily in time.


Thistle is a universal medicinal herb for the treatment of female and male diseases of the genitourinary system

Milk thistle has a very beneficial effect on the kidneys. The inflorescences of the medicinal plant are used as an additive to tea. This very simple recipe helps normalize kidney function, relieve the unpleasant symptoms of cystitis, and relieve spasms. Milk thistle tea has an antioxidant effect and helps remove toxins from the kidneys and the entire body. In the presence of edema, milk thistle will help remove excess fluid from the body, having a good diuretic effect.

Milk thistle is used in the treatment of kidney disease such as pyelonephritis. The medicinal herb has a disinfecting effect on the bladder.

Milk thistle meal and oil

Milk thistle is used in medicine to restore liver function; this medicinal herb is especially useful in the treatment of hepatitis and for relieving clinical signs of cirrhosis. Milk thistle is used in such cases in the form of decoction, oil and meal.

Meal is milk thistle seeds, which are finely ground into flour. You can prepare the meal yourself by grinding milk thistle seeds in a coffee grinder. Many people use commercial meal, which can be purchased at a pharmacy. Making butter yourself is quite problematic; it’s easier to buy it. Milk thistle oil is used to treat skin diseases, it helps relieve symptoms of allergic rashes, promotes rapid healing of wounds, providing not only a regenerating effect, but also an antibacterial effect.

You can take thistle oil internally, but you need to do this very carefully, first diluting the oil with water. For a therapeutic effect, the course of use of milk thistle must be at least 30 days, 3 times a day. But you shouldn’t overuse medicinal herbs, as this can lead to unpleasant symptoms and an allergic rash.

Meal should be taken 30 minutes before the main meal up to 3 times a day. If you need to use milk thistle for a longer period of time, you should take a short break of several weeks and only then repeat the course again.

The plant can be used by people who have AIDS. Regular use of a decoction of the herb internally will help protect the body, reducing the risk of various diseases that affect people with a suppressed immune system. In such cases, an alcohol tincture of milk thistle is used. You need to take it carefully, strictly following the dosage prescribed by your doctor.

Milk thistle not only has beautiful inflorescences, but also simply amazes with the variety of positive effects on the body. Decoction, oil, meal, and just raw materials as an additive to tea will help cure various diseases, speed up the healing process, and reduce the amount of necessary medications.

There are practically no risks of developing side symptoms. Contraindications are minimal, and the benefits for the body are enormous. There is one more property of this plant. Although you won’t find such a flower on anyone’s home’s windowsill as a beautiful home decoration, this is the method people used to use to protect their homes from evil spirits and enemies and to bring peace, mutual understanding and tranquility to the family.

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