Chicken grass helps fight menstrual cramps and gastric ulcers (screen capture: Semarnat)

It is Celestial Commelina Willdbetter known in Mexico as herb chicken, it is a species that reaches up to one meter in height, which has fleshy, erect stems, sometimes a little reddish, with very marked nodes. Its leaves are green, lanceolate, rough on the upper side and hairy or glabrous on the underside.

It’s a native plant of the Mexican territorywhich is mainly found in the states of: Baja California, Sinaloa, Chihuahua, Nayarit, Michoacán, San Luis Potosí, Hidalgo, Distrito Federal, State of Mexico, Guerrero, Veracruz and Chiapas. While its mode of consumption goes through infusions or smoothies.

Its main use is for vsFights menstrual cramps, gastric ulcers and as an anti-hemorrhagicthere recommended dose son: five grams of leaves in a liter of water, as an infusion. Drink one cup every six hours for 15 days.

Its route of administration is oral (photo: Conabio)
Its route of administration is oral (photo: Conabio)

In order to take better advantage of its medicinal properties, it is common to use both its leaveslike their flora and his threeare the route of administration is oral and one of the most important uses is the skin. Among the compounds of the chicken grass are the triterpene steroids alf- and beta-spinasterol, p-cymene, eudesmol, azulene, curcumene, alkaloids, bomeol, leucoanthocyanidin saponins, camphor and bomyl acetate.

This plant is known to function as a antihemorrhagicbecause it helps fight the bleedingfor this it is advisable to take a infusion with the plant and also apply it on the affected part. Its benefits are to be discovered in an article published by the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) of Mexico, titled “Medicinal plants from Cefofor’s Living Pharmacy: traditional therapeutic uses and dosage”.

In case of superficial wounds, theIllustrated Guide to the Medicinal Plants of the Valley of Mexicopublished by the National Institute of Indigenous Peoples (INPI), indicates that they should be used ground leaves of the medicinal plant to be able to apply them In the area(s) requiring particular attention.

While to help treat Gastric Ulcersthere Semarnat advise drink a cup of the infusion every six hours for 15 days and, if necessary, repeat the treatment. Likewise, tea from the plant can be ideal for eradicate cold soreswhich begin when the body temperature is above 37 degrees Celsius.

Helps with menstrual cramps Photo: Christin Klose/dpa
Helps with menstrual cramps Photo: Christin Klose/dpa

Another of its little-known uses is to be able to counteract the intense menstrual pain from which women suffer during the fall of their periods, in order to combat this discomfort it will be necessary to ingest an infusion of chicken grass associated with castile rose. Finally, another of its effective and little known effects is to treat diarrhea, certain problems of liver, arthritis, Colic, diarrhea, dysentery, shots, infections and until the Bleeding gums.

Despite its multiple medicinal uses, it is important to be careful when consuming it, because in excess it can cause Side effects not wanted. Exceeding the permitted dose can cause a toxic reaction in the system of the person who consumes it.

This plant is considered abortifacient, which is why it is not recommended to ingest it by pregnant women, Not even when they are breastfeeding. With regard to medicinal plants, one must be careful in their use in children, in this case it is suggested avoid its consumption by children under four years of age.

Therefore, one of the recommendations when you want to ingest it is to consult a family doctor so that its correct use is indicated.

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