Gourd (White), Gourd, Pumpkin

Fahrettin Boztepe July 22, 2018

32 1 dakika okuma süresi

( Bryonia alba )

Family: Cucurbitaceae, Kürbisgewachse, Cucurbitaceae

Drugs: Hedge root: Bryoniae radix
Chit root is used to make tinctures and natural medicines, but its tea is not drunk because it is very poisonous.

Introduction: The hedgehog root or hedgehog gourd is a subgroup of the cucurbitaceae family, the Bryonia family, and there are 12 hedgehog species in this group, of which the White Hedgehog (or Black-fruited hedgehog); Bryonia alba and Red Hedgehog (or Red-fruited hedgehog); Bryonia cretica are used for the same purpose and no difference is made. The first large-scale research and treatment trial was conducted on subjects by HAHNEMANN, and he was followed by TRINKS in 1843, Prof. ZLATAROWICH in 1847, LEMKE in 1859, MANKOWSKI in 1899 and others. Hedgehog root has been used against rheumatism, bronchitis and colds. Hedgehog root grows in a wide area from Western Europe to East Turkestan.

Botany: The hedge root is a 2-5 m long ivy that climbs by wrapping itself around objects such as walls, fences, trees and bushes and covers a large area. The lower leaves are hand or egg shaped, the other leaves have 3-5 lobes, the edges are entire and wavy on the ground, the upper part is dark green and the lower part is grayish green. It clings to its surroundings with helical (spiral) thread-like springs coming from the leaf bases. The flowers are grouped together, the male flowers are grayish white or greenish white and on a long stem. The female flowers are yellowish white, 5 in number and spear-shaped. The fruits first turn green and then black and are 7-9 mm in diameter and spherical (the fruit of the Red Hedge root is red). The roots are 30-50 cm long, 10-20 cm in diameter, resembling a pointed beetroot, yellowish white on the outside, white fleshy and juicy on the inside.

Cultivation: Seeds are sown in pots, pine groves, greenhouses or pillows in March and April, and seedlings are planted in May at the base of walls, fences or trees. Fence root grows more lushly in calcareous or clayey soils at the base of walls, roadsides, bushes, and sparse forests.

Harvest time: The roots of the hedge squash are removed before flowering or in autumn-harvest after the leaves have faded, washed, sliced or separated into strips and dried. If it is to be made into a tincture, it is used fresh.