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 Before going to the field or forest for medicinal herbs, we strongly recommend that you consult a pharmacy, whose workers will help you clarify certain botanical features of different medicinal plants, so that when collecting them not to be confused with herbs that are close to them in appearance, but not to be collected.
You must have a document with you - permission from the forestry for the right to collect medicinal plants in a certain area of its territory.
The fact is that people are increasingly turning to a green pharmacy, and its stocks are correspondingly drastically reduced. Many herbs, trees, shrubs, known for their medicinal properties, are so rare that they are already included in the Red Book. The reasons are different. Some plants have always been rare in our country, others were too zealously harvested by local residents, and still others were transferred to bouquets.
 Plants cannot withstand the onslaught of man, they disappear irrevocably. Mountain arnica, lily of the valley, yellow gentian, ginseng are on the verge of extinction. Lemongrass, Maryin root and many other plants, the natural reserves of which are small in nature, require a very careful attitude.
To reduce losses, observe a special harvesting regime and special measures that contribute to the restoration of the size and quality of the population, protect rare medicinal plants, teach children and grandchildren to admire these healing rarities in nature, do not tear, do not trample, do not destroy them.
On a large territory of our country, medicinal plants cannot be harvested for other reasons. The modern impact of civilization on the environment has already disrupted the composition of the atmosphere and soil waters, which contain a large number of toxic chemical compounds. They, without decomposing, tend to accumulate or become even more toxic. And the plants utilize them from the soil. The addition of other chemicals alters the pharmacological properties of the plant in unexpected ways. Therefore, you should not collect grass along the roads, linden blossom, knotweed, coltsfoot, dandelion in cities. They accumulate toxic substances - benzpyrene, lead compounds and other products of automobile exhaust.
It is even more terrible when you see on the territory of some factory with a foundry, a coke-chemical or chemical enterprise, an apple tree, a mountain ash, the same linden. Handsomely. But who can resist so as not to pick an apple or a rowan brush, and in fact everything that has accumulated in the soil is dissolved in water, soars in the atmosphere.
The collection of medicinal plants near collective and state farms is far from safe, just as in areas where forests are pollinated with pesticides by agricultural aviation.
It is not recommended to harvest medicinal herbs (mushrooms, berries) and near cities (in the vicinity). The higher the chimneys of industrial enterprises, the farther the discarded waste is transferred.
So what about our green pharmacy? There are areas where it has been kept clean. Such areas, which were not swept by a wave of civilization, are known to the forestry enterprises. They exercise control over economic activities on their territory. With the help of the public and you and I, such places should be declared protected areas and medicinal plants should be cultivated there. It would also be possible to develop beekeeping in order to obtain ecologically pure medicinal honey and other apitherapy products - royal jelly, propolis, bee polish, bee venom, chitinin.
With the help of those who are interested in medicinal herbs and their competent use, it would be possible to create an asset at medical pharmacies, for discussion of which all acute environmental issues related to medicinal plants could be brought up. This would at least to some extent increase the rationality of using the healing green wealth.
What and how to collect is described in the main part of the book. But it is also important to know when is the best time to harvest herbs. The medico-biological properties of plants are influenced by the proximity of other plant species, the degree of solar activity, humidity and air temperature, collection time during the day, and other factors.
It is best to collect herbs (aerial part) in dry, clear, but not hot weather or in the morning, after dew has dried. Roots and rhizomes are harvested in any weather, since they still have to be washed before drying.
And once again we remind you - do not pull out plants with roots (if the rhizome, the root is not a medicinal raw material). To harvest plants, use a garden knife, scissors, pruning shears, combs with boxes of different designs, a hand harvester (for harvesting fruits rose hips), plow - for digging rhizomes, wood cutter - for collecting rowan, viburnum, linden inflorescences... Do not choose a medicinal herb on the site cleanly, leave some of the healthy good specimens on each square meter to restore the thickets (this will take 2 to 4 years).
 Dried medicinal raw materials are stored in dry rooms, plants containing essential oils, phytoncides are stored in glass, tightly closed containers. Dry berries are also stored, which quickly absorb moisture from the air. Other types of medicinal herbs are stored in paper bags, boxes, cans, boxes in well-ventilated rooms, in a dark place. All packages must be labeled.
We have already said that some plants contain toxic substances. During harvesting, drying, toxic substances can get into the nose, mouth, skin and cause negative reactions. Therefore, before harvesting such plants, it is necessary to seal the cuts, abrasions on the hands with adhesive plaster. After work, wash your face and hands thoroughly with soap, rinse your mouth. Store such medicinal raw materials in special packaging in places inaccessible (especially for children).
It should be remembered that many biologically active substances of plants are easily destroyed by heat treatment. To preserve them, it is necessary to minimize the time of exposure of the medicinal herb to high temperatures. Before preparing the drug, the raw material should be well crushed. The finer its particles are, the faster the active substances will be extracted from them; boiling time (heat treatment) can be shortened.
And in conclusion, we advise you not to procure a large amount of medicinal raw materials, so to speak, for future use, because its healing properties usually do not persist for more than one or two years. Surplus collected medicinal herbs can be taken to the pharmacy.
Berkalo L.A. - In search of the key grass
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