HORSETAIL
This perennial plant is common to moist loamy or sandy soil all over North America and Eurasia. Horsetail is a strange-looking sort of plant with creeping, stringlike rootstock and roots at the nodes that produce numerous hollow stems, which are of two types. A fertile, flesh-colored stem grows first, reaching a height of 4-7 inches and bearing on top a conelike spike which contains spores; this stem quickly dies. A green, sterile stem grows up to 18 inches high and features whorls of small branches. In the dinosaur era, horsetails reached incredible heights of up to 40 feet or more and resembled skinny lodgepole pines, but lacking the green boughs. During the Middle Ages clumps of the plant were often used as scouring pads to clean iron cookware and pewter dishes due to a high silicon content. No other herb in the entire plant kingdom is so rich in silicon as is horsetail. This trace element really helps to bind protein molecules together in the blood vessels and connective tissues. Silicon is the material of which collagen is made. Collagen is the "body glue" that holds our skin and muscle tissues together. Silicon also promotes the growth and stability of the skeletal structure. A few European clinical studies have determined that fractured bones heal much more quickly when horsetail is taken. The incidence of osteoporosis is, likewise, more greatly reduced when some horsetail is added to the diet. A few folk healers have recommended this herb to athletes who've suffered sprains, dislocated joints, pulled hamstrings or torn ligaments. Generally three tablets or capsules daily has been the rule-of- thumb until total healing has resulted of the injuries sustained. Horsetail is that kind of rare and unique cosmetic agent which beautifies from the inside out rather than just externally. Horsetail improves the texture and tone of hair, nails and skin, and greatly strengthens bones and teeth. Some even ascribe to this herb a certain hidden "youth factor." A special type of horsetail, grown, harvested and processed in Europe, has become the favorite of many American consumers. This formula is marketed in local health food stores under the name of Alta Sil-X Silica and was developed by a Pasadena, California naturopathic/homeopathic physician, Dr. Richard Barmakian. His formula contains an extract more easily assimilated by the body without some of the harsh complications attending other horsetail products and found in the whole herb itself. An average of 2 tablets each day has been prescribed by him to a number of his patients for revitalizing externally and rejuvenating internally. A tea made of horsetail helps to reduce minor edema. Half a cup internally every 45 minutes works well to stop bleeding in the urine and the stool. Some powder from an empty capsule or a crushed tablet can be sprinkled on a minor cut. Horsetail is a reliable diuretic for all urinary problems. In 1 pint boiling water, add 2 tbsps. herb and steep for 30 minutes. Drink 3 cups daily or 3 tbsps. every 1-1/2 hours. Dr. Barmakian's Alta Sil-X Silica from any local health food store or obtained directly from Alta Health Products is just as effective as well. Enthusiasts call horsetail a valuable diuretic and astringent for treating various kidney and bladder ailments, ranging from kidney stones to cystic ulceration, and also recommend it as a rapid-acting remedy for dropsy. Horsetail is also called effective in treating tuberculosis, especially when accompanied by the "spitting of blood." External application is supposed to stop the bleeding of wounds and promote rapid healing. In addition to the silica compounds, horsetail contains about 5 percent of a saponin, designated equisetonin, and several flavone glycosides including isoquercitrin, galuteolin, and equisetrin. A very small amount of nicotine (0.00004 percent) is also present. The flavone glycosides and the saponin probably combine to account for the diuretic action of horsetail, which has been demonstrated experimentally but which is very slight. There is no valid experimental evidence to support the hypothesis that the silica and silicic acid derivatives in the medication promote the healing of bleeding tubercular lesions in the lung. A caveat regarding safety is that several species of Equisetum have been implicated in livestock poisoning, particularly of horses. Known as equisetosis, a thiaminase (thiamine-destroying) activity has been confirmed in horses. Treatment involves massive doses of thiamine and, of course, removing the horsetail-containing hay from the diet. Health and Welfare Canada has required manufacturers to prove that E. arvense is free from thiaminase-like activity. A European species, Equisetum palustre L., is known to contain a toxic alkaloid, palustrine. The German Pharmacopoeia suggests that commercial supplies of E. arvense be examined for adulteration with other Equisetum species, notably, E. palustre. Even vigorous pleading does not produce much scientific support for the healing virtues of horsetail. Horsetail is a weak diuretic and little else. Horsetail is a descendant of prehistoric plants which grew as high as trees, and is a rich source of silica and other minerals, making it a valuable remedy for healing and a nutritious tonic. It has an affinity for the urinary system where it acts as a mild diuretic, soothing and healing irritation and infection of the urinary tract. Its tolling and astringent properties make it a very useful herb for frequency of urination, incontinence and bed-wetting in children. Horsetail is frequently used to treat inflammation or benign enlargement of the prostate gland. Horsetail acts as a tonic to the kidneys and urinary system. Horsetail also acts on the reproductive system, reducing hemorrhage and heavy bleeding, which it also does in the digestive tract, healing inflammation and ulcers, and in the respiratory tract where it was a traditional remedy for TB and coughing of blood. Horsetail can be used for brittle nails and lustreless hair, for debility and anemia. The silica helps absorption of calcium so it may help guard against osteoporosis and cramp, and has been shown to help prevent atherosclerosis. A lotion of horsetail can be used for irritated skin conditions such as eczema, to heal cuts and wounds, sores and ulcers, and to apply to chilblains. A mouthwash and gargle can be used for mouth ulcers, bleeding gums and sore throats. PARTS USED Aerial parts. USES As its traditional usage indicates, horsetail is an excellent clotting agent. Horsetail staunches wounds, stops nosebleeds, and reduces the coughing up of blood. In addition, horsetail has an astringent effect on the genitourinary system, proving especially valuable where there is bleeding within the urinary tract, and in cases of cystitis, urethritis, and prostate disease. Horsetail speeds the repair of damaged connective tissue, improving its strength and elasticity. Horsetail is also prescribed to treat rheumatic and arthritic problems, for chest ailments such as emphysema, for chronic swelling of the legs, and for various other conditions. A decoction of the herb added to a bath benefits slow-healing sprains and fractures, as well as certain skin conditions such as eczema.Other medical uses - Osteoarthritis, Urinary incontinence. HOMEOPATHY Although poisonous to livestock, equisetum has been used to heal wounds since ancient times. Chinese doctors use the herb to treat eye disorders, dysentery, flu, and hemorrhoids.Equisetum is used for symptoms associated with an irritable bladder, for example, pain that is worse at the end of urination; a sensation of pressure with an aching, full, tender bladder; a constant desire to pass urine; and dribbling of urine or mucus in the urine. Although the symptoms are similar to cystitis, there is no infection present. The remedy is also good for treating bedwetting in children that occurs during dreams or nightmares.
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