Benefits of Silverweed plant

Silverweed, also known as goosegrass, is a plant used in treating various affections of the body.

Description of Silverweed plant

Silverweed is a herbaceous plant, with ascending branches and a horizontal stem. Its leaves are silver colored on their back, and its flowers are yellow.
The plant prefers wet soils, on river shores, lakes and wet glades.

Properties and benefits of Silverweed

The plant is rich in tannins, bitter, flavonic substances, mineral salts, and essential oil. Because of these properties, silverweed has many benefic effects, being
astringent, spasmolitic, analgesic, anti-diuretic, cicatrizing and haemostatic.

Treatments

Silverweed is used both internally and externally in treating various affections of the body. Internally it is used as a tea to calm stomach colics, also adjusts
abundant menstruation and relieves pain.

In case of renal calculosis (kidney stones) and arthritis, a longer tea treatment is recommended using this plant.

In popular medicine, silverweed is used for treating severe diarrhea, bleeding, uric lithiasis, vaginal leaking, skin ulcerations, and anemia.

Externally, the plant is used under the form of local washing in cases of leucorrhoea. For treating
skin ulcerations and gum inflammations, poultices can be applied, imbued with tea.

Silverweed is used in treating irritated and greasy complexions, under the form of cold cataplasms
or pulverizations, having the property of calming the complexion.

Mixtures

Silverweed tea

Silverweed tea is obtained from the herb's leaves, sometimes also adding the roots. Two teaspoons
of leaves are added to half a liter of water. After a quarter of an hour, the liquid is filtered and drunk
while warm during the period of a day, in three portions, after the main meals.

Pulverization is done in the following way: the complexion is washed with an infusion obtained
out of two teaspoons of crushed plant to which 300 ml of water is added, it is boiled and then the
bowl is covered, leaving it to cool down.

USES

Contemporary medical herbalists believe that silverweed's main medicinal value lies in its astringency. Silverweed makes an effective gargle for sore throats and is a
helpful remedy for diarrhea. Silverweed is less astringent than its close relative tormentil, but it also has a gender action within the gastrointestinal tract. Silverweed
is used externally as a lotion or ointment for bleeding hemorrhoids.

HABITAT AND CULTIVATION

Silverweed is found in Europe, Asia, and North America, where it flourishes in dry, grassy places. The aerial parts are collected in late summer, the root at the same
time or in autumn.