Polygonum persicaria

Plant Name

Polygonum persicaria
Synonyms: Persicaria maculosa,
Persicaria persicaria.

Botanical Info

Annual, up to 80 cm heigh.

Geography:

Europe, Сaucasus, Siberia, the Far East, Central Asia: all regions, except the deserts. Grows across pratums and shores of the rivers, gutters, aryks and as a weed on wet arables and in gardens.

Chemical Content

Anthraquinones. Upperground part. An essential oil of 0.1 %. Flavonoids: avicularin,,hyperin, not identified flavonic glycoside. Leaves. Flavonoids (in %): meletin 0.05, isoquercitrin 0.11, hyperin 0.03. Seeds. Steroids: Sitosterin. Chromones: 5.7-digidroxychromon. Flavonoids: caempferol, meletin, 3-galactoside of caempferol, hyperin.

Traditional Use and Activity

Roots, rootstocks are used for colouring textiles in yellow colour. Upperground part is recommended for  chronic constipations. The Extract is used for uterine bleedings. Decoction and infusion is for the treatment of hemorrhoidal bleedings; can be used as diuretic for nephroses disease and urolithiasis. It is also used to treat diarrhoeia, catarrhal and venereal diseases. When applied externally, by gargling, it strengthens gums in Barlow’s disease and also moistens wounds. Raw, fresh plant can be used instead of Sinapismuses for radiculitis, podagra, headache, and for healing wounds. In traditional medicine it is used for the treatment of tumours of various origin, including stomach carcinoma. Pharmacological and clinical tests of the substance (10 %-s’ infusion and an alcoholic extract) have shown its potential for the use in gynecology to treat bleeding and for general potency stimulation. The plant can be used for hemorrhoids treatment. Used in wine and alcoholic beverage industries. It is an insecticide.