Monday, January 5, 2009

Lime tree and its Medicinal use

Lime tree or Tilia (Lipa)
The flowers are used for herbal tea, and this infusion is particularly popular in Europe.
Lime flower tea has a pleasing taste, due to the aromatic volatile oil found in the flowers.
Lime flowers are used in colds, cough, fever, infections, inflammation, high blood pressure, headache (particularly migraine), as a diuretic (increases urine production), antispasmodic (reduces smooth muscle spasm along the digestive tract), and sedative.
The flowers were added to baths to quell hysteria, and steeped as a tea to relieve anxiety-related indigestion, irregular heartbeat, and vomiting. The leaves are used to promote sweating to reduce fevers.
The flowers, leaves, wood, and charcoal (obtained from the wood) are used for medicinal purposes.
Active ingredients in the lime flowers include falconoid (which act as antioxidants), volatile oils, and mucilaginous constituents (which soothe and reduce inflammation).
The plant also contains tannins that can act as an astringent.
By the Czech team

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