The parietaria is an evergreen plant that easily grows on low walls and rocky terrain. This plant has deep green leaves with small greenish-toned flowers and tiny capsules that enclose the seeds, whose color varies from dark brown to black.
The 8 benefits of the parietaria
While the plant produces female flowers on the tip of the stems, the male flowers emerge in groups in the trees of the leaves. The parietaria is a close relative of the Parietaria Judaica species that is used in the same way.
The parietary name of the plant comes from the Latin ‘paries’ which denotes a ‘wall’. In fact, this refers to the main habitat of 2 species – cracks in the walls.
The plants belonging to the parietal species are connected to the Urtica species nettles. However, the smooth upper surfaces of their leaves are different.
- The parietaria is an herb that has traditionally been used to treat kidney disorders in addition to the urinary bladder. Furthermore, this herb has been a traditional remedy for urinary tract infections, urinary tract stones, cystitis (inflammation of the urinary bladder and other associated ailments).
- This herb also has very effective diuretic properties and is a perfect cure for increasing urination. The parietaria is considered to be among the best resources when it is essential to increase the flow of urine. It is believed that the flavonoids present in the grass in addition to its rich potassium content are responsible for this particular characteristic of the plant. In fact, taking 2 or 3 infusions prepared with a couple of dried leaves of the herb every day in a liter of water can be used to cure a series of ailments. This is especially important when it is essential to get rid of excess fluids from the body. The illnesses that can be cured by taking infusions prepared with the dried leaves of the parietaria are:
- The parietaria is also a conventional cough medicine and can also be used to relieve pain caused by wounds and burns as well as speeding up their healing process.
- An infusion prepared with dried leaves of the herb can effectively cure rheumatic disorders such as arthritis, gout and / or uric acid. It may be noted that while we get rid of excess fluids in our body we also eliminate unnecessary substances that have accumulated in the joints, often reducing them and relieving the painful symptoms that are associated with these physical conditions. In this sense, the parietaria seems to act as an excellent purifying agent.
- This herb is also effective for treating metabolic disorders where the main point is to get rid of body fluids, for example obesity or diabetes. Furthermore, the parietal herb is also effective in curing cellulite.
- As discussed above, the parietal herb is an effective treatment for treating diseases of the urinary tract, for example, kidney stones and / or gallstones. In fact, this herb is very useful for treating kidney stones since while it increases urine flow, it also retains mineral retention and the likelihood of kidney stone formation. At the same time, this herb is similarly effective in treating inflammation of the urinary tract or nephritis and / or inflammation of the urinary bladder (cystitis). This is primarily due to the soothing (emollient) properties of the mucilage (gelatinous secretions) of this herb.
- The herb acts as an adjunct in treating diseases when they are associated with the retention of excess fluids in the body, for example, the formation of edema (accumulation of serous fluid in the spaces between the cells in the tissue or in the body cavities) , poor circulation, high blood pressure (hypertension) and so on.
- Apart from the emollient, diuretic and purifying qualities of the herb, it is important to note that the parietary also has expectorant properties, something very effective in treating asthma in addition to bronchial affections. People suffering from similar medical ailments should take half a tablespoon of dried herb leaves 3 times each day as a remedy.
According to European herbal medicine
The parietal herb is considered to possess healing actions on the kidneys, supporting as well as reinforcing their functioning. The entire herb, harvested when the plant is in bloom, has numerous therapeutic properties. It is cholagogue (promotes bile secretions), partly demulcent (a medicine that protects and relieves an irritated membrane), laxative, diuretic, vulnerary (an herb that promotes wound healing and coolant (reduces body temperature during fevers.) This herb is known to be an effective treatment for kidney stones in addition to urinary calculi and various other disorders of the urinary system, including cystitis and nephritis (inflammation of the kidney).
This herb should not be prescribed to individuals suffering from hay fever or any other allergic reaction. The leaves of the parietaria can be used externally as a poultice on wounds, burns and so on.
The poultice prepared with leaves
It has a calming effect on burns and burns. It is advisable to collect the grass while it is in bloom. The leaves and buds of the parietaria can be used both fresh and dried. In fact, the dried leaves of the herb can be used to prepare an excellent herbal tea that is beneficial for a variety of health conditions.
Habitat and cultivation
The parietaria herb is native to the western, central and southern regions of Europe. While the Parietaria Officinalis is native to the central parts besides the southern parts of Europe, the Parietaria Judaica is native to the southern areas of the continent. In different parts of the globe, these 2 species have become weeds. In a sense, these 2 species are collected for therapeutic use.
The common parietary grows naturally in areas that are generally neglected, such as on walls, in alluvial forests as well as hedges and roads.
The round inflorescences of the plant which include male flowers, androgynous or hermaphroditic females are positioned in the axils of the shoot right at the top of the place where the leaves originate. The plant produces flowers during the period from summer to the first part of autumn.
Both species have a preference for soil conditions that vary from sufficiently drained to arid alkaline. Furthermore, these plants grow excellently both in total sunlight and in partial shade. They grow well on dry stone walls.
Plants are dioecious, which denotes that they produce flowers of both sexes.
In case you want to get the seeds from this parietaria, you need to grow male and female plants of this neighboring species. The pollen from the parietaria plant is known to be among the absolute first in addition to the most vigorous allergens that cause hay fever.
Generally, the parietaria is propagated from its seeds. The seeds should be sown either in spring or autumn in a miniserra. When the plants are large enough to handle, decant and plant them outdoors during the summer. In case you have enough seeds of the plant, you can sow them on the spot in autumn or spring. The plant can also be propagated by division during spring. The process of propagating plants through division is quite simple; you require large plant divisions that can be planted in their permanent locations directly outdoors.
Contraindications and preucations
The herbs belonging to the Parietaria species contain organic acids, particularly the caffeoilmalico acid, together with tannins and flavonoids. The species of parietaria, have numerous therapeutic uses. Infusions and decoctions prepared with these herbs can be used both for internal use and for external use. However, there is no specification regarding the proper and safe dosage of infusions and decoctions prepared with this herb.
As with any other homeopathic medicine, the Parietaria species also gives rise to certain side effects and, therefore, there is a need to take certain precautions. For example, pollen from parietaria officinalis is considered to produce a severe allergic reaction in some people.
