Today, more and more people turn to medicinal plants for help. The horsetail has found wide application in medicine. In this article we will tell about this grass, we will give its description, we will consider useful properties and contraindications.
Description and photos of plants
Horsetail - one of the representatives of perennial plants belonging to the family Horsetail. Translated from Latin, the name of the plant Equisetaceae means horse tail.
Important! Grass belongs to the group of poisonous plants. That is why it is necessary to strictly adhere to the dosage.The plant has many other names: buckles, earthen bumps, mariyunka, cat's tail, column marsh.
A pine (also called grass) has a creeping brownish-black rhizome. In spring, the stems with a small branching begin to grow from it, painted in a pale brown or reddish color. At their end you can see a small spikelet.The same rhizome is overgrown with other, green, strongly branching stems. They are used in medicine. The plant has an interesting feature - during chewing you can hear a specific crunch.
Earthen cone is one of the oldest plant species on Earth. After the climate changed, it acquired dimensions up to 60 cm in height. There are no flowers on the spice, its reproduction occurs by spores. The column can be found on such areas: meadow, spruce, light coniferous, linden, pine, birch and mixed forests. It prefers to grow on the river bank, in scrublands, in sand and clay pits.
Plants that have the most useful qualities: sage, nettle, wormwood, echinacea, mint, lemon balm, lavender, lungwort, yarrow, bathing ginger, calendula, thyme.
Chemical composition
The grass of the horsetail has a huge amount of organic substances belonging to different groups: alkaloids, saponins, vitamins, phytosterols.
Among inorganic substances, silicic acid compound is valuable. That it has beneficial pharmacological properties.
Did you know? The root system of the horsetail is several times greater in mass than its land part.Horsetail - record for silicon content. It contains about 10% of the compounds of the substance in a dry form.
Due to the presence in its composition of salts of silicic acid, the plant has a characteristic "roughness" - thanks to her grass was used for polishing tin products. It is because of this feature that the belt has received another name - "tin grass".Pharmacological properties
Thanks to research, it has been established that preparations based on horsetail have healing properties.
Such funds contribute to increased diuresis, which helps to remove various edemas. When using column-based drugs, potassium salts are not washed out of the body. This makes it possible to use the grass for people suffering from heart disease. 
Drugs have excellent hemostatic properties, help to cope with inflammatory processes.
It is worth noting that the herb is not involved in the stimulation of platelet production, so it can be used to treat patients with problems in the arterial and venous systems.
Important! Collecting the plant yourself, it is very important not to confuse it with marsh horsetail, as they have a great similarity. Marshtail has a strong toxic effect and can cause health problems.The plant is good at coping with lead poisoning. Due to alkali metal silicates, which are contained in it, heavy metals and soluble compounds precipitate, which helps to remove them from the body.
Pharmacological properties are also inherent in slyti, aloe, fennel, stonecrop, wheat grass, heather.Thanks to herbal phytosterols, the adrenal cortex is stimulated.
Application
Horsetail is widely used in various fields. Consider the impact it has on people and animals.
For treating people
Horsetail has medicinal properties, allowing it to be used in traditional medicine. 
It is an excellent diuretic, quickly stops bleeding, is effective in treating rheumatism, atherosclerosis, heart disease, gout, liver disease, bronchitis, and tuberculosis.
It helps to remove the sand and stones, copes with hypertension and pulmonary bleeding. The column is used to treat wounds, boils, lichen, eczema and other skin diseases.
The plant is able to fight the inflammatory processes of the mucous membranes of the mouth and nose, a good effect has a decoction, which is necessary to perform rinsing. In such broths bathe small children suffering from catarrhal diseases.
In veterinary medicine
Horsetail is used not only for the treatment of diseases in humans. It is actively used in veterinary medicine. It is used for powdering wounds and ulcers of animals.
But do not use the plant as feed, as it can cause frustration. This is especially true of sheep and cattle.
In dermatology and cosmetology
Horsetail found application in dermatology and cosmetology. Due to the high content of calcium in the grass, it strengthens the hair, teeth, nails and bones. 
With regular use of the column, you can make the skin more smooth and elastic, cure acne and other skin diseases. With the help of trays and compresses of grass decoction, you can get rid of sweating limbs.
Did you know? When burning horsetail, high-quality silica is obtained, which is used as a polishing material.Very good plant affects hair. Thanks to silicon, the production of collagen is enhanced, which contributes to the restoration and improvement of the hair structure, accelerating their growth.
Nutrients in the horsetail provide the hair with a complete nutritional complex, improve blood circulation and prevent the development of dermatological diseases.Dermatology has found the use of such plants as: asparagus, verbena officinalis, arbutus, canola, peony, kupena, Syrian syrup, savory, parsnip, basil, sage.Thanks to the plant, the hair grows quickly, becomes durable and shiny. With regular use of herbs, you can get rid of baldness.
Harvesting and storage
If you want to prepare grass for further use for medicinal purposes, this should be done in the summer (June-August).
It is necessary to collect green stalks and dry them in the shade. The room must be well ventilated: it can be done in the attic, under the sheds. Spread the stems in a thin layer. You can not lay out the wet grass with a large layer, as it quickly acquires a dark color and loses its healing properties. Keep the horsetail in a dry place. As a result of drying, you will get stems that are approximately 30 cm long. They will be hard, branchy, gray-green, with a faint odor and a sour taste.
Then you need to distribute them into bags or paper bags. Store horsetail in this form can be 4 years.
Harm and contraindications
Horsetail has not only useful properties, but also contraindications. 
It is forbidden to take decoctions of grass and use it in any form to people suffering from nephrosis and nephritis. This can lead to irritation of the kidneys. It is not recommended to use it for medicinal purposes for people with a stomach ulcer and duodenal ulcer.
You can not use the plant in any form pregnant women and breastfeeding.
Preparations based on horsetail should be used with extreme caution. The use of herbs for more than 3 weeks in a row, as well as overdosing, can cause nausea, vomiting, pain in the lumbar region.
It is not recommended to engage in self-treatment, before taking the herb, it is necessary to consult a doctor for advice.
