Horsetail

The term equisetum is generally referred to as Equisetum arvense, also known as common horsetail or horsetail. This small herbaceous plant prefers moist and fresh soils; for this reason, it is commonly found near the ditches and streams, even in high ground.

Hated by farmers because it is infesting and difficult to eradicate, horsetail is instead appreciated by folk medicine and finds a certain space even among the shelves of modern herbalists. The sterile stems, and in particular the green twigs, harvested in July and dried in the open air, constitute the drug. They contain:

• mineral salts (18-20%, abundant potassium)
• saponins (about 8%)
• silica * (5-6% of the dry plant, hence the use of horsetail as an abrasive in polishing copper pots)
• organic acids (vitamin C, cinnamic acid, dicaffeicotartaric acid, oxalic acid and others)
• flavonoids (especially isoquercetin)
• traces of alkaloids (equispermine and laustrine)

In the phytotherapy field, horsetail finds a certain space as a mild diuretic and purifier. In the form of decoction - prepared by boiling 50 grams of fresh horsetail for 20 minutes (20 if dried) together with half a liter of water in an open container - it is indicated in the presence of post-traumatic edema (swelling after a blow), inflammatory states and lower urinary tract infections (cystitis, urethritis, prostatitis), for the treatment of renella (facilitates the expulsion of small kidney stones of sandy consistency) and to "deflate" heavy legs and ankles. For the same reason, the decoction - to be taken, after filtering and possible softening, to the extent of 2-3 cups a day - is proposed as an adjuvant in diets and slimming therapies; its draining effect can be useful in the presence of gout and water retention.

As an alternative to the decoction, dried extracts in the form of opercula are also commercially available, to be taken in doses of about 6 grams / day, accompanied by a lot of water (to stimulate diuresis).

For its richness in mineral salts, horsetail is a valid remineralizing, useful for strengthening bones, nails and hair. For this reason, folk medicine recommends its use in the presence of osteoporosis, in the after-effects of bone fractures, and in the case of brittle nails and hair.

Horsetail is recognized for its healing properties, useful for promoting wound healing, such as sores or annoying skin ulcers. In this case, however, external use is indicated, in the form of compresses or washings with decoction. Oral rinses are instead useful in the presence of mouth sores and gargles help those suffering from sore throat.

The abrasive properties of horsetail are exploited in some cosmetics suitable for peeling (dermatological procedure with which the cells of the most superficial layer of the epidermis are removed, with the aim of increasing the elasticity of the skin and removing small scars). The plant is also widely used in the prevention of wrinkles and skin aging.

Lastly, we recall the haemostatic properties of the horsetail which, with the support of the popular tradition, make it useful in the presence of hemorrhoids (always for internal use) and epistaxis (for inhalation of the decoction from the nostrils).

Side effects : there are no restrictions on use; consult the medical opinion before taking horsetail in combination with synthetic diuretics.