Other Names: Zembil flower, Sığırdili, Borago officinalis
Botanical Information: It is a sample plant of the Borage family. Borage is a perennial plant that is 0.3-1 mm tall, grows longitudinally, forks quite frequently and is covered with coarse hairs. Its leaves are arranged in variable order, their edges are notched, rough, egg or elliptical in shape, 5-20 cm long, 3-15 cm wide, the lower leaves are large and the upper leaves are small. Since its flowers are densely clustered like clusters and clustered together like umbrellas, they are also called clusters or umbrella bunches of flowers. Its flowers are bluish purple, blue or lilac purple, with five broad lance-shaped or triangular-shaped petals after the middle, and thinly lance-shaped hairy, green-colored, five cup leaves, and its fruits, consisting of lilac-colored pollination seeds in the middle, have 4 seeds, the seeds are quite small, brown. It is colored and has a wart-like protrusion at the tip.
Young leaves are added to salads, cheese and some other foods. In some places it is eaten as a vegetable.
Known Composition: Mucilage, saponin, resin, potassium nitrate.
Collection and Drying: From May to October, the leaves and flowers can be collected and eaten, or they can be dried at 50˚ and stored. Since the plant is very juicy, it is very difficult to dry it even on cool and hot days. Therefore it needs to be dried artificially.
Properties: Depurative / blood purifier, sudophyric / diaphoretic, antifebrile / antipyretic, diuretic / diuretic, mucolytic / expectorant, sedative / relaxing, purgative / laxative.
Benefits:
It cuts cough. It causes expectoration.
It is diaphoretic and antipyretic.
It is effective against cold and flu.
It is good for respiratory diseases.
It reduces inflammation of the lung membrane (saltilla).
It is diuretic. It cleans the blood.
It increases milk production in breastfeeding women.
How to Use: Take 2 teaspoons of the leaf-flower mixture and pour 1 glass of boiling water over it. The mixture is prepared by steeping for 10-15 minutes. Drink a glass of this mixture three times a day.
Borage plant is also good for wounds and burns. For this purpose, a poultice is prepared from its leaves and applied to the wound.