A small annual plant with a straight, simple or more often branched from the middle, reddish-brown stem 5-50 cm tall, pubescent with short curly hairs. The leaves are small, traditionally naked, ovate, with longish spinous teeth along the edge, falling off early on the lower part of the stem. Flowers 6-10 mm long, two-lipped, pale purple, sitting in the axils of the bracts and forming at the very top of the stem at first crowded, later elongated inflorescence. Blooms from June to autumn.
Grows in meadows, edges and clearings, among bushes, on dry slopes.
The whole plant is used medicinally.
The herb contains aukubin glycoside, essential oil, bitter substance, resin, blue dye.
Eyebright has an astringent and anti-inflammatory effect. It is used externally and internally for eye diseases – inflammation of the eyes, inflammation of the eyelids, lacrimal sacs, with spots on the cornea, also with inflammation of the bronchial mucosa, accompanied by cough and viscous secretion, with a hoarse voice, digestive disorders, lack of appetite, catarrh of the stomach, hyperacidity stomach and jaundice. It is also used for colds, diathesis, childhood eczema, skin tuberculosis in babies, they drink it as tea for fever, wash their hair for rapid hair growth.
Application
Infusion 1 is mainly used: 3 teaspoons of herbs are poured into 2 cups of boiling water (daily dose); or take eyebright powder – at a dose of 3 g per day. Eye infusion is used in baths or a special cup.
Infusion 2: 40-50 g eyebright per 1 liter of boiling water. Drink every day 3 glasses in 5 doses; for the eyes – dip clean rags and apply to sore eyes. During the day, the infusion is let into the eyes and washed twice every day with it. The effect does not start immediately.
In Tibetan medicine, it is considered a good remedy for conjunctivitis. In Bulgarian folk medicine, eyebright is also used for inflammation of the bronchi, accompanied by cough and viscous secretion, hoarseness, digestive disorders, catarrh of the stomach, increased acidity of gastric juice, jaundice.