A woody creeper of the swallow family. The stem is twisted, 4-8 (12) m long, with a reddish bark covered with yellowish-brown lentils. Leaves are opposite, simple, ovate or oval, entire; 5-10 cm long, short-petioled. The flowers are regular, bisexual, collected in loose two- to six-flowered semi-umbrellas; corolla is greenish-brown or greenish-purple, fused-petaled, with a five-part fold, hairy on the edges. The fruit is a multi-seeded deciduous tree; seeds with bangs. Blooms from April to June.
Spread. The Greek warbler occurs in the Southern Crimea and occasionally in the Odesa region (the city of Vylkove) among shrubs, in wet coastal areas. In the south of the country, it is sometimes grown as an ornamental plant, sometimes it goes wild.
Raw. Cortex Periplocae graecae (Cortex Periplocae graecae) is used to make medicines. The bark is harvested in early spring during the sap movement, peeling it from pre-cut lateral branches with tubes or grooves cut along the length, and dried in the open air or in well-ventilated rooms. Artificial drying is carried out at a temperature of 60°. 36-40% of dry bark is obtained. It is necessary to store the bark of the plant separately from other medicinal raw materials, observing the rules for the storage of poisonous plants. Pharmacies do not release raw materials.
Chemical composition . The bark of the Greek wort contains cardiac glycoside periplocin, 4-methoxysalicylic aldehyde, tannins and sugars.
Pharmacological properties and use. The main active substance of the bark of the periplocin is the glycoside periplocin, which acts on the heart in a similar way to the cardiac glycosides of digitalis and strophanthus: it improves cardiac activity, slows down the heart rhythm, increases diuresis, reduces swelling and congestion in internal organs. Experiments have established that the coil has all the properties of a digitalis, with the exception of a central effect on the vagus nerve. In contrast to strophant, strophantum has weaker biological activity (by 3-4 times), lower toxicity and does not accumulate in the body. Greek wort is prescribed for cardiovascular insufficiency of the 1st and 2nd degrees and for organic defects of the mitral valve. In case of severe myocardial lesions, accompanied by significant blood circulation disorders and sharply expressed hypertension, the products of the bandage do not give a therapeutic effect.
Medicinal forms and applications . Internally – bark infusion (1 g of raw material per 200 ml of boiling water) 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day;
tincture (made with 40% alcohol in a ratio of 1:10) 5-10 drops 2-3 times a day.
Greek knotweed is a poisonous plant . Treatment should be carried out under the constant supervision of a doctor.