Horsetail

Horsetail is another herb, which is a highly useful medicine. Horsetail is useful for quite a number of normal and common ailments, as well as ailments which are a bit serious in nature like osteoporosis, urinary tract infections etc.

Horsetail plants are available in a large number of species, not all the species are useful medicinally, and some of these might actually be harmful if taken without any supervision. However, certain horsetail species called ‘Equisetum arvense’ is highly useful as a medicinal herb.

Horsetail is an highly effective osteoporosis remedy, the herb is rich in silica and related chemicals as well as can bind collagen, and can help skin remedies as well as helps in binding bones. Horsetail extracts are combined with calcium and taken as a remedy to osteoporosis, after research was made it was found that women taking these combined supplements fared better, with better bone densities than the ones who were taking only calcium.

Horsetail is also used as application, amongst its other medicinal uses horsetail is used for edema treatment. There are many areas related to horsetail where proper studies have not yet been made, however scientists feel that horsetail helps release of urine, therefore can be treated as uti cure for people suffering from infections of urinary tract.

Horsetail plant has existed on Earth for more than 4000 years, therefore there are several species of it available, and this plant was used in ancient Greek and Roman empires as a cure for jaundice. Horsetail derives its name because of its looks.

In markets today, you will find horsetail extracts either in liquid or in a granular form. Though highly useful for health purposes, it has been advised several times that using this herb without doctor’s consultation might be harmful.

Horsetail is typically used by homeopathy and other alternative medicines, horsetail is useful to be taking internally as well as it can be used as an application for burns cuts, rheumatic disorders, etc. Because of high amount of collagen the herb heals without leaving any scars on skin. However, application of herbal medicines directly to open wounds is not advised by doctors. This herb is also useful to prevent aging of skin because of silica and collagen present in it.

Studies regarding more medicinal benefits from horsetail are yet in conclusive state, therefore, there are speculations that this herb might help prevent memory loss, as well as for urinary tract infections. However, this herb is proving highly medicinal in lot of areas already.

Submitted on January 16, 2014