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Horsetail

Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) is a very ancient plant, a fossil usually found in seashore deposits. It has been used since ancient Roman times as a vegetable, as animal food and as a medicinal plant. It is very effective for stanching internal as well as external haemorrhages and for reducing swellings, rashes and inflammations. It is also astringent and stimulates immune reaction. Equisetum arvense has generally been recommended for treating conditions affecting the parathyroid glands, kidney, and bladder. Equisetum arvense is known to have antioxidant properties and be rich in minerals which play a vital role in regulating many body functions, including nerve response, muscle contraction, metabolism, and regulating electrolyte balance and hormonal production. The active ingredients of the weed Equisetum arvense are silicic acid (partly in the soluble form), equisetonin (saponin), a bitter substance, small amounts of 3-methoxypyridine, nicotine, palustrin, isoquercitrin, galueteolin, dimethylsulfone, resin, fat, aconitic acid and other acids, vitamin C, enzymes, and polyenoic acids. Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) are useful in shrinking tissues and preventing secretion of fluids. Horsetail extracts are generally prepared from the barren stems of the plant.

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