Money tree (crassula) - medicinal properties and contraindications

The fat woman, also known as the crassula, is extremely popular and can be found in almost every home and office. This is directly related to the established belief that the plant brings financial luck and promotes profit. Furthermore, the fat woman, also known as the money tree, is known for its medicinal properties. It has antiviral, antifungal, and healing properties.

In folk medicine, the leaves and juice are used to make ointments and infusions. It's safer to apply the plant externally due to the presence of arsenic, which poses a certain risk to humans. Furthermore, contraindications to this treatment should be taken into account.

Characteristics of the money tree

This flower's native land is Africa, where it can be found in various regions, and its growing range is very wide. In our latitudes, you can find several species of this houseplant, each with its own distinctive appearance:

• Oval - a small tree with a dense trunk, growing up to 1 m in height and having red veins on the leaves;

  

• Purslane - a distinctive feature is the presence of aerial roots;

  

• Tricolor - the color matches the name, it consists of green leaves with a red border and white stripes;

  

• Lycopodioidea is a creeping representative of the species, not distinguished by its large size;

  

• Spotted - the presence of dark and light spots on the leaves of the plant, climbing shoots;

  

• Columnar is a small ornamental plant with diamond-shaped leaves with yellow stripes.

All varieties of Crassula are characterized by their low maintenance and fairly rapid growth. The plant doesn't like excessive watering, so don't overwater it. A moderate watering once a week during the warmer months and twice a month in winter is sufficient.

The plant doesn't like hard soil, so the top layer needs to be loosened from time to time. It prefers a well-lit location, but away from direct sunlight, which can cause leaf burn and wilting.

Medicinal properties of the fat woman for humans

For many who own this plant, the fact that it has numerous medicinal properties and can be used effectively for various ailments, as a proven folk remedy, remains a mystery. It has long been observed that in a home where a sick person lives, the plant declines, but quickly regenerates when the owner recovers. The beneficial properties of crassula include:

• use for external skin lesions to promote rapid healing;
• treatment of calluses;
• relief of joint pain;
• relieving irritation and swelling caused by insect bites;
• antiviral action;
• anti-inflammatory effect;
• treatment of varicose veins;
• healing of the gastrointestinal mucosa;
• relief of symptoms in kidney diseases.

For treatment, the leaves of the plant and its juice are mainly used.

It should be noted that no detailed scientific studies have been conducted on the benefits of any of the components of the jade plant, their positive effects, or harm to the human body. Information on the medicinal use of this ornamental plant should not be used without consulting a physician.

Contraindications and possible harm to the body from the fat woman

The use of crassula for medicinal purposes still has some contraindications; it cannot be used either externally or internally by the following groups of patients:

• women during pregnancy and lactation;
• small children;
• people with individual intolerance to the components and at the slightest suspicion of an allergy.

Overall, it's a known fact that the flower contains a small amount of arsenic. Previously used medicinally, it wasn't considered harmful, but recent research has shown that the substance can accumulate in the human body and cause toxicity.

Therefore, the use of medicinal infusions and syrups made from the plant should be controlled and only in low doses to avoid poisoning. When using folk remedies, do not increase the dosage on your own, and discontinue treatment immediately if poisoning is suspected.

Recipes and rules for using the fat plant

Due to its medicinal properties, crassula is included in many alternative recipes that help cope with various ailments.

For runny nose and sore throat

The flower's anti-inflammatory properties make it suitable for treating sore throats caused by various viruses and bacteria. This recipe is suitable:

• juice of ten leaves of the fat plant;
• 300 ml of warm boiled water.

You can also use a freshly cut and washed leaf of the plant to relieve pain. Simply chew it until the juice is released. This should be done 30 minutes before meals. This can be repeated several times a day.

Crassula juice diluted with boiled water can help relieve nasal congestion. Prepare nasal drops in a 1:2 ratio and use them like a regular nasal solution, one drop in each nostril several times a day.

You can also rinse your nose with a solution of 10 squeezed leaves of the flower and 150 ml of water. This rinse should be done 2-3 times a day.

For fungus

Jade plant also helps combat the nuisance of fungal nail infections. If you have a fungus on your hands or feet, the following Jade plant uses can help:

1. Steam the nail plate in hot water with the addition of soda, soap or celandine.
2. Trim the damaged nail as much as possible without damaging the area of ​​skin around it.
3. Peel the surface skin off the plant leaf and apply to the affected area.
4. Leave this compress on overnight, securing it with a bandage or adhesive tape.

Repeat the procedure daily until complete recovery, on average this takes 10-14 days.

Similar to the application described above, you can prepare a paste from the leaves for a compress. The treatment regimen for the affected area is the same, but the paste is usually more effective than the leaves.

It should be noted that in severe cases of nail plate damage, it is appropriate to use pharmacy medicinal ointments together with the medicine from crassula to achieve a quick effect.

For burns, wounds, insect bites

The flower juice will help relieve itching and swelling caused by various insect bites if applied to the affected area 3-4 times a day.

A paste made from the clean leaves of the flower can be used to relieve burn symptoms by applying it to the affected area and covering it with a bandage. The compress should be changed every five hours.

For cystitis

A decoction based on this flower will help with bladder inflammation. To prepare it, you need:

• 200 ml boiling water;
• 3-4 medium leaves of the money tree.

Finely chop the leaves and pour boiling water over them. Let steep for a few minutes, then simmer over low heat for 7-10 minutes and let steep for an hour until completely cool. Strain the resulting infusion through cheesecloth or a fine sieve. Store in the refrigerator.

For arthrosis

Crassula juice is also effective in treating joint inflammation. For arthrosis, it is recommended to rub it on sore joints at night. To do this, simply squeeze the juice from the plant and rub it in. The number of treatments required depends directly on the severity of the condition, but overdosing with this use of Crassula is unlikely in any case.

For calluses

The plant is even popularly known as "callus" due to its ability to remove old and hardened skin. Peel the leaf to remove the surface layer, causing it to release sap, and apply it to the callus.

For herpes on the lips

Thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, the plant is used to treat such an unpleasant condition as cold sores. Freshly squeezed juice from the flower should be applied to the lips where the cold sore appears. This can be done up to six times a day, preferably at regular intervals between applications.

Frequently asked questions about growing

The jade plant has a wide range of beneficial properties, allowing it to be used to treat kidney and bladder conditions, arthritis and arthrosis, burns, hemorrhoids, and other ailments. It's important to follow the prescribed recipes and dosages when using herbal remedies to avoid harming your body.

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