ENGLISH NAME: Restharrow
LATIN NAME: Ononis
arvensis
LOCAL NAMES:
Bulgarian: Полски гръмотрън, Кокоши трън
Czech: Jehlice rolní (if
needed for multilingual context)
COUNTRY: Bulgaria
WHERE TO FIND IT:
Region: Throughout the
country
Altitude: Up to 1600 m
Terrain: Moist meadows,
grassy places, sands by rivers, scrub, forests; occasionally in cultivated
fields
DESCRIPTION:
A perennial herbaceous plant or semi-shrub from the pea family
with a short, multi-headed rhizome. Stems can be prostrate,
ascending, or erect, ranging from 30–150 cm. Leaves are alternate,
with either three leaflets or simple. Flowers are pink to rose-violet
(rarely white), growing in leaf axils in pairs or singly, forming loose
to compact racemes. The fruit is a small, glandular-fibrous bean,
usually 1–2 seeded.
USABLE PARTS:
Roots (Radix
Ononidis)
– harvested in autumn, then cleaned, washed, and dried
Leaves – also used in
infusions
MEDICINAL
PROPERTIES:
Traditional Uses
(Bulgarian folk medicine):
Diuretic for cystitis,
prostatitis, and gout
Promotes uric
acid excretion
Anti-inflammatory — used for
urinary tract infections
Treats joint
rheumatism and eczema (externally in baths)
Clinical
Observations:
Short-term diuretic
effect with 20% increased uric acid excretion
Prolonged use may reverse
effect
UNDESIRED
EFFECTS:
Avoid overdosing
Heartburn may occur — if
so, discontinue use
Long-term intake should only be
done under medical supervision
PREPARATION &
USAGE:
Infusion (mild):
1 teaspoon (2–3
g) root soaked in cold water (1 glass) for 12 hours; drink at once
Infusion (hot):
1 tablespoon
finely chopped root in 1 teacup boiling water
Let cool, strain,
and drink 3 times daily
Powdered form:
1–2 g root powder
4 times daily, with water
Sources:
Ikonomov, Boychinov, Nikolov (1941); Stoyanov (1973)
HARVEST TIME:
June–September — aerial parts
Autumn — roots
CONSERVATION
(STORAGE):
Dry thoroughly in
a well-ventilated, shaded place
Store in airtight
containers, away from moisture and sunlight