Five gemmotherapy products to know for their action on memory and concentration
Gemmotherapy uses mainly plant buds, but also other extracts of growing plants: young leaves or rootlets, collected fresh. These embryonic extracts of plants would have a much more important pharmacological activity than the substances drawn from adult plants.
The first three, young leaves of Rosemary, Alder buds and young shoots of Olive tree are frequently found in formulas or complexes dedicated to memory and concentration, particularly adapted for our young people in revision.
ROSMARINUS Young leaves, rosemary
Rosemary is a Mediterranean plant that grows preferably on calcareous and stony soils, facing drought and purple winds. It is a condiment plant very rich in essential oils.
There are many studies demonstrating the action of rosemary on memory and concentration, it also reduces moral fatigue and brings overall well-being.
The essential oil of rosemary would stimulate the memory, and in particular its prospective form. That is to say the ability to remember that we must perform certain tasks at given times:
- Close (phone a friend in the afternoon)
- Or more distant in time (pruning one's rosebushes at such and such a time).
Previous studies had already demonstrated the effects of rosemary on long-term memory and on mental calculation performance. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12690999)
The macerate of young leaves of Rosemary
- These properties on memory and concentration can be transposed to this part of the plant
- Moreover, it stimulates the digestive functions, in particular at the level of the liver and the gall bladder.
ALNUS GLUTINOSA Buds, the black alder
The alder can reach 25 to 30 meters high, it likes the river banks. It is a pioneer tree that can thrive in poor soil.
The Alder bud macerate
Think of the young leaves of Rosemary, Alder buds and young shoots of Olive in these indications
- The buds of the Alder have a remarkable circulatory action, in particular in the inflammatory states (phlebitis, affection of the coronaries, cerebral circulatory attacks...). Its action is recognized in the disorders of memorization and concentration.
Its other properties :
- Anti-infectious
- Anti-inflammatory action on the mucous membranes
- Anti-inflammatory action on serous membranes
OLEA EUROPA Young shoots, the olive tree
This tree grows on the Mediterranean circumference in places bathed of sun, rocky and dry. Its survival capacities testify to its exceptional vitality. A specimen of some 4000 years old can be observed in Sardinia. Its small green-silver leaves persist between 30 and 36 months on the tree. They are covered by a protective membrane that preserves them from drought.
The olive tree is an image of fertility and regeneration, and today it symbolizes universal peace. In the field of Bach flowers, the elixir of Olive tree flowers is a remedy for physical and psychological exhaustion.
The macerate of young shoots of Olivier:
- Action on the brain: It is vascular, cerebral and neurological protector. And it is by its action on the microcirculation that it improves the memory.
- Action on the vessels: it is anti-atheromatous, fluidifying and hypotensive.
- Action on the metabolism: It is cholagogue, hypoglycemic, and it supports the fall of cholesterol.
GINKGO BILOBA Young shoots
The Ginkgo biloba is a real living fossil; it appeared at the beginning of the secondary era, some 200 million years ago. It is used by the Ayurvedic medicine as elixir of long life.
The macerate of young shoots of Ginkgo biloba:
- Anti-oxidant action, which explains its anti-sclerotic and anti-aging properties.
- Circulatory action, more particularly on the microcirculation: it is by this means that it improves the concentration, the vigilance, the memorization and that it opposes the too fast cerebral ageing.
CRATAEGUS OXYACANTHA Young shoots, hawthorn
The hawthorn is a thorny shrub of 3 to 4 meters high. It prefers to colonize limestone soils and likes full light. It is an emblem of health, prosperity, strength and protection.
The macerate of young shoots of crataegus oxyacantha
- Action on the nervous system: it calms heart palpitations, anxiety in general and helps to find sleep. It is particularly well associated, in this context, with young leaves of Rosemary.
- Action on the cardiovascular system: it is particularly well adapted to the minor cardiac disorders, palpitations, extrasystoles, tachycardia...
Gemmotherapy, two modes of preparation, two posologies
The so-called diluted preparation or 1D macerate of the French pharmacopoeia
Plant extracts are macerated in a mixture of glycerine and alcohol. After a period of maceration (generally 3 weeks), the liquid is filtered and then diluted 1:10 in a mixture of water, glycerine and alcohol. We obtain a D1 glycerine macerate.
The prescription will be written as follows: for example with the example of blackcurrant buds: Ribes nigrum macerate glycerine (MG) 1D, dosage ...
The posology of gemmotherapy in glycerine macerate D1 is generally 50 to 100 drops per day.
The preparation known as concentrated or macerate - mother
Plant extracts are macerated in a mixture of equal parts of alcohol, glycerine and water. After a period of maceration (generally 3 weeks), the liquid is filtered, and the glycerine macerate is obtained.
The prescription will be written as follows: for example with the example of blackcurrant buds: Ribes nigrum concentrated glycerine macerate (MG), dosage ...
Beware, the dosage of gemmotherapy in glycerine macerate is less, it is generally 5 to 15 drops per day.
With this method of preparation, the quantities of alcohol absorbed are less.
In both cases, the preparation is made from fresh plant extracts.