Arrowhead is an evergreen and perennial plant that grows entirely or partially in water. Its root fruits grow on lace-like growths. A thin three-sided stem filled with air-filled tissue, which tends to grow 20-110cm tall. The shape of the leaf varies according to the environment in which it grows. Underwater leaves are narrow and elongated, and up to 120cm long. Floating leaves have a broad ovate surface, above-water leaves are on long petioles, and the leaf resembles an arrowhead in shape.
Spike-like inflorescences appear in the above-water part of the plant in mid-June. The plant is pollinated by insects, after which fruits, seeds with "noses" are formed, which are sown with the help of a stream of water.
The fruits of
are harvested in early spring or fall. Root fruits are cleaned, washed in running water, cut into rounds and left to dry in the fresh air. When the root fruits are dried, they are stored in a cool place. If you want to get ordinary arrowroot flour, the root fruits are dried in an oven and then ground. For medicinal purposes,
leaves or an extract obtained from them are used.
rhizomes contain <35% starch, 10% protein, 3% sugar, 0.5% fat, as well as steroids and tannins. The leaves contain flavonoids (in the hydrolyzate: homoorientin, orientin, scoparin, isoscoparin), the seeds contain carbohydrates: glucose, fructose, sucrose, raffinose, stachyose. The plant is rich in B group vitamins as well as mineral elements such as potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, manganese and copper.
The medicinal properties of the ordinary bulletin are related to the chemical composition. Apart from vitamins and minerals, the plant also contains a large amount of starch. Scientists have proven that plants with a large amount of starch normalize digestion, have a beneficial effect on the digestive organs in case of ulcers, help regulate blood sugar levels and maintain anti-inflammatory activity. In addition, antitumor and antifungal activity of the extract of this plant has also been determined.
In folk medicine, this plant is used against rabies, and the leaves of the plant are still, nowadays, used for rosacea inflammation, as an astringent and healing agent. Thanks to the tannins contained in
, it is effective in stopping bleeding. Decoctions of leaves treat fungal and infectious skin diseases.