TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURE. MEDICINAL PLANTS

The field has provided food, clothes and medicine to its inhabitants and users from past times. The traditional remedies for the diseases were the medicinal plants that were cultivated in the fields or grew in an uncontrolled way, and that were collected on the correct time to keep them into their houses. In Sierra del Rincón, the following plants with medicinal applications can still be found:

- Teas. Jasonia tuberosa in Montejo de la Sierra and Erigeron acer in La Hiruela. Appreciated plant due to its bitter components and essential oil, stored in all the plant but in greater concentration in stems and flowers. It possesses aperitive, digestive and antispasmodic properties. It is prepared in infusion or as cooking to take before or after the meals.

-“Poleo” (Type of minth-tea). Mentha pulegium. It presents volatile essences and tannins that stimulate the digestion and the appetite due to its antispasmodic, tonic and healing properties. It is also used as insects repellent. It is prepared as leaves and flowers infusion to take after the meals.

- Camomile. Matricaria camomilla. Valued plant because its volatile oils, flavonoids, cumarins, fatty acids, polisacarids, aminoacids and tannins. Antispasmodic, sedative and febrifuge, used as a digestive. Also it is antiseptic, being used in ocular affections and slight burns. It is prepared as an infusion of the small heads and is taken after the meals.

- Oregan. Origanum vulgare. Its active components are essential oils, tannins and resins. It is applied as tonic and digestive because its antispasmodic, stomach and expectorant properties. It is prepared as an infusion of the leaves. It is also an appreciated flavouring.

- “Genciana”. Genciana lutea. Rich in essential oils, tannins and “amarogenciana”. It is used as a stomach tonic, stimulating of the appetite, as well as in the treatment of gastrointestine inflammations. Also it has an antipiretic application. The root is prepared in infusion.

- “Hipérico”. Hypericum perforatum. Appreciated by its volatile oils, flavonoids, tannins and resins. It is used in the gastric diseases and ulcers treatment. Also it is used as a tranquilizer, antidepressant, antidiarrhoeic, scarer, antibacterial, balsam, antiinflammatory and diuretic. It is prepared in infusion, after flowers maceration.

- Thyme. Thymus vulgaris. Its active components are volatile essences, flavonoids, alcohol and tannins. It is used in cases of throat irritation, cough and bronchitis due to its expectorant and antiseptic action. It is prepared as an infusion of flowers. Also it is used as flavouring.