Sea buckthorn: biological description
Sea buckthorn is a shrub or small tree that grows mainly in Eurasia. Its distinctive feature is bright orange fruits, which contain a large amount of nutrients. Sea buckthorn is widely used in medicine due to its medicinal properties and high concentration of vitamins. Its fruits are rich in antioxidants, fatty acids and vitamins, which makes sea buckthorn a valuable natural source for health promotion.
Medicinal properties of sea buckthorn
Abundance of vitamin C
The benefits of sea buckthorn lie mainly in natural sources of vitamin C. This vitamin plays a key role in boosting the immune system, providing protection to the body against infections and viruses. 100 g of sea buckthorn berries contain up to 200-600 mg of vitamin C, which is several times higher than its content in lemons or oranges. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps neutralize free radicals, thereby protecting cells from damage and maintaining healthy skin, blood vessels, and skeletal health.
In addition, vitamin C stimulates the production of collagen, a protein that maintains skin elasticity, strength of blood vessels and joints. Regular consumption of sea buckthorn promotes rapid wound healing and tissue strengthening. For people with vitamin C deficiency, sea buckthorn can be a great way to replenish vitamin C stores, improve overall well-being, and increase the body’s resistance to disease.
Also, due to the content of vitamin C, sea buckthorn helps to absorb iron, which is especially important for people suffering from anemia. This makes sea buckthorn useful not only as a prophylactic, but also as an additional therapy for iron deficiency.
Sea buckthorn for colds
Sea buckthorn is a natural remedy that treats colds and flu. It has a complex effect on the body, helping to cope with various symptoms of a cold. Firstly, due to its high content of vitamin C, sea buckthorn stimulates the immune system, helping it to respond faster to viral attacks. This speeds up recovery and reduces the risk of complications.
Sea buckthorn oil can be used for sore throats and sore throats. It has a mild enveloping effect, reduces inflammation and irritation of the mucous membranes, which relieves discomfort and promotes healing. Rinsing with sea buckthorn oil helps to quickly get rid of pain and restore the vocal cords.
When coughing, sea buckthorn is also effective: it thins sputum, facilitates its discharge and softens bronchial irritation. This makes sea buckthorn useful for both dry and wet coughs. Sea buckthorn berries can also be used as a drink (tea, decoction), which has a warming and tonic effect, which helps to recover faster from illness, eliminate weakness and fatigue.
In addition, sea buckthorn helps to improve the general condition of the body during a cold: it saturates it with vitamins and minerals, strengthens blood vessels and helps to cope with inflammatory processes.
Benefits for women
Sea buckthorn has special properties that benefit women’s health. One of the main benefits of sea buckthorn is its ability to regulate hormonal balance. This is true for women during periods of hormonal changes, such as menopause or premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Sea buckthorn contains phytoestrogens – natural analogues of female hormones that help alleviate symptoms such as mood swings, hot flashes, headaches and insomnia.
Sea buckthorn oil is often used in gynecology to treat inflammation and damage to the mucous membranes. It is used for cervical erosion, vaginitis and other inflammatory processes of the female genital organs. Sea buckthorn oil has wound healing and antibacterial properties, which accelerates tissue repair and reduces the risk of infections.
In addition, sea buckthorn has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin and hair, which is important for women. It helps to improve skin elasticity, moisturizes it and promotes the healing of minor lesions and rashes. B vitamins, which are part of sea buckthorn, maintain the health of hair and nails, making it strong and shiny.
Slowing down the aging process
Sea buckthorn is a powerful natural source of antioxidants, which play a key role in combating the aging process. Vitamins A and E contained in sea buckthorn help neutralize free radicals — unstable molecules that damage cells and accelerate their aging. Thanks to these antioxidants, regular consumption of sea buckthorn helps to maintain youthful skin, reduce the number of wrinkles and prevent their formation.
Vitamin E, known as the “vitamin of youth,” stimulates the production of collagen, which keeps the skin supple and smooth. Vitamin A, in turn, promotes cell regeneration and helps the skin recover faster from damage. These components make sea buckthorn an effective remedy in skin care, especially to prevent premature aging.
In addition, sea buckthorn stimulates cell renewal processes, which helps maintain healthy and fresh skin. Its regular use, both in food and in cosmetics, helps to maintain youth and health for a long time.
Anti-inflammatory effect
Sea buckthorn has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect, which makes it an indispensable tool in the treatment of various inflammatory processes both on the surface of the body and inside the body. Sea buckthorn contains biologically active substances such as flavonoids, carotenoids and vitamin E, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Sea buckthorn oil is often used to treat skin inflammations such as eczema, dermatitis, burns, and wounds. Thanks to its antiseptic and wound healing properties, it accelerates healing, relieves redness and reduces itching. Sea buckthorn also helps prevent the development of infections on damaged areas of the skin.
At the internal level, sea buckthorn has a beneficial effect on the mucous membranes. It is recommended for gastritis, stomach ulcers and other inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Sea buckthorn oil envelops the mucous membrane, protecting it from irritation and promoting the healing of damage. Sea buckthorn is also effective for inflammation of the respiratory tract and genitourinary system, which makes it a universal remedy for the treatment of various inflammatory diseases.
Contraindication
Despite the numerous beneficial properties, sea buckthorn has its own list of contraindications.
- Individual sensitivity to the components of sea buckthorn. Allergic reactions can occur in people with hypersensitivity to sea buckthorn oil or berries.
- Hepatitis. Sea buckthorn oil is not recommended for liver diseases such as hepatitis, as it can increase the burden on the organ.
- Pancreatitis. In case of inflammation of the pancreas, you should avoid the use of sea buckthorn, as it can worsen the condition.
- Gallstone disease. Sea buckthorn has a choleretic effect, which can cause the movement of stones in the gallbladder and lead to complications.
- Pregnancy and lactation. It is important to consult your doctor before using sea buckthorn during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
- Children under the age of 12. Sea buckthorn oil is not recommended for use in children under this age without consulting a pediatrician.
It is always recommended to consult your doctor before starting to use sea buckthorn-based preparations, especially if you have chronic diseases or are taking other medications
Alternatives to sea buckthorn
If for some reason sea buckthorn does not suit you, there are other plants with similar properties, on the basis of which preparations have been developed and articles are presented.
- Ivan Tea: rich in vitamins and minerals, especially useful for strengthening the immune system and fighting fatigue.
- Fennel: Used to improve digestion and as a remedy for bloating and colic.
- Eleutherococcus: a natural adaptogen, helps increase the body’s resistance to stress and physical exertion.
- Rosehip: Another source of vitamin C, used to prevent and treat colds.
- Peppermint: has a relaxing and antispasmodic effect, helps to cope with headaches and stress.
- St. John’s wort: widely used in folk medicine for its antidepressant and anti-inflammatory properties.
When choosing alternatives to sea buckthorn, you can focus on your preferences and health features, because each of these natural components has unique healing properties.
Literature:
- The impact of oral sea-buckthorn oil on skin, blood markers, ocular, and vaginal health (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S175646462300573X#:~:text=Sea%20buckthorn%20oil%20has%20been,et%20al.%2C%202013).
- Phytochemistry, health benefits, and food applications of sea buckthorn (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9763470/)
- The impact of sea buckthorn oil fatty acids on human health (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6589177/)
- Bioactive Compounds in Sea Buckthorn and their Efficacy in Preventing and Treating Metabolic Syndrome (https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/12/10/1985)
Author: Natalia Kandybey, Candidate of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Quality Director of PJSC Pharmaceutical Factory “VIOLA”
The information provided is not medical advice and does not replace professional health recommendations.
The information is based on scientific literature and is provided for informational purposes only.
