Linseed

Linum usitatissimum – Linseed, Flax, Cultivated flax
Linaceae family

Parts used in medicine include: ripe linseeds – Lini semen, cold pressed linseed oil – Lini oleum and pomace (flax flour) – Lini seminis placenta. After they are threshed, ripe seeds are dried in drying rooms in max. 40° C.

Linseed – appearance and origin:

Herbaceous, annual plant originating from the Middle East. Propagated by seeds. Currently grows in the wild. In Poland, two types are cultivated: with bursting seed pods and with non-bursting seed pods. Tall stem up to 30-70 cm, bare, fibrous all along; it is made up of the root, stem proper and the apex. Leaves are lanceolate, slightly sessile, acute, 3-veined. The flowers are blue, yellow, pink or white, opening on sunny days. The fruit is the seed pod, five-celled, with 10-12 flattened oil seeds.

Linseed effects and use:

Linseed contains up to 6% of mucus in the husk, up to 45% of oil, 1.5% of cyanogenic glycosides (mainly linamarin, neolinustatin, linustatin), approx. 27% of proteins, sterols, and unripe seeds also contain the linatine aminoacid, which is an antagonist to vitamin B6.

Linseed oil contains mainly unsaturated acid glycerides: up to 60% of linolenic acid, up to 25% of linolic acid, 5% of oleic acid and approx. 10% of saturated acid glycerides: myristic acid, stearic acid, palmitic acid, as well as phytosterols and vitamin E.

Linseed is used:

– as a protective, softening and mild laxative agent

– as a lipid-lowering agent

– in its uncrushed form

– in the form of aqueous macerates – for upper respiratory and gastrointestinal inflammations, for constipation

– externally – anti-inflammatory and softening effect, in the form of poultices and cataplasms for skin diseases

Linseed oil is used:

– for skin and mucosa regeneration

– for delivery of unsaturated fatty acids

– for lowering lipid and glucose levels in the blood

– externally – for ulcerations and inflammations of the skin, for the production of liniments, emulsions and ointments, of potassium soap

– internally – in the form of capsules for lowering cholesterol

Linseed helps in:

– ulcerative disease

The mucuses contained in linseed coat the mucosas of the esophagus, stomach and part of the duodenum, providing protection from hydrochloric acid and reducing inflammatory reactions.

– especially bronchitis (good anti-cough agent)

– skin diseases, treatment of burns and frostbites