Couch grass

Agropyron repens – Couch grass
Rhizoma Agropyri (syn. Rhizoma Graminis) – Couch grass rhizome

Poaceae (Gramineae) – Grass family

The part used in medicine is the couch grass rhizome, harvested in the spring or autumn and dried in natural conditions.

Couch grass – appearance and origin:

Branching underground stolons, with a yellowish colour, reach several dozen of centimetres in length. The leaves are linear, acute, sheath-like, surrounding the blades. The rhizome is harvested in early spring and autumn, while different mechanical treatments are performed on the soil. After drying in max. 40° C (difficult to dry) and cleaning the rhizome of husks and roots, a raw material is obtained, with a straw colour, hard, 3 mm thick.

Couch grass – composition:

The chemical composition of couch grass is determined by sugar compounds: triticin (fructan) 3-18%, fructose approx. 3%, mucouses, mannitol and inositol (sugar alcohols), organic acids (glycolid and glyceric), small amounts of essential oil containing capillene, polyacetylene compound and small amounts of terpenes. This chemically rich composition is complemented by mineral salts, including soluble silica.

Couch grass – effects and use:

Diabetes treatment

The triticin in the couch grass rhizome is considered a polyfructan, a complex sugar made up of fructose, which is practically not absorbed in the small intestine and does not increase the blood glucose level. Undigested triticin goes to the large intestine, where it becomes a base for the propagation of a plethora of bacteria responsible for maintaning the proper gut flora (prebiotics).

Polyfructans are considered soluble food fibers. They slow down cholesterol absorption, so they are recommended for people with high cholesterol.

"Cleaning the blood"

Mannitol and glycolic acid, contained in the couch grass rhizome, increase the glomerular filtration rate in the kidneys, resulting in increased urine outputs. It speeds up and facilitates the removal of harmful metabolic waste from the body. Additionally, glycolic and glyceric acids accelerate oxidation processes in tissues, lowering the level of harmful metabolites in the body.

The couch grass rhizome is used as a diuretic in kidney ischemia and related low urine output. It also counteracts edema, urolithiasis and lowers the blood pressure – by reducing the volume of bodily fluids thanks to increased urination.

Health and beauty

Silicon and its compounds are a structural material of the connective tissue. They are part of elastin, collagen, proteoglycans and structural glycoproteins. On a cellular level, they induce fibroblast proliferation and promote the regeneration of elastic and collagen fibers. They inhibit skin aging processes, such as the free agent lipid peroxidation or non-enzymatic glycation of connective tissue proteins. By stimulating and regulating fibroblast mytosis, they contribute to the regeneration of the epidermis and the skin.
Silica also protects blood vessels, giving them the required elasticity and resistance. It regulates the permeability of blood vessel walls (anti-exudation) and counteracts the accumulation of cholesterol in the vessels.