Lycopodiaceae are an ancient family of vascular plants. They are called seedless plants because they don’t have flowers and aren’t able to produce seeds. These plants are low and look like large mosses. They contain 1-3 sporangia in the axels of their leaves. They came from Asia, Europe and North America and are cultivated mostly in Germany, Russia, and Switzerland. There are two existing genera, which belong to this family: Lycopodium and Phylloglossum. On the other hand, according to another classification nineteen genera belong to Lycopodiaceae family of these seedless vascular plants.
The whole vascular plant, except for spores is considered to be toxic. These plants are collected in the beginning of the summer in dry conditions. Before using plants are dried on the fresh air in the shadow. It’s interesting that spores contain about 50% of fatty oils, sporopollenin, hydrocaffeic acid and sucrose.
Spores are used to make dried powder for inflamed skin (it is suitable for babies), it is also very popular among people who have bedsores. It is said that lycopodium herb is used for curing bladder pains. It has effective diuretic, anticonvulsant analgesic characteristics. Although this herb is used rare, in particular, as a component of tea, which also may be used to treat kidney and bladder diseases.
Lycopodium herb is appreciated and used in homeopathy. But for preparing remedies only spores are uses. It is used to cure problems that are connected with urinary, genital organs, respiratory and digestive system, liver (its increasing), bladder. It is an effective treatment of cramps, rheumatisms, gout, flatulence, constipation, bronchitis, hemorrhoids and vasospasms. The lycopodium tincture helps people in the recovering process from fever or nervous disorders.