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Plantain


Lois

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Not the fruit, the "weed"

 

Plantain, Common

Botanical: Plantago major (LINN.)

Picture here http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/p/placom43.html

Parts Used---Root, leaves, flower-spikes.

The Common Broad-leaved Plantain is a very familiar perennial 'weed,' and may be found anywhere by roadsides and in meadow-land.

---Description---It grows from a very short rhizome, which bears below a great number of long, straight, yellowish roots, and above, a large, radial rosette of leaves and a few Iong, slender, densely-flowered spikes. The leaves are ovate, blunt, abruptly contracted at the base into a long, broad, channelled footstalk (petiole). The blade is 4 to 10 inches long and about two-thirds as broad, usually smooth, thickish, five to eleven ribbed, the ribs having a strongly fibrous structure, the margin entire, or coarsely and unevenly toothed. The flower-spikes, erect, on long stalks, are as long as the leaves, 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick and usually blunt. The flowers are somewhat purplish-green, the calyx fourparted, the small corolla bell-shaped and four-lobed, the stamens four, with purple anthers. The fruit is a two-celled capsule, not enclosed in the perianth, and containing four to sixteen seeds.

The Plantain belongs to the natural order Plantaginaceae, which contains more than 200 species, twenty-five or thirty of which have been reported as in domestic use.

The drug is without odour: the leaves are saline, bitterish and acrid to the taste; the root is saline and sweetish.

The glucoside Aucubin, first isolated in Aucuba japonica, has been reported as occurring in many species.

Medicinal Action and Properties---Refrigerant, diuretic, deobstruent and somewhat astringent. Has been used in inflammation of the skin, malignant ulcers, intermittent fever, etc., and as a vulnerary, and externally as a stimulant application to sores. Applied to a bleeding surface, the leaves are of some value in arresting haemorrhage, but they are useless in internal haemorrhage, although they were formerly used for bleeding of the lungs and stomach, consumption and dysentery. The fresh leaves are applied whole or bruised in the form of a poultice. Rubbed on parts of the body stung by insects, nettles, etc., or as an application to burns and scalds, the leaves will afford relief and will stay the bleeding of minor wounds.

Fluid extract: dose, 1/2 to 1 drachm.

A decoction of Plantain was considered good in disorders of the kidneys, and the root, powdered, in complaints of the bowels. The expressed juice was recommended for spitting of blood and piles. Boyle recommends an electuary made of fresh Comfrey roots, juice of Plantain and sugar as very efficacious in spitting of blood. Plantain juice mixed with lemon juice was judged an excellent diuretic. The powdered dried leaves, taken in drink, were thought to destroy worms.

To prepare a plain infusion, still recommended in herbal medicine for diarrhoea and piles, pour 1 pint of boiling water on 1 OZ. of the herb, stand in a warm place for 20 minutes, afterwards strain and let cool. Take a wineglassful to half a teacupful three or four times a day.

The small mucilaginous seeds have been employed as a substitute for linseed. For 'thrush' they are recommended as most useful, 1 OZ. of seeds to be boiled in 1 1/2 pint of water down to a pint, the liquid then made into a syrup with sugar and honey and given to the child in tablespoonful doses, three or four times daily.

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From this site you will also find a color picture.

http://www.vitacost.com/science/hn/Herb/Pl...ndition-Summary

Active constituents

The major constituents in plantain are mucilage, iridoid glycosides (particularly aucubin), and tannins. Together these constituents are thought to give plantain mild anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antihemorrhagic, and expectorant actions.3 4 Plantain is approved by the German Commission E for internal use to ease coughs and mucous membrane irritation associated with upper respiratory tract infections as well as topical use for skin inflammations.5 Two Bulgarian clinical trials have suggested that plantain may be effective in the treatment of chronic bronchitis.6 7 Insufficient details were provided in these reports to determine the quality of the trials or their findings. Although plantain was thought to possess diuretic properties, one double-blind trial failed to show any diuretic effect for this plant.8 A preliminary trial found that topical use of a plantain ointment (10% ground plantain in a base of petroleum jelly) was helpful as part of the treatment of people with impetigo and ecthyma, two inflammatory skin disorders.9 Insufficient details were provided in this report, however, to determine the quality of the study or its findings.

Are there any side effects or interactions?

Plantain is not associated with any common side effects and is thought to be safe for children.14 There is no information available about its use by pregnant or nursing women, though topical application appears to be safe. Adulteration of plantain with digitalis leading to dangerous side effects has been reported in Switzerland and the United States.15 Although rare, it points to the need for consumers to purchase herbs from companies that carefully test their herbal products for adulteration.

At the time of writing, there were no well-known drug interactions with plantain.

References

1. Weiss RF. Meuss AR (trans). Herbal Medicine. Gothenberg, Sweden: Ab Arcanum and Beaconsfield: Beaconsfield Publishers Ltd., 1985, 198–9.

2. Hoffmann D. The New Holistic Herbal, 3rd ed. Shaftesbury, Dorset, UK: Element, 1990, 224.

3. Blumenthal M, Busse WR, Goldberg A, et al. (eds). The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Austin: American Botanical Council and Boston: Integrative Medicine Communications, 1998, 186–7.

4. Wichtl M, Bisset N (eds). Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceuticals. Stuttgart: Medpharm Scientific Publishers and Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 1994, 378–81.

5. Blumenthal M, Busse WR, Goldberg A, et al (eds). The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Austin: American Botanical Council and Boston: Integrative Medicine Communications, 1998, 186–7.

6. Koichev A. Complex evaluation of the therapeutic effect of a preparation from Plantago major in chronic bronchitis. Probl Vatr Med 1983;11:61–9.

7. Matev M, Angelova I, Koichev A, et al. Clinical trial of Plantago major preparation in the treatment of chronic bronchitis. Vutr Boles 1982;21:133–7 [in Bulgarian].

8. Doan DD, Nguyen NH, Doan HK, et al. Studies on the individual and combined diuretic effects of four Vietnamese traditional herbal remedies (Zea mays, Imperata cylindrica, Plantago major and Orthosiphon stamineus). J Ethnopharmacol 1992;36:225–31.

9. Aliev RK. A wound healing preparation from the leaves of the large plantain (Plantago major L). Am J Pharm 1950;122:24–6.

10. Blumenthal M, Busse WR, Goldberg A, et al. (eds). The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Austin: American Botanical Council and Boston: Integrative Medicine Communications, 1998, 186–7.

11. Weiss RF. Meuss AR (trans). Herbal Medicine. Gothenberg, Sweden: Ab Arcanum and Beaconsfield: Beaconsfield Publishers Ltd., 1985, 198–9.

12. Hoffmann D. The New Holistic Herbal, 3rd ed. Shaftesbury, Dorset, UK: Element, 1990, 224.

13. Blumenthal M, Busse WR, Goldberg A, et al. (eds). The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Austin: American Botanical Council and Boston: Integrative Medicine Communications, 1998, 186–7.

14. Schilcher H. Phytotherapy in Paediatrics: Handbook for Physicians and Pharmacists. Stuttgart: Medpharm Scientific Publishers, 1997, 33.

15. Blumenthal M (ed). Herbal Medicine: Expanded Commission E Monographs. Newton, MA: Integrative Medicine Communications, 2000, 307–10.

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  • 2 weeks later...

More on Plantain:

 

http://www.health-care-information.org/alt...ne/plantain.htm

Other Common Names: Broad-leaved plantain, White mans foot, Greater plantain.

Latin description: Plantago major and plantago psyllium.

Parts to use: Plantago Major- leaves. Plantago Psyllium

seeds.

Chemical constituents: Plantago major- leaves- mucilage, tannins, silica. plantago psyllium- higher mucilage, glycosides, monoterpenes, aucubine, enzymes, proteins, fatty acids.

Actions: Astringent, demulcent, expectorant, hemostatic.

Medicinal Uses & Benefits

Anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial (leaves contain the antibiotic aucubin), and antihemorrhagic.

Used for respiratory problems involving mucous congestion.

Used to soothe a drastic cough reflex.

Also used for asthma, bronchial infection, rasping cough, tickling cough, nervous cough, hoarseness, lung infections, hayfever relief, lung problems, dry cough, bronchial congestion, excess mucous production, whooping cough, tuberculosis.

Used for bladder problems, urinary bleeding, cystitis and helps the kidneys.

Used to neutralize stomach acids, for ulcers, diarrhea, constipation (seeds), vomiting of blood, chronic infections of the gastrointestinal tract, gastritis, and colitis.

Wound and bruise healer used to stop bleeding, for skin ulcers (poultice), and badly healing wounds.

Applied to wounds, cuts, sores, insect bites, abrasions, infections, ulcerations and chronic skin problems. Leaves can be used like a bandaid. The mashed leaves are applied directly for bee or wasp sting.

A poultice of the leaves is used to draw out foreign objects.

The decoction is used externally for ringworms.

Used internally as vermifuge.

Used to cool skin from burns and scalds.

Fresh leaves are placed on feet after hiking to relieve pain and fatigue.

Used for excessive menses

Tea used externally to sooth shingles, inflamed eyes and as a skin lotion.

Seeds used to purge bowel (add 1 tsp seeds in 4 oz. of cold water and let swell 2 hours; drink before last meal of the day for constipation.

For hemorrhoids: boil seeds in milk and drink at bedtime.

For mouth infections in children, boil 1 oz seed in 1½ pints water and sweeten with honey to make a syrup.

For toothache: the fresh root is chewed (or pulverized), then dried, then powdered and placed in a hollow tooth.

Crushed leaves used for insect bite, nettle rash, poison ivy and snakebite (historically).

Used as eardrops to treat severe internal catarrhal infection (otitis media).

Used for fever.

CAUTION: If using the psyllium seeds as either a laxative or a bulking agent for the stool it is very important that you not take them in a concentrated form but mix them in juice or water and drink copious amounts of fluid with it. In some cases, predominantly in geriatrics, there have been some reported problems with these seeds clumping and causing obstructions in the bowel. Dosage

Leaf -Capsules: 4-6 “0” capsules 4x daily.

Leaf - Infusion 1/2 cup 3x daily.

Leaf - Juice 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon 4x daily.

Seed Powder: 1 rounded teaspoon mixed in 8 oz. of juice

or water. Mix well before drinking.

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Waiting added this:

Hi, Just joined forum and was reading info on plantain and

wanted to tell about my experience with it. We moved to N.C. for a couple of years and were ate up with chiggers. We tried everything in the stores available for bug bite relief. Nothing worked, so I went to my herbal book and read about plantain and decided to try it. Made a plantain salve and it really worked! No itching. Finally, relief.

Also, my Aunt in N.C. was having the same problem and I told her how to make the salve and now she is a firm believer. Great plant.

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Great info on Plantain! I have found it is wonderful for bites and stings, also I make a salve using the boiled leaves and coconut oil for burns and other painful things. My father used it to pack a wound he had, he believes it really helped to heal the wound faster than normal!

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Narrow leaved Plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) is basically used interchangably with common plantain (Plantago major L.)at least according to Peterson's Field Guide for Medicinal Plants and Herbs and according to my own findings.

 

We have both growing in our area. It is extremely effective for all the above. One example: I had a friend who had ulcers on his legs that would not heal. He'd been doctoring with it for months and they wanted to do surgery. He came to me to see if I had any "miracle cures" and I suggested the plantain as a poultice. Within five days the ulcers were so well healed that the doctor was amazed and said that the medicine had finally started working and he wouldn't need surgery. Imagine the doctors surprise when my friend told him that he hadn't been USING the meds. Why is it that I do not find it strange that the Doctor did not believe that the plantain had anything to do with the healing?

 

I gather leaves before it goes to seed and dry them for winter use but find they are not as effective as the fresh so often bring a plant or two into the house for the winter. I also gather seeds. Good plant, good info Lois!

 

 

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  • 1 year later...
  • 1 year later...
I gather leaves before it goes to seed and dry them for winter use but find they are not as effective as the fresh so often bring a plant or two into the house for the winter. I also gather seeds. Good plant, good info Lois!

 

Ooh, I never thought of bringing a plant inside for use in the winter! It'd be almost like having an aloe plant on the countertop, wouldn't it?

 

Loved the story, too!

 

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