Plantago major
From PIW
This data has been supplied by Thomas A. Naegele, DO from his 1970's book Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Great lakes.
See the main entry on Plantago major.
| Author | |||
| Family | Plantaginaceae | Genus | Plantago |
| Synonyms | |||
| Known hazards |  | ||
| Range | North America - Great Lakes. | ||
| Habitat | Fields, yards, roadsides, hard packed ground. | ||
| Edibility rating | Medicinal rating | ||
Contents |
[edit] Description
Perennial herb.
[edit] Identification details
- Stem
- Stemless.
- Leaves
- Rosette, thick, broadly elliptic to oval, stongly nerved, smooth, entire to undulate, green, 5 to 20 cm long.
- Flowers
- White, 4 sepals, small, up to 1 mm; spike heads on a tall scape, conic shape, spring, summer, fall.
- Fruit
- Brown conic capsule, summer, fall.
- Root
- Fiberous.
[edit] Plant Usage
The leaves are usually used fresh, in a poultice or ground into an ointment. The seeds are soaked in water and used in a cold or hot tea. Dried leaves dose 2 to 4 grams or by infusion, liquid extract 1:1 in 25% ethanol dose 2 to 4 ml, both t.i.d. (84). The leaves are collected in the summer and fall. The seeds are collected in the late summer. Plantago major the commercial herb consists of the dried leaves gathered during the flowering season (84).
[edit] Medical Usage
Plantain is considered diuretic in action (22,30,50,57,58,68,84). It appears to also have some properties of a tonic (36) and a vulnerary (27,38). The seeds soaked in water and ingested are used as a laxative (34,36,50,56).
[edit] Symptoms
Plantain has mainly been used to treat cuts, scratches and wounds (8,22,27,30,36,38,44,50,52). In these cases a poultice of crushed or macerated leaves is applied to the wound. The fresh leaves rubbed on the skin are supposed to relieve insect bites or stings (8,22,27,40,50,68). The Rappahannock Indians bound the bruised leaves to the body to reduce fever (63). The Menominee Indians heated the leaves and applied them to swellings (70). The Chippewas took the finely chopped roots of Asarum canadense, spread them on a plantain leaf and used it as a poultice on skin inflamations (10). Plantain leaves have been used as a poultice to stop rectal itch from piles (38,44,50,84). The fresh roots or leaves were boiled and applied to sore nipples for relief (36).
[edit] Chemistry information about this plan
Plantago contains the glycoside aucubin, a mucilage, ascorbic acid, and protocatechuic acid (84).
[edit] Commercial application of this plan
Seeds of other Plantago species are utilized in commercial laxative products (82).
[edit] Personal experimentation and use of this plant by Thomas A. Naegel
I have used the crushed leaves many times on cuts and scratches and amazingly enough they always got better, never worse. While hiking on Isle Royale, my father used the crushed leaves to help heal his blisters.
