Medicinal Uses of Plantain

Disclaimer.  I am not a licensed health practitioner.  This is just another post on an item you might wish to have available if needed so that a physician can treat you and your family as best as possible.  No medication, including those available over the counter, should be taken without consulting a physician.  Information shared here is for educational and entertainment purposes only.  It is not medical advice nor a substitute for licensed medical care.  A qualified, licensed physician or other medical provider should be consulted before beginning any herbal or conventional treatment.

This article is on the medicinal uses of the weed plantain (Plantago spp,), rather than the fruit that looks like a banana.

Harvest:  For fresh use, pick when you need it.  To dry for later use, gather plantain leaves after the flower spike has formed. Plantain leaves are eaten fresh in salads or cooked and eaten like spinach.  The seeds from the flower stalks can be sprinkled on food to add fiber to the diet.  However, plantain's greatest value comes from its medicinal properties.

Medicinal Use:  Plantain in its various forms has been used historically to treat:

• asthma, bronchitis, emphysema
• fever
• bladder problems 
• hypertension
• rheumatism
• venomous bites or stings (snake bites, bee stings)
• contact dermatitis (poison oak, ivy, sumac)
• sores and wounds
• burns

SPIT POULTICE:  

• Insect bites and stings.  Everyone in the family should know where plantain is growing in the yard and how to make a spit poultice with it in an emergency.  Pick the leaves, chew them a bit, and slap them on to relieve the pain and itching from bug bites and stings and poison ivy, oak, and sumac.  Secure in place with gauze and tape.  If you're using this on another person who is going to be squeamish about having your saliva on his body, crush the leaves in your hands or with a rock and then apply directly to the skin.  It takes a little longer, but squeamishness has its price.  While you're treating the patient, especially if the patient is young, distract him from the pain by telling him how the poultice works.  Something along of the lines of, "Crushing the leaves releases the mucilage, which soothes the pain.  The anti-inflammatory effect reduces swelling.  Because the spit poultice also draws out toxins, the venom that makes you itch, the sooner it is applied, the faster and better it works."  Replace as needed to relieve pain.
• Contact dermatitis (poison oak, poison ivy, poison sumac).  Apply a poultice immediately and leave on for 30-60 minutes.  Then wash the area with plantain tea (see below).  Finally, apply a plantain sludge.  Replace as necessary.  
• Burns.  After cooling in running water for 10-15 minutes, apply a poultice and secure with gauze and tape.  Two hours later, follow up with a plantain salve (see below).   

INFUSION
In most of the country, plantain is a weed that grows in abundance, and as such can be used for chronic conditions.  We have so little of it that we're saving it for insect bites and stings.  However, if you've got a lot of it, here's how it can be used.

Internally:  Steep 1/2 cup of fresh or 1/2 teaspoon of dried plantain leaves in 1 cup of boiling water, covered, for 10-15 minutes.  Strain to remove leaves.  Add honey or sugar if desired.  Drink three times per day to relieve:

• diarrhea, stomach ulcers, IBS, gastritis
• colds, hay fever, asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, influenza, fever, sinusitis, coughs
• hypertension
• rheumatism, goiter
• PMS, irregular menstrual flow
• bladder problems, cystitis, kidney stones,
• irregular liver and kidney function (only 1-2 times per day)
• blood sugar swings in diabetics

Externally:  Prepare the infusion as above, without adding sweetener.  Use the plantain tea in the following ways:

• wash wounds, rashes, eczema;
• gargle to reduce mouth ulcers and throat pain and infection (2 tablespoons 4 times per day);
• wash eyes to relieve irritation.

SALVE
Using the fresh leaves is generally the easiest way to go.  After all, you get just the right amount and you don't have to store it inside anywhere.  And then have to try finding it quickly.  But, we're preppers.  And sometimes you can't find plantain outside when you need it.  Like when winter lasts nine months. This salve combines the healing effects of plantain with the soothing properties of coconut or olive oil.  Use the salve for:

• rashes, eczema, psoriasis, contact dermatitis;
• burns and blisters;
• insect bites and stings;
• acne and boils;
• cuts;
• sprains;
• hemorrhoids;
• drawing out thorns or splinters;
• reducing scarring on more serious cuts and scrapes;
• dandruff (rub into scalp, leave on for an hour, wash hair).

Here's how to make your own plantain salve:

• Fill a glass jar to the top with washed, dried, and crushed fresh leaves, or half full with dried leaves.  
• Add in melted coconut oil or olive oil to cover the leaves.  
• Replace lid and let sit in the sun for two weeks.  
• Warm oil if necessary and strain out the leaves.  
• In a double boiler, melt one ounce of beeswax per seven ounces of infused oil to make a firmer salve.  
• Store in a cool, dark place. 

TINCTURE:
Use a plantain tincture for the following conditions:

• For internal use, 10 drops in 1 cup water, 3 times per day:
• upper respiratory infections (best if tincture is added to hot water with a spoonful of honey;
• gastrointestinal complaints;
• sore throat, 10 drops in 2 tablespoons water and gargle or swish for 30 seconds.
• For external use:
• dilute 10 drops in 1 tablespoon water and apply to boils, acne, and sores to prevent infection and promote healing.

Here's how to make a plantain tincture:

• Wash and dry fresh leaves, crush them, and put them in a glass jar.  Pour 100-proof alcohol into the jar, completely covering the leaves and filling the jar.  Replace the lid and shake the jar well.  Place the jar in a cool, dark place, and shake it every day for 6-8 weeks.  Strain out plantain leaves and pour tincture into a clean jar.  Label and date.  Your tincture should last for at least 2-3 years.  

DECOCTION:
 A decoction of plantain roots is used in treating everything listed above, so I'm not going to repeat the list here.  However, the roots are a little stronger in treating two important conditions.  Prepare a decoction by putting one tablespoon of washed plantain root in a small pan.  Add one cup of cool water and bring it to a boil.  Boil for 30 minutes.  Cool to drinking temperature and strain off the plantain roots.  Drink the decoction.  Use this decoction for the following:

• Smoking cessation as needed.  Apparently it causes a natural aversion to tobacco.  
• Venomous snake bites.  In addition to applying plantain spit poultices to the bite, also make this decoction for the patient to take internally.  
• Ringworm.

DRIED SEEDS:
The seeds can be dried and infused in water for a soothing eye wash (after the seeds are removed), as a laxative, and for intestinal worms in children.   Plantain seeds also help reduce nicotine cravings for those trying to quit smoking. 

Contraindications:  Plantain is considered a very safe her to use; however, it may cause minor dermatitis in some individuals.  Because there is no research indicating its safety, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid using it.

Links to related posts:
Echinacea
Snake Bites
Spider Bites 
Kidney Stones
Cream of Tartar and Smoking Cessation  

For further information:
https://www.verywellhealth.com/plantain-benefits-4579819
https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/plantain-herb/
https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-677/great-plantain
http://herballegacy.com/Ahlborn_Medicinal.html
https://wellnessmama.com/4638/plantain-herb-profile/
Sam Coffman, The Herbal Medic.
Dr. Patrick Jones, The HomeGrown Herbalist, pp 159-164.
Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs, pp 190-191.

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9 october 2023