Let 'em Grow: Plantain

Aunt Bett said:  "There's two things you'll need, food and medicine. You've got both right here. Let 'em grow."  She pointed to the weed that grew from under the rock at her feet. It was broadleaf plantain:  Plantago major.

Commonly called plantain, the plantago species is considered a weed throughout much of the world, but before we dismiss it completely, let's take a look at what it provides for us. This article is about the small plant, the common herb, and is not to be confused with the banana-like fruit of the genus Musa.

Description: The broadleaf plantain has leaves that are well rounded and often as long as 6 inches or more.  The leaves grow close to the ground and the flowers are on a spike that rises from the middle of the cluster of leaves.

The narrow-leaf plantain has leaves up to 8 or 10 inches long and perhaps an inch at its widest area.  The leaves, which form a rosette at the base, are covered with hairs. The flowers are small and inconspicuous.

I'll be talking about broadleaf plantain here, though most of the same characteristics are true of the narrow-leaf and other species.

Edible Parts: The young tender leaves of the broadleaf variety are edible raw and are most often used in salads. Older leaves should be cooked and can be used in soups and in roasts or as a green sauce. Seeds are edible raw or roasted.

Medicinal:  Briefly, to relieve pain from wounds and sores, wash and soak the entire plant for a short time and apply it to the injured area. To treat diarrhea, drink tea made from 1 ounce of the plant leaves boiled in about 2 - 3 cups of water. The seeds and seed husks act as laxatives.

Plantain seed husks expand and become mucilaginous when wet, especially those of P. psyllium, which is used in common over-the-counter bulk laxative and fiber supplement products such as Metamucil.

More specifically, plantago species have been used since prehistoric times as herbal remedies. The herb is astringent, anti-toxic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-histamine, as well as demulcent, expectorant, styptic and diuretic. Externally, a poultice of the leaves is useful for insect bites, poison-ivy rashes, minor sores, and boils. In folklore it was even claimed to be able to cure snakebite, giving the narrow leaf variety the old common name of 'snakeplant'. Internally, it is used for coughs and bronchitis, as a tea, tincture, or syrup, as well as a laxative as mentioned above.

Treating Burns:

Applying plantain topically to the skin may help to treat burns.  You can apply the whole leaf to the burn as a poultice to soothe pain, reduce tissue inflammation and encourage tissue repair.

Relieving Dermatitis:

Topical applications of plantain can help to treat poison ivy, poison oak and other types of contact dermatitis.  Plantain is also used to treat insect stings and bites. In addition, a preliminary clinical trial found that applying ointment containing 10 percent ground plantain in a petroleum jelly base helped to treat the inflammatory skin conditions impetigo and ecthyma, notes the University of Michigan Health System. To treat burns, dermatitis and insect stings, the University of Michigan recommends applying the whole fresh leaves directly to the affected skin areas three or four times per day.