Learn about plantain and its six functions and effects

Plantain actually grows in relatively humid places such as the wild and beside roadsides. Perhaps some people do not take plantain seriously, always thinking that it is a kind of unknown small flower or grass. In fact, plantain has certain medicinal value. In particular, the seeds of plantain have more effects. Let's take a look at the effects and functions of plantain.

What are the effects and functions of plantain? Plantain is a common herb in the north. Its nature and flavor are sweet and cold. If it is used as medicine, the meridians that can be entered are the liver meridian, kidney meridian, etc. Because it can treat urinary problems, red eyes due to liver heat, hematuria and gynecological leucorrhea.

1Diuretic effect

For normal people, taking 10g of Plantago seed decoction orally has a diuretic effect, but the total volume of the decoction and the daily water intake are not recorded, and there is a lack of strict control. There is no obvious diuretic effect when taking plantain seed decoction in normal people and rabbits. Plantago seeds also have no diuretic effect.

2 Effects on joint capsule

When small amounts of Plantago seed decoction are injected multiple times into the rabbit's knee joint cavity, synovial inflammation occurs first, followed by connective tissue hyperplasia. Therefore, it is possible to restore the original tension of the relaxed joint capsule. It can be used clinically for temporomandibular joint subluxation. The seeds of Indian Plantain Plantagoovata contain a large amount of mucilage, which can be used as a bulk laxative and has the effect of lowering serum cholesterol in humans. The alcohol extract can lower the blood pressure of anesthetized dogs and cats, inhibit isolated rabbit hearts and frog hearts, excite the intestines of rabbits, rats and guinea pigs, and can be inhibited by atropine. Therefore, it is believed to have a choleretic effect. Injecting 0.05-0.2ml of 5% Plantago seed decoction into the rabbit's knee joint cavity can promote the proliferation of synovial connective tissue in the joint capsule, thereby restoring the original tension of the relaxed joint capsule. Plantago seed decoction showed no diuretic effect on normal humans, rabbits, and rats.

3. Expectorant, antitussive and antiasthmatic effects

Oral administration of Plantago decoction (1g/kg) to anesthetized cats can increase their tracheal secretions and has a significant expectorant effect, but its effect is not as strong as that of Platycodon grandiflorum. The expectorant effect of Plantain Pear lasts for more than 6 to 7 hours, and the peak effect is mostly within 5 to 6 hours. After oral administration of Cheqian, except for increased respiratory secretions, there was no increased salivation or nausea and vomiting. Some reports suggest that the expectorant mechanism of Plantago is that the plantago glycosides in Plantago have the effect of stimulating the secretory nerves; in addition to promoting the secretion of tracheal and bronchial mucus, it can also inhibit the respiratory center, causing breathing to deepen and slow down.

4 Antitussive effect

When 20 mg (raw drug)/kg of Plantain decoction was gavaged into healthy cats, it had a strong antitussive effect on electric stimulation-induced cough, and the effect was positively correlated with the dose. At 60 mg (raw drug)/kg, the cough could be completely suppressed. When 30 mg (raw drug)/kg was gavaged into mice, it showed a significant antitussive effect on the ammonia-induced cough experiment. The decoction of plantain has an antagonistic effect on the excitation of the isolated guinea pig trachea caused by histamine, and can make the trachea relaxed; it also has an antagonistic effect on the excitation of the isolated guinea pig trachea caused by acetylcholine chloride.

5. Anti-pathogenic microorganisms

In test tubes, Plantain water extract has different degrees of inhibitory effects on skin fungi such as Trichophyton concentricum, Trichophyton thunbergii, Microspore Trichophyton audouinensis, Microspore Trichophyton ferruginosa, Microspore Trichophyton woolly, and Nocardia asteroidea. There are also reports indicating that it has varying degrees of inhibitory effects on a variety of pathogenic bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella sonnei, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhi. Plantago asiatica alcohol extract (15 mg/ml) has a killing effect on Leptospira.

6Other functions

The plant of the same genus, Plantago major DC., has a regulatory effect on gastrointestinal function. The psyllium pectin isolated from plantain leaves has a good therapeutic effect on experimental gastric ulcers in rats; it prolongs the gastric emptying time of rats. It has a stimulating effect on the gastric juice secretion of dogs, can reduce the contraction amplitude and tension of isolated rabbit intestines, and has a significant antispasmodic effect on intestinal spasms caused by barium chloride and histamine. In addition, the preparation has a significant inhibitory effect on inflammatory edema caused by formaldehyde and dextran. Intravenous injection of Plantago injection (water extraction and alcohol precipitation method) to dogs can increase urine volume, ureteral peristalsis frequency and intracavitary pressure in the upper ureter.

Now we know the effects and functions of plantain, so don’t underestimate this inconspicuous flower. In fact, it sometimes plays an important role in our lives. Chinese medicine is so magical that a kind of grass or a kind of flower can treat various diseases for us. Therefore, plantain can also be used to treat abnormal leucorrhea in women.