Weeds grow everywhere but few people know that they are medicine to cure many diseases.

What is plantain?

In Oriental medicine, the plantain is also known as "ma tien xa", scientific name is Plantago asiatica. Plantain belongs to the group of herbaceous plants, reproducing by branching or by seeds.

Plantain is about 10-15 cm tall, with spoon-shaped leaves and arc-shaped veins. The whole plant is used as medicine, including the stem, roots, and leaves. This plant is cold, has a slightly sweet taste, and is used in many folk remedies to treat painful urination, diuretic, and many other effects. Plantain can be used fresh or dried and added to traditional oriental medicine to treat diseases.

Chemical composition of plantain

Plantain has many diverse chemical components. It contains vitamin A, rich in calcium, glucoside, vitamin C and K. Plantain seeds also contain mucus, plantenolic acid. These components all have certain benefits for health and support disease treatment.

Based on the pharmacological ingredients in the plantain plant, researchers have found that 100g of plantain leaves will contain:

Phenolic acid.

Iridoid.

Flavonoids include quercetin, apigenin, baicalin...

Mucus.

vitamin A.

Calcium.

Vitamin C

Vitamin K.

Glucoside.

Other minerals.

Plantain is cold, slightly sweet, and is used a lot in folk medicine.

What is the effect of plantain?

In folk medicine, the plantain is known as a traditional medicine with many diverse uses for its diuretic, choleretic, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, antitussive, and dysentery-reducing functions. This herb is also used as a remedy for coughs, bronchitis, phlegm, nephritis, cystitis, urinary stones, hepatitis, duodenal ulcers, etc.

In addition, the active ingredients in plantain also help:

Reduce inflammation in the body: Plantain contains compounds such as flavonoids, terpenoids, glycosides and tannins that can reduce inflammatory responses by reducing the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and producing glucocorticoids in tissues. In addition, plantain seeds are currently being developed into anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory products.

Helps wounds heal quickly: Plantain is also used to heal wounds. Due to its anti-inflammatory benefits, it prevents the growth of bacteria and reduces pain. Therefore, it helps shorten the wound healing process.

Improves digestive health: In a study in mice that tested the plant's ability to inhibit ulcers, researchers found that plantain also inhibited stomach acid secretion and increased factors that protect the mucosa.

Medicinal recipes from plantain

According to Oriental medicine, because the plant is cold, sweet and non-toxic, it is commonly used to nourish the liver, kidneys or esophagus. In addition, the plant also has the ability to fight inflammation, reduce phlegm and reduce cough effectively.

Below are some medicinal recipes from the plantain plant that readers can refer to:

Treat diarrhea

Because the plant contains substances such as mucilage, polysaccharides and saponins that can fight bacteria that cause diarrhea and soothe the digestive tract mucosa. Therefore, the three remedies below can be applied to improve the condition.

12g each of Plantago, Poria, Porcine Rehmannia, Codonopsis, Basil with 2g of Dendrobium and boil into water for use.

16g of Plantago combined with 10g of Hawthorn and boil into a drink.

Mix 3-6g of plantain powder with white porridge, add a little sugar and drink.

Treats edema and diarrhea with fever, cough and vomiting

Use equal amounts of plantain seeds and coix seeds, then grind into powder and drink 10g each time, about 30g per day.

Diuretic medicine

For diuretic medicine, you can apply the formula combining 10g of Plantago seeds and 2g of licorice. Then, boil from 600ml until 200ml remains, then you can use it. At the same time, you should divide it into 3 times a day to feel the most obvious improvement.

Treat nosebleeds

Use fresh psyllium seeds, wash with warm water, crush and squeeze to get the juice to drink. Or you can use psyllium seeds to apply on the forehead and lie on your back to stop the bleeding.

Hair loss treatment

For hair loss treatment, you can use dried plantain, then burn it into charcoal, mix it with vinegar and soak it for about a week. After soaking, apply the mixture to the area where hair loss occurs frequently. In addition, you should adopt the habit of getting enough sleep, avoiding staying up too late and eating regularly for better results.

Treatment of difficult urination and heat in the elderly

Use 1 cup of psyllium seeds (about 50ml), put them in a bag and boil to get the water to drink. Besides, you can also use this water to cook porridge and eat with millet.

Treatment of bloody and purulent dysentery

Combine the medicine from plantain, hairy vine and clover with a dosage of 20g each and boil to drink. In addition, if you experience more severe symptoms such as prolonged high fever, body weakness, you should go to the nearest hospital for thorough treatment.

External medicine for burns

With the formula from 100% concentrated decoction of plantain (including 100ml corresponding to 100g of dry plantain), mix well with 50g of lanolin and 50g of paraffin. After getting the mixture, apply this ointment on the burn, then bandage the wound.

According to experts, you should not use plantain without consulting a doctor or oriental medicine practitioner.

Does using plantain cause side effects?

Although plantain has many health benefits, it can also cause some side effects if used improperly. Here are some side effects of plantain to note:

- Dehydration, electrolyte loss

- Tired.

- Dizzy.

- Cramps.

- Nausea.

- Diarrhea.

- Red rash, swelling

- Shortness of breath.

- Interactions with drugs (e.g. diuretics, antihypertensive drugs, anticoagulants, etc.).

Things to note when using plantain

The recommended dosage of plantain is usually 10-16g if using the whole plant, 6-12g for seeds and used in decoction form. In addition, to ensure health safety, according to experts, you should not arbitrarily use this herb to make drinks without consulting a doctor or oriental medicine practitioner.

Avoid using plantain at night because it can cause frequent urination at night, affecting sleep.

There is not enough evidence about the safety of psyllium for pregnant and breastfeeding women, so it is best to avoid using psyllium during this period.

Use fresh plantain or dry it in the shade, avoid direct sunlight.

Do not use moldy or damaged code.

Do not use plantain as a tea or more than 30g per day.

People with a history of kidney stones or gallstones should also not use Plantago.

If any side effects occur, stop using the plant and go to the nearest medical facility for treatment.

Source: https://giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn/cay-co-dai-moc-khap-noi-nhung-it-nguoi-biet-la-thuoc-tri-duoc-nhieu-benh-17224100715051189.htm