Herbal Tutor – Plantain

Plantain (Plantago major) – Broad leaf plantain, Lance leaf plantain, Devil’s Shoestring, Englishman’s Foot

Commonly found in areas where you will find dandelion and/or red clover, plantain is a very prolific weed.  It was originally brought over from Europe by white settlers, but quickly became known by North American natives as the powerful medicine that it is.

Plantain has been used as a poultice to draw toxins out of and to heal wounds of many types, including bee stings, mosquito bites, dog bites, scorpion stings, rattlesnake bites, cuts and scrapes.  I generally chew on a fresh leaf until it is pulpy, then bind it to the wound or bite with another fresh leaf.

Internally, it has been used to treat lung infections such as pneumonia, swollen lymph glands, excessive menstrual bleeding, high blood pressure, intestinal contractions, headaches, coughs, fevers, flu, and diarrhea.

Some use it both internally and externally to treat herpes sores – whether cold sores or the genital variety.

In Chinese medicine, plantain is used to treat rheumatism, infertility, urinary tract infections, diarrhea, and many pregnancy problems such as fetuses in bad position prior to delivery.

I believe plantain has pulled me back from near-fatal pneumonia twice in my life, and I swear by it for this purpose.

Here are some photos and pictures of the different types of plantain – both are used for all of the conditions mentioned above.

Any information found in this Herbal Tutor, or anywhere else on this blog site, is intended for anecdotal and informational purposes only.  We make no medical or other claims, and recommend you seek advice from a qualified medical practitioner before beginning any healing program.

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NOTE: On the birth-day of this blog, I was in the midst of a healing crisis, as I struggled to regain my health in the face of sinusitis and two abcessed front teeth. I am allergic to all known antibiotics (not that I would be keen to take them even if I wasn’t allergic!), so I am “forced” to put my money where my mouth is and actually rely on the herbs and other natural products that I speak so highly of! I refer to this in a later post, so this note is FYI.

EHH