Plantain - General Description
Plantain - a perennial plant of the plantain family, characterized by a basal rosette from the central part of which grow flower-bearing leafless stems - flower arrows. Rhizome - thick, short, seated on all sides by fibrous, filiform processes, located vertically.
Leaves - broadly elliptical or broadly egg-shaped, petiolate. Slightly pubescent or glabrous, up to 12 cm long with longitudinal 6–9 veins. The flowers are small, with a brown corolla, one in the sinus of the membranous bract. The fruit is an ovoid, multi-seeded, two-nested capsule with small seeds located in each nest in an amount of 4-8 pieces.
It blooms from May to August, the fruits ripen in September-October.
Plantain - types and places of growth
Plantain is a ubiquitous plant. You can meet him on the streets, in gardens, on roadsides, meadows, pastures, forest glades and paths. It grows on soils with different moisture and mechanical composition. Along paths and roads can form thickets several kilometers long.
Depending on the habitat, plantain has many popular names: traveler, road builder, companion, burdock.
If we talk about varieties, then at the moment about 260 species are known. There are very original specimens, whose life cycle is no more than a season, some feel good in the mountain deserts of Peru and Argentina, others climbed to a height of 4 thousand meters above sea level, and others grow up to 2 meters (Hawaii).
The most common species found in Russia and the countries of the former CIS are: plantain purple, sandy, snowy, coastal, lanceolate, blackening.
Plantain - healing properties
The plant has anti-inflammatory, analgesic, hemostatic, bactericidal, anti-allergic and hypnotic effects. Plantain-based drugs are useful for eye diseases, headaches, diabetes, metabolic disorders, anemia, neurasthenia, arrhythmias, heart failure, and diseases of the gall bladder.
Plantain improves appetite, has a comprehensive effect on the digestive system, and stimulates the production of gastric juice. It is useful for chronic gastritis, colitis, flatulence, stomach ulcers. High efficiency was noted in the treatment of malignant neoplasms, lymphogranulomatosis and leukemia.
Decoctions from the leaves are used in the treatment of tuberculosis, bronchitis and other diseases of the pulmonary system. When taken internally, the water infusion of the leaves tones, and alcohol - lowers blood pressure and has a pronounced sedative effect.
A decoction of seeds is known as an enveloping and emollient for constipation, hemorrhoids, inflammatory processes of the stomach and intestines.
Plantain - dosage forms
As therapeutic raw materials, leaves, seeds, juice are used, less often, inflorescences. It is allowed to use both dried and fresh. The most common dosage forms are infusions, decoctions and tinctures.
Leaves are harvested during the summer. Intact green leaves must be carefully torn off by hand or cut off with secateurs. It’s better to go for plantain after the rain. Dry the leaves in a well-ventilated room, in the dryer at a temperature of 50 degrees or under a canopy, sprinkling with a thin layer. You can string the leaves on a thread and hang them in the shade, and after 3 days, dry them in a box. Store the obtained raw materials in a paper bag or glass jar in a dark place for 3 years.
Seeds with peduncles are harvested after flowering. Dried and stored in a similar manner. Shelf life is 2 years.
Plantain - recipes
With severe attacks of cough, tonsillitis, bronchitis, whooping cough, the infusion will help: 1 tbsp. l dry leaves / glass of water, boil, insist, wrapped for 2 hours, strain. Consume 1 tbsp. l 3 times a day.
With colitis, gastritis from the leaves, squeeze the juice and take it for 1 tbsp. l 4 times a day half an hour before meals.
With constipation, inflammatory processes of the digestive system, an effective infusion of seeds: 25 gr. raw materials / 0.2 boiling water, shake. Drink 2 tablespoon 3 times a day before meals.
For peptic ulcer, mix freshly squeezed juice with 1 tsp. honey, boil for 20 minutes. Take 3 tbsp. l Store in the refrigerator, tightly closing the lid.
Fresh leaves are applied to purulent wounds, scratches, bruises.
Plantain - contraindications
It is not recommended to apply plantain inside to people with increased acidity of the stomach and a tendency to thrombosis.
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