The adventive English Plantain is a common plant that occurs in every county of Illinois (see Distribution Map). It is native to Eurasia. Habitats include lawns, cracks in pavement, vacant lots, fallow fields, grassy paths, and roadsides. This plant prefers highly disturbed areas and it has not invaded natural areas to any significant extent.
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Uses
Today, it is still frequently used in folk medicine. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is found in balms called mehlems for “urogenital tract disorders, respiratory system disorders, gastrointestinal tract disorders, skin ailments, blood system disorders, nervous system disorders, cardiovascular system disorders, and rheumatism.
People in Columbia use plantain leaf to promote good health. The gastrointestinal category dominates its use in Mexico. These are just a few of many examples of how plantain is used across the globe. Due to its long history of use across the globe, and recent confirmation of some of its therapeutic properties, plantain leaf is now used primarily as an herbal remedy for upper respiratory tract health.
Benefits
It is alterative, antiseptic, antisyphilitic, astringent, demulcent, deobstruent, diuretic, expectorant, hemostatic, styptic, vulnerary.
Cautions
No side effects are known.
Interactions
None are recorded.
Other names
- Plantago lanceolata L.
- Plantago major L.
- Plantaginaceae
References
Source: GlobalHealingCentre, http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/health-benefits-of-plantain-leaf/
MedicinalHerbInfo, http://medicinalherbinfo.org/herbs/Plantain.html
Illinoiswildflower, http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/eng_plantain.htm