Plantain large
Plantago major
Plantain is literally a green human companion. It is known to everyone and is found almost everywhere, as it grows along paths and roads, in forest meadows, pastures and orchards, justifying its exact popular name. Various plantain species, such as plantain large ( Plantago major), plantain medium ( P. media) and plantain lanceolate ( P. lanceolata), have similar medicinal properties and are widely used in folk medicine.
Description: plantain is a perennial herbaceous plant with a rosette of long-petioled leaves, leaves reach 20-40 cm in length, solid, oval, slightly elongated with 3-7 major protruding
veins, slightly pubescent, sometimes with short denticles along the edges. From the center of the root rosette erect erect leafless stems 10-40 cm high with longitudinal grooves. Unusual flowers, in which the stamens are clearly visible, are collected in a short, dense cylindrical ear. Blooms from May to September.
Composition: polysaccharides, mucus, bitter and tannic substances, steroid saponins, glycosides, flavonoids, organic acids, provitamin A, vitamin C( ascorbic acid), vitamin K, mineral salts. Plantain has properties to increase blood coagulability, fresh leaves contain a valuable substance norepinephrine.
Cultivation: sunny or semi-dark areas, grows only on poor soils. During the initial development requires watering. After cutting, watered with compost water or fertilized with grass humus. Sowing is carried out in April in rows at a distance of 25 cm.
Collection: annual cut 2-3 times in summer, each time before the formation of flowers, for the preparation of charges( tea).The dried plant is stored in a glass bowl.
Medicinal properties: preparations from plantain leaves have high biological activity. Extract from the leaves has a sedative effect, juice from fresh leaves of plantain is effective in the treatment of wounds. In folk medicine, plantain is used as an antibiotic, has anti-bacterial action in the catarrh of the respiratory tract and inflammatory processes of the oral cavity and throat, softens the cough, is used in convulsions. The water infusion of the plantain leaves intensifies the secretion of bronchial mucus, resulting in sputum liquefaction and easier release during coughing. In addition, plantain juice is a good cough remedy. Extract from the leaves of plantain has a hemostatic and bacteriostatic effect. With external use it is used for minor wounds and as an insecticide, soothes pain with furuncles, edema due to bruises, bee stings and wasps.
Application: infusion of plantain leaves has an expectorant effect and is used as an auxiliary for bronchitis, whooping cough, bronchial asthma, tuberculosis. Juice made from fresh plantain leaves is effective in chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer of stomach and duodenum with normal or low acidity of gastric juice. In addition, the intake of plantain juice normalizes appetite, improves gastric secretion.
Plantard leaves salad
50 g. Plantain leaves, 50 g. Dandelion leaves, 10 grams of sorrel leaves, 1 onion, 1/2 lemon juice
Take young leaves of plantain and dandelion in equal parts, scald the leaves with boiling water, finely chopand add a handful of chopped sorrel leaves. Onion cut into thin rings. Season the salad to taste with salt, pepper, lemon juice and season with olive oil. This salad is very tasty and has a beneficial effect on the work of the stomach.
The presence of phytoncides in the plant determines the antimicrobial effect of the preparations. Water infusion and fresh juice from the leaves of the plant contribute to the rapid cleansing and healing of wounds. Apply these drugs in the form of lotions and rinses with bruises, fresh cuts and wounds, with chronic ulcers, fistulas, abscesses, boils. In addition, with purulent wounds, furunculosis, freshly washed fresh leaves are used as a compress. Young leaves of plantain are added to salads to increase their vitamin value. Tea from the leaves of psyllium has a restorative effect on the body, it is recommended for avitaminosis and general spring weakening of the organism. In addition, leaf tea is recommended for use as a preventive agent for chronic diseases of the upper respiratory tract. In cosmetology, the decoction of plantain leaves is used to relieve irritation in inflammation of the skin.