Useful and medicinal properties of plantain
Family Plantains - Plantaginaceae
The generic name comes from two Latin words: planta - foot, sole and agere - lead, follow. This name is given because the plantain seeds have mucous cells and, swelling after rain or dew, become sticky, are glued to the sole of the shoe and are carried by people, why the plantain grows along the edges of roads, paths, where the Russian name comes from. Species definition in Latin means "large", since the leaves of this species are larger than others.
Botanical Description. A perennial herbaceous plant with a short, thin rhizome, from which thin subordinate roots leave the lining. Leaves petiolate, broadly ovate or broadly elliptical, entire with 3 to 9 arcuate main veins, collected in a basal rosette. Floral arrows are rounded, 10-45 cm high and end with a long cylindrical spike. The flowers are small, unattractive, during the flowering of them, stamens with dark purple anthers stand out far away. Fruit is an ovoid capsule with small seeds.
Blossoms from May - June to autumn. Fruits ripen from June - July to autumn.
Geographical spread. It grows near roads and on footpaths, in shelter, in meadows and pastures, it is found in crops and especially in vegetable gardens. This is a widespread weed. It occurs almost throughout the entire territory of the USSR, especially in densely populated areas in the forest-steppe and in the south of the forest zone. To obtain medicinal raw material wild plantain is harvested in the Baltic States, Belarus, Ukraine,
Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and in many regions and regions of the RSFSR.
For the production of juice and other preparations plantain is cultivated in the state farms of medicinal plants, especially in the Poltava region of the Ukrainian SSR.Culture is conducted on the field for 3-5 years, it allows you to mechanize harvesting and get fresh leaves.
Collection and drying. Collect the leaves of plantain with a small remainder of the petiole in the flowering period, tearing them off with their hands. Dry in attics, outdoors, in the shade of buildings, in sheds or in dryers at a temperature of 40-50 °.After drying, the raw materials are sorted, removing yellowed and burnt leaves, flower arrows and accidentally trapped impurities of other plants.
Medicinal raw materials. The ready-made raw material - plantain leaf( Folium Plantaginis) contains whole and partially broken, twisted leaves of the above structure, green or brownish-green in color, up to 24 cm long and 11 cm wide. At the base they are narrowed into a wide petiole of various lengths,which often have the remains of threadlike veins. Edge of leaf is one-piece or not clear-toothed.
The smell is weak, the taste is slightly bitter.
FS 42-147-72 allows: moisture not more than 14%;ash not more than 20%;leaves that have lost their normal coloring, no more than 5%;flower arrows not more than 1%;crushed parts passing through a sieve with a hole diameter of 1 mm, not more than 5%;organic and mineral impurities not more than 1%.The content of extractives extracted from raw materials by water should be at least 30%.
Sometimes, together with a large plantain, the leaves of the Plantago media L. are planted, the leaves at the base are narrowed into a short petiole and pubescent on both sides, and Plantago laceolata L., which has lanceolate leaves with a petiolate petiole. The increased content of these organic impurities is unacceptable.
Chemical composition. The leaves of the plantain contain indicium glycoside aukubin, bitter and tannic substances, mucus, coffee, coumaric, citric and oleanolic acids;flavonoids( homo-placenta, plantazinein, derivatives of baikalein and scutellaria-ina);a small amount of vitamin C, vitamin K,
the so-called factor T, involved in the process of blood coagulation, carotene, choline, adenine, enzymes, saponins, pectin substances, etc.
Action and application. Biologically active plantain substances promote the regeneration of damaged tissues, enhance the secretory function of the stomach, have a calming, even hypnotic effect and reduce blood pressure, have a beneficial effect in the treatment of acute and chronic colitis. Fresh leaves and juice have a hemostatic effect. Infusion of leaves at the rate of 15-20 g. Of raw materials per 200 ml of water is applied to 1 tablespoon 3-4 times a day as an expectorant for bronchitis, whooping cough, pulmonary tuberculosis and other diseases of the respiratory organs, accompanied by secretions of dense secrets. The same infusion is indicated for diarrhea, flatulence, stomach and intestinal diseases, hemorrhoids, edema. The preparation in granules of plantaglucidum is appointed for the treatment of hyacid gastritis, peptic ulcer of stomach and duodenum in 1 / 2-1 teaspoon in 1/4 cup of warm water for 20-30 minutes before meals. Plantain preparations are contraindicated in hyperacid gastritis and peptic ulcer with high acidity.
The leaves of plantain are included in the collections prescribed for bronchitis, tracheobronchitis, bronchial asthma, acute and chronic gastritis, acute glomerulonephritis, peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum.