Latin name: Plantago lanceolataGenera: Plantain plantsVolk names: Wegtritt, spearwort
Plant description
Perennial plant, leaves arranged rosette-like at the base. Flower stems up to 50 cm long. Inconspicuous, spike-like, brown flowers.
Very similar is the plantain with pink inflorescences, hardly used as a medicinal plant. Another plantain species, the plantain (Plantago ovata) is used for medicinal purposes. Flowering time: May to September.
Occurrence: One of the most common medicinal plants in Europe and is found preferably in dry meadows and fields. The leaves, in the case of plantain also the seeds. The leaves can be collected on meadows during the whole summer.
It is recommended to harvest the fresh leaves shortly before flowering. Avoid dusty roadsides when collecting in the wild. Dry gently or use fresh.
Ingredients
Plant slime and aucubin, which has a weak antibiotic effect. Also tannin, bitter substances and silicic acid.
Curative effects and application
The effect is similar to that of coltsfoot leaves and is an excellent cough remedy. Mucolytic, soothing and weakly antibiotic. The drug is often a component of cough syrups.
The seeds of flea plantain (they are very small, hence the name flea plantain) swell unusually strongly in water and are therefore often a component of laxatives. In folk medicine the drug is also used externally for insect bites, bruises and furuncles. The juice from fresh leaves is diluted with camomile tea and used to make envelopes.
One can apply the previously washed and crushed leaves directly to insect bites, itching, swelling. Do not use on open wounds, danger of infection too high. Tea made from ribwort leaves brings relief from catarrhs of the upper airways and inflammations in the mouth and throat.
Preparation
Tea made from ribwort leaves: 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried leaves are poured over a large cup of boiling water, left to infuse for 15 minutes, strain. In case of cough, hoarseness, asthma sweetened with honey and well warm drink 2 – 3 cups daily. Ribwort juice from fresh leaves: Rub fresh, well cleaned leaves in a mortar, add some water and heat to boil.
Add plenty of honey. In case of cough and fever 1 teaspoon every hour. Do not add honey to cover insect bites or bruises (not on open wounds).
The homeopathic Plantago major, is prepared from the fresh leaves of broad-leaved plantain. It is not used here for coughs, but primarily for toothache, earache, nerve pain in the face, bladder weakness and night-time wetting. The mother tincture is commonly used and up to D3.
Mixed with glycerin, the mother tincture is also used externally. For instillation into the auditory canal in case of middle ear inflammation (no self-treatment, because it is only used if the eardrum is intact!!!) or for brushing in case of toothache. The contained aucubin also has an antibiotic effect.
