Plantain (scientific name Plantago major) is a helpful herb that is often regarded as a weed, and you can likely find it growing in your own yard. Plantain is indigenous to parts of Asia and Europe, but was said to have been established in North America when the colonizers came from Europe.
Plantago major is one of the most plentiful and extensively distributed therapeutic plants in the world. A poultice of the plantain leaves may be applied to cuts or stings in order to aid healing and put off infections. The active chemical elements present in the plantain plant are aucubin, allantoin, and mucilage. Plantain possesses astringent attributes, and a tea made from its fresh leaves can be drunk to heal digestive complaints, like diarrhea, and calm raw internal membranes.
Even though plantain is a wild plant, it is also an extremely nourishing and safe herb to eat, as it is a rich source of calcium and vitamins A, C, and K. The young and tender leaves of the plantain plant can be eaten uncooked. The older and stringier plantain leaves can be boiled in stews and eaten as well.
The leaves of plantain are safe to eat and somewhat alike to spinach, although to some extent more acidic. They are seen in plenty of dishes.
As was said before, common plantain is a very ordinary weed which is found in lawns, gardens, backyards, and roadsides all over the American continent. Plantain is a tough perennial plant, and, like the dandelion, it must be taken out by the roots once it becomes tightly established in your backyard. The leaves of plantain are ovate, whole, or toothed, and are characterized by a wide, channelled footstalk. The flower stalks of this herb grow 7 to 20 inches in height and are tipped with elongated, slim spikes of greenish-white blossoms, the colour of which is overshadowed by brownish bracts and sepals.
This natural herb can treat small cuts on your skin and a range of other skin problems like eczema, dandruff, and sunburns. The juice extracted from the fresh leaves of plantain will slowly heal the disorders from their root. You can also make a calming poultice with the plantain leaves by adding cold water and applying it on sunburns. Plantain leaves have a lot of therapeutic properties that can alleviate rashes, skin irritations, venomous bee stings, insect bites and spider bites, and so on. These leaves are generally called "natural erasers." Costly beauty lotions and creams enclose an active component called allantoin, which is found in the leaves of this herb. The natural component of allantoin supports quicker healing, destroys germs, and encourages the development of fresh skin cells. Plantain, when combined with other useful herbs like comfrey and cayenne, aids in diminishing scars, bodily injuries, bleeding, itching, and lessen all kinds of irritations. A simple liniment prepared by blending fresh plantain leaf extract, a small amount of beeswax, and olive oil can be an efficient cure for diaper rashes, mosquito bites, and much more.
A cube of ice rolled in a plantain leaf may be rubbed down on the skin - this action calms the skin and alleviates stress. The plantain leaf, which is also obtainable in the form of capsules (supplement/fluid extract), can be taken each day to get skin that is blemish free and radiant.
