The Efficacy and Functions of Plantain Seed

Jan 02, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Zhang Xiuhong

Introduction

Under normal circumstances, Plantago seeds are the dried mature seeds of Plantago asiatica or Plantago depressa of the Plantaginaceae family. They have various functions and effects, including clearing heat and removing dampness, promoting diuresis and relieving urinary disorders, alleviating diarrhea, clearing the liver and improving vision, as well as moistening the lungs and resolving phlegm. Plantago seeds can clear heat and remove dampness and are used to treat urinary tract infections, frequent urination, and painful urination caused by damp-heat descending downward.

Generally, Plantago seeds refer to the dried mature seeds of Plantago asiatica or Plantago depressa of the Plantaginaceae family. They have functions and effects including clearing heat and removing dampness, promoting diuresis and relieving stranguria, alleviating diarrhea, clearing liver heat and improving vision, as well as moistening the lungs and resolving phlegm. The specific details are as follows:

1. Clearing Heat and Removing Dampness: Plantago seeds have the effect of clearing heat and removing dampness and can be used to treat symptoms such as urinary tract infections, frequent urination, and painful urination caused by downward infiltration of damp-heat. They help eliminate damp-heat from the body and improve conditions of difficult urination.

2. Promoting Diuresis and Relieving Stranguria: Plantago seeds can increase urine output and promote urination, providing some relief for symptoms such as urinary retention and urinary tract stones. They are commonly used to treat frequent urination, urgency, and painful urination caused by urinary tract infections, as well as urinary difficulties caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia in males.

3. Alleviating Diarrhea: Plantago seeds have an antidiarrheal effect, capable of separating the clear from the turbid, and can help relieve diarrhea in individuals with loose stools. They aid in improving intestinal function and alleviating symptoms of diarrhea.

4. Clearing Liver Heat and Improving Vision: Plantago seeds can clear liver heat and improve vision, having a therapeutic effect on symptoms such as redness, swelling, and pain in the eyes, as well as dry eyes caused by upward disturbance of liver heat. They help alleviate eye discomfort and protect vision.

5. Moistening the Lungs and Resolving Phlegm: Plantago seeds also have the effect of moistening the lungs and resolving phlegm and can be used to treat coughing and yellow phlegm caused by lung congestion due to phlegm-heat. They help thin mucus and relieve coughing symptoms.

Plantago seeds offer multiple functions and benefits, but their use should be conducted under the guidance of a physician, following the correct methods and dosages. Additionally, pregnant women, individuals with cold-deficiency constitution, and those experiencing diarrhea or abdominal distension should use them cautiously.

View All

What are the uses of Plantago asiatica seeds?

Under normal circumstances, plantain seed (cheqianzi) has various functions and effects such as promoting diuresis and relieving stranguria, clearing away heat and summerheat, clearing the liver and improving vision, resolving phlegm and relieving cough, and promoting dampness drainage to stop diarrhea. However, specific groups including pregnant women, individuals with cold-deficiency constitution, and those experiencing symptoms such as diarrhea and abdominal distension should use plantain seed cautiously. Additionally, due to its cold nature, plantain seed should not be consumed together with warm-natured foods such as lamb.

View Full Answer

What are the effects of Plantago asiatica seeds?

Plantago seeds are the dried mature seeds of Plantago asiatica or Plantago depressa of the Plantaginaceae family. Their effects may include promoting urination to relieve dysuria, clearing heat to relieve summerheat, clearing liver heat to improve vision, resolving phlegm to relieve cough, and removing dampness to stop diarrhea. Plantago seeds are cold in nature and can clear heat toxins from the body. However, due to their cold nature, they should not be consumed together with warm or hot-natured foods or herbs, to avoid counteracting the medicinal effects or causing gastrointestinal discomfort.

View Full Answer

What are the functions and benefits of Plantago seeds?

Under normal circumstances, plantain seed is a traditional Chinese medicine derived from the dried mature seeds of Plantago asiatica or Plantago depressa of the Plantaginaceae family. It has various functions and effects, primarily including promoting diuresis and relieving stranguria, clearing heat and detoxifying, improving vision and removing eye opacity, alleviating diarrhea and dysentery, and resolving phlegm and relieving cough. However, it should be noted that plantain seed is cold in nature and should be used cautiously in individuals with spleen and stomach deficiency-cold to avoid exacerbating the condition.

View Full Answer

The Efficacy and Functions of Plantain Seed (Plantago asiatica L.) and Its Clinical Applications

Currently, the effects and functions of Plantago seeds include clearing heat and summerheat, promoting diuresis and resolving dampness, broadening the middle jiao and invigorating qi, detoxifying and improving complexion, clearing the liver and improving vision. Its functions and main indications include edema, frequent and urgent urination, diarrhea, cough, redness, swelling and pain of the eyes, etc. Drug use should be conducted under the guidance of a physician. Plantago seeds can alleviate symptoms such as headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain caused by heat-toxin.