What are the uses of Plantago asiatica seeds?

Jan 02, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Zhang Xiuhong

Introduction

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.

Generally speaking, plantain seed (Che Qian Zi) has various functions and effects, including promoting diuresis and relieving stranguria, clearing heat to relieve summerheat, clearing the liver to improve vision, resolving phlegm and relieving cough, and promoting dampness drainage to alleviate diarrhea. The specific effects are as follows:

1. Promoting Diuresis and Relieving Stranguria

Plantain seed has a significant diuretic effect, which can increase urine output and promote urination, helping eliminate waste and toxins from the body. It can serve as an adjunctive treatment for urinary tract infections, urinary stones, and similar conditions.

2. Clearing Heat and Relieving Summerheat

Plantain seed is cold in nature and can clear internal heat toxins. It can help alleviate symptoms caused by heat toxicity, such as headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. It can also help relieve heat during the summer season.

3. Clearing the Liver and Improving Vision

Plantain seed helps clear the liver and improve vision. It has certain therapeutic effects on symptoms such as red, swollen, and painful eyes, and dry eyes caused by excessive internal liver heat. It is often combined with other medicinal herbs such as chrysanthemum flowers (Ju Hua) and cassia seeds (Jue Ming Zi) to enhance its effects of clearing the liver and improving vision.

4. Resolving Phlegm and Relieving Cough

Plantain seed has the effect of clearing heat and resolving phlegm, and can be used to treat cough and yellow phlegm caused by lung accumulation of heat-phlegm. It can also relax bronchial smooth muscles, reduce airway spasms, and thereby relieve coughing and asthma.

5. Promoting Dampness Drainage and Alleviating Diarrhea

Plantain seed can promote dampness drainage and alleviate diarrhea by facilitating the elimination of dampness from the body and improving symptoms caused by damp-heat, such as mouth ulcers and eczema. At the same time, it can separate the clear from the turbid, thus exerting an antidiarrheal effect for those with loose stools.

However, certain populations, including pregnant women, individuals with cold-deficiency body constitution, and those experiencing diarrhea or 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, to avoid counteracting the medicinal effects or causing gastrointestinal discomfort.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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What are the functions and indications of Plantago seeds?

Under normal circumstances, the effects and main uses of Plantago seeds (Che Qian Zi) include relieving constipation, clearing the liver and improving vision, clearing the lungs and resolving phlegm, removing dampness and reducing swelling, and promoting diuresis to relieve urinary difficulties. Due to differences in individual conditions and tolerance levels, it is recommended to adjust the dosage appropriately according to specific situations under a doctor's guidance, avoiding self-medication which may cause adverse reactions.