What are the functions and benefits of Plantago seeds?

Jan 03, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health

Dr. Zhang Xiuhong

Introduction

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.

Generally speaking, Plantago Seed (Che Qian Zi) is a traditional Chinese medicine derived from the dried mature seeds of Plantago asiatica or Plantago depressa of the Plantaginaceae family. It has various therapeutic effects and functions, mainly including promoting diuresis and relieving stranguria, clearing heat and detoxifying, improving vision and removing corneal opacity, relieving diarrhea and dysentery, and resolving phlegm and relieving cough. Detailed explanations are as follows:

1. Promoting Diuresis and Relieving Stranguria

Plantago Seed can clear heat, promote urination, and facilitate the excretion of excess fluid from the body, thus alleviating edema. It is commonly used to treat damp-heat stranguria, such as symptoms including frequent urination, urgent urination, painful urination, and difficult urination. When combined with other herbs like Akebia Stem (Mu Tong) and Talcum (Hua Shi), its effect of promoting diuresis and relieving stranguria can be enhanced.

2. Clearing Heat and Detoxifying

Plantago Seed is cold in nature and can clear internal heat and detoxify the body. It is suitable for treating disorders caused by heat toxicity, such as sore throat, oral ulcers, abscesses, and other toxic swellings and sores. It helps eliminate internal heat toxins and relieve inflammatory symptoms.

3. Improving Vision and Removing Corneal Opacity

Plantago Seed can nourish the liver and kidneys and improve blood circulation in the eyes, thus protecting vision. It is commonly used to treat eye disorders caused by liver heat, such as redness, swelling, and pain in the eyes, blurred vision, and corneal opacity. When combined with Chrysanthemum Flower (Ju Hua), Cassia Seed (Jue Ming Zi), and other herbs, its effect of improving vision and removing corneal opacity can be enhanced.

4. Relieving Diarrhea and Dysentery

Plantago Seed can clear heat, remove dampness, and astringe the intestines, making it suitable for treating digestive system disorders such as damp-heat diarrhea and dysentery. It helps alleviate symptoms of diarrhea and dysentery.

5. Resolving Phlegm and Relieving Cough

Plantago Seed can clear lung heat, resolve phlegm, and relieve cough. It is commonly used to treat respiratory disorders such as excessive phlegm from lung heat and bronchitis. When combined with Apricot Seed (Xing Ren), Platycodon Root (Jie Geng), Loquat Leaf (Pi Pa Ye), and other herbs, its effect of resolving phlegm and relieving cough can be enhanced.

However, it should be noted that Plantago Seed is cold in nature, and individuals with spleen-stomach deficiency cold should use it cautiously to avoid overburdening the spleen and stomach. Pregnant women should also use it cautiously to prevent any adverse effects on the fetus. When using Plantago Seed for treatment, it is essential to follow medical advice. If any discomfort occurs during treatment, it is recommended to seek timely medical attention.

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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.

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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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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.