Plantain a Healing Herb

Known as the "Mother of Herbs," plantain is one of the most common plants in the world, it grows on most lawns, along with dandelion and grass. It is the easy to identify because it has leaves with parallel veins. Most plants have leaves with veins that fork outward from a central midrib. Plantain does not have a blossom, it only has a compact seed head that shoots upward and turns from green to brown as the seeds mature.

Plantain is a first-choice remedy for many skin ailments, all parts of the plant, including the seeds, are edible.

The herb plantain is not related to the cooking banana, often known as a Mexican or Spanish banana.

The plantain herb is helpful for incontinence in children and elderly adults. It is an excellent astringent to stop bleeding and promote healing of cuts, skin infections and poison ivy. The root of plantain can be chewed to ease the pain of toothaches.

It is safe and effective, for bee stings, bleeding, bruises, bug bites, hemorrhoids, and itchy skin. When used as an appetite suppressant, it has been found that it also lowers cholesterol.

Plantain can be used as poultice, you can chop a plantain leaf with a knife or other sharp instrument, add a little water and apply it to a wound. For an emergency treatment when camping or at the park you can make a poultice for insect bites and bee stings from the leaves of the plantain plant by chewing a plantain leaf, put it on the wound, and cover it with a band-aid or strip of cloth to hold it in place. A plantain poultice can also be used for drawing out splinters, thorns or glass shards.

Plantain oil is easy to make and is an essential, natural replacement for commercial antibiotic creams.

Recipe for Plantain Oil:

Harvest the green plantain leaves, clean them in cool water and dry off all moisture. Tightly pack the leaves into a clean, dry jar. Completely cover the leaves with olive oil. Place the jar out of direct sunlight and keep at room temperature for six weeks. Every day for the first week, top off the oil so that it completely covers the leaves. After six weeks, strain out the plant material and the plantain oil is now ready for use. Transfer the oil to brown bottles, preferably, or a glass jar away from direct sunlight.

Sources: The Little Herb Encyclopedia by Jack Ritchason, N.D. and Wikipedia.com