Plantain (Broadleaf)
Plantago major — also: Ribwort (P. lanceolata), Waybread
Mostly traditional and preclinical support; popular for minor topical first aid.
Widespread folk 'first-aid' leaf for bites, stings, minor wounds, and coughs.
Soothing/astringent for minor skin irritation; demulcent for cough.
Mucilage and allantoin may soothe tissue; preclinical anti-inflammatory activity.
- Soothing for minor skin irritation/bites
- Demulcent for cough
Mainly traditional use and preclinical data.
- Little human trial evidence
- Misidentification
- Contaminated foraging sites
- People treating deep or infected wounds with it alone
Generally low; ensure clean material and correct identification.
None well documented.
Topical use generally low risk; limited internal-use data in pregnancy.
Common 'weed' — forage from clean, unsprayed ground; rinse well.
- Long folk use for minor bites, stings, and skin irritation.
- Preclinical data show anti-inflammatory and wound-soothing activity (mucilage, allantoin).
- Little controlled human evidence.
Evidence is mostly ethnobotanical and laboratory; topical use is low-risk.
Controlled topical wound/skin trials.
A trailside poultice herb for minor scrapes — not for deep or infected wounds.