Contents:
Common Names | Parts Usually Used | Plant(s) & Culture | Where Found | Medicinal Properties | Biochemical Information
Legends, Myths and Stories | Uses | Formulas or Dosages | Nutrient Content | How Sold | Warning | Resource Links
Scientific Names
- Plantago asiatica L.
Common Names
- Chinese plantain
- Che Qian Zi
- Obako
- Arnoglossa
- Asiatic plantain
Parts Usually Used
The leaves, seeds, and roots are all used medicinally. The seeds (recorded as Plantaginis Semen in Chinese pharmacopoeia) are considered the most potent part of the plant.
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Description of Plant(s) and Culture
Chinese plantain is a perennial herb growing up to 20-60 cm (8-24 inches) tall with short, thick rootstock and numerous fibrous roots. The plant forms a rosette of broadly ovate to broadly elliptic leaves that are 4-12 cm long and 2.5-6.5 cm wide with three to seven veins. The leaves are sparsely pubescent with entire, repand, serrate or dentate margins.
The plant produces erect spikes 20-45 cm high with many small, white, hairless flowers. The fruits are oval-shaped capsules containing four black seeds. It blooms from April to August and fruits from June to September.
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Where Found
Chinese plantain is native to East Asia, including China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. It has also spread to parts of India, Indochina, and Malaysia. The plant grows well in disturbed areas such as roadsides, mountain slopes, ravines, riverbanks, fields, wastelands, and lawns. It is hardy in USDA zones 5-9 and can tolerate various soil types from sandy to clay with good drainage.
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Medicinal Properties
Chinese plantain has been shown to contain anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antitussive, cardiac, diuretic, expectorant, haemostatic, antibacterial, antidepressant, anti-obesity, anti-cancer, anti-viral, antioxidant, anti-glycation, and laxative properties.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, all parts of the plant work to cool heat and promote urination, cause diuresis, clear damp-heat, brighten the eyes, and dislodge phlegm. Scientific studies have demonstrated significant effects on obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular health, and metabolic disorders.
Recent research has shown that Chinese plantain seed extract can improve lipid and glucose metabolism, reduce abdominal fat, lower cholesterol levels, and enhance insulin sensitivity. The plant’s compounds have also shown promise in treating hyperuricemia and gout by inhibiting xanthine oxidase activity.
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Biochemical Information
Chinese plantain contains numerous bioactive compounds including:
- Plantamajoside – with antioxidant and anti-glycation effects
- Acteoside and isoacteoside – phenylpropanoid glycosides with anti-obesity effects
- Geniposidic acid – an iridoid glycoside that protects against metabolic disorders
- Plantagoguanidinic acid A – improves glucose metabolism
- Luteolin and scutellarein – flavonoids with antidiarrheal properties
- Caffeic acid – phenolic compound with various health benefits
- Polysaccharides – up to 30% mucilage content in seeds
Legends, Myths and Stories
Chinese plantain has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. The Chinese name “Che Qian Zi” literally translates to “before the cart seeds,” referring to the plant’s common occurrence along roadsides where carts would travel.
In traditional practice, the plant was believed to have cooling properties and was used to treat “heat” conditions in the body according to traditional Chinese medicine theory.
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Uses
Traditional medicinal uses include treatment of liver disease, stomach problems, urinary system inflammation, asthma, bladder problems, bronchitis, fever, hypertension, and rheumatism. The leaves are considered less powerful than the seeds for medicinal purposes.
Modern research applications include:
- Weight management and obesity treatment
- Diabetes and metabolic syndrome management
- Cardiovascular health support
- Diarrhea treatment (particularly luteolin and scutellarein compounds)
- Immune system modulation
- Wound healing and joint repair
- Treatment of gout and hyperuricemia
Culinary uses include consumption of young leaves in soups and stews, particularly in Japanese cuisine. In Vietnam, young leaves are boiled, fried, or made into soup with meat or prawns.
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Formulas or Dosages
For metabolic disorders: Research suggests plantain seed extract at doses of 1.44 g/(kg·day) for obesity and metabolic syndrome management.
For diarrhea treatment: Superfine powder preparations at 2,000-6,000 mg/kg have shown effectiveness, with minimum effective dose at 2,000 mg/kg.
Traditional preparation: Decoction of roots for coughs; seeds can be used as bulk laxative due to mucilage content that swells in the digestive tract.
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Nutrient Content
Chinese plantain seeds contain:
- Up to 30% mucilage content
- High amounts of fatty acids
- Flavones and polysaccharides
- Iridoids and phenylpropanoid glycosides
- Guanidine derivatives
- Various minerals and trace elements
How Sold
Chinese plantain is available as dried seeds (Plantaginis Semen), powdered extracts, superfine powders, teas, capsules, and standardized extracts. The seeds are the most commonly available commercial form.
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Warning
Important Safety Information:
Pregnant women should avoid using Chinese plantain as it may cause uterine activity and unwanted laxative effects.
Patients taking lithium or carbamazepine should not use plantain simultaneously, as it may interact with these medications.
Possible side effects include allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis, chest congestion, sneezing, watery eyes, occupational asthma, and gastric concretion in sensitive individuals.
The pollen contains allergenic glycoproteins that can cause seasonal allergies in susceptible people.
Always consult with a healthcare provider before using Chinese plantain medicinally, especially if you have existing health conditions or are taking other medications.
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Resource Links
Traditional Medicinal Plants Used by Tujia People in Guizhou
Plants for a Future – Plantago asiatica – L.
