An Indexed Bibliography. The Scientific Literature on Selected Herbs, and Aromatic and Medicinal Plants of the Temperate Zone. Plantain is the general name for several small herbs used medicinally because of their mucilaginous properties. Spanish psyllium, an annual native to the eastern Mediterranean region and naturalized in the eastern United States, is about 0.6 meters tall with hairy leaves, a dense spike of flowers, and a dehiscent seed capsule. Little cultural information on plantain exists, although planting takes place in the southwestern United States during mid-autumn.
Plantain grows as a weed in most places.
Psyllium seed gum, a natural gum or mucilage, is extracted from the seed coat and husk with hot water and used as a bulk laxative or purgative. Some Plantago species are not suitable for the extraction of mucilage because of anatomical differences within the seed. Other medicinal applications of the plantain species have included use as an astringent, demulcent, and diuretic. Extracts of common plantain have been reported to exhibit antibacterial activity. Hoary plantain, Plantago media , is a perennial used as a natural laxative.