Plantaginis Semen
Aliases：Chē Qián Shí (Plantain Fruit); Chē Qián Rén (Plantain Kernel); Chē Zhé Zǐ (Cart-track Seed); Dāng Dào (On-the-Road); Niú Shé Cǎo (Ox-tongue Grass); Xiā Má Yī Zi (Toad-skin Seed); Zhū Er Duǒ Suì Zi (Pig-ear Spike Seed); Fèng Yǎn Qián Rén (Phoenix-eye Plantain Kernel); Chē Lún Cài Zǐ (Cartwheel Vegetable Seed); Dǎ Guān Si Cǎo Zǐ (Lawsuit Grass Seed); Wǔ Gēng Cǎo (Five-watch Grass), among others.
Chē Qián Zǐ (Plantain Seed) is a Chinese medicinal herb. It is the dried ripe seed of Plantago asiatica L. or Plantago depressa Willd., plants of the Plantaginaceae family. The seed spikes are harvested in summer and autumn when the seeds are ripe, dried in the sun, threshed to obtain the seeds, and cleaned of impurities. The seed is elliptical or irregularly oblong in shape, slightly flattened, with a yellowish-brown to blackish-brown surface. It is hard in texture, with a faint odor and a bland taste.
Efficacy & Actions
Clears heat, promotes diuresis, and treats strangury; percolates dampness and stops diarrhea; improves eyesight; and dispels phlegm.
Indications
用于热淋涩痛，水肿胀满，暑湿泄泻，目赤肿痛，痰热咳嗽。此外，亦可用于小便不通、淋浊、带下、尿血等症。
Modern Pharmacology
Modern pharmacological studies have shown that Plantain Seed (Plantaginis Semen) possesses diuretic, uric acid-lowering, hypoglycemic, lipid-lowering, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antitussive expectorant effects. Its uric acid-lowering effect is mainly achieved through mechanisms such as inhibiting xanthine oxidase activity. In addition, Plantain Seed polysaccharides also exhibit immunomodulatory effects.
Ingredients
It mainly contains iridoids (such as aucubin, geniposidic acid, etc.), phenylethanoid glycosides (such as verbascoside), polysaccharides, flavonoids, and others. In addition, it also contains racemic plantagoside, plantagonic acid, succinic acid, plantago mucilage A, and sterols, among others.
Usage & Dosage
Oral Administration: Decoction, 9–15g. It should be wrapped in a cloth bag for decoction. May also be prepared in pills or powder. Topical Application: Appropriate amount, decocted in water for washing, or ground into powder and mixed for external application.
Contraindications
Contraindicated in patients with sinking of yang qi, kidney deficiency with spermatorrhea, and those without internal damp-heat. Use with caution during pregnancy.
Selected Formulas
For dark, scanty urine with painful dribbling due to damp-heat accumulating in the bladder (Empirical Formula) Take Plantain Seed (Chē Qián Zǐ) together with Akebia Stem (Mù Tōng). Decoct in water and take orally. For summer-dampness diarrhea and leukorrhea due to dampness (Empirical Formula) Take Plantain Seed (Chē Qián Zǐ) together with Atractylodes Rhizome (Cāng Zhú). Decoct in water and take orally. For blurred vision and corneal opacity due to liver-kidney yin deficiency (Empirical Formula) Take Plantain Seed (Chē Qián Zǐ) together with Rehmannia Root (Shú Dì Huáng). Decoct in water and take orally. For leukorrhea due to spleen deficiency with liver depression and downward flow of damp-turbidity (Wan Dai Tang, from Fu Qing Zhu Nü Ke) Take Plantain Seed (Chē Qián Zǐ) combined with White Atractylodes (Bái Zhú), Chinese Yam (Shān Yào), Ginseng (Rén Shēn), White Peony Root (Bái Sháo), Atractylodes Rhizome (Cāng Zhú), and other herbs. Decoct in water and take orally. For hypertension and hyperlipidemia (Empirical Formula) Take 10g each of Plantain Seed (Chē Qián Zǐ), Chrysanthemum (Jú Huā), and Cassia Seed (Jué Míng Zǐ). Decoct in water and take orally, or steep as tea.
Daily Consumption
For damp-heat accumulating in the bladder causing scanty dark urine and painful strangury (empirical formula) Take Cheqianzi (Plantago seed) with Mutong (Akebia stem). Decoct in water and drink. For summer-dampness diarrhea and leukorrhea due to dampness (empirical formula) Take Cheqianzi with Cangzhu (Atractylodes). Decoct in water and drink. For blurred vision and corneal opacity due to liver-kidney yin deficiency (empirical formula) Take Cheqianzi with Shudihuang (prepared Rehmannia). Decoct in water and drink. For leukorrhea due to spleen deficiency, liver depression, and dampness descending (Wandai Tang, from Fu Qingzhu Nüke) Take Cheqianzi with Baizhu (Atractylodes), Shanyao (Chinese yam), Renshen (Ginseng), Baishao (White peony), and Cangzhu. Decoct in water and drink. For hypertension and hyperlipidemia (empirical formula) Take 10g each of Cheqianzi, Juhua (Chrysanthemum), and Juemingzi (Cassia seed). Decoct in water or steep in boiling water and drink as tea.
Medicinal Parts
Dried ripe seed.
Selection & Storage
Store in a well-ventilated, dry place, protected from moisture. Store in a dry, airtight container.
