Abstract

PLANTAGO MAJOR L A CYNOSURE OF MODERN MEDICINE: A REVIEW

Rimi Mondal*, Dr. Arvind Negi and Dr. Manish Mishra

.

Abstract

In the recent years synthetic drugs have been widely replaced with herbal medicines and plant extracts because of their little undesirable and extensive beneficial effects. Plantago major L. (also known as plantain and way bread) is a member of the Plantaginaceae family. Leaves and seeds of the plant have been widely used in folk medicine for various purposes, including treatment of an extensive range of diseases and disorders such as respiratory complications and digestive system infections. Plantago major L. leaves have been used as a wound healing remedy for centuries in almost all parts of the world and in the treatment of a number of diseases apart from wound healing. P. major contains biologically active compounds such as polysaccharides, Lipids, caffeic acid derivatives, flavonoids, iridoid glycosides and terpenoids. Alkaloids and some organic acids have also been detected. A range of biological activities has been found from plant extracts including wound healing activity, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antioxidant, weak antibiotic, immune-modulating and antiulcerogenic activity. The medicinal benefits of Plantago major have been acknowledged around the world for hundreds of years. Correspondingly, studies have found that Plantago major is effective as a wound healer, as well as an anti-ulcerative, antidiabetic, antidiarrheal, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, antibacterial, and antiviral agent. It also combats fatigue and cancer, is an antioxidant and a free radical scavenger. This paper provides a review of the medicinal benefits and chemical constituents of Plantago major published in journals from year 1953 to 2021 which are available.

Keywords: Plantago major L, plantain, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, caffeic acid derivatives.