Wednesday, 22nd June, 2022

DAILY ANALYST
Wednesday, 22nd June, 2022 Page 5
Perspective
Plantain Leaf: Improves upper
respiratory tract, Heart Health
In the olden days at
Suhum-Amrahia,
I used to see my
grandparents wrapping
food, especially
Banku, in Plantain leaves.
Additionally, on the farm,
we had no bowls; as such,
we had no option but to eat
on the plantain leaves. At
the time, however, nothing
prompted me to ask if there
was any science attached to
this tradition of eating on
plantain or banana leaves.
Sometimes, the leaves
were also used in steaming
foods. I didn’t know that
eating on fresh plantain
leaves was both therapeutic
and eco-friendly. I also did
not know that plantain or
banana leaf bath is the best
natural medicine available,
as it can take care of skin
disorders and other health
problems. The plantain leaf
(Plantago major) is a green,
weedy plant native to North
America, Europe, and Asia.
Cultures around the world
have used the plantain leaf
to help relieve health ailments
for millennia.
Margaret L. Ahlborn
(ND) asserts that the plant
is one of nine sacred herbs
mentioned in the ancient
Lacnunga ('Remedies'), a
collection of Anglo-Saxon
medical texts. During the
1500s and 1600s, it was used
by Europeans for everything
from dog bites and boils to
fevers and the flu.
The major components
of plantain are iridoid glycosides
(particularly aucubin),
mucilage, and tannins.
Blument, (1998) agrees that
they are believed to reduce
irritation, quell harmful
organisms, and exhibit expectorant
actions.
Clinical Studies of the
Plantain Leaf
Modern science is just
beginning to study the
effects of plantain leaves,
and studies are confirming
some of these traditional
uses. A recent retrospective
study by Dharmashamvardhini,
(2020) which involved
40 insomnia subjects examining
the effectiveness and
therapeutic effects of the
plantain leaf bath showed
significant improvement in
blood pressure. The postintervention
data showed
significant improvement
in cardiovascular health.
The author concluded that
the incorporation of Naturopathy
mediated therapy
involving plantain leaf
bath significantly improved
cardiovascular and sleep
quality.
According to Wegener
and Kraft, (1999), the German
Commission, which is
similar to the United States’
FDA but regulates herbs and
their medical use, approved
the internal use of plantain
leaves to ease coughs and
irritation of the mucous
membrane which are associated
with upper respiratory
tract infections. They
found that experimental
research confirmed its beneficial
properties, which can
help reduce the irritation of
lung tissues that cause discomfort.
It can also help to
stimulate the immune system.
They recommend the
plantain plant for moderate
chronic irritative cough,
especially for children.
Two previous clinical
trials by Kiochev, (2012) in
Bulgaria documented the
plantain plants’ efficacy for
chronic bronchitis. It acts
as a demulcent, such as
pectin and glycerin, which
are common ingredients
in cough syrups and throat
drops. Demulcents relieve
minor discomfort and irritation
by forming a soothing
film over the affected
mucous membrane. This
property can also make the
plantain leaf an effective
relief for coughs caused by
the flu, cold, and irritation.
Since demulcents can cause
more mucus production in
the lungs, they are more
often used to relieve dry
coughs.
Another study by Chiang
et al., (2003) in Taiwan,
where plantain leaves are
used in folk medicine for
various infectious ailments
related to the respiratory,
urinary, and digestive
tracts, found that hot water
extracts from the plant
showed resistance to harmful
organisms. They also
confirmed the immunostimulatory
effects found by
Commission E.
A previous study by
Zanon et al., (1999) in the
Department of Microbiology
and Immunology at
the Universidad Nacional
Río Cuarto in Argentina
also confirmed plantain
leaf's resistance to harmful
organisms when studying
alcoholic extracts from 8
different plants.
Another study conducted
by Holetz et al., (2002)
in a Brazilian university
found that three plants
from the Asteraceae family,
including the Plantago
major, had some degree of
activity against harmful
organisms, including yeast.
They believe this explains
its use for many infectious
ailments in Brazilian folk
medicine.
Apart from the plantain
leaf, studies have also indicated
the benefits of banana
leaves. A recent study
by Fathima-Jebin et al.,
(2021) found that 30 min of
Banana Leaf Bath might be
effective in reducing heart
rate and in improving heart
rate variability towards
vagal dominance in healthy
individuals.
Usage
Sari-Kundali et al., (2010)
explains that in Bosnia and
Herzegovina, plantain leaf
is found in balms called
mehlems for "urogenital
tract disorders, respiratory
system disorders, gastrointestinal
tract disorders,
skin ailments, blood system
disorders, nervous system
disorders, cardiovascular
system disorders, and rheumatism.
Andrade-Cetto, (2008)
also notes that people in
Colombia use plantain leaf
to promote good health.
The gastrointestinal category
dominates its use in
Mexico. These are just a few
of many examples of how
plantain is used across the
globe. Due to its long history
of use across the globe,
and recent confirmation
of some of its therapeutic
properties, plantain leaf is
now used primarily as an
herbal remedy for upper
respiratory tract health.
Plantain leaf also aids
in facilitating the movement
of green rays present
in the sun, directly into the
body. These rays are found
to serve as a good antiseptic
agent and have excellent
healing properties. This
process is regarded as one of
the detoxification processes
which involves profuse
sweating. The treatment involves
covering the affected
with plantain leaves or banana
leaves. These banana
leaves convert the harmful
ultraviolet sun rays into
healthy rays. It could be due
to the presence of polyphenol,
Epigallocatechin Gallate
(EGCG – a very beneficial
ingredient in the skin
rejuvenation treatment) in
its leaf.
The writer is a Professor
of Naturopathic Healthcare
and the President of Nyarkotey
College of Holistic
Medicine & Technology
(NUCHMT) and the African
Naturopathic Foundation.
E-mail: collegeofholisticmedicine@gmail.com.
Raphael Nyarkotey Obu,
PhD, © 2022