Plantain Seed

The minute brownish-black seeds of Plantago asiatica or Plantago depressa, separated from the plant by threshing in autumn.

To be distinguished from the aerial parts (Che Qian Cao), with which they share a kinship in the texts but also subtle differences.

Very small seeds with a large mucilage: the pharmacopoeia traditionally encloses them in a bag (Bao Jian) to make their use in decoction easier.

The same orientations as Che Qian Cao, but with a stronger action on the freeing of the fluids where Heat-Dampness has settled in the lower region.

Traditionally used for constitutions of fluid retention with a share of heat, or for constitutions of Dampness that come with a descending movement scattering through an excess of Dampness (paradoxically, as the Dampness is carried off, the descending movement steadies).

• Decoction: 5 to 10 g, to be wrapped in a muslin bag (Bao Jian), as the seeds are very small and laden with mucilage
• Companion to Che Qian Cao: the two are often used together, to deepen the freeing of the fluids
• With Ze Xie: a classic pairing for freeing the fluids of the lower region

To be avoided in cases of deficient Yang with deep cold or of deficient Yin without Dampness.

For delicate constitutions, the milder Che Qian Cao is preferable.