Sore throat

Eastern Deciduous Forest and Tall Grass Prairie

Common Name: Plantain

Genus and Species Name: Plantago major

Habitat: Fields, waste places, and yards

Seasons: Spring-fall

Medicinal uses: The plantain leaves are used to soothe the mucous membrane in the throat. 

Preparation: Make a tincture by placing 1 tsp. of dried leaved in 1 cup of water. Then mix this with alcohol to make a mouthwash that will relieve the throat when gargled. 

Active Chemical Ingredient: allantoin

Chemical Formula: C4H6N4O3

Chemical Structure:

Resources:

Plantago major - Natural medicine facts. (n.d.). Retrieved September 7, 2015, from http://www.naturalmedicinefacts.info/plant/plantago-major.html
Greater plantain properties. (n.d.). Retrieved September 7, 2015, from http://www.botanical-online.com/medicinalsllantenangles.htm
English Plantain. (n.d.). Retrieved September 7, 2015, from http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/english-plantain
(n.d.). Retrieved September 7, 2015, from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Allantoin_chemical_structure.png
MotherNature.com. (n.d.). Retrieved September 7, 2015, from http://www.mothernature.com/archive/centers/detail.cfm?id=2699&term=Sore Throat