Plantaginis lanceolatae herba

Plantaginis lanceolatae herba is the medicinally used, officinal ribwort plantain herb(DAB, Commission E monograph). Plantaginis lanceolatae herba is collected at flowering time. It consists of dried, whole or dissected leaves, also flower shoots and parts of the stem.
Quality is defined in the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.).

HMPC monograph: Traditional-use: Relief of irritation of the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat and associated dry irritating cough
ESCOP monograph: Internal: catarrh of the airways; external: intermittent inflammatory changes of the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat
Commission E monograph: Internal: catarrh of the airways, inflammatory changes of the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat; external for inflammation of the skin.

Empirical medicine: (gastric) mucous membrane irritations; initial wound treatment; insect bites

Plantaginis lanceolatae herba contains, among other things, up to 2.5% aucubin; also catapol, tannins, flavonoids, about 7% tannins, phenylcarboxylic acids(caffeic acid), 1% silicic acid (silicon), acetoside and mucilage.

Irritant, antibacterial (effect of the glycoside aucubin which is split into glucose and aucubigenin, the actual antibiotically active ingredient), antiphlogistic (acetoside), astringent, anti-edematous.

Internal: Main application areas are diseases of the respiratory tract, inflammatory diseases of the mouth and throat
External: Skin injuries, insect bites

Internal: Ribwort tea or tea blends with ribwort, syrup or juice of ribwort.
Preparation: Pour 150ml of hot water over 3g of cabbage and strain after 10min. Dosage: 2- 3 cups per day. The average TD for internal use in adults is 4-6g of ribwort herb.
Ribwort extracts are mainly offered in cough syrups and syrups, often in combinations

Due to missing data an internal application should not be used.

Allergy to any of the ingredients, No internal use in children <3years, the application to the mucous membranes orally in children and adolescents under 18 years.

Broncho Sern® syrup (3x7.5ml spread over the day)

The proof of antibiotic efficacy of Plantaginis lanceolatae herba requires further investigations.

1. Gonda S et al. (2013) Determination of phenylethanoid glycosides and iridoid glycosides from therapeutically used Plantago species by CE-MEKC. Electrophoresis 34:2577-2584.
2. Wiesenauer M (2008) PhytoPraxis. Springer Medizin Verlag Heidelberg p 116-117
3. https://arzneipflanzenlexikon.info/spitzwegerich.php
4. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-monograph/final-community-herbal-monograph-plantago-lanceolata-l-folium_en.pdf
5. Wenigmann M.(2017) Phytotherapy medicinal drugs phytopharmaceuticals application.Urban & Fischer: 5.107 Ribwort plantain leaves (Plantaginis lanceolatae folium) pp 196-197.