PLANTAIN Ribwort (Plantago lanceolata) *Nature’s green plaster wonder-weed

Benefits of Plantain Herb for Horses

A humble hedgerow hero with remarkable power, plantain is revered for its wound-healing, respiratory-calming, and gut-soothing properties. Rich in mucilage, zinc, and allantoin, it’s the green first-aid kit of the herbal world - a true soothe-and-repair specialist for inside and out.

Please note this is a nutritional, functional horse food supplement and not veterinary medicine. For more on this, see Dr Kellon's Horse Sense - Nutrition is not 'Alternative' Therapy .

Find Plantain in the EquiNatural range

Here’s where you’ll also find Plantain in our supplement support for horses:

• KoffTonic - natural support for the cough reflex and airway comfort
• PollenTonic - natural anti-allergen support for spring pollen allergy challenges

💧Organic Plantain Leaf Tincture

Our human-grade, certified organic tinctures give you a ready-to-absorb potent source of phytonutrients at the highest-strength available, for immediate absorption straight into the bloodstream and to the body’s cells.

• Plantago lanceolata (Plantain Ribwort)
• Leaf
• Infused 1:3 35%
• Organically Grown

~ Feed Guide - plantain tincture for horses

• 6ml/100kg bodyweight, daily in feed.
• ♻️ Our tinctures come in a heat-sealed, twin-neck, child-resistant HDPE plastic dosing bottle, complete with dosing chamber. *HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) plastic is 100% recyclable, and energy-efficient to produce. Safe for food/water storage, it reduces waste and emissions while resisting wear. A top sustainable choice to match the EquiNatural ethos.

🌿Organic Dried Plantain Leaf

Grown, harvested and dried without the use of agri-chemicals, non-irradiated and GMO free - see our Quality page for Quality Management & Certification Documents.

• Plantago lanceolata (Plantain Ribwort)
• Leaf
• Organic Cultivated/Wild Harvested
• Origin Poland

~ Feed Guide - dried plantain leaf for horses

• 5g/100kg bodyweight per day, i.e. 25g for a 500kg horse.
• Want a scoop? You can add a scoop to your basket during checkout.
• ♻️Supplied in a 100% fully recylable, resealable, food-grade foil pouch for freshness.

Footnotes

• Laboratory tested for identification and compliance to the British and European Pharmacopoeia standards.
• Human grade.
• Please be aware that if you're purchasing our dried botanicals for human use, our dried range is cut to appropriate sizes for feeding to horses.
• ♻️ Eco Note: Our packaging is recyclable and refillable.
• 🧊 Storage Tip: Keep cool and dry.

Functional Nutritional Value

Constituents: Allantoin, mucilage (polysaccharides), iridoid glycosides (including aucubin and catalpol), flavonoids (apigenin, luteolin), minerals (including significant zinc and potassium), and tannin.

Clinical Considerations

Advisories

• Exceptionally well-tolerated — suitable for long-term use and for horses with metabolic, laminitic, or ulcer-sensitive profiles.
• Hydration support: its mucilage content can increase water retention in the digestive tract, so ensure access to fresh water at all times.
• May influence absorption: in high doses, the soothing mucilage may slightly delay absorption of medications or supplements if fed simultaneously — feed 1–2 hours apart as best practice.
• Synergistic with demulcent and soothing herbs (e.g. Marshmallow, Mullein, Licorice), supporting mucosal repair and gut–lung axis health.
• For topical use(in poultices or washes), Plantain is safe but may cause mild contact irritation in rare cases of hypersensitivity.

Contraindications

• None known for equine use within recommended dietary amounts.
• As with all herbs, seek veterinary guidance for pregnant or nursing mares, though no adverse data currently exist.

Plantain in History & Tradition

Romeo: Your plantain leaf is excellent for that.
Benvoleo: For what, I pray thee?
Romeo: For your broken shin.
– William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act I, Scene II

Plantain must be one of the most ignored yet incredibly versatile herbs. Trodden on and barely noticed, plantain is one of those herbs you walk past daily without a second thought - yet it may be one of the most useful plants you’ll ever meet. A true “Mother of Worts,” this unassuming weed has a deeply rooted history stretching from ancient herbal texts to modern herbal medicine cabinets.

Shakespeare name-dropped it. The Anglo-Saxons revered it as one of the nine sacred herbs. Dioscorides and Culpeper praised its powers. And yet today, it’s often treated as little more than a weed - despite growing abundantly wherever healing is needed. There’s even an old saying: “Plantain follows man” - hinting at its uncanny ability to thrive near footpaths, disturbed soils, and animals in need.

In the hedgerow or in your horse’s field, you’ll likely find Plantago major or Plantago lanceolata(ribwort), both brimming with mucilage and potent healing compounds. Historically, herbalists and indigenous peoples alike have relied on it for drawing out splinters, soothing stings, relieving nettle rash, and cooling inflammation. From insect bites to splinters to sunburn, this was the original green bandage.

But plantain’s talents don’t stop at skin level. It’s astringent, demulcent, vulnerary, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial- a real jack-of-all-trades herb. Internally, its soothing mucilage calms irritated mucus membranes throughout the body - from the respiratory tract(think dry coughs, chest tightness, or post-viral healing) to the digestive system(gastritis, ulcers, leaky gut). It’s even used to support urinary health, gently toning and protecting delicate linings.

Plantain is rich in fibre and prebiotics, too - closely related to Psyllium husk( Plantago ovata ), a well-known gut regulator. Its seeds, taken whole or ground in water, act as a gentle bulking laxative, ideal for both horses and humans. And here’s a fun culinary twist: plantain seeds can be used as a vegan egg substitute in baking, thanks to their mucilaginous texture. Who knew?

Topically, plantain leaves can be crushed and applied fresh or made into poultices, washes, balms, or even slipped inside a sock for hotspots and blisters. Its impressive antimicrobial action has been explored for use against abscesses, dental issues, mastitis, and even blood poisoning in old texts. Some even regard it as a potential emergency water purifier, with noted inhibition of pathogens like E. coli , Streptococcus pneumoniae , and Giardia.

Plantain's tissue-repairing magic comes from compounds that stimulate collagen synthesis and encourage healthy granulation - hence its historical comparison to comfrey when it comes to wound care and even bone healing.

Ultimately, this gentle, green-leaved warrior is a herbal first aid kit all on its own.

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