Other Common Names: Fleawort,
Isphagula, Psyllion, Psyllios, Psyllium Plantain, Psyllium Seeds, Plantago ovata, Plantago ispaghula, Plantago psyllia
Range: Europe - Mediterranean to E. Asia - India
Habitat: Dry places in S. Europe. Found wild on most well-drained soils.
Psyllium has been used as a safe and effective laxative for thousands of years in Western herbal medicine.
Both the dried seeds and the seed husks are demulcent, emollient,
laxative and may be used internally and externally in the same manner
as flaxseed, which they closely resemble in medicinal properties.
The seeds have a mucilaginous coat and swell to several times their
volume when in water. The seeds and the husks contain high leevels of
fiber, they expand and become highly gelatinous when soaked in water.
By maintaining a high water content within the large bowel they
increase the bulk of the stool, easing its passage. They are used as a
demulcent and as a bulk laxative in the treatment of constipation,
dysentery and other intestinal complaints, having a soothing and
regulatory effect upon the system. Their regulatory effect on the
digestive system means that they can also be used in the treatment of
diarrhea and by helping to soften the stool they reduce the irritation
of hemorrhoids.
The jelly-like mucilage produced when psyllium is soaked in water
has the ability to absorb toxins within the large bowel. Thus it helps
to remove toxins from the body and can be used to reduce auto-toxicity.
The macerated and decocted seeds yield a rich mucilage that is used in relieving skin irritations and reddened eyelids.
The oil in the seed embryo contains 50% linoleic acid and has been
used as a preventative of atherosclerosis. It is also effective in
reducing cholesterol levels in the blood.
The seeds are used in face-masks in order to soften the skin.
The mucilage contained in the seedcoat is used as a stabilizer in ice cream, chocolate etc
- Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian
Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and
Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986
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