Asiatic Plantain Seed
- Chinese
- 车前子
- Pinyin
- Che Qian Zi
- Latin
- Semen Plantaginis
Known in TCM as Che Qian Zi (车前子), this sweet, cold herb enters the Liver, Kidney, Lung, and Small Intestine. Traditionally, it promotes urination and clears Damp-Heat ... Che Qian Zi is a major seed for painful, difficult, cloudy, or scanty urination when dampness and heat lodge in the lower burner, most often applied for urinary tract infection, edema, and diarrhea. Modern research has identified Mucilaginous among its active constituents.
Part used: Seed
Also Known As
Latin: Semen Plantaginis | Pinyin: Che Qian Zi | Chinese: 车前子
TCM Properties
- Taste
- sweet
- Temperature
- cold
- Channels
- Liver, Kidney, Lung, Small Intestine
Traditional Use
Primary Actions
- Promotes urination and clears Damp-Heat ... Che Qian Zi is a major seed for painful, difficult, cloudy, or scanty urination when dampness and heat lodge in the lower burner.
- Clears Liver Heat and brightens the eyes ... it is used for red, painful eyes as well as dim or blurred vision when Heat rises to the visual orifices.
- Clears Lung Heat and expels phlegm ... especially for productive cough with thick yellow sputum.
- Promotes urination to solidify the stool ... classical use extends to diarrhea when dampness drives excess fluid into the intestines instead of the bladder.
Secondary Actions
- Che Qian Zi is the seed lane of the Plantago tradition and is more strongly downward-draining than the broader whole-herb page for Che Qian Cao already live in the library.
- In practice the tiny seeds are often bagged or carefully strained in decoction so the mucilaginous material does not scatter through the brew.
Classic Formulas
- Ba Zheng San ... canonical Damp-Heat urinary formula where Che Qian Zi helps flush heat and turbidity through the bladder.
- Shi Wei San ... blood-in-the-urine formula that often includes Che Qian Zi to clear Heat while promoting urination.
- Single-herb Che Qian Zi powder with rice water ... a classical simple method for damp-heat diarrhea summarized as promoting urination to stop diarrhea.
Classical References
- Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing places Che Qian Zi among the upper-grade medicinals and anchors the long-standing seed tradition of promoting urination and benefiting the eyes.
- Modern TCM teaching accepts both Plantago asiatica and Plantago depressa as legitimate source plants for Semen Plantaginis.
Modern Research
Active Compounds
- Mucilaginous seed polysaccharides ... major gut-active constituents linked to stool moisture and fermentation effects
- Phenylethanoid glycosides and related phenolic constituents ... commonly discussed in antioxidant and metabolic studies of Plantaginis semen
- Flavonoids and small polar metabolites ... part of the broader metabolomic profile compared across source species
- Seed lipids and sterol fractions ... additional chemical features relevant to metabolic research
Studied Effects
- A 2019 metabolomics-based study found Plantaginis semen improved metabolic readouts in hyperlipidemic mice, supporting ongoing modern interest in lipid and Damp-Heat related applications (PMID 31071507).
- A 2020 study comparing Plantago asiatica and Plantago depressa seed extracts found compositional differences but overlapping anti-obesity effects in high-fat diet mice, reinforcing the accepted dual-species source tradition (PMID 33296814).
- A 2012 study reported that a polysaccharide from Plantago asiatica seeds increased short-chain fatty acid production and fecal moisture in mice, supporting the seed's gastrointestinal activity profile (PMID 23113806).
PubMed References
- An integrative investigation on the efficacy of Plantaginis semen based on UPLC-QTOF-MS metabolomics approach in hyperlipidemic mice. (2019)
- Comparison of main chemical composition of Plantago asiatica L. and P. depressa Willd. seed extracts and their anti-obesity effects in high-fat diet-induced obese mice. (2020)
- Polysaccharide from seeds of Plantago asiatica L. increases short-chain fatty acid production and fecal moisture along with lowering pH in mouse colon. (2012)
Safety & Interactions
Contraindications
- Kidney-Yang deficiency with clear, copious urination
- Spleen and Stomach deficiency-cold without Damp-Heat
Cautions
- Che Qian Zi is colder and more draining than the whole-herb page for Che Qian Cao, so they should not be treated as perfectly interchangeable.
- Because it promotes urination, prolonged unsupervised use can be too drying for depleted patients or those with already-frequent urination.
- The tiny seeds are usually bagged or strained in decoction to improve handling and reduce irritation.
Drug Interactions
- Diuretic medications ... additive fluid-lowering effect may occur with concurrent use
Conditions
- Urinary Tract Infection Traditional ★★★★☆ JSON
- Edema Traditional ★★★★☆ JSON
- Diarrhea Traditional ★★★☆☆ JSON
- Blurred Vision Traditional ★★★☆☆ JSON
- Productive Cough Traditional ★★★☆☆ JSON
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Asiatic Plantain Seed used for?
Asiatic Plantain Seed is traditionally used to Promotes urination and clears Damp-Heat ... Che Qian Zi is a major seed for painful, difficult, cloudy, or scanty urination when dampness and heat lodge in the lower burner., Clears Liver Heat and brightens the eyes ... it is used for red, painful eyes as well as dim or blurred vision when Heat rises to the visual orifices., Clears Lung Heat and expels phlegm ... especially for productive cough with thick yellow sputum., Promotes urination to solidify the stool ... classical use extends to diarrhea when dampness drives excess fluid into the intestines instead of the bladder.. Research has investigated its effects on: A 2019 metabolomics-based study found Plantaginis semen improved metabolic readouts in hyperlipidemic mice, supporting ongoing modern interest in lipid and Damp-Heat related applications (PMID 31071507).; A 2020 study comparing Plantago asiatica and Plantago depressa seed extracts found compositional differences but overlapping anti-obesity effects in high-fat diet mice, reinforcing the accepted dual-species source tradition (PMID 33296814)..
What are other names for Asiatic Plantain Seed?
Asiatic Plantain Seed is also known as Plantain Seed, Plantago asiatica seed, Plantago depressa seed. In TCM: 车前子 (Che Qian Zi); Semen Plantaginis.
Is Asiatic Plantain Seed safe during pregnancy?
The safety of Asiatic Plantain Seed during pregnancy has not been established. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before use.
What are the contraindications for Asiatic Plantain Seed?
Asiatic Plantain Seed should not be used in: Kidney-Yang deficiency with clear, copious urination; Spleen and Stomach deficiency-cold without Damp-Heat. Consult a qualified practitioner before use.
Does Asiatic Plantain Seed interact with any medications?
Asiatic Plantain Seed may interact with: Diuretic medications ... additive fluid-lowering effect may occur with concurrent use. Always inform your healthcare provider of any herbal supplements you are taking.