Psyllium

Plantago psyllium

Psyllium is a stemless or short-stemmed annual herb. Its leaves are in a rosette or alternate, clasping the stem strap-like, and average 3 to 10 inches in length and 1/4 to 1/2 inch in width. The flowers are white, minute, four-parted, in erect, ovoid, or cylindrical spikes. The fruit is ovate with the top half separating when ripe, releasing smooth, dull ovate seeds that are either pinkish-gray-brown or pinkish-white with brown streaks on them. Each seed is encased in a thin, white, translucent husk which is odorless and tasteless. When soaked in water, all the seeds expand considerably in size.

Psyllium seeds (also known as blond psyllium or ispaghula) are derived from a species of plantain that is native to India and Iran. The seeds are small and reddish-brown, with no distinctive aroma and almost no flavor. They absorb water and become surrounded with mucilage that has excellent emulsifying power and is prized as a laxative.

The main constituent of psyllium seed is dietary fiber. Although the majority of it is insoluble, there is also a fair bit of soluble fiber in the mucilage. This is mostly polysaccharides. The seeds also contain proteins, other carbohydrates, oil, sterol, and some flavonoids, but the soluble fiber is primarily responsible for its therapeutic action.

Psyllium is a bulk laxative. The powdered seeds are taken with ample water, and once in the intestine they swell. This "bulk" encourages defecation, and the mucilage tends to soften the stool and make it easier to pass. This herb is frequently recommended for the treatment of constipation and is even approved as an over-the counter drug in the United States under brand names such as Fiberall, Konsyl, Metamucil, Modane Bulk, or Serutan. In addition to its value for treating chronic constipation, psyllium can be useful in treating diarrhea. In one study, symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome improved with psyllium administration. Diarrhea following gallbladder surgery has also been successfully treated with psyllium seed. Psyllium preparations can reduce pain and bleeding from hemorrhoids.

Psyllium seed has also been used to reduce high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. In an eight-week trial, total cholesterol decreased by 14 percent and undesirable LDL cholesterol by 20 percent. In studies lasting more than two months, triglycerides came down to just over half the baseline levels. Psyllium seed is not universally effective in lowering cholesterol, however: twenty children with high cholesterol levels failed to respond, so familial cholesterol conditions may be less amenable to psyllium treatment. Psyllium seed is also reported to slow the absorption of dietary sugar. This may be beneficial in diabetes, although it is a subtle effect.

Other names

• Fiber
• Flea Seed
• Plantago Seed

Parts used

Seeds, husks.

Uses

Laxative - Psyllium is a well-known laxative. Psyllium is prescribed in conventional as well as herbal medicine for constipation, especially when the condition is resulting from an overtensed or overrelaxed bowel. Both husks and seeds contain high levels of fiber (the mucilage) and expand, becoming 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.
Other bowel problems - Contrary to expectation, psyllium is a useful remedy for diarrhea. Psyllium is also an effective treatment for many other bowel problems, including irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn's disease (regional ileitis). In India, psyllium is commonly used to treat dysentery.
Hemorrhoid relief - Psyllium is valuable for hemorrhoids, helping to soften the stool and to reduce irritation of the distended vein.
Detoxifying herb - The jellylike mucilage produced when psyllium is soaked in water has the ability to absorb toxins within the large bowel. Psyllium is commonly taken to reduce autotoxicity (the toxins are expelled from the body with the husks and seeds in the feces).
Digestive ailments - The soothing, protective effect imparted by the mucilage-rich husks and seeds benefits the whole gastrointestinal tract. Psyllium is taken for stomach and duodenal ulcers, and for acid indigestion.
Urinary infections - The demulcent action of psyllium extends to the urinary tract. In India, an infusion of the seeds (the only time this preparation is used) is given for urethritis.
External uses - When psyllium husks are soaked in an infusion of calendula they make an effective poultice for external use, drawing out infection from boils, abscesses, and whitlows (pus-filled swellings on the fingertips).
Psyllium is also used to treat fecal Incontinence, and triglycerides (TGs).

Habitat & cultivation

The 3 species that produce psyllium grow variously throughout southern Europe, North Africa, and Asia, especially in India, and are extensively cultivated. They are propagated from seed in spring and require plenty of sun. The seeds are harvested when ripe in late summer and early autumn.

Research

Regulating bowel function - Clinical trials in the US, Germany, and Scandinavia during the 1980s have shown that psyllium has both a laxative and an antidiarrheal action. As with so many herbs, it helps to restore normal function of a body organ.

How much to take

Many people take 7.5 grams of the seeds or 5 grams of the husks one to two times per day, with water or juice. It is important to maintain adequate fluid intake when using psyllium.

Side effects

Using psyllium in recommended amounts is generally safe. People with chronic constipation should seek the advice of a health care professional. Side effects, such as allergic skin and respiratory reactions to psyllium dust, have largely been limited to people working in plants that manufacture psyllium products.

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