Which fresh plant can be used to relieve insect bites and stings?

You are sitting out enjoying the sun when you feel a sharp sting or burning sensation on your skin. Before you know it, there is a small, red, itchy bump demanding your attention. Insect bites and stings are a common problem during the warmer months of the year. In the case of a severe allergic reaction, the emergency services should be contacted immediately. However, in more minor cases, nature itself provides an efficient response.

When insect venom enters the skin, the immune system releases histamine causing blood vessels to dilate and increase blood flow to the area. This causes inflammation characterised by redness, pain, swelling and heat. Inflammation occurs as a mechanism to avoid the spread of toxic agents, eliminate the venom and encourage cell repair. Oedema helps to dilute the insect venum and bring oxygen and other nutrients to the site. Chemicals liberated during inflammation stimulate the release of white blood cells responsible for engulfing and digesting foreign particles.

The freshly crushed leaves from a common plant can be applied to the skin to instantly reduce pain and irritation. Can you recognise which one from the description below?

This ubiquitous perennial grows naturally all over the world. Its distinctive leaves with pronounced parrallel veins grow as a rosette surrounding the base of the stem. Two common varieties in Western Europe vary in leaf size: one has oval large leaves (sometimes referred to as « Englishman’s foot »!) and the other has tall, narrow leaves (also known as « Ribwort » or « Lamb’s Tongue »). Tiny, white flowers grow on leafless stems and each head has a brownish appearance. It shares its name with a plant providing a staple food in tropical areas (Musa x paradisiaca).

We're talking, of course, about Plantain : Plantago major for the broad-leaved variety and Plantago lanceolata for the narrow-leafed variety (shown in the photo below).

You may recognise this plant from a childhood game which involved creating a loop with the stalk underneath the flower. Holding tightly onto the stalks, the loop was then pulled to catapult the flower through the air.

Plantain leaves contain compounds such as plantamjoside, ursolic acid and aucubin which have an anti-inflammatory action [1], along with analgesic and antimicrobial compounds [2]. To treat a bite or sting, crush the leaf between your fingers to bruise it and then apply to the affected area. If possible, leave the poultice on for several hours as it will soothe irritation and help to draw out any foreign body embedded in the skin.

Look out for this plant when you are out and about in nature, it may well come in useful !

For information on another plant that can be applied to the skin to heal wounds, see "What can we see on a frosty morning?".

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1.Samuelsen AB. The traditional uses, chemical constituents and biological activities of Plantago major L. A review. J Ethnopharmacol. 2000 Jul;71(1-2):1-21.

2. Keshavarzi A et al., Therapeutic Efficacy of Great Plantain (Plantago major L.) in the Treatment of Second-Degree Burn Wounds: A Case-Control Study. Int J Clin Pract. 2022 Aug 1;2022:4923277.