Buckhorn Plantain (Plantago lanceolata) has been used traditionally in various herbal medicine systems for a range of ailments, including those affecting the urinary tract and bladder. In European folk medicine, Plantago species were sometimes employed as diuretics and for soothing irritation of mucous membranes, which would include the lining of the urinary tract. The leaves contain mucilage, iridoid glycosides (such as aucubin), and tannins, all of which have been suggested to have anti-inflammatory and soothing properties. However, the bulk of traditional use for Buckhorn Plantain centers on respiratory and skin complaints rather than direct support for bladder health.

Scientific research on Plantago lanceolata’s specific effects on the bladder or urinary system is limited. Most studies have focused on its anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effects, which may be relevant to the urinary tract mucosa, but there is little clinical or preclinical evidence directly supporting its use for bladder health or urinary tract infections. Therefore, while there is some traditional precedent for its use in this context, it is not strongly supported by scientific studies, and the evidence should be considered modest at best.