Great Plantain (Plantago major) has a long history of use in traditional herbal medicine for a variety of ailments, including minor wounds, insect bites, and inflammation. In some folk medicine traditions, plantain leaves have been used topically or as preparations (such as poultices or infusions) to help soothe earaches or mild ear infections, largely due to their known anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial properties. However, the use of Great Plantain specifically for ear infections or earaches is based primarily on traditional practices rather than robust scientific evidence.

There is a lack of high-quality clinical trials or scientific studies directly investigating the effect of Great Plantain on ear infections or earaches in humans. Most references to its use for this purpose are anecdotal or appear in herbal compendiums and ethnobotanical records. While some laboratory studies have identified antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory constituents in Plantago major, such as aucubin and allantoin, these findings have not been specifically translated into validated treatments for otic conditions.

In summary, Great Plantain’s use for ear infections or earaches is justified by tradition rather than scientific validation, and the supporting evidence for its efficacy in this specific application is minimal.