Plantago ovata F. are small tan-colored seeds with ≈30% weight husk. Plantago's husk high content of soluble fiber makes it a good lubricant of the intestinal track with demonstrated effects in lowering plasma cholesterol levels in humans and experimental animals. Plantago seeds grown in Northern Mexico were analyzed for proximate composition, combustion heat, soluble and insoluble dietary fiber, fatty acids, amino acids, and protein fractionation. In vitro digestibility and digestibility of dry matter, apparent and true digestibility, and net protein ratio (in vivo) were also analyzed. Plantago seeds had 17.4% protein, 6.7% fat, 24.6% total dietary fiber, 19.6% insoluble fiber, 5.0% soluble fiber, and a combustion heat of 4.75 kcal/g. Osborne fractionation (based on solubility) yielded albumin 35.8%, globulin 23.9%, and prolamin 11.7%. The oil from plantago seeds had a high percentage of linoleic acid (40.6%) and oleic acid (39.1%) and a minor proportion of linolenic acid (6.9%). In vitro protei...
