Common Name:

General Information

Evolvulus alsinoides is a very variable, perennial plant with slender, more or less branched stems that can become somewhat woody. A number of stems 12 - 70cm long are produced from the deep root system, different plants ranging in habit from prostrate to erect[, ].
The plant is often harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Probably originally native to the tropical and subtropical Americas, now widely spread through most dry tropical and subtropical regions of the world.

Habitat

A weed of sandy, open, dry grassland and rocky localities, in most of the tropics and subtropics, often on limestone, at low and medium altitudes[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.40 m

Cultivation Details

The plant germinates at the beginning of the rainy season, and starts flowering after 8 weeks[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The whole bitter plant is used extensively as an alterative, anthelminthic, antidiarrhoeal, bitter, febrifuge, tonic and vermifuge[, ]. It is taken in an infusion to cure bowel complaints[], for which it is said to be a sovereign remedy - especially for dysentery[]. Combined with cumin and milk, it is used as a treatment for fevers, nervous debility, loss of memory, and also for syphilis, scrofula, etc[]. A decoction is taken as a remedy for gonorrhoea[].
An infusion of the plant is applied as a treatment for syphilis, scrofula, snake bites. An infusion prepared with oil is applied to promote hair growth[].

The powdered leaves are applied topically to treat sores[]. The mashed leaves are applied as a poultice on enlarged glands in the neck[].
The leaves are made into cigarettes, which are smoked to relieve bronchitis and asthma[].

The plant is reported to contain flavonols and saponins[].
Cultured tissues of the plant accumulate ergot alkaloids: amides of the indole derivative D-lysergic acid, which is biosynthetically derived from the amino acid tryptophan. Although the best known source of the ergot alkaloids is the sclerotium of the fungus Claviceps purpurea or related fungi, several lysergic acid alkaloids have also been isolated from members of the family Convolvulaceae[].
The ethanol extract of the whole plant shows anti-ulcer and anticatatonic activity[].

Other Uses

The fragrant smoke from burning leaves is used to perfume houses[].

A water extract of the corolla inhibited spore germination and mycelial growth of the fungi Alternaria brassicae, Alternaria brassicicola and Fusarium oxysporum[].

Propagation

Seed -

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