Common Name: Dung Weed

General Information

Dung weed is an annual, or sometimes herbaceous perennial, herb growing up to 1 metre tall[].
An important medicinal plant, especially in southeast Asia, where the plant is commonly harvested from the wild[]. The plant also provides edible leaves and a dye.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa to tropical Asia, Australia and the Pacific Islands.

Habitat

Open, disturbed sites and wet places along streams, in forests, thickets, and along roadsides, at elevations from sea level to 2,100 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Annual/Perennial
Height	1.00 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

The plant starts flowering 3 months after germination and flowers throughout the year when sufficient water is available[].

Edible Uses

The leaves are eaten as a vegetable[]. A bitter flavour, so they are always eaten in combination with other vegetables[].

Medicinal

Dung weed is widely used as a medicinal plant in southeast Asia[]. Research has confirmed the presence of several medically active compounds in the plant[].
Several kaurane-type diterpenes have been isolated from the extract of fresh whole plant. Two of these terpenes have shown cytotoxic activity in vitro against L-5178Y cultured leukaemia cells[].
The aqueous alcohol extract exhibited hypoglycaemic and diuretic activities[].

The whole plant is used to treat lung congestion, pneumonia, oedema and inflammation[]

The stems and leaves are used as an antiscorbutic. The leaves are also used for treating palpitations, dysuria, toothache, aphthae and sore throats, and are also used to prevent infections after childbirth[]. The leaves are chewed in the treatment of dysentery, or combined with the leaves of Centella asiatica and Phyllanthus urinaria, are used against colic[].
Externally, the crushed stems and leaves are applied as a poultice for headache, ulcerations of the nose, and on the abdomen against diarrhoea, often in association with Persicaria barbata, and the leaves of Uraria and Momordica species[]. The boiled leaves are rubbed on the skin to relieve itch and treat infected sores, and the whole body is rubbed in case of fever[]. A lotion of the leaves is used to arrest baldness, a paste of the leaves is used to poultice sun-burned skin, and, when scorched, are applied to boils and ulcers in order to ripen them[].

Fresh juice of the plant is used to treat ear infections[]. Combined with the leaves of Mimusops elengi and the bark of Baccaurea motleyana, obtained by pounding these together, it is used to treat sore eyes[].

A decoction of the root is given as a cure for stomach-ache. The roots are chewed alone or together with Piper betle leaves and ginger against cough[].

Other Uses

The plant is the source of a blue dye[].

Propagation

Seed -

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