Common Name:

General Information

Euphorbia heterophylla is a sparsely-branched, annual plant with copius latex. It can grow from 30 - 100cm tall[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine. The leaves have been eaten in times of scarcity, but cannot be recommended, and the plant has at times been used for the production of rubber. It is occasionally grown as an ornamental[].

Known Hazards

The latex is used in the preparation of arrow poison and fish poison[].
The plant may cause poisoning in livestock[].

Botanical References

Range

Originally native to South and Central America, now widely naturalized throug much of the Tropics and Subtropics.

Habitat

Disturbed localities, as a weed of cultivation and waste land, in gardens and along roadsides, at elevations from sea-level up to 3,000 metres[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Annual
Height	0.50 m
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a position in full sun, but is shade-tolerant[].
This species is a common and troublesome, nitrophilic weed in arable land in tropical Africa, and should be controlled. Hand weeding is commonly used[]. It grows from sea level to nearly 1,800 metres and, although it has adapted to subtropical conditions, it is only a weed in warm climates. It inhabits cultivated crops, vegetables, pastures, and wastelands. Reproduction is by seeds which are shed with an explosive mechanism[]. The plant is an annual with a life cycle of 45 - 50 days, and is thus capable of several life cycles per rainy season. It can be found flowering and fruiting throughout the year if enough water is available[].

Edible Uses

The leaves are eaten as a vegetable or famine food, despite their laxative action[].

Medicinal

Although it contains a latex with a caustic effect upon the skin and mucous membranes, this plant is widely used in traditional African medicine and also elsewhere in tropical countries[].
All parts of the plant contain latex: leaves 0.42%, stems 0.11%, roots 0.06% and whole plant up to 0.77%[]. The plant also contains lectins and carbohydrates[].
A dimeric N-acetylgalactosamine-specific lectin was isolated from the seeds[].
The red colouring matter of the coloured leaves and bracts is porcetin.
The purgative action of the plant was found to be a joint action of both the phorbols and the bulk-forming laxative sugars[].
A water extract from the leaves exhibited strong purgative effects when given orally. In-vitro experiments suggest that the effect is caused by an increase in intestinal motility[].
The butanol extract of the dried leaves exhibited marked inhibitory action on the growth of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Bacillus subtilis at 100 mg/ml[].
A methanol extract of the aerial parts showed moderate antiplasmodial activity[].
A leaf extract showed significant nematicidal activity against Meloidogyne graminicola[].
An extract of the aerial parts given orally to goats showed moderate activity against several intestinal nematodes, such as Haemonchus, Trichostrongylus, Bunostomum and Oesophagostomum[].
Extracts from the fresh shoots produced inhibitory effects on the early seed germination of tomato, pepper and cowpea[].

A decoction or infusion of the stems and fresh or dried leaves is taken as a purgative and laxative to treat stomach-ache and constipation, and to expel intestinal worms[, ]. A leaf infusion is used as a wash to treat skin problems, including fungal diseases, and abscesses[].
The leaf extract is taken to treat body pain[].

The latex and preparations of the leaves and root are applied to treat skin tumours[].

The roots are cathartic, emetic and galactogogue[, ]. They are used in small doses in the treatment of gonorrhoea and to increase milk production in breast-feeding women[, ].

The latex is irritant to the skin and eyes and may be employed as a rubefacient and to remove warts and corns[, ]. However, the latex is also used as an antidote against the irritation caused by the latex of other Euphorbia species[].

The flowers are pectoral[].

Other Uses

All parts of the plant contain latex: leaves 0.42%, stems 0.11%, roots 0.06% and whole plant up to 0.77%. In Sudan it is reported to have been exploited during World War II as a substitute for rubber, but this has never been followed up[].

A dye is obtained from the red-coloured leaves[]. A red dye, known as porcetin, is obtained from the leaves[].

Propagation

Seed - if sown fresh it germinates readily under tropical conditions, but remains dormant under temperate circumstances. Both light and temperature influence the breaking of dormancy. The turning of soil favours germination and seeds germinate even when at a depth of 10cm in the soil[].

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