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 Description
· A coarse,
erect, branched, more or less hairy aromatic annual ).5 to 2
m tall, with square stems.
· Leaves: ovate, opposite, 4-9 cm long, pointed at the
tip, pointed to somewhat heart-shaped at the base, and toothed
at the margins.
· Flowers: axillary, long-stalked. Calyx hairy, about
4 mm long, but soon enlarges in fruit to about 1 cm long, striate
with erect, stiff teeth. Corolla blue, strongly zygomorphic,
bilabiate; stamens 4, declinate, and about 8 mm long, with a
limb 5 mm in diameter.
· Fruits: seeds are flat and mucilaginous.
Distribution
Very abundant in open,
waste places at low and medium altitudes throughout the Philippines.
Parts
utilized
Whole plant.
Collect from April to June.
Wash, cut in pieces and compress. Dry under the sun.
Constituents,
Drug Characteristics and Pharmacologic Effects
• Bitter, minty and
aromatic.
• Considered analgesic, decongestant, and antipyretic, stimulates
blood circulation.
• Study yielded essential oils in the fruiting stage. The principle
constituents were spathulenol, 1,8-cineole, and (E)-caryophyllene. source
Uses
Folkloric
· Fever associated
with cold.
· Flatulence: Decoction of herb as tea.
· Boils: Crush leaves and apply on affected area.
· Headache: Crush leaves and apply on forehead or temples.
· Pounded fresh material applied as poultice may be used for
treatment of snake bites.
· Decoction of fresh material may be used as external wash for
dermatitis, eczema.
· Infusion of dried leaves is taken for fever or applied to the
forehead for headaches and to boils. The juice of leaves, mixed with
lime juice, is drunk for stomach aches.
· Juice of leaves used for athlete's foot, applied daily to interdigital
areas.
• In India, leaf paste is applied
on sores and fungal skin infections. source
•
In Central Africa,areas
Others
• Repellent: A bedbug repellant from the intense pungency of the leaves.
Studies
• Antimicrobial: (1) Study of the volatile oil distilled from
the overground parts of H suaveolens showed activity against bacteria
and fungi. (2) Another study on leaf extracts showed highest antungal
and antibacterial activity against Aspergillus niger and Micrococcus
luteus.
• Insecticidal
Effect : A comparative study showed that H suaveolens
exerted better larvicidal and ovicidal effect than A indica and O gratissimum.
• Acaricidal Effect :
A hydro-distillate of HS leaves showed the adult and nymphal
stages of ticks of Hyalomma sp , Rhipicephalus sp, and Haemophysalis
sp to be hight susceptible, favoring its use as an acaricide.
• Larvicidal Effect :
Study showed the essential oil of Hyptis suaveolens demonstrated
high larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti compared to that Lantana
camara . A synergistic effect with 100% mortality was obtained with
the mixture of leaf essential oils of H suaveolens and L camara. It
presents a promising source for natural larvicidal compounds.
• Antinociceptive Effect
: Study of HS aqueous leaf extracts showed dose-dependent
nociceptive effects significantly antagonized by naloxone. No toxicity
was found on doses of up to 5 g/kg p.o.
• Antiinflammatory Effect
: In a comparative study with the antiinflammatory
activity of diclofenac sodium, Hyptis suaveolens leaf essential oil
showed to have better antiinflammatory activity than the marketed formulation.
• Essential Oils: Study on the composition of essential of H suaveolens showed 1,8-cineole and (E)-caryophyllene to be the principal constituents. Latitude seems to be the most important environmental factor.
• Antioxidant / Antifungal / Essential Oils: Study on the essential oil of H suaveolens showed time and concentration dependent antioxidant effect. Results showed antifungal potential more pronounced than antibacterial properties.
Toxicity Concerns and Studies
• Hepatotoxicty:
Animal study suggests that the use of extracts of H suaveolens in high
doses may be accompanied by weight loss
and toxic effects on the liver.
• Chronic Toxicity Study:
A study of water extract of HS for 6-month chronic toxicity in Wistar rats at five treatment doses failed to produce any dose-related changes or significant toxic effects based on hematologic, biochemical, and histopathologic parameters.
Availability
Wild-crafted.
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