Gen info
- Portulaca grandiflora is a succulent flowering plant in the purslane family Portulacaceae.
- "Rose" dominates the common names: Rose moss, Mexican rose, sun rose, table rose, rock rose, and moss-rose purslane. Despite these rose-tagged common names and the superficial resemblance of some cultivar flowers to roses, it is not a true rose and does not belong to the rose family or rosid group; rather, it is more closely related to carnations and cacti. (22)
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Etymology: Portulaca comes from the Latin portula, meaning "little gate," for the top of the seed capsule that opens like a gate.
 Botany
• Portulaca grandiflora is a low, fleshy, trailing perennial herb attaining a height of 15 to 30 centimeters. . Stems are slender and terete, prostrate or ascending, with hairy joints. Leaves are small, thick and fleshy, clustered, up to 2 centimeters long, alternate or in small clusters. Flowers are showy, terminal, up t 3 centimeters across, subtended by clustered leaves. Petals are five, red, white, yellow or pink, opening in mid-morning and closing by mid-afternoon. Fruit is a small capsule, releasing seeds when ripe.
• A small, but fast-growing annual plant growing to 30 cm tall, though usually less. However, if it is cultivated properly, it can easily reach this height. Leaves are thick and fleshy, up to 2.5 cm long, arranged alternately or in small clusters. Flowers are 2.5–3 cm diameter with five petals, variably red, orange, pink, white, and yellow. Upright, or ascending, long shoots branch usually near the base. Spreading 20-to-25-millimeters-long and 2-to-3-millimeters-wide leaves are almost or completely stalk-shaped, and taper towards the tip. Axillary leaves have few to numerous whitish, woolly hairs which are usually shorter than the sheets. Compressed inflorescences are surrounded by eight to ten leaves. Large flowers reach a diameter of up to 4 centimeters. Five bright magenta-coloured petals are obovate and 15 to 26 millimeters long. Around the ovary with four to nine whitish scars are about 50 stamens. Capsules and seeds are not visible. (22)
Distribution
- Introduced.
- Naturalized.
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Widely distributed in the Philippines.
- Popular use as ground cover.
- Native range is Peru to Brazil and Argentina.
 Constituents
- Petals have yielded free betalamic acid, together with betaxanthins. Tyrosine and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) are precursors of betalain biosynthesis. (3)
- Total ash and acid-insoluble ash contents were not more than 19% and 1% w/w, respectively. (6)
- Phytochemical screening of aerial parts yielded sterols, carotenoids, polyphenolic acids, flavonoids, polysaccharides, reducing agents and triterpenoids. (see study below) (12)
- Phytochemical analysis yielded alkaloids +++, flavonoids +++, glycosides+. carbohydrates +++, steroid +++, tannins +, saponins ++, triterpenoids +++, comorians ++, with absences of resins. (23)
Properties
- Flowers only open in bright sunlight, not with overcase skies or at night.
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Entire plant considered depuratiive.
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Studies have shown antioxidant, lipid-regulating, phytoremediative, antibacterial, antidiabetic, nephroprotective, wound healing, immune modulating, anti-atherosclerosis properties.
Parts used
Flowers, leaves, flowers, juice.
 Uses
Edibility
- Leaves are edible, raw or cooked. Also reported as inedible because of its bitter taste.
- Seeds, raw or cooked; can be ground into a powder and used in soups or added to cereals.
- Root is cooked.
Folkloric
- No reported folkloric medicinal use in the Philippines.
- Used for the treatment of cirrhosis of the liver, pharyngeal pain and swelling.
- Leaves used for scurvy.
- Fresh juice of leaves and stems applied to snake and insect bites, burns, scalds, and eczema. (4)
- In Chinese medicine, used to treat various tumors. One of the ingredients of the Chinese herbal medicine, Tumoclear (Kang zhong pian) formulated for tumor and cancer care.
- In Thai medicine, aerial parts used for treatment of sore throat, skin rash and detoxification.
- Leaves and flowers worn around the neck to relieve muscle spasms and neck stiffness.
Others
- Superstitions: Flowers and leaves placed on child's bed to drive evil spirits away. (9) Flowers and leaves also worn around the neck to ward off evil spirits.
Studies
• Chronic Toxicity Study: Study evaluated the toxic effects of Portulaca grandiflora aqueous extract in male and female Wistar rats for 6 months. The water extract at given doses of 10, 100, and 1000 mg/k per day did not induce any detrimental effect in rats. (2)
• Phytoremediation Potential : Study showed wild and tissue cultured plants of P. grandiflora were able to decolorize sulfonated diazo dye Navy Blue HE2R up to 98% in 40 h. The significant induction in the activities of lignin peroxidase, tyrosinase and DCIP reductase was observed in roots during dye decolorization. Phytotoxicity study showed reduction in toxicity due to metabolites formed after dye degradation. (5)
• Safety Study / Phase 1 Trial / Healthy Human Volunteers: A phase 1 clinical trial in 16 healthy volunteers investigated the safety of P. grandiflora, as well as preliminarily assess its efficacy on the immune system. The aqueous extract at 500 mg/day dose given to normal volunteers for 2 months was found to be safe. (7)
• Effect on Human Lymphocyte Activity: Study evaluated eight medicinal plants, including Portulaca grandiflora extract, for effects on lymphocyte function. All the extracts significantly stimulated human lymphocyte proliferative responses. Results suggest human lymphocyte stimulating activity and a potential for clinically modulating immune functions of the body. (8)
• Antioxidant / Lipid Regulating Effects / Betacyanin Extract: Study of a betacyanin extract of Portulaca grandiflora showed scavenging effects which superoxide anion, OH, and DPPH free radicals. The betacyanin extract significantly reduced total cholesterol, TG, LDL-C, Apo B. It also significantly decreased the atherosclerosis index suggesting an atherosclerosis preventive effect. (10)
• Portulene Acetal: A new clerodane diterpenoid was isolated as a minor constituent from P. grandiflora, a compound that might be significant in the biosynthesis and chemosystematics of constituents of the genus Portulaca. Its features provide clues for the biosynthesis of portulaca. (11)
• Antibacterial / Aerial Parts: Study of alcoholic extract of aerial parts showed varying degrees of inhibition against all bacterial strains tested, with more MIC for Pseudomonas aeruginosa followed by C. albicans. (see constituents above) (12)
• Fluoride Phytoremediation: Fluoride is one of the common environmental pollutant in soil and water. Study evaluated the possible role of P. grandiflora and B. oleracea plants to uptake and accumulate fluoride from water. The accumulation of fluoride was comparatively more in root than on leaf parts in both studied plants. Results showed both plants can clean fluoride contaminated water and presents a cost effective and ecofriendly alternative for in situ treatment of soil and water samples. (13)
• Prevention of Neuroinflammation or Neurodegenerative Diseases / Patent Application: Patent application made for an invention of a pharmaceutical composition and food composition containing Portulaca grandiflora or fraction as active ingredient for preventing, treating or ameliorating neuroinflammation or neurodegenerative diseases by inhibition of expression of NO, PGE2, iNOS, and/or COX-2 genes or protein. (16)
• Gold Nanoparticles / Leaf and Stem / Cytotoxicity Against Glioma Human Cancer Cells: Study on the synthesis of gold nanoparticles using leaf and stem extracts of green roof vegetation. The presence of proteins and polyphenols were responsible for the reduction and stabilization of gold nanoparticles. Study for antiproliferative effects using C6 glioma human cancer cells showed decreased viability of glioma cell lines up to 50%. (17)
• As Green Roof Vegetation / Phytoremediation: Appropriate rooftop vegetation may improve the quality of runoff from green roofs. Study evaluated P. grandiflora as a possible vegetation for green roofs. The plant accumulat3ed all metals viz. Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn from metal-spiked green roof substrate. P. grandiflora showed potential to translocate all the examined metals with translocation factor greater than 1 for Al, Cu, Fe, and Zn, indicating hyperaccumulation property. (18)
• Antioxidant / Total Phenolic Content: Study evaluated various crude extracts from five different color varieties of P. grandiflora for in vitro antioxidant and total phenolic content. Total phenolic content ranged from 46.39 - 82.19 mg GAE/100 g, 36.72 - 56.45 mg GAE/100 g, and 41.46 - 85.70 mg GAE/100 g for methanolic, acetone and ethanolic extract, respectively. Antioxidant activity by DPPH assay ranged from 0.69 - 2.14 mg/mL, 1.40-4.38 mg gallic acid/g, and 7.32-29.21 mg ascorbic acid/g by IC50, GEAC, and AEAC, respectively. Highest antioxidant activity was observed in the acetone extract of the orange variety. (19)
• Antidiabetic Activity / Aerial Parts: Study evaluated the antidiabetic activity of ethanolic extract of whole aerial plant on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Results showed significant reduction in blood glucose levels and elevation in body weight at oral dose of 200 and 400 mg/kg for 21 days. Glibenclamide was used as reference drug. (20)
• Effect on Diabetic Nephropathy / Leaves: Study evaluated the effect of leaves extract of Portulaca grandiflora in preventing nephropathy in alloxan-induced diabetic albino rats. Results showed significant reduction in levels of glucose, uric acid, creatinine, urea in diabetic rats. Study suggests the potential of P. grandiflora in minimizing complications of diabetic nephropathy by its antioxidant activity. (21)
• Lymphocyte Activity / Immune Modulating: Study on lymphocyte activity showed significantly elevated responses with P. grandiflora extracts ranging from concentrations of 1 µg/ml to 100 µg/ml. There was not change on natural killer cells activity. Results suggest stimulating effect on human lymphocytes with potential for modulating immune functions of the body. (23)
• Wound Healing / Flavonoids: Study evaluated purslane's total flavonoid content and wound healing activity. Wound were induced on rabbit back skin. Two varieties of purslane herbs (magenta and pink flower) showed different wound healing activities. Purslane herbs A (P. grandiflora magenta flower variety) 10 and 20% concentrations showed higher activity in wound healing process with the smallest wound diameter. Total flavonoid contents of purslane varieties A and C were 0.55 and1,58% w/w respectively. (24)
• Wound Healing / Ointment Formulation: Study evaluated phytochemicals of n-hexane extracts and their effects on invitro and invivo wound healing models. Invitro study using Wound Scratch Assay showed the extract at 100 µg/ml concentration significantly promoted wound healing through increased cell migration and wound closure. Invivo study showed an ointment formulation promoted wound healing without any complication, with % faster wound healing index than control, suggesting accelerated healing response and improved tissue regeneration. (25)
• Effect of Irradiation Technique on Phenolics, Flavonoids, and Antioxidant Activity: Study evaluated the phenolic content, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity of three P. grandiflora mutated genotypes in an advanced population of MV8 (8th generation in P. grandiflora mutation breeding program). Fresh weight and IC50s of the three Pg genotypes were statistically significantly different. Antioxidant activity emanated from phenolic and flavonoid compounds. Recurrent radiation method produced three novel genotypes that showed potential antioxidant capacities useful for protecting the body from oxidative stress. (26)
• Anti-Atherosclerosis / Flavonoids / Aerial Parts: Study evaluated the effectiveness of P. grandiflora flavonoid-rich methanol extract fraction of aerial parts against high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hyper-lipidemic, hemodynamic change, antioxidant levels, and vascular dysfunction in male Wistar rats. Portulaca grandiflora and standard drug Atorvastatin were given for 30 days. End-of-study lab studies included serum lipid profile, ALT, AST, LC+DH, levels of oxidative tissue stress, hemodynamic parameters and aortic staining. Results showed improved lipid profile, reduced oxidative stress levels, and marked reduction in atherosclerotic lesions on aortic staining exam. Results suggest an effective treatment approach in preventing atherosclerotic lesion progression, via protection against oxidative stress and various enzymatic activities in the Atherogenic model. (27)
• Optimal Extraction Solvent for Phenolic and Flavonoid Contents / Flowers: Study evaluated the optimal solvent for extracting purslane flowers using microwave-assisted extraction to evaluate TPC, TFC, and antioxidant activities by DPPH and FRAP methods. Optimal solvent by SCD method and Design Expert software® is a mixture of 41% acetone and 59% methanol. Results yielded TPC of 3.599 mg GAE/g fw, TFC of 1.796 mg QE/g fw, antioxidant activities by DPPH of 0.669 µmol TE/g fw and FRAP 9.231 µmol TE/g fw. The SCD method effectively optimized the extraction solvent for purslane flowers on TPC, TFC, and antioxidant activity. (28)
• Bioactivities of Betalain-Rich Extracts: Study evaluate the correlation between bioactivity and phyto-chemical profile of four betalain-rich extracts from P. grandiflora. HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS indicated presence of 19 betaxanthins and two betacyanins. Highest concentration of betaxanthins (982 mg/100 g DE) and betacyanins (650 mg/100g DE) were noted in orange and purple flower extracts, respectively. HPLC-DAD-ESI-HRMS/MS yielded a total of 71 compounds. Betalains showed less antioxidant activty than other metabolites. Yellow and orange flower extracts were more activity against Gram(+) bacteria, whereas red and purple flowers were slightly more activity against Gram(-) bacteria. Extracts were non-toxic to VERO cells. No significant antiviral activity was observed towards human herpesvirus type 1. The purple variety showed anticancer selectivity towards colon carcinoma cells (RKO). (29)
• Ointment Formulation Against Staphylococcus aureus: Study evaluate the Portulaca grandiflora extract ointment against Staphylococcus aureus. The ointment base formulation contained vaseline album, cera alba, adeps lanae, paraffin liquidum, cetyl alcohol, nipagin, and nipasol, in concentrations of 10, 20 and 30%. Antimicrobial testing using paperdisk diffusion method showed the 30% extract ointment had antimicrobial effect on S. aureus with 0.81 cm of clear zone. (30)
Availability
- Wild-crafted.
- Ornamental cultivation.
- Seeds. mixed or double-flower variety, in the cybermarket.
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