FA

30.

Euphorbia hirta

L. (Euphorbiaceae)

Asthma Weed

Euphorbia hirta herb

Description:

L. is an annual herb, which can grow up to

30 cm tall, and branched near the base. Leaves are elliptic-oblong, 23 cm by
0.81.5 cm. Inflorescence is small, in axillary dense clusters, each with one
female flower and 45 male flowers inside.[1]
Origin: Native to the Pantropic.[2]
Phytoconstituents: Euphorbon, euphosterol, camphol, leucocyanidol, xanthorhamnin, taraxerol, taraxerone, myricitrin, euphorbianin and others.[36]
Traditional Medicinal Uses: The whole plant is decocted for athletes foot,
dysentery, enteritis, fever, gas, itch, and skin conditions.[3] It is also regarded
as anodyne, depurative, diuretic, lactogogue, purgative, and vermifuge.
The plant is used for asthma, bronchitis, calculus, colic, cough, dyspnoea,
Euphorbia hirta

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A Guide to Medicinal Plants

eruptions, excrescences, influenza, fractures, gonorrhoea, headache, hypertension, measles, nausea, ophthalmia, sores, splinters, stomachache, tumours,
urogenital ailments, warts and wounds.[3,7] In Central Province of Papua New
Guinea, the plant is boiled and the solution is taken by patients who pass
blood in the urine. The Chinese use the plant to treat fever, dysentery and skin
conditions. In the Philippines and Indonesia, the plant is used to treat bowel
problems.[8] The latex is used on warts and abscesses.[7]
Pharmacological Activities: Analgesic,[9] Antibacterial,[1014] Antidiarrhoeal,[6,15] Anti-inflammatory,[9,16,17] Antiplatelet,[18] Antiprotozoal,[19,20]
Antipyretic,[9] Anxiolytic,[21] Diuretic,[22] Sedative,[23] Antianaphylactic[24] and
Molluscicidal.[25,26]
Dosage: No information as yet.
Adverse Reactions: No information as yet.
Toxicity: Toxic to brine shrimp.[11]
Contraindications: No information as yet.
Drug-Herb Interactions: No information as yet.

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