Acmella oleracea
| Acmella oleracea | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Genus: | Acmella |
| Species: | A. oleracea |
| Binomial name | |
| Acmella oleracea (L.) R.K.Jansen |
|
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Acmella oleracea |
Acmella oleracea (syn. Spilanthes oleracea, S. acmella) is a species of flowering herb in the family Asteraceae. Common names include toothache plant and paracress. In Brazil it is called jambú. Its native distribution is unclear, but it is likely derived from a Brazilian Acmella species.[1] It is grown as an ornamental and it is used as a medicinal remedy in various parts of the world. A small, erect plant, it grows quickly and bears gold and red inflorescences. It is frost-sensitive but perennial in warmer climates.
Contents |
Culinary uses[edit]
For culinary purposes, small amounts of shredded fresh leaves are said to add a unique flavour to salads. Cooked leaves lose their strong flavour and may be used as leafy greens. Both fresh and cooked leaves are used in dishes such as stews in northern Brazil, especially in the state of Pará. They are combined with chilis and garlic to add flavor and vitamins to other foods.[2]
The flower bud has a grassy taste followed by a strong tingling or numbing sensation and often excessive salivation, with a cooling sensation in the throat.[2] The buds are known as "buzz buttons", "Szechuan buttons", "sansho buttons", and "electric buttons".[3] In India, they are used as flavoring in chewing tobacco.[3]
Medicinal uses[edit]
A decoction or infusion of the leaves and flowers is a traditional remedy for stammering, toothache, and stomatitis.[2]
An extract of the plant has been tested against various yeasts and bacteria and was essentially inactive.[4] It has been shown to have a strong diuretic action in rats.[5]
Active chemicals[edit]
The most important taste-active molecules present are fatty acid amides such as spilanthol, which is responsible for the trigeminal and saliva-inducing effects of products such as jambú oleoresin, a concentrated extract of the plant.[6] It also contains stigmasteryl-3-O-b-D-glucopyranoside and a number of triterpenes. The isolation and total synthesis of the active ingredients have been reported.[7]
Biological pest control[edit]
Extracts were bioassayed against yellow fever mosquito (Aedes aegypti) and corn earworm moth (Helicoverpa zea) larvae. The spilanthol proved effective at killing mosquitoes, with a 24-hour LD100 of 12.5 µg/mL, and 50% mortality at 6.25 µg/mL. The mixture of spilanthol isomers produced a 66% weight reduction of corn earworm larvae at 250 µg/mL after 6 days.[6]
References[edit]
- ^ Acmella oleracea. PROTA.
- ^ a b c Benwick, B. S. Like a Taste That Tingles? Then This Bud's for You. Washington Post. October 3, 2007.
- ^ a b It's Shocking, But You Eat It. All Things Considered. NPR. February 28, 2009.
- ^ Holetz, F. B., et al. (2002). "Screening of some plants used in the Brazilian folk medicine for the treatment of infectious diseases". Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz 97 (7): 1027–31. doi:10.1590/S0074-02762002000700017. PMID 12471432.
- ^ Ratnasooriya, W. D., et al. (2004). "Diuretic activity of Spilanthes acmella flowers in rats". Journal of Ethnopharmacology 91 (2–3): 317–20. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2004.01.006. PMID 15120455.
- ^ a b Ramsewak, R. S., et al. (1999). "Bioactive N-isobutylamides from the flower buds of Spilanthes acmella". Phytochemistry 51 (6): 729–32. doi:10.1016/S0031-9422(99)00101-6. PMID 10389272.
- ^ Ley, J. P., et al. (2006). "Isolation and synthesis of acmellonate, a new unsaturated long chain 2-ketol ester from Spilanthes acmella". Nat. Prod. Res. 20 (9): 798–804. doi:10.1080/14786410500246733. PMID 16753916.
