Heliotropium indicum
| Heliotropium indicum | |
|---|---|
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | (unplaced) |
| Family: | Boraginaceae |
| Genus: | Heliotropium |
| Species: | H. indicum |
| Binomial name | |
| Heliotropium indicum L. |
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| Synonyms | |
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Heliophytum indicum |
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Heliotropium indicum, commonly known as Indian heliotrope, is an annual, hirsute plant that is a common weed in waste places and settled areas. It is native to Asia.
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[edit] Description
Indian heliotrope is an annual, erect, branched plant that can grow to a height of about 15 to 50 cm. It has a hairy stem, bearing alternating ovate to oblong-ovate leaves. It has small white flowers with a green calyx; five stamens borne on a corolla tube; a terminal style; and a four-lobed ovary.[1]
[edit] Common names
- Indian heliotrope (English)
- Indian turnsole (English)
- Erysipela plant (English)
- Bigotitos (Spanish)
- Trompa elefante (Spanish)
- Lengua de Sapo (Spanish)
- Elepante (Cebuano)
- Kambra-kambra (Cebuano)
- Buntot-leon (Tagalog)
- Trompa ng elepante (Tagalog)
- Kuting-kutingan (Tagalog)
- Pengñga-pengñga (Ilocano)
- Vòi voi (Vietnamese)
- Hatisur (BENGALI)
- Thel kodukku (Tamil)
[edit] Distribution
The plant is a native of Asia. A common weed in waste places and settled areas.[1]
[edit] Economic importance
In the Philippines, the plant is chiefly used as an herbal medicine. The extracted juice from the pounded leaves of the plants is used to cure wounds, skin ulcers and furuncles. The juice is also used as an eye drop for conjunctivitis. The pounded leaves are used as poultice.[2]
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[edit] Toxicity
Heliotropium indicum contains tumorigenic pyrrolizidine alkaloids.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Trompang elepante". Philippine Medicinal Plants. http://www.stuartxchange.org/TrompangElepante.html.
- ^ Onaylos, Irma Noel. Plants That You Know But Really Don't: Home Remedies from 110 Philippine Medicinal Plants. Cebu City: Our Press, Inc.. p. 40.
- ^ Fu, P.P., Yang, Y.C., Xia, Q., Chou, M.C., Cui, Y.Y., Lin G., "Pyrrolizidine alkaloids-tumorigenic components in Chinese herbal medicines and dietary supplements", Journal of Food and Drug Analysis, Vol. 10, No. 4, 2002, pp. 198-211[1]
