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Botany
Pansit-pansitan is an erect, branched, annual herb, shallow
rooted, reaching up to 40 centimeters high, with very succulent stems. Stems are round, often about 5 millimeters thick. Leaves are alternate,
heart-shaped and turgid, as transparent and smooth as candle wax. Spikes are green, erect, very slender, 1 to 6 centimeters long. Tiny
dotlike flowers scattered along solitary and leaf-opposed stalk (spike);
naked; maturing gradually from the base to the tip; turning brown when
ripe.
 Distribution
An annual herb, favoring
shady, damp and loose soil.
Often grows in groups in nooks in the garden and yard.
Conspicious in rocky parts of canals.
Propagation by seeds. Numerous tiny seeds drop off when mature
and grow easily in clumps and groups in damp areas.
Pantropic species of American origin.
Parts utilized
Leaves and stems.
Constituents
• Study yielded 5 new bioactive compounds: two secolignans, two
tetrahydrofuran lignans, and one highly methoxylated dihydronaphthalenone.
• Proximate analysis of leaves yieled a high ash content, a higher crude fiber content, and a still higher carbohydrate content. Mineral analysis showed low manganese, iron, zinc and copper, with high sodium content. Phytochemical screening yielded alkaloids, cardenolides, saponins and tannins.
Properties
• Considered anti-inflammatory,
refrigerant, analgesic, antifungal, anticancer.
Uses
Nutritional
Leaves and stems may be
eaten as vegetable.
In salads, the fresh plant has the crispness of carrot sticks and celery.
Folkloric
Infusion and decoction
of leaves and stems are used for gout and arthritis.
Decoction of leaves used for urinary tract infections.
Externally, as a facial rinse for complexion problems.
Pounded whole plant used as warm poultice for boils, pustules and pimples.
In Bolivia, decoction
of roots used for fever; aerial parts for wounds.
In Bangladesh, leaves used in the treatment of excited mental disorders.
Used for headaches, rheumatic pains, impotence.
In Brazil, used to lower
cholesterol; for treatment of abscesses, furuncles and conjunctivitis
New uses
Belongs to the "preferred
list" of Philippine medicinal plants, being studied for its use
in the treatment of arthritis and gout.
For arthritis: Leaves and stems of the fresh plant may be eaten as salad.
Or, as an infusion, put a 20-cm plant in 2 glasses of boiling water;
and 1/2 cup of this infusion is taken morning and evening.
Studies
• Analgesic
/ Antiinflammatory: Extract study of aerial parts of
PP tested in rats and mice exhibited anti-inflammatory and analgesic
activities. The antiinflammatory activity was attributed to interference with prostaglandin synthesis. Results also showed low toxicity.
• CNS Depressant Activity:
Study of peperomia leaf extract showed dose-dependent depressant effects
probably due to psychoactive substances that are CNS depressant.
• Antipyretic: Study
of PP leaf extract on rabbits showed antipyretic effects comparable
to a standard aspirin.
• Antibacterial:
Study of methanolic extract of PP exhibited a very good level of broad
spectrum antibacterial activity.
• Phenological Antiedematogenic:
P pellucida has a phenological cycle of about 100 days. The aqueous extract is used as antiedematogenic during pheophases 1 and 2 of winter and spring.
• Anti-Cancer:
Study isolated five new compounds, including two secolignans, two tetrahydrofuran lignans, one highly methoxylated dihydronaphthalenone with known peperomins A, B, C and E. Compound 1 and peperomin E showed growth inhibitory effects on three cancer cell lines.
• Toxicity Study:
Study in mice with P pellucida taken in excessive amounts
showed a dose-dependent increase in adverse effects in the major systems of the body. The moderate slope of the dose-response line was suggestive of a moderately wide margin of safety of the plant.
• Analgesic / Anti-Arthritic Study:
Study showed both twice daily P. pellucida decoction and ibuprofen treatment significantly lowered the mean socres on pain, stiffness and disability on the WOMAC arthritis index
on patients with knee joint rheumatism.
• Xanthone Glycoside / Antibacterial:
Study isolated patuloside A, a xanthone glycoside from P. pellucida. The compound showed significant antibacterial activity against four Gram-positive bacteria (B subtilis, B megaterium, S aureus, Strep ß-hemolyticus) and six Gram-negative bacteria (E coli, S dysenteriae, S sonnei, S flexneri, P aeruginosa and S typhi.)
• Antihyperuricemic:
A randomized controlled study of the effect of freeze-dried aqueous extract powder of P. pellucida in male adult Sprague Dawley rats showed a mean % decrease from hyperuricemic level of 44.1% compared to allopurinol's 64.0%. Results indicate P. pellucida may be used as an alternative medication for hyperuricemia.
• Anti-Inflammatory / Antioxidant:
A petroleum ether extract significantly reduced carrageenan-induced hind paw edema. The methanol extract showed the strongest free radical scavenging activity. Results suggest the plant is a good natural source for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant therapy.
Availability
Wild-crafted.
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