 Botany
Taba-ahas is an ascending or prostrate, densely hairy herb, stems of which are 0.2 to 0.8 meter long. Leaves are alternate, elliptical to orbicular or obovate, 1 to 3.5 centimeters long. Flowers are numerous, borne on many white axillary spikes, 1 centimeter or less in length, solitary or crowded in the axils of the leaves.
Distribution
- In open dry waste places, at low and mediumm altitudes, and in regions subject to prolonged dry season.
- Commonly found in La Union to Batangas Provinces in Luzon; and in Mindoro; Marinduque; and Panay.
- Probably introduced.
- Also occurs in India to tropical Africa and Malaya (Sumatra, Java).
Properties
Considered demulcent, anti-inflammatory, anti-lithiatic, anthelmintic, diuretic, febrifugal.
Parts used
Roots.
Uses
Folkloric
Considered an efficacious diuretic, and is said to be useful in catarrh of the bladder and gonorrhea.
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In India, roots are used to treat headaches.
- In the Malabar Coast, used as demulcent.
- Used for cough and as vermifuge for children.
- In India, used as diuretic and for lithiasis.
- Plant used as anthelmintic.
Studies
• Antihyperglycemic: Study of alcoholic extract of A. lanata leaves in alloxan-induced diabetic rats showed significant antihyperglycemic activity.
• Hepatoprotective: Study showed hydroalcoholic extract of Aerva lanata possesses hepatoprotective activity against paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.
• Nephroprotective: Study of the ethanol extract of the entire plant of Aerva lanata in cisplastin- and gentamicin-induced acute renal injury in albino rats showed it possessed marked nephroprotective activity with minimal toxicity and offers a potential role in the treatment of acute renal injury caused by nephrotoxins like cisplastin and gentamicin.
• Antihelmintic: Study showed the aqueous and alchoholic extracts from the leaf and stem of Aerva lanata possess good anthelmintic activity on testing against tapeworm and an earthworm.
• Anti-Tumor: Study showed the partially TLC-purified fraction of petroleum ether extract to be cytotoxic to Dalton's lymphoma ascites (DLA), Ehrlich ascites (EA) and B16F10 cell lines in vitro. Results indicate that the PEF significantly reduced the development of solid tumor in mice.
• Anti-Diabetic Activity: Study in alloxan-induced diabetic rats showed the alcoholic extract of A. lanata possess anti-diabetic activity and ameliorated biochemicval damages in alloxan induced diabetic rats.
• Anti-Urolithiasis: (1) Study showed administration of AL aqueous suspension to CaOx urolithic rats reduced oxalte synthesizing enzymes, diminshed the markers of crystal deposition in the kidney. Results confirm that A lanata can be used as a curative agent for urolithiasis. (2) Study suggested Routula aquatica and Aerva lanata extracts exhibited good crystal (MSMU) growth inhibition.
• Antibacterial: Study showed A. lanata showed considerable activity against P mirabilis, S paratyphi, B subitilis and Candida tropicalis.
Availability
Wild-crafted.
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