|  Botany
Ualisualisan is an erect, branched, slightly hairy or neary smooth, half-woody shrub growing to a height of a meter or less. Leaves are lanceolate, 3 to 5 centimeters long, with toothed margins, pointed tip and blunt or rounded base. Flowers are yellow, about 1.3 centimeters in diameter, borne singly at the axils of the leaves. Fruit is a capsule about 3.5 millimeters long, with two projections and consists of 4 to 9 carpels enclosed by the calyx.
Distribution
- Weed found in open places throughout the Philippines.
- Pantropic.
Parts utilized
Leaves.
Constituents
- Roots contain asparagin.
- Leaves contain saponin.
Properties
- Plant considered abortifacient, anthelmintic, and antiemetic.
- Leaves considered demulcent, diuretic, anthelmintic, vulnerary.
- Roots considered a bitter tonic, aphrodisiac, antipyretic, antirheumatic, demulcent, diaphoretic, stomachic and vulnerary.
Uses
Folkloric
- Poultices made from boiled leaves are applied to ulcers and sores.
- Decoction of roots and leaves are emollient; taken internally for hemorrhoids, fever, impotency and as a tonic.
- Decoction also used as demulcent; for gonorrhea and rheumatism.
- Roots use as stomachic and antipyretic.
- Decoction or infusion used for fevers, dyspepsia and debility.
- An infusion with ginger added is given in intermittent fevers and chronic bowel complaints, a teacupful twice a day.
- Root juice, sugared or mixed with honey, used to expel worms.
- Juice of leaves, mixed with honey, given for dysentery and chest pains.
- Fresh juice of roots applied to wounds and ulcers to promote healing.
- In the Yucatan, decoction of roots used for vomiting of blood; decoction of leaves used for fever.
- In India, seeds are given for enlarged glands and for inflammatory swellings.
- In Togo, West Africa, leaves used for eczema, kidney stones, headache.
- In Indian traditional medicine, used for treating liver disorders, urinary disease and disorders of the blood and bile.
- In the Ivory Coast, used for malaria.
Others
• Fiber from the bark is yellow, delicate, filamentous, soft, very lustrous and silky in appearance, of medium strength. In the Ilocos it is used to make a superior-quality rope, of pleasing color and gloss.
• Stems are used for making brooms and baskets.
 Studies
• Antimalarial:
(1) In a study for antimalarial activities of traditional medicinal plants, screening showed Sida acuta has a significant activity. Effect was attributed to its alkaloid contents. (2) Study led to the identification of cyptolepine as the active antiplasmodial constituent of the plant.
• Anti-Viral / Anti-HSV: Sida acuta was on of five plants extracts found to have selective activity against HSV.
• Hepatoprotective: Phytochemical testing confimed the presence of phenolic compound, ferulic acid in the roots. Results show significant hepatoprotective effects and provides a rationale for its traditional use in liver disorders.
• Antibacterial / Alkaloids: Study yielded indoloquinoline alkaloids which showed good antimicrobial activity against the test microorganisms. Further analysis led to isolated of cryptolepine and quindoline.
• Antimicrobial: Study of the antimicrobial activity of the crude extract of the aerial parts of Sida acuta showed activity against standard strains and isolates of S aureus, B subtilis and Strep faecalis.
• Anti-ferlity / Contraceptive: Study yielded alkaloids, steroids, flavones, anthocyanins and phenolic compounds. The ethanolic extract had the most potent antiimplantation activity. The petroleum ether extract possessed estrogenic activity. The adverse effects on fertility were reversible on withdrawal of the extract treatment.
• Anti-Neoplastic: A study on a bioassay based on the induction of quinone reductase yielded ten active compounds along with five inactive compounds. Of the compounds, cryptolepinone, N-trans-feruloyltyramine and 5,10-dimethylquindolin-11-one exhibited inhibition of chemically induced preneoplastic lesions.
• Anti-Ulcer: Results showed S acuta extract possessed antisecretory and cytoprotective mechanisms and can be a potential source for ulcer treatment. The antiulcer activity has been attributed to alkaloids and flavanoids.
• Antibacterial / Antifungal / Phytochemicals: Study of chloroform and ethanol extracts yielded carbohydrates, alkaloids, phytosterols, saponins and fixed oils. Antimicrobial screening with S aureus, B subtilis, E Coli, P aeruginosa, C albicans and A niger. There was appreciable antibacterial activity against all the selected bacteria, with maximum activity against S aureus and E coli.
• Antioxidants / Tocopherols / Triterpenoids: Study of the whole plant yielded a new tocopherol derivative, 7a-methoxy-a-tocopherol, and a new taraxastane triterpene, taraxast- 1,20(30)-dien-3-one, together with four known compounds, b-tocopherol, a-tocopherol, a-tocospiro B and taraxasterone. Three compounds showed significant antioxidant effect in the DPPH radical scavenging assay.
Availability
Wildcrafted.
Cultivated.
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