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Family Cyperaceae
Agor
Fimbristylis quinquangularis
(Vahl) Kunth
GRASS-LIKE FIMBRY

Scientifric names  Common names
Fimbristylis angularis Link Agor (Tag.)
Fimbristylis benghalensis (Pers.) Roem. & Schult. Gumi (Pang.) 
Fimbristylis fauriei Ohwi Sirau-sirau (Ilk.) 
Fimbristylis miliacea (L.) Vahl Sirisi-buyas (Bik.) 
Fimbristylis mucronata Vahl Taulat (Tag.) 
Fimbristylis quinquangularis (Vahl) Kunth Ubod-ubod (Tag.)
Iria angularis (Link) Kuntze Fimbry (Engl.)
Iria miliacea (L.) Kuntze Five-angly fimbry (Engl.)
Iria quinquangularis (Vahl) Kuntze Globe fringerush (Engl.)
Isolepis angularis Schrad. ex Schult. Grass-like fimbry (Engl.)
Isolepis miliacea (L.) J.Presl & C.Presl Grasslike fimbristylis (Engl.)
Isolepis pentagona (Roxb.) Schult. Hoorahgrass (Engl.)
Isolepis tetragona Schult. Lesser fimbristylis (Engl.)
Scirpus benghalensis Pers.  
Scirpus miliaceus L.  
Scirpus niloticus Blanco  
Scirpus parviflorus Willd. ex Kunth  
Scirpus pentagonus Roxb.  
Scirpus quinquangularis Vahl  
Trichelostylis angularis (Link) Nees  
Trichelostylis miliacea (L.) Nees  
Trichelostylis pentagona Nees  
Trichelostylis quinquangularis (Vahl) Nees  
Trichelostylis tetragona (Schult.) Nees  
Fimbristylis miliacea (L.) Vahl is a synonym of Fimbristylis quinquangularis (Vahl) Kunth The Plant List
Fimbristylis quinquangularis (Vahl) Kunth is an accepted name. The Plant List

Other vernacular names
BRAZIL: Cominho, Cabelo de negro, Pelunco.
CHINESE: Shui shi cao.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Pajon de agua.
HINDI: Ghueen, Dilli.
INDONESIAN: Adas-adasan, Riwit, Tumbaran, Babawangan, Bulu mata munding, Panon munding.
JAPANESE: Hiderike, Hideriko.
KOREAN: Barambaneulgiji.
MALAYSIAN: Rumput bukit, Rumput keladi, Rumput tahi, Janggut keli.
PALAUAN: Kerngimes kederang.
POHNPEIAN: Lingkerekenwel.
SPANISH: Barba de fraile, Pajarillo, Tussia, Pelo mico.
TAIWAN: Mu shih tsau.
THAI: Yah nuad maew, Yah nuad pladouk.
URDU: Chhoti bhoin
VIETNAMESE: Chh

 

Botany
Agor is a tufted, slender, glabrous, rather flaccid annual sedge, 40 to 60 centimeters in height. Leaves are basal, distichous, up to 40 centimeters long. Umbels are decompound, rather lax and diffuse, 6 to 10 centimeters long. The spikelets are small, globose, 2 to 2.5 millimeters long, pale or brown, mostly slenderly pedicelled, some sessile. Nuts are obovoid, straw-colored or ivory, 0.3 to 0.5 millimeter long.

Distribution
- Ubiquitous paddy weed throughout the Philippines in open, wet places.
- Pantropic.

Constituents
- Phytochemical screening of methanol extract yielded flavonoids, saponins, tannins, phenols, alkaloids and cardiac glycosides. Total phenolic, flavonoids, tannins, ß0carotene, lycopene, chlorophyll-a, and chlorophyll-ß were 154.13 mg GAE/g, 83.14 mg QE/g, 125.45 mg QE/g, 215.72 mg GAE/g, 151 µg/g, 0.66 µg/g and 4.25 mg/g, respectively. (see study below) (7)

Properties
- Agor is one of the most harmful weeds in rice fields. It is very competitive with rice, becoming widespread in new areas of rice production. Roots spread vigorously, growing between rice roots and seriously competing with nutrients.
- Seeds dispersed by water, wind, and human activity, germinating near droppings.
- Considered febrifuge, aphrodisiac, antidiarrheal.
- Studies h ave suggest antioxidant, antidiarrheal, antipyretic, antinociceptive properties

Parts used
Leaves

Uses
Folkloric
- Malays use leaves for poulticing in fever.
- Tribe in central India use the roots for dysentery.
- Crushed rhizome used as aphrodisiac. Leaves used as poultice for fevers. (5)
Others
- Fodder: Eaten by cattle, seeds pass through the digestive tract mostly undigested, germinating near droppings.

Studies
Antioxidant / Antidiarrheal: Study evaluated a methanol extract for phytoconstituents, antioxidant and anti-diarrheal activities. Antioxidant activity by DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging assays showed IC50s of 138.83 and 353.82 µg/ml resoectively.EC50 of thiobarbituric acid assay, FRAP, and reducing power assay were 2159.5, 31.59, and 129.56 µg/ml respectively. Total antioxidant capacity was 155.35 mg/g AAE. There was significant reduction (p<0.001) (1) in fecal movement, the effect stronger than standard loperamide. The extract at 400 mg/kbw dose inhibited diarrhea by 80.85% compared to loperamide at 58.16% inhibition. (see constituents above) (7)
Antipyretic / Antinociceptive / Leaves: Study evaluated the antipyretic and antinociceptive effects of methanol extract of leaves of F. miliaceae in mice model, At extract dose of 400 mg/kg, there was significant reduction in body temperature using Baker's yeast induced hyperthermia test. The extract showed significant reduction in writhes at all concentrations using acetic acid induced writhing test, formalin induced hind paw licking test and hot plate test. Study confirmed the traditional use of F. miliaceae in the treatment of fever and possible antinociceptive effects. (8)
Hypoglycemic / Leaves: Study evaluated the hypoglycemic effect of methanol extract of leaf of F. miliacea in a mice model. The extract at 400 mg/kg showed 36.92% reduction in fasting blood glucose compared to glibenclamide at 46.69%. (9)

Availability
Wild-crafted.

Updated August 2021 / June 2016

PHOTOS / ILLUSTRATIONS
Photo © Godofredo Stuart / StuartXchange
OTHER IMAGE SOURCE: / Fimbristylis miliacea . Globe Fringe-rush / A Practical Field Guide to Weeds of Rice in Asia / Past of IRRI collection / Creative Commons Attribution-NC / flickr / Click on graphic to see original image
Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)
Fimbristylis miliacea (L.) Vahl / Chinese name / Catalogue of Life, China
(2)
Fimbristylis miliacea (L.) Vahl - CYPERACEAE / Monocotyledon / Idao.cirad.fr
(3)
Fimbristylis littoralis Gaudich. / Common names / PIER
(4)
Fimbristylis quinquangularis / Synonyms / The Plant List
(5)
Fimbristylis quinquangularis / Useful Tropical Plants
(6)
Fimbristylis miliacea / Vernacular names / GlobinMed
(7)
Phytochemical analysis, antioxidant, and antidiarrheal activities of methanol extract of Fimbristylis miliacea (L.) Vahl / Ummah Hafsa Mukta, Roni Roy, Mohammad Anwarul Basher et al / Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy, Jan 2020; 12(1): pp 10-18 / Art No B8089FE63247
(8)
Antipyretic and antinociceptive effects of methanol extract of leaves of Fimbristylis miliaceae in mice model / Rpni Roy, Shahid-ud-Daula A F M, Liya I J, Basher M A et al / Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2019; Vol 243 / ISSN: 0378-8741 / DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2019.112080
(9)
Hypoglycemic effect of leaf extract of Fimbristylis miliacea in mice model / Sohel Mia, Roni Roy, Mohammad Anwarul Basher et al / Clinical Phytoscience, 2019; 5: Article 26 / DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40816-019-0119-x

DOI: It is not uncommon for links on studies/sources to change. Copying and pasting the information on the search window or using the DOI (if available) will often redirect to the new link page. (Citing and Using a (DOI) Digital Object Identifier)

                                                            List of Understudied Philippine Medicinal Plants


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