Botany
Earect and branched plant, about 20 to 80 cm in height. Leaves are narrowly ovate, 4-10 cm long. Involucres are crowded, about 1 cm long, calyx-like, with one flower. The perianth is white, purple, or yellow, 3-4 cm long, with a slightly enlarged and upward cylindrical tube and a spreading limb. Fruit is narrowly ovoid, about 8 mm long, black and finely ribbed.

Distribution
Througout the Philippines in settled areas; cultivated and spontaneous.

Chemical constituents and characteristics
Roots contain oxymethylanthroquinone.
Plant contains trigonelline, an alkaloid, that possess a purgative action.
Also contains galactose and arabinose.
Tubers are weekly purgative and emetic.
Diuretic, purgative, vulnerary.
Root is believed to be aphrodisiac.

Parts used
Leaves, roots, tubers.

Uses
Folkloric
Pounded seed use for making cosmetic powders.
Juice of leaves are soothing when applied to areas of urticaria.
Bruised leaves as poultices for boils and abscesses.
Juices of leaves used internally for gonorrhea.
Infusion of leaves used as a diuretic.
Leaves are anti-inflammatory. Decoction used for abscesses.
Leaf juice used for wounds.
In Peru, root decoction used as diuretic.
In Brazil, Kayapo indians inhale the powdered dried flowers for headaches; the Assurani Indians grate the tuberous seeds and drink it for intestinal parasites. Poultice of leaves and flowers used for eczema, skin infections and itching.
In Mexico, the decoction of entire plant is used vaginal discharge, dysentery, diarrhea, abdominal colic and muscle pains.
In South AFrica, used as a purgative.
Nutrition
Leaves are used as emergency food.
Condiment.
Crushed seed used as pepper substitute.
Others
Edible crimson dye from flowers; used as colorant for cosmetics, cakes and jellies. bee and scorpion stings.

Studies
• Antispasmodic: Extract of Mirabilis jalapa exhibits an inhibitory effect on gut smooth muscle contractility probably through a serotoninergic mechanism interacting with other adrenergic systems.
• Antimicrobial: (1) The ethanol extract of Mirabilis jalapa tested against five pathogenic bacterial strains (E. coli, S. aureus, S. typhi, B. cereus, K. pneumoniaa) and toxins showed antimicrobial activities comparable to conventional antibiotics suggesting a potential as agents for biocontrol and chemotherapy. (2) The methanol extract of MJ showed stronger and broader spectrum of microbial activity compared to other extracts, using amikacin as the standard bacterial agent.
• Cytotoxicity / Antitumor / Anticancer: (1) Study of protein fractions with ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP) properties from the leaves of MJ showed cytotoxic activity6 against a breast cancer cell line. (2) Study isolated from the leaves of MJ, a 30 kD protein fraction named MI-30, with the properties of a ribosome-inactivating protein. It produced cytotoxic effect, more toward breast and cervical cancer cells as compared to nomal mononuclear cells.
• Antibacterial: Study of roots showed antibacterial activity against diarrhea-causing pathogens: Staph aureus, Strep pyogenes, E coli, Enterobacter sp., V cholera, Shigella flexner and S typhi.
• Phytochemicals / Pharmacognosy: Study yielded the presence of triterpenoids, alkaloids, glycosides and flavonoids. Diagnostic features are multicellular tricfhomes, anisocytic stomata and calcium oxalate.
• Analgesic / Antinociceptive Activity: Study demonstrated antinociceptive activity in mice, supporting its folkloric use as an analgesic.
• Protein Biochemical Properties / Anticancer / Antibacterial: Study of crude proteins showed to be active against B subtilis. Proteins also exhibited anticancer activity to permanent cell lines L929 (mouse fibroblasts).
• Antiviral / Antiproliferative / Abortifacient: Purified protein from the root tubers of Mirabilis jalapa exhibited antiviral, abortifacient and anti-proliferative activities.

Availability
Wild-crafted.
Powders and other formulations in the cybermarket.