Botany
Herb with smooth and prickly stems. Lower leavers are entire and heart-shaped; upper ones are deeply palmately-lobed. Sepals are bristly, lanceolate and connate below the middle, with a gland at the back of each. Corolla is large, spreading, yellow with a crimson center. Capsules are rounded and bristly. Seeds are smooth.

Distribution
Ornamental cultivation.
Found in the Bontoc and Pangasinan provinces and in Manila.

Chemical constituents and characteristics
Seeds yield 23.5% fixed oil.
Whole plant has abundant polysaccharides, 9.7%; starch, dextrin, pectin, tannin, phosphatide, protein.

Parts used
Leaves and flowers.

Uses
Folkloric
Leaves used as purgative.
Infusion used for coughs.
Flowers used for biliousness and constipation.
Seeds yield an oild used externally for pains and bruises; and internally as an aphrodisiac.
In India and Africa, used for blood and throat disorders, bilious condtions, fever and puerperium.
Others
Cultivated for its fiber.
Leaves used as a pot-herb.

Studies
• Haematinic Activity: Study on hemolytic anemic rats induced by phenylhydrazine showed the leaf extract of H cannabinus induced a significant increase in RBC count, Hb concentration and pack cell volume. Results suggest H cannabinus leaves may have hematinic properties.
• Phytochemicals / Fungitoxic Activity: Essential leaf oil characterized 58 components, among them: (E)-phytol, (Z)-phytol, n-nonanal, benzene acetaldehyde, (E)-2-hexenal and 5-methylfurfural as major constituents. Oil had antifungal activity against Colletrotrichum fragariae, C gloeosporioides and C accutatum.
• Antioxidant Activity: Study results suggest that the leaves of H cannabinus possess erythrocyte protective activity against drug induced (carbon-tetrachloride or paracetamol) oxidative stress.
• Immunomodulatory: Study showed crude extract of H cannabinus fresh leaves significant suppressed TNF-a production and mRNA expression of IL-3 and IL-12, with induction of expression of a potent cytoprotective molecule. Results suggest that H cannabinus may be able to modulate macrophage-mediated responses.
• Hepatoprotective: Aqueous leaf extract showed significant hepatoprotective activity against carbon tetrachloride and paracetamol induced damage evidenced by absence of necrosis in liver cells of pretreated rats. Inhibition of lipid peroxidation is suggested as a possible mechanism.

Availability
Wild-crafted.
Cultivated.