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Description
· A rather
coarse, rigid, erect, hairy herb 30 to 60 cm high. Stems forked,
and the few and stiff.
· Leaves: mostly in basal rosette and oblong-ovate to
oblong-lanceolate, 10-25 cm in length and often very much notched
on the margins. Those on the stem few and much smaller.
· Flowers: Corolla 8-10 mm long, purple. Flowering heads
borne in clusters at the end of the branches and usually enclosed
by 3 leaflike bracts which are ovate to oblong-ovate, 1 to 1.5
cm long, and heart-shaped at the base. The flowering heads many-crowded
in each cluster. Each head comprises about 4 flowers. Involucral
bracts 8 to 10 mm long.
· Fruits: achenes, ribbed. Pappus from 4 to 6 mm long
with rigid bristles.
Distribution
Most likely introduced.
Common in open ; grasslands and waste places Common in provinces
of La Union, Bulacan, Rizal, Bataan, Laguna, Quezon, and Mindoro.
Part utilized
and preparation
· Entire
plant.
· Collect from January to September.
· Wash, cut in pieces, dry under the sun.
Chemical constituents,
characteristics and pharmacological effects:
Bitter, antipyretic, antiinfection,
astringent, tonic, diuretic.
Flowers are astringent, ophthalmic, aphrodisiac and expectorant.
Study for essential oil revealed: hexadecanoic acid, 43.3%; isopropyl
dimethyl tetrahydronaphthalelol, 14.1%; b-sesquiphellandrene, 8.3%;
octadecadienoic acid, 5.5%; and phytol, 5.2%.
Uses
Folkloric
· Upper respiratory
afflictions: Colds, flu, tonsillitis, laryngopharyngitis, conjunctivitis.
· Snakebites, furuncle swellings, eczema, ulcer the lower limb.
· Nephritis, beriberi, edema, hepatitis, chest pains, fever.
scabies.
· Dosage: 15 to 30 gms dried material in decoction.
· Pounded fresh material is applied as poultice for snakebites,
furuncle swelling.
· Juice of pounded leaves applie to scalp to slow down hair loss.
· Decoction of fresh material is used as wash for eczema.
· Decoction of roots and leaves for dysuria, diarrhea, bronchitis,
fevers.
· Decoction of root for hemorrhoids.
· Poultice of leaves for skin diseases.
· Flowers for liver problems, ophthalmopathy, bronchitis, cough.
Studies
• Chemical
Composition of the Essential Oil of Elephantopus scaber from Southern
China.
• Anti-Diabetes:
(1) Effect of Crude Extract and Fractions from E. Scaber on Hyperglycemia
in Streptozotocin-diabetic Rats: Study indicates E. scaber has an antihyperglycemic
action and is a source of potent hypoglycemic compounds. (2) Effect
of E. scaber leaf extract on STZ-induced diabetic rats showed the methanol
extract exhibited better hyperglycemic action than the hexane and ethyl
acetate extracts.
• Hepatoprotective: Hepatoprotection
by Elephantopus scaber Linn. in CCl4-induced liver injury: Study
suggests the hepatoprotective effect of the medicinal plant.
• Antitumor:
Study indicates antitumor activity
of E. scaber sesquiterpene lactones.
• Antibacterial: (1) A Novel
Terpenoid from Elephantopus Scaber – Antibacterial Activity on
Staphylococcus Aureus: A new terpenoid from E.
scaber extract showed antibacterial activity and suggests that it can
act as a drug for bacterial infections.
(2) Result of study confirmed the antimicrobial potential of the ethyl
acetate extract of E. scaber.
• Antiinflammatory:
'Teng-Khia-U,' a Taiwanese folk medicine derived from E.
scaber, E. mollis and Pseudoelephantopus spicatus
was evaluated for its antiinflammatory activities. Results indicated
pre-treatment with Teng-Khia-U significantly inhibited the carrageenan-induced
arthritis and suppressed the development of chronic arthritis induced.
Availability
Wild-crafted.
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