Botany
· Annual, prostrate or spreading, succulent, branched, smooth, often purplish herb, with the stems 10 to 50 cm long. Nodes without appendages.
· Leaves: fleshy, flat, oblong-obovate, 2.5 cm long with obtuse apex and wedge-shaped base.
· Flowers: 5-merous, comprise yellow, stalkless, axillary and terminal few-flowered heads. Heads solitary or cymose with compressed buds. Flowers with five yellow petals which are about as long as the sepals and notched at the tip. Flowers open only for a few hours in the morning.
· Fruits: capsules which dehisce horizontally containing many minute, dark brown, heart-shaped seeds.

Properties
Antihemorrhagic, diuretic, vulnerary, antiscorbic, refrigerant, tonic, febrifuge, anthelmintic.

Distribution
A very common weed found throughout the Philippines in settled areas.

Parts utilized
· Whole plant.
· Harvest when the vegetative parts are well-developed.
· Cut off the roots, steam, sun-dry.
· May also be used fresh.

Pharnacologic effects
Antipyretic, relieves gastrointestinal disorders.
Leaves are used for poulticing tumors, bad wounds and ulcers; also for blennorhagia and leucorrhea.
Leaf poultice is anti-hemorrhagic.
Seeds in decoction is an excellent diuretic.

Uses
Nutritional
Used as a vegetable component in salads. Excellent source of calcium and iron; also, vitamin C and ash.
Folkloric
· Poultice of leaves and tops used for cuts and wounds.
· Pounded leaves and stems for tumors, swellings, bruises, gout and erysipelas.
· Decoction of leaves used as a wash for skin diseases.
· Juice used for dysmenorrhea, dysuria, dysentery, and for expelling worms.
· The seeds have also been used as antihelmenthic and diuretic.
· For diarrhea: boil dried drug 20 to 40 gms in a cup of water to a concentrated solution and drink; fresh materials, use 40 to 100 gms.
· Poisonous bites or snake bites: get the fresh plant, wash thoroughly, add salt and crush, then cover the affected part with the preparation.
· Eczema: put crushed plant with its juice over the sensitive area.
· Acute gastroenteritis, bacillary dysentery, orchitis, nephritis, beriberi, edema: use 30 to 60 gms of dried material in decoction.
· Pulmonary tuberculosis, whooping cough: use 24 to 30 gms dried material in decoction.
· Furuncle infections: aside from treatment taking drug orally, external administration may also be applied in the form of poultice.
• In Pakistan, used for kidney, liver, urinary bladder and lung problems.
Studies
• Evaluation of the gastric antiulcerogenic effects of Portulaca oleracea L. extracts in mice: Study suggests that P. oleracea has gastroprotective action and supports its use in folk medicine for gastrointestinal diseases.
• Portulaca oleracea and tumor cell growth: Study in mice showed a clear inhibition of tumor cell growth
• The analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of Portulaca oleracea L. subsp. sativa (Haw.) Celak: Extract of showed P. oleracea supports some of the claimed traditional uses for relief of pain and inflammation.
• Bronchodilatory effect of Portulaca oleracea in airways of asthmatic patients: Study showed P. oleracea has a relatively potent but transient bronchodilatory effect on asthmatic airways.
• Effects of Portulaca oleracea on insulin resistance in rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus: Study suggests P. oleracea could improve insulin resistance in rats with T2DM, the mechanism possibly related to its improving lipid metaboloism and decreasing FFA.
• Antitussive effect of Portulaca oleracea L. in guinea pigs: Study showed antitussive effects of Portulaca oleracea comparable to codeine.
• Detection of antifungal activity in Portulaca oleracea by a single-cell bioassay system: Extract study showed a specific and marked activity of P. oleracea against dermatophytes of genera Tricophyton.

Note: This drug material contains vitamins A, B, C and urea, etc.
Caution. Not suited for internal use among pregnant women.

Availability
Wild-crafted.