Botany
Diffusely spreading, half-woody herb, with branched stems up to 1 meter long, sparingly prickly with numerous deflexed, bristly hairs. The leaves are very sensitive, both pinnae and leaflets, folding when touched. The leaflets are narrowly oblong, inequilateral, 1 to 1.5 cm long, sessile, with pointed tips. Heads are long-peduncled, solitary or 2 to 3 in each axil, about 1 cm diameter. Pods are flat, 1 to 2 cm long, with 3 to 4 one-sided joints that fall away on maturity. Florets are red in the upper part with pink to lavender filaments.

Distribution
Common weed widely distributed in the Philippines, in open moist areas, open grasslands and open thickets.

Constituents and properties
Expectorant, antiasthmatic.
Root is aphrodisiac.
Entire plant considered an analgesic, antispasmodic, alterant and antiasthmatic.
Mild sedative and antidepressant.
Seed contains mimosine, a non-protein alpha-amino acid known to cause hair loss and depressed growth in mammals (an unlikely event in humans as this will require unusually large doses).

Characteristics
The leaflets fold together in the early evening and reopens at sunrise. It is called bashful or sensitive because the leaflets fold together on touching, warming and shaking. The phenomenon is called seismonastic movement due to a rapid change in turgor pressure and changes in membrane permeability in the pulvini cells in the leaf regions with rapid movement of calcium ions. At night, the leaves also fold and bend, termed nyctonastic movements (reaction to absence of light).

Parts utilized
Entire plant.

Uses
Folkloric
Decoction or infusion of leaves used in asthma; expectorant.
Urinary complaints, hypertension, menorrhagia.
Glandular swelling, sore throat and hoarseness.
Powdered seeds applied to wounds and sores.
Decoction of roots used for bladder stones.
Bruised leaves applied to bruises.
Decoction of leaves used for diabetes.
Powdered roots and leaves take with milk for piles and fistula.
Juice applied externally to fistulous sores.
Poultice of leaves for glandular swellings.
Antifertility agent in some parts of India.
1:1 ethanol water extract used for pain relief.
Seeds used a coffee substitute
In China, used for treatment of anxiety and depression.
In Ayurveda, used as antiasthmatic, aphrodisiac, analgesic and antidepressant.
In India, used for birth control.
In Mexico, used to alleviate depression.

Studies
• Antimicrobial: Study showed antimicrobial activity against Aspergillus fumigatus, Citrobacter divergens and Klebsiella pneumonia.
• Anticonvulsant: Study showed intraperitoneal use of Mimosa pudica decoction protected mice against pentylentetrazol and strychnine-induced seizures.
• Plant extracts showed the plant to be a moderate diuretic, depresses duodenal contractions (similar to atrophine), promotes nerve regeneration and reduce menorrhagia.
• Also shown to have antidepressant activity.
• Wound Healing: Study of the methanolic extract exhibited good wound healing activity, an effect attributable to phenol constituents.
• Strong emetic effect of extracts attributed to mimosine.
• Antifertility Studies: Studies on the root extract of M. pudica showed antifertility effect with prolongation of the estrous cycle and disturbance of the secretion of gonadotropin hormones in albino mice.
• Antitoxin / Antivenom Studies: (1) A study in India screened several herbal plants for antivenin activity against common sea snake venom Enhydrina schistosa, the most toxic among the common sea snakes. The investigation showed antivenom activiety in the alcoholic extract of Mimosa pudica, Mucuna pruriens, and Andrographis paniculata. (2) Study on the aqueous extract of dried roots of Mimosa pudica showed significant inhibitory effect on Naja naja and Bangarus caerulus venoms. (3) Of 17 plants screened, only M pudica showed 100% ability in neuralizing venom lethality. Study showed the potential use of M pudica as an antivenom agent of plant origin against five poisonous snake venoms found in Malaysia.
• Two new C-glycosylflavones from Mimosa pudica: Two new C-glycosylflavones were isolated from the whole plant of Mimosa pudica, and their structures were determined as 6,7,3?,4?-tetrahydroxyl-8-C-[?-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 ? 2)]-?-d-glucopyranosyl flavone (1), 5,7,3?,4?-tetrahydroxy-8-C[?-d-apiose-(1 ? 4)]-?-d-glycopyranosyl flavone (2).
• Chromoblastomycosis: Study isolated Fonsecaea from the thorns of M pudica and suggests it could be a natural source of infection for the fungus Fonsecaea pedrosoi.
• Seed Mucilage / Sustained-Release Excipient: Study showed the dissolution profile from formulation containing mucilage to drug in the proportion of 1:40 was found to be similar to the commercial sustained-release formulation of diclofenac.
• Anti-Depressant: Study suggests that M pudica produces antidepressant effect in rats with a profile similar to two tricyclic antidepressants.
• Anti-Malarial: Mimosine found to be an iron chelator acting on malarial bugs by preventing the replication of cells.
• Apoptotic: Mimosine also causes apoptosis and studied for treating ovarian cancer and other highly vascularized tumors.
• Anthelmintic: The Anthelmintic effect of Makahiya (Mimosa pudica) leaves Extract in Native Chicken (Gallus domesticus) naturally infected with Gastro-intestinal Parasites (Thesis)
• Anti-Hepatotoxic / Antioxidant: Study showed the co-administration of Mimosa pudica aqueous extract significantly lowered the level of lipid peroxidation in alcohol-fed mice.
• Anti-Hyperglycemic: Mimosa pudica is one of eight medicinal plants in an Ayuvedic herbal formulation, Ilogen-Excel, showing antihyperglycemic effect in STZ-induced diabetic rats.
• Nerve-Regenerative: Study showed Mimosa pudica extract possess nerve-regenerative potential in rats with sciatic nerve injury.

Availability
Wild-crafted.
Tinctures. seeds, extracts in the cybermarket.