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Botany
· An erect, branched,
monoecious perennial shrub, 1 to 2 m high, single cylindrical
stemwith hairy branches and petioles.
· Leaves: long-petioled, alternate, broadly ovate, 10
to 18.5 cm long, 6 to 14 cm wide, with tapering pointed tip,
coarsely toothed margins, the upper surface green, roughened
with few scattered hairs, the lower surface white, except the
nerves, and densely covered with appressed, matted, white hairs.
· Flowers: small, clustered, the clusters arranged in
axillary panicles shorter than the petioles. Unisexual, apetalous.
Staminate (male) flowers with 4 calyx lobes which are green in
color. Stamens 4.
Distribution
Naturalized and cultivated
in the Philippines, in places with uniform rainfall all year
round.
Propagation through cuttings from the rhizomes and by seeds.
Parts
utilized:
Roots, stems and leaves
Properties
and constituents
Mildly bitter and sweet tasting,
cooling.
Antipyretic, diuretic.
Uses
Folkloric
· Regulates placental movement,
hemostatic; for cold fever, urinary tract infection, nephritic edema,
edema among pregnant women, abnormal placental movements, and excessive
menstrual flow: 15.6 to 31 gms dried material in decoction.
· Pounded fresh leaves may be used as poultice for swelling pains
caused by sprains.
• In Taiwan, used
in folk medicine for hepatoprotection and hepatitis treatment.
• Used for treatment of fluxes and wounds, prevent miscarriages
and promote drainage of pus.
Others
· A source of fiber or a constituent
of fabric with cotton, wool or silk. It is one of the oldest texttile
fibers, used in mummy cloths in Egypt around5000-3300 BC.
• Also used for production of papers, bank notes and cigarette
papers. source
Studies
• Anti-Hepatitis
B: (1) The study on the BN extract exhibited potential anti-HBV
activity in the animal model of HBV viremia. (2) BN extract significantly inhibited HBeAg and particle-associated HBV DNA secretion in an anti-HBV machinery different from the nucleoside analogues.
•Antioxidant / Hepatoprotective:
In a study of carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury, results suggest the hepatoprotective and antioxidative effects of BN
probably involving mechanisms related to free radical scavenging.
• Pollen-Induced
Bronchial Asthma: B nivea has been established to be a cuase of asthma. The study showed no cross-reactivity with Parietaria and suggests that ramie may be a new independent allergen.
Availability
Wild-crafted.
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