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The Medicinal Herb Info site was created to help educate visitors about the often forgotten wisdom of the old ways of treating illnesses. Many of today's drugs and medicines were originally derived from natural ingredients, combinations of plants and other items found in nature.

We are not suggesting that you ignore the help of trained medical professionals, simply that you have additional options available for treating illnesses. Often the most effective treatment involves a responsible blend of both modern and traditional treatments.

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Sessile Joyweed

Scientific Names

Alternanthera sessilis

  • Alternanthera sessilis
  • Alternanthera denticulata
  • Alternanthera glabra
  • Alternanthera nodiflora
  • Gomphrena sessilis
  • Illecebrum sessile

Common Names

  • Sessile joyweed
  • Dwarf copperleaf
  • Brazilian spinach
  • Sissoo spinach
  • Daun tolod (Indonesia)
  • Keremak (Malaysia)
  • Brede chevrette (French)
  • Lian zi cao (China)
  • Bunga-bunga (Philippines)
  • Angelica (Spain)
  • Lupo (Ilonggo)
  • Matikanduri (Assam)

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Parts Usually Used

The whole plant including leaves, shoots, stems, and roots.
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Description of Plant(s) and Culture

A perennial herb with prostrate stems that often root at nodes. Leaves are obovate to broadly elliptic, occasionally linear-lanceolate, 1-15 cm long, 0.3-3 cm wide, with petioles 1-5 mm long. Flowers appear in sessile spikes with shiny white bracts. The plant grows as both terrestrial and aquatic forms.
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Alternanthera sessilis

Where Found

Native to tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Commonly found in wet or damp areas, including ponds, canals, and reservoirs. Widespread throughout South and Southeast Asia, tropical Africa, and parts of America.
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Medicinal Properties

  • Anti-inflammatory and analgesic
  • Hepatoprotective
  • Antioxidant
  • Antimicrobial and anthelmintic
  • Anti-diabetic
  • Wound healing
  • Diuretic and cooling
  • Laxative and tonic

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Biochemical Information

Contains important phytochemicals including:

  • Polyphenols (catechin, rutin, ellagic acid, quercetin)
  • Alkaloids
  • Terpenes
  • Steroids (lupeol, α and β-spinasterol, β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, campesterol)
  • Flavonoids
  • Tannins

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Alternanthera sessilis

Uses

Medicinal Applications:

  • Treatment of wounds and skin diseases
  • Management of dysentery and diarrhea
  • Relief of pain and inflammation
  • Treatment of respiratory conditions (bronchitis, asthma)
  • Management of hypertension
  • Liver protection
  • Eye care
  • Treatment of fever and intestinal problems

Culinary Uses:

  • Consumed as a leafy vegetable
  • Added to salads
  • Used in stir-fries
  • Incorporated into traditional dishes with coconut and spices
  • Added to quiches, pies, curries, and pasta sauces

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Preparations or Dosages

The plant can be consumed:

  • Raw in salads
  • Steamed or boiled (recommended due to oxalate content)
  • As a decoction for medicinal purposes
  • In traditional preparations with other medicinal herbs

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Scientific Evidence

Research has demonstrated:

  • Significant hepatoprotective effects in liver injury models
  • Notable analgesic activity in both peripheral and central pain models
  • Anti-inflammatory properties
  • Presence of bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties
  • Wound healing capabilities
  • Central nervous system stimulating effects

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Warning

  • Should be cooked before consuming large quantities due to oxalate content
  • May act as a weed in some regions
  • Further research needed on specific dosages and long-term effects
  • Clinical studies required to confirm safety and efficacy

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Resource Links

Wikipedia – Alternanthera sessilis

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services – Alternanthera sessilis, Sessile Joyweed

National Library of Medicine – Effects of Alternanthera sessilis on Liver Function in Carbon Tetra Chloride Induced Hepatotoxicity in Wister Rat Model

iNatrualist – Sessile Joyweed (Alternanthera sessilis)

Journal of Ethnopharmacology – Alternanthera sessilis: Uncovering the nutritional and medicinal values of an edible weed

Journal of Ethnopharmacology – Review: African medicinal plants with wound healing properties

Pharmacognosy Research – Alternanthera sessilis: A Review of Literature on the Phytoconstituents, Traditional Usage and Pharmacological Activities of Green and Red Cultivar

International Journal of Chemical and Biochemical Sciences – A review of bioactivity guided medicinal uses and therapeutic potentials
of noxious weed (Alternanthera sessilis)

BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies – Central-stimulating and analgesic activity of the ethanolic extract of Alternanthera sessilis in mice

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