By - Amal Udawatta,
Scientific Name- Acalypha indica
An annual herb 30 -75 cm tall, erect branches numerous
, long ascending , angular, leaves.3.7- 7 cm long. 2.8 -7 cm broad. Flowers
minute, green unisexual. Male flowers are
very small, white in color, short pedicelled in cluster. Female flowers are
solitary or in clusters of 2 or 3 scattered.
Habitat
It grows in disturbed places such as waste
lands, road sides, crevices in walls. It also grows in rocky hillsides, forest
edges and river banks. It prefers moist and shaded places. It grows from
sea-level up to 1350 m altitude.
Kuppameniya occurs widely throughout the
Old World tropics. In Africa. It also occurs in the hotter parts of
Sri Lanka.
Traditional medicine
This plant is held in high esteem in
traditional Siddha, Ayurveda
and Indigenous medicines as it is believed to
rejuvenate the body. The
plant has many traditional medicinal uses, In Madagascar, the crushed plant is
used for skin parasites. In Mauritius, the sap of crushed leaves mixed with
salt, or a decoction of plant, is used for scabies and other skin problems.
The root decoction is also taken for
intestinal worms and stomach ache. The leaf sap is taken as an emetic. An
infusion together with the roots of Kuppameniya is
taken in Réunion as an emetic in the case of poisoning. A leaf infusion is also
taken as a purgative and vermifuge in Réunion and Madagascar. In East Africa
sap of the leaves is used for eye infections. Leaf powder is used for
maggot-infested wounds. Kuppameniya
is listed in the Pharmacopoeia of India as an expectorant to treat
asthma and pneumonia.
The plant has also been eaten as a vegetable in Africa , India and some parts of Sri Lanka, but care needs when eating it since it contains several alkaloids as well as hydrocyanic acid
Cat plays
Throughout the area where the plant grows,
it is widely known for its effect on domestic cats, which react very strongly
and favorably to the root of the plant. The chemicals that attract cats are
the iridoid compounds isodihydronepetalactone and
1 )Madicinal Plants used in Ceylon –
Jayaweera D.M.A Dr.- Part 02-
page 189- 190
02) Acalypha indica L. Indian Acalypha,
on India
Biodiversity Portal. Accessed 31.07.2017
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