Justicia procumbens (PROSEA)
Introduction |
- Protologue: Sp. pl. 1: 15 (1753).
Synonyms
- Justicia japonica Thunb. (1784),
- Justicia simplex D. Don (1825),
- Rostellularia procumbens (L.) Nees (1832).
Vernacular names
- Vietnam: tước sàng.
Distribution
Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Burma (Myanmar), Indo-China, China, Taiwan, Japan, Peninsular Malaysia, the Philippines, Timor, possibly Australia; probably also Java.
Uses
In the Philippines, the leaves are used externally as an astringent to cure certain eruptions of the skin. In India, the herb is considered as an alterative, expectorant, laxative and diuretic, and an infusion or decoction is used to treat asthma, coughs, rheumatism, backache and flatulence. The juice from the leaves is used to treat ophthalmia. In Chinese medicine, whole plants are used to treat fever, pain due to pharyngo-laryngeal swelling and cancer.
Observations
- A herb up to 50 cm tall, with erect or procumbent to ascending, quadrangular stems, often diffusely branched.
- Leaves elliptical-ovate to lanceolate-elliptical, 1-5 cm × 0.5-2.5 cm, with up to 1(-1.5) cm long petiole.
- Inflorescence a spike; bracts obovate to elliptical-ovate or linear-lanceolate, 4-5 mm long.
- Flowers 8-10 mm long, pink or purplish-pink.
- Fruit oblong, 3-5 mm long, hairy to glabrescent.
J. procumbens and its related species are in need of a thorough taxonomical revision covering the complete area of distribution. Several closely related species are reported from Malesia and Australia. These might be conspecific. J. procumbens occurs in grasslands and roadsides, in Japan also in forest, up to 1600 m altitude.
Selected sources
- [77] Asano, J., Chiba, K., Tada, M. & Yoshii, T., 1996. Antiviral activity of lignans and their glycosides from Justicia procumbens. Phytochemistry 42(3): 713-717.
- [202] Burkill, I.H., 1966. A dictionary of the economic products of the Malay Peninsula. Revised reprint. 2 volumes. Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Vol. 1 (A-H) pp. 1-1240. Vol. 2 (I-Z) pp. 1241-2444.
- [241] Chen, C.C., Hsin, W.C., Ko, F.N., Huang, Y.L., Ou, J.C. & Teng, C.M., 1996. Antiplatelet arylnaphthalide lignans from Justicia procumbens. Journal of Natural Products 59(12): 1149-1150.
- [440] Fukamiya, N. & Lee, K.H., 1986. Antitumor agents, 81. Justicidin-A and diphyllin, two cytotoxic principles from Justicia procumbens. Journal of Natural Products 49(2): 348-350.
- [623] Hsieh, C.-F. & Huang, T.-C., 1978. Acanthaceae. Li, H.-L., Liu, T,-S., Huang, T.-C., Koyama, T. & DeVol, C.E. (Editors): Flora of Taiwan. Vol. 4. Epoch Publishing Co., Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China. pp. 620-663.
- [1012] Nasir, E. & Ali, S.I. (Editors), 1970-1988. Flora of West Pakistan. No 1-188. Department of Botany, University of Karachi and National Herbarium, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, Islamabad, Pakistan.
- [1079] Okigawa, M., Maeda, T. & Kawano, N., 1970. The isolation and structure of 3 new lignans from Justicia procumbens var. leucantha. Tetrahedron 26(18): 4301-4305.
- [1126] Perry, L.M., 1980. Medicinal plants of East and Southeast Asia. Attributed properties and uses. MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States & London, United Kingdom. 620 pp.
- [1178] Quisumbing, E., 1978. Medicinal plants of the Philippines. Katha Publishing Co., Quezon City, the Philippines. 1262 pp.
Main genus page
- Justicia (Medicinal plants)
Authors
- H. Sangat-Roemantyo