Euphorbia hirta

Euphorbia hirta (sometimes called asthma-plant) is a pantropical weed, originating from the tropical regions of the Americas. It is a hairy herb that grows in open grasslands, roadsides and pathways. It is widely used in traditional herbal medicine across many cultures, particularly for asthma, skin ailments, and hypertension. It is also consumed in herbal tea form as folk medicine for fevers in the Philippines (where it is known as tawa-tawa), particularly for dengue fever and malaria.

Description

A herb. It can grow as an annual or keep growing from year to year. It grows to 15-60 cm high and spreads to 15 cm wide. The stems lie over and are dull reddish green and hairy. The leaves occur opposite one another and are 5 cm long. The are broadly oblong and with fine teeth long the edge. The flowers are small and occur in the axils of leaves. They are separately male and female and gathered into groups. The fruit are hairy and 3-celled. They are about 1.2 mm across. They are an irregular shaped with ridges across them.

Edible Uses

Tender young leaves and shoots can be cooked as a vegetable, though this is considered a famine food used only as a last resort.

Traditional Uses

Caution: All Euphorbias or spurges have irritating sap and many have chemicals that can cause cancer. The tender leaves and shoots are cooked as a vegetable. They should only be eaten in small quantities. They are also used to make a drink. The fruit are eaten raw. The flowers are eaten raw as a sweet. The young leaves can be stored for 3-4 days after harvesting.

Medicinal Uses

Asthma weed has traditionally been used in Asia to treat bronchitic asthma and laryngeal spasm. In modern herbalism it is more commonly used for intestinal amoebic dysentery, though it should not be used without expert guidance, as large doses cause gastrointestinal irritation, nausea and vomiting. The plant is anodyne, antipruritic, carminative, depurative, diuretic, febrifuge, galactogogue, purgative and vermifuge. Aerial parts are harvested in flower during summer and can be dried for later use. The stem, taken internally, is used for asthma, bronchitis and other lung complaints — it relaxes the bronchioles but apparently depresses the heart and general respiration, and is usually combined with herbs such as Grindelia camporum and Lobelia inflata. A whole-plant decoction treats athlete's foot, dysentery, enteritis and skin conditions. It has also been used to treat syphilis. The sap is applied to warts to destroy them, with treatment repeated 2–3 times a day over several weeks for full effect.

Known Hazards

The sap contains a latex which is toxic on ingestion and highly irritant externally, causing photosensitive skin reactions and severe inflammation, especially on contact with eyes or open cuts. The toxicity can remain high even in dried plant material. Prolonged and regular contact with the sap is inadvisable because of its carcinogenic nature. Adverse effects include: nausea, vomiting, allergic reactions.

Distribution

It is a tropical plant. It will grow on most soils. It prefers an open sunny position. It is damaged by drought and frost. In Papua New Guinea it grows from near sea level to about 2,000 m altitude. In Argentina it grows below 800 m above sea level. In Northeastern India it grows between 1,200-1,600 m above sea level. It grows in wetlands. It can grow in arid places. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Where It Grows

Africa, Argentina, Asia, Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Bermuda, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Terr., BIOT, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central Africa, Central America, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Chuuk, Colombia, Comoros, Congo DR, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial-Guinea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, FSM, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guam, Guatemala, Guiana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hawaii, Himalayas, Honduras, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Kiribati, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marquesas, Mauritius, Middle East, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, North Africa, Northeastern India, Oman, Pacific, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Paraguay, Peru Philippines, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Rwanda, Sahel, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Socotra, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South America, Southern Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad-Tobago, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates, UAE, Pan tropical, USA, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies, West Timor, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

Prefers a light well-drained moderately rich loam in an open sunny position. The plant is not very tolerant of frost, though it can probably be grown successfully in this country as a spring-sown annual. Hybridizes with other members of this genus. The ripe seed is released explosively from the seed capsules. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits. This genus has been singled out as a potential source of latex (for making rubber) for the temperate zone, although no individual species has been singled out.

Propagation

Sow seed mid to late spring in situ. Germination usually takes place within 2–3 weeks at 20°C. Alternatively, sow in a cool greenhouse in early March, prick seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle, and plant out in late May to give plants a longer growing season.

Other Uses

None known.

Other Information

They are sold in markets.

Notes

Plants have been used to treat bronchitis and asthma. The tips have also been eaten to treat diarrhoea. Plants often are self sown in cultivated land. There are about 2000 Euphorbia species. Most Euphorbias have sap which irritates the skin. It is high in proVitamin A.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Aankle jhar, Aidinono, Amampatchaiarisi, Ammanpacharisi, Barokheruie, Bidarie, Choti dudhli, Co sua, Da ru cao, Dhudia, Dudhe ghans, Dudejhar, Dudali, Dudeleka, Dudeli, Dudhe jhar, Dudhi, Dudhia, Gakhiroti bon, Karisilanganni, Kiawa-ame, Kikula ntedi, Kiruthona, Kula ntese, Mothidudhi, Midum-an, Namaito, Nashrai khoro, Nasraikoro, Nayeti, Nelapalai, Ngotoindika, Nyama-toka, Pakhangba leiton, Palcheera, Reddinanabrolu, Reddivaari nanabaalu, Tamu ao, Taquelpolhe, Toto taane, Washah, Yowan

References (70)

• Ajain, M., Ali, T., & Siddiqui, M.F., 2015, A Survey of Ethnobotanically Important Herbaceous Plants of Tehsil Jatoi,District Muzaffar Garh, Punjab, Pakistan. Int. J. Biol. Res., 3(2): 87-92, 2015.
• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 213
• Angami, A., et al, 2006, Status and potential of wild edible plants of Arunachal Pradesh. Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge 5(4) October 2006, pp 541-550
• Baro, D., Baruah, S. and Borthukar, S. K. 2015, Documentation on wild vegetables of Baksa district, BTAD (Assam). Scholars Research Library. Archives of Applied Science Research, 2015, 7 (9):19-27
• Bodkin, F., 1991, Encyclopedia Botanica. Cornstalk publishing, p 463

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