Lavender-leaved-leucas

Overview

Lavender-leaved leucas is native to South China, India, Nepal, Northeast Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Indo-China, Malesia. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is sometimes cultivated in home gardens for use in local medicine and as a pot herb. The whole plant has a foetid smell.

Vernacular Names

Leucas a feuilles de lavande (French), Katumbak (Malaysia), Xian ye bai rong cao (Chinese), Chhoto halkusha (Bangladesh), Salita (Tagalog-Philippines), Dulphe jhar (Nepalese), Kadar kumbam (India).

Agroecology

A weed of open waste places, coconut and other plantations, roadsides, grassland and arable land, fallow land, paddy dams, locally often numerous. It grows at elevations from sea-level to 1,500 m.

Morphology

• Stem - less hairy, green, much branched square stems.
• Leaves - linear to linear-lanceolate, 5-9 cm long, 8-13 mm wide, pointed at both ends and toothed at the margins.
• Flowers - axillary and terminal. Calyx is about 1 cm long, green, very oblique, and sharply toothed. Corolla is white, 1.5 cm long, the central lobe of the lower lip is obovate, truncate, 8 mm wide. Ovary 4-celled, ovules 4, stigma 2-fid.
• Fruits - has 4 nutlets.

Cultivation

This plant can be propagated by seeds and stem cuttings.

Chemical Constituents

Alkaloids, saponins, tannins, phenolic, flavonoids, triterfernoid, steroids, glycoside, acacetin, chrysoeriol, linifoliside, linifoliol, lupeol, taraxerone.

Traditional Medicinal Uses

• The plant is diaphoretic and stimulant. It is used to heal chronic leg sores, dermatosis, as an anthelminthic for roundworms, as a gargle to remove mucus and for appeasing affections of the nerves.
• Studies showed significant anti-ulcer, anti-diabetes, wound healing, antitussive, anthelmintic, analgesic, and hypoglycemic properties.
• Studies suggests as a potential antibacterial agent and a potential source of valuable antioxidant products.
• The leaves are used as a poultice to treat itch, headaches and vertigo. Leaves decoction is considered a good stomachic, and is applied, internally and externally, to treat colic of children.
• The juice of the plant is used in the treatment of malarial fever.
• In India, the leaves are used for piles and sore eyes. Juice of fresh leaves applied for colds and chronic headaches.
• The plant is used as a gargle to remove mucus.