Synedrella nodiflora (PROSEA)
 |
Introduction |
Synedrella nodiflora (L.) Gaertner
- Protologue: Fruct. sem. pl. 2: 456, t. 171 (1791).
- Family: Compositae
- Chromosome number: 2n= (36, 38), 40
Vernacular names
- Pig’s grass (En). Herbe à feu (Fr)
- Indonesia: bruwan (Javanese), jotang kuda (Sundanese), gofu makeang (Ternate)
- Papua New Guinea: walapon (Lontis, Buka Island, North Solomons Province), hosihaena (Pokama, Central Province)
- Philippines: fantankuen (Iloko)
- Thailand: phak kroet, sap kaa, yaa khu maa
- Vietnam: bọ xít, cỏ thỏ.
Origin and geographic distribution
S. nodiflora originates from the New World tropics, but became naturalized in the Old World in the 19th Century.
Uses
In Indonesia, the leaves of S. nodiflora are used as a poultice for sore legs and rheumatism; in Africa the leaves are applied as an embrocation for different oedemas. In Ghana, an infusion of young leaves is used as a laxative. In Indonesia, the juice of the leaves is used for the treatment of earache, and in Africa for treatment of mouth affections such as infected gums. In Papua New Guinea, the root is chewed against diarrhoea, together with some other herbs. Dislocated bones are massaged daily with sap from the squeezed leaves. In Fiji, a decoction of the leaves is used to treat haemorrhoids and diarrhoea. A decoction of the pounded and cooked roots is drunk as a cough-mixture in Africa and in Barbados. In Colombia, the entire plant is used as an emmenagogue. S. nodiflora is not known to be used in Indo-China.
In Indonesia, tender leaves are used in salads. Horses, cattle, pigs and rabbits eat the plant readily.
Production and international trade
S. nodiflora is not traded commercially, and is rarely found in local markets. Chinese herbalists in Indonesia stock the herb.
Properties
Upon steam distillation of the leaves, S. nodiflora yields a yellow coloured essential oil (0.02%), with the terpenesβ-caryophyllene,β-farnesene, germacrene-D andβ-cubebene as major components. From the ethanol extract of the whole plant, the triterpenoid saponin nodifloside A (oleanolic acid-3-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1 forward 4)-β-D-glucopyranuronosyl methylate) was isolated, together with the triterpenoid oleanic acid-3-O-β-D-glucopyranuronosyl methylate, and the steroidsβ-sitosterol, stigmasterol, stigmasterol-3-O-β-D-glycoside and rosasterol. S. nodiflora also contains a high content of estradiol.
An orally administered dried leaf extract of S. nodiflora was found to be active as an anti-inflammatory against adjuvant-carrageenan-induced inflammation in rats. It inhibited both acute and chronic phases, especially the chronic phase. The ethanol extract of the entire plant showed analgesic and antipyretic activity in rodents.
Furthermore, chloroform extracts of the foliage of S. nodiflora acted as a deterrent when tested on three pests of stored grain products: larvae and imagos of Tribolium confusum , larvae of Trigoderma granarium , and imagos of Sitophilus granarius . Water-soluble leaf extracts are effective against the egg-masses of the nematode Meloidogyne arenaria .
A substrate either of pure S. nodiflora plants or a mixture with other plants, and mixed with rice straw at a ratio of 1:1, produces a high yield of the edible mushroom Pleurotus flabellatus .
Description
An annual herb, 25-90 cm tall, with a tough erect, subangular stem, sometimes prostrate and rooting at the nodes, repeatedly forked, appressed pilose. Leaves opposite, simple, elliptical to ovate, 1.5-12.5 cm × 0.5-9 cm, base cuneate, suddenly narrowed into the petiole and decurrent along it, apex acute, margins crenate-serrate, more or less hispidulous on both surfaces, distinctly triveined; petiole 0.5-5.5 cm long, the 2 opposite petioles connected by a small rim; stipules absent. Inflorescence an axillary or terminal head; involucral bracts 4-5, 2-seriate, narrowly oblong, outer ones about 9 mm long, acute, thinly white-hairy, finely glandular, pale green, inner ones about 7 mm long, subobtuse, glabrous, bracts clasping the flowers; peduncle absent or up to 4.5 cm long; heads 1(-7) per axil, 10-20-flowered, cylindrical when young, afterward campanulate, about 4 mm across. Ligulate flowers 3-8, accrescent during anthesis, about 4.5 mm long, very obtusely toothed, yellow; tubular flowers 6-10, 4 mm long, 4-5-lobed, yellow; anthers 4, connate, with an entire base and an obtuse top, blackish-brown; style-arms 2, long, pubescent, with acute, glabrous tips. Fruit an achene, of ligulate flowers oblong, 4-5.5 mm × 3 mm, dorsally flattened with a broad wing along the margins, with 5-9 acute erect-patent lobes, and 2 apical bristles, 2-2.5 mm long, the wings first black, later yellow, glabrous; achene of tubular flowers slender, narrowly wedge-shaped, 4-5 mm long, ribbed, often warty, with 2-3 bristles, 3-5 mm long, glabrous or with short hairs, black or dark-brown; pappus absent. Seedling with epigeal germination; hypocotyl up to 2 cm long, purplish red; cotyledons 2, petiole 1-2 cm long, blade elliptical to ovate, up to 7 mm long, glabrous, midvein distinct; epicotyl short, densely appressed hairy; first leaves opposite, subsessile, ovate, up to 10 mm long, margins shallowly toothed, sparsely hairy.
Growth and development
The life cycle of S. nodiflora can be completed in less than 2 months. Flower heads and fruits may be present throughout the year. The achenes are easily dispersed clinging to clothes and fur. It is a weed of minor importance, because it does not root deeply.
Other botanical information
Synedrella is a monotypic genus, belonging to the tribe Heliantheae , and taxonomically close to Wedelia . S. nodiflora is a highly variable, weedy species.
Ecology
S. nodiflora is found throughout South-East Asia from sea-level up to 1200 m altitude, on open waste places, along roadsides and as a common weed.
Propagation and planting
S. nodiflora propagates by achenes, and has no dormancy.
Husbandry
S. nodiflora has been cultivated in trials in Benin, as fodder for rabbits.
Diseases and pests
S. nodiflora is a host for Meloidogyne species, and the yam nematode ( Scutellonema bradys ). It is also a host for the fungus Corynespora cassiicola , which attacks tomato and eggplant severely, and cotton and sesame moderately. S. nodiflora is often attacked by a mottle virus, leaving a distinct pattern on the leaves.
Harvesting
The leaves of S. nodiflora are collected from the wild whenever the need arises.
Genetic resources and breeding
S. nodiflora has a large area of distribution and often inhabits anthropogenic localities. It does not seem to be at risk of genetic erosion. There is a small germplasm collection of S. nodiflora in Bogor (Indonesia) .
Prospects
Very little is known about the chemistry and pharmacology of S. nodiflora . It will therefore probably remain of minor local importance.
Literature
- Aalbersberg, W.G.L. & Singh, Y., 1991. Essential oils from two medicinal plants of Fiji: Dysoxylum richii (A. Gray) C.DC. fruit and Synedrella nodiflora (L.) Gaertn. leaves. Flavour and Fragrance Journal 6(2): 125-128.
- Abad, M.J., Berjemo, P., Chiroptera, E., Martinez-Acetones, C., Niagara, B. & Villa, A., 1996. Anti-inflammatory activity of some medicinal plant extracts from Venezuela. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 55(1): 63-68.
- Hussaini, S.S., Rao, R.V.V.P. & Pandu, H.K., 1996. Toxicity of water soluble leaf extracts against larvae and egg masses of three Meloidogyne species. Indian Journal of Nematology 26(1): 23-31.
- Szafranski, F., Bloszyk, E. & Drozdz, B., 1991. Biological activity of some plant extracts from the Kisangani area, Zaire. Belgium Journal of Botany 124(1): 60-70. (in French)
- Turner, B.L., 1994. Taxonomic study of the genus Synedrella (Asteraceae, Heliantheae). Phytologia 76(1): 39-51.
- Yang, P.M., Luo, S.Q. & Li, H.T., 1994. Studies on chemical constituents of Synedrella nodiflora (L.) Gaertn. Zhongguo Yiyao Gongye Zazhi 25(6): 252-255. (in Chinese)
Other selected sources
74, 102, 134,
- 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.
215, 315, 336, 370, 407
- Holdsworth, D.K., 1977. Medicinal plants of Papua New Guinea. Technical Paper No 175. South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 123 pp., 477, 560, 647, 696, 761, 788, 951.
Authors
Syamsul Hidayat
