Commelina benghalensis
Synonyms
Vernacular Names:
| English |
Tropical Spiderwort, Benghal Dayflower, Blue Commelina, Venus’ Bath |
| Indonesia | Brambangan |
| Thailand | Phak plaap |
| Laos | Nya Kabpi Hyai |
| Vietnam | Dau-rieu, Trai An |
| Philippines | Kabilao Dagko (Bisaya); Kabilau, Sabilau, Sambilau (Ilocano); Kabilao, Sabilau (Ilongo); Bias-bias (Pampango); Alikbangon, Likbangan, Ulikbangon (Tagalog) |
| India | Kankaua, Kanteri, Kanvo, Kankavwa, Kannateva, Kana (Hindi); Kanavachai (Tamil); Vennadavkura (Telagu); Kannaguharvi (Tamil); Buchna, Jeha-bhoi, Kanchara, Kanna-Manna |
| Bangladesh | Dholpata, Kanaibashi, Kanai Bashi, Kanchira |
| Nepal | Ban Kane, Kane Jhar (Nepali); Kanema (Raute); Kaniya (Tharu); Makai Mbendo (Tamang) |
| French | Commeline, Commeline |
| Portuguese | Trapoeraba |
| Swahili | Kongwa, Kafula, Mpovupovu |
| Sudah | Rekondo (Azande); Awowa (Moru) [1][2][3][4][5] |
GeneralEthopia Information
Description
Commelina banghalensis is a member of the Commelinaceae family. It is an annual or a perennial, low creeping plant, or ascending to 30cm hign, hairy or smooth. The leaves are elliptic-ovate, hairy, measuring 2.5 -7.5cm long, 1.25-2.5cm wide with parallel veins. The base is narrowed into a petiole of 0.6cm long fringed with short and long red hairs. The spathes 1-3, funnel-shaped, measure 1.25cm long, shorely pedunculate. They are closed down the upper side to the point of attachment to the stalk. The flowers 2-4 per spathes, the first one long-pedunculed, the otheres being sessile. The pale reduced flowers often produced on underground stems. The fruits are 3-locular capsule, 5-seeded. The seeds are black in colour with a wrinkled surface, sometimes appearing sugar-coated, measuring 2mm long.[1]
Plant Part Used
Leaves, roots and whole plant [2] [3] [5]
Chemical Constituents
n-octacosanol, n-triacontanol, n-dotriacontanol, stigmasterol, beta-sitosterol and campesterol. [6]
Traditional Used:
C. benghalensis is considered a bitter, emolient, demulcent, refrigerant, laxative.
Gastrointestinal Diseases
The Nepalese extracted juice from the roots of C. benghalensis is given in cases of indigestion.[5]In southern Africa they made use of the decoction of the root to relieve stomach disorder. In Tanzania a solution made from pounded leaves soaked in warm water is used to treat diarrhoea.[3] The whole plant is a useful laxative.[2]
Eye Diseases
The sap of the leaves and stems is good for ophthalmia and is used by the people of East Africa. The people of Zanzibar on the other had made used of the liquid found in the flowering spathe to treat eye complains.[3]
Infective Diseases
The whole plant is useful in sores, infant oral thrush and even leprosy. In southern Nigeria the plant is made into a poultice and applied on sores of the feet.[2] In India it is used with great benefit in the treatment of Leprosy.[3]
Other uses
Leaves are used in fever, scorpion sting and wounds. The roots treat liver complaints, fever.[2] In Uganda and southern Africa the plant is used to counter fertility in women.[3]Pre-Clinical Data
Pharmacology
No documentation
Toxicities
All above ground parts are astringent and contains hydrocyanic acid.[3]
Clinical Data
Clinical Trials
No documentation
Adverse Effects in Human:
No documentation
Used in Certain Conditions
Pregnancy / Breastfeeding
No documentation
Age Limitations
Neonates / Adolescents
No documentation
Geriatrics
No documentation
Chronic Disease Conditions
No documentation
Interactions
Interactions with drugs
No documentation
Interactions with Other Herbs / Herbal Constituents
No documentationContraindications
Contraindications
No documentation
Case Reports
No documentation
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References
- Marita Ignacio Galinato, Keith Moody, Colin M. Piggin, Upland rice weeds of south and southeast Asia International Rice Research Institute Los Banos 1999 pg. 30
- H. Panda Medicinal Plants Cultivation & Their Uses Asia Pacific Business Press Inc. Delhi 2000 pg. 523
- G. J. H. Grubben Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 2 – Vegetables PROTA Foundation/ Backhuys Publishers, Wageningen 2004 pg. 212
- Merrill: Loureiro’s “Flora Cochinchinensis” in Transactions, American Philosophical Society (vol. 24, Part 2, 1935-June) American Philosophical Society Philadelphia 1929 pg. 101
- N. P. Manandhar, Sanjay Manandhar Plants and people of Nepal Timber Press Inc. Portland 2002 pg. 167
- C. P. Khare Indian Medicinal Plants: An Illustrated Dictionary Springer-Verlag Berlin 2007 pg. 168
