Boerhavia diffusa L.

Daun cakaran (Boerhavia diffusa), also known as punarnava, is a creeping herb 1.4-2 meters long of the Nyctaginaceae family that grows wild in tropical and subtropical regions from Asia and Africa to Australia. Central Australian Aboriginal peoples commonly eat its root, while its leaves are cooked as a vegetable in various regions. In Indian Ayurvedic medicine, this plant has long been used as a diuretic and to support liver health.

Commonly grows near the sea, in valleys, dry riverbeds, grassy yards, at elevations of 100-1,900 m above sea level, with a pH of 6.6-7.8. Favors full sun, good drainage, and sandy soil.

• Roots taproot, long, and strong.
• Stem cylindrical, heavily branched, reddish-brown, short-haired and slightly succulent.
• Leaves opposite, ovate to lanceolate, thick and fleshy, surface short-haired.
• Flowers fused petals forming a purplish-pink perianth. Each flower cluster consists of 10 flowers on a long panicle stalk.
• Fruit inverted pyramid-shaped, with a very sticky, mucilaginous surface, containing only one seed.
• Seeds torpedo-shaped, brown, hard-shelled.

Propagated by seed and stem cuttings; seed sowing is done in sandy or clay soil medium.

Tannins, steroids, flavonoids, saponins, stearic acid, phlobatannins, phenolics, rotenoids, xanthones, purine nucleosides, β-sitosterol, α-2-sitosterol, palmitic acid, tetracosanoic acid, hexacosanoic acid, arachidic acid, ursolic acid, hentriacontane, β-ecdysone, triacontanol, and lignan glycosides.

Anti-inflammatory, hypocholesterolemic (lowers cholesterol) and hepatoprotective (supports liver health); helps prevent cancer; acts as a snake venom antidote; treats boils, abscesses; treats reproductive system disorders, kidney stones, respiratory system/asthma, stomach, liver, and heart problems.

Punarnava.