Medicinal Plants

Dischidia nummularia R.Br.

Daun Pitis Kecil

Apocynaceae

Location in the garden Greenhouse
Photo 1 of medicinal plant Dischidia nummularia (Daun Pitis Kecil) Photo 2 of medicinal plant Dischidia nummularia (Daun Pitis Kecil) Photo 3 of medicinal plant Dischidia nummularia (Daun Pitis Kecil)

Summary

Dischidia nummularia or daun pitis kecil is a climbing epiphyte widely distributed from India, Sri Lanka, and southern China to Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, and the Pacific region. Its trailing growth habit makes it popular as a hanging pot ornamental, while traditionally its leaves and sap are used as medicine, among others for mouth ailments and spiny catfish stings.

Agroecology

This plant grows in direct sunlight or partial shade, can withstand hot, sunny conditions and high wind speeds, and is suitable for planting on roadside trees.

Morphology

  • Leaves opposite, round, dull yellowish green, often thick and succulent, 7mm-10mm in diameter. Young leaves sometimes with a powdery bloom.
  • Flowers white to yellowish white, about 1 mm long, borne in umbels of 1-5 flowers.
  • Fruit a follicle that splits on one side when ripe, pale green or yellow, and 2-4 by 0.4 cm in size. The seeds contain a fatty substance that provides food for ants.

Cultivation

Propagation is generative using seed and vegetative using stem cuttings.

Chemical Content

Myricetin, quercetin, kaempferol, quercetin-3-O-galactoside, quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, kaempferol galactoside, kaempferol-3-O-glucoside, luteolin, and catechin.

Benefits

Its leaves are used to treat gonorrhea and canker sores (aphthae tropicae), its sap is used to relieve pain from spiny catfish stings. Has antioxidant activity.

Local Names

Tanaman semut, Benalu kancing

Traditional Recipes

The following recipes reflect traditional knowledge passed down through generations, not a substitute for professional medical diagnosis or advice. Consult a healthcare provider before use.

Traditional recipe Relieves pain from spiny catfish stings from Daun Pitis Kecil

1. Relieves pain from spiny catfish stings

  • Take an adequate amount of daun pitis kecil plant sap.
  • Apply the sap to the skin affected by a spiny catfish sting.
  • The sap can relieve pain from spiny catfish stings.
Traditional recipe Canker sores from Daun Pitis Kecil

2. Canker sores

  • Take an adequate amount of fresh daun pitis kecil leaves and wash until clean.
  • Boil until it boils.
  • Let it cool then strain and use as a mouthwash to relieve canker sores.

Reference Sources

  1. Royal Botanic Gardens. Dischidia nummularia R.Br.. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:96997-1. 08-04-2022.
  2. Flora Fauna Web. 2021. Dischidia nummularia R. Br.. https://www.nparks.gov.sg/florafaunaweb/flora/1/3/1385#:~:text=Medicinal%20(%20The%20leaves%20are%20used,the%20stings%20of%20spiny%20catfishes.). 08-04-2022. 
  3. Yohanes Buang, Yakoba Tari, Theo Da Cunha, dan Theodore Y. Lulan. 2015. The Antioxidant Activities of the Methanol Extracts of Dischidia nummularia. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences and Engineering, Nusa Cendana University, Kupang.