Phyllanthus niruri L.

Meniran (Phyllanthus niruri) is an erect annual herb up to 80 cm tall of the Phyllanthaceae family, native to tropical America and coastal India, though now considered a weed in many places. This plant has a long history in Indian Ayurvedic medicine as well as traditional Indonesian jamu, with two known varieties: green meniran and red meniran. A decoction of its leaves and stem is even used as a natural cotton dye, besides being believed to dissolve kidney stones and reduce fever.

Grows in lowlands up to an elevation of 1,500 m above sea level, rainfall of 2,000-3,000 mm/year. Favors both shaded and open locations, with sandy loam soil at pH 7.5-8. Found growing wild in rocky, moist places such as riverbanks, shrubland, former rice fields, or around yards.
 

• Roots taproot, branching, yellowish-white.
• Stem round, branched, growing erect. Green meniran (Phyllanthus niruri) has monopodial branching, light green, 24 cm tall. Red meniran (Phyllanthus urinaria) has sympodial branching, red, 72 cm tall.
• Leaves alternately arranged, oval-shaped, blunt tip, rounded base, smooth margins. Green meniran (Phyllanthus niruri) is green, red meniran (Phyllanthus urinaria) is greenish-brown.
• Flowers solitary, located in the leaf axils facing downward, white.
• Fruit round and flat, about 2 mm in diameter, smooth-textured (Phyllanthus niruri) or rough (Phyllanthus urinaria). 

• Propagated by seed from a mature parent plant.
• Planting spacing of 20 x 20 cm.

Alkaloids (4-methoxy-nor-securinine, ent-norsecurinine), coumarins (ellagic acid, ethyl brevifolin carboxylate), flavonoids (quercetin, rutin, astragalin, quercitrin, isoquercitrin, kaempferol-4-rhamnopyranoside, eriodictyol-7-rhamnopyranoside, fisetin-4-O-glucoside, nirurin), lignans (phyllanthin, hypophyllanthin, niranthin, nirtetralin, phyltetralin, hinokinin, isolintetralin), lipids (ricinoleic acid), phthalate, sterols (estradiol, ß-sitosterol, isopropyl-24-cholesterol), tannins (geraniin), triterpenes (lupeol acetate, lupeol, 3,7,11,15,19,23-hexamethyl-2Z,6Z,10Z,14E,18E,22E-tetracosahexaen-1-ol, phyllanthenol, phyllanthenone, phyllantheol), benzenoids.

Treats jaundice, excessive menstruation, burns and ulcerated sores, scabies; reduces swelling and boils; treats malaria, dysentery, cough; reduces fever; eliminates acne; dissolves kidney stones; relieves hiccups; addresses asthma, bronchitis, excess uric acid, anemia, snakebites.

• Wash fresh meniran root thoroughly with water. Drain.
• Arrange in a container and sun-dry for ± 3 days until completely dry.
• Store the dried sample in an airtight bag.

Ba'me tano, Sidukung anak, Dudukung anak, Baket sikolop (Sumatra), Memeniran (Sunda), Bolobungo (Sulawesi), Gosau ma dungi, Roriha, Belalang babiji (Maluku).