Sida rhombifolia L.

Sidaguri (Sida rhombifolia) is an annual shrub up to 2 meters tall of the Malvaceae family, distributed from Asia to India and even Europe as a rheumatism remedy. Several studies show its leaves, stem, and root have great potential to lower uric acid levels. Sidaguri is also traditionally used to treat boils, diarrhea, and asthma in infants.

Sidaguri grows wild along roadsides, grassy yards, forests, fields, and places with bright sunlight or slight shelter. This plant is distributed in tropical regions around the world from lowlands up to 1,450 m above sea level.

• Root a taproot, white and dirty.
• Stem round with sympodial branching, finely and densely hairy, whitish-green in color.
• Leaves single, alternate position, ovate-shaped, like a heart or lance-shaped, serrated edges, densely hairy, palmate venation, green in color.
• Flowers single, emerging in leaf axils, bright yellow corolla. Stamens grow together forming a tube from the flower base.
• Fruit sidaguri fruit is 6-7 mm in diameter and black in color when mature.

Propagation is done with seed or can be with stem cuttings.

• Leaves: alkaloid, calcium oxalate, tannin, saponin, phenol, amino acids, essential oil.
• Stem: calcium oxalate and tannin.
• Root: alkaloid, steroid, ephedrine.

• Leaves: used to treat rheumatism, boils, relieve cough, address diarrhea, vermifuge, address skin disease, treat insect bites, ease gout, speed up healing of scrapes.
• Root: used to treat asthma in infants.

• Choose fresh sidaguri leaves. Clean off attached dirt. Wash then drain.
• Slice the leaves and place on a tray then dry for several days and cover with a thin dark-colored cloth.
• Once dry, grind. Place in a clean, tightly sealed or airtight plastic bag.

Guri, Saligur (Minangkabau), Otok-otok (Central Java), Sidagori, Sadagori (Sunda), Selegui (Bali Aga).