Euphorbia hirta Plant: Discover its Medicinal Uses (Asthma-Plant | Dove Milk | Garden Spurge) – A Comprehensive Guide
Euphorbia hirta
Euphorbiaceae
- English: Asthma Weed, Dove Milk, Common Spurge, Blotched-Leaf Spurge, Hairy Spurge, Milkweed, Red Euphorbia, Australian Asthma Herb, Pillpod Sandmat, Pillpod Spurge, Sneezeweed, Sneeze Weed, Garden Spurge
- India : Bara Dudhi , Chitakuti, Dhuli, Dudhani, Mothi Dudhi,
- Sanskrit : Dudhi, Dudhika, Nagarjuni, Vikshirini
- Spanish: Golondrina, Hierba de la golondrina, Tripa de pollo, Atu rui, Yerba de pollo
- Philippines: Tawa-Tawa, Botobotonis, Gatas-Gatas, Luha ng birhen, Maragatas, Pansi-Pansi, Soro-Soro
- Sri Lanka: Bu dada Keeriya
Plant Information – Growth, Importance
Euphorbia hirta is a special medicinal plant in ethnomedicinal practices. This plant popular as Asthma Weed or Dove Milk. Euphorbia hirta is a medicinal herb that grows maximum up to 50 cm, erected plant, Which can often be seen in roadsides, grasslands.
Asthma plant or Dove Milk is a hairy plant that changes color into purplish, reddish based on the environmental conditions and plant growth state.
Some sources stated that Euphorbia hirta native to Colombia (native to tropical America) while others identify as a native plant to India. However, Asthma plant spread across many continents.
Whole Asthma plant consists of pilose, and inflorescence which we can see at the leaf node. Inflorescences are clustered of shortly stalked flower dense. Leaves are oblong, narrowly ovate, base obliquely rounded, and averagely 1-4 cm long and 1-2 cm wide. Opposite Leaves have purplish blotches in the mid of the upper surface.
Flowers of Euphorbia hirta are unisexual we can see throughout the year. Very few petals can see if closely look. Fruits of this plant can see for less than one month during the year, yellowish color fruits, normally it produces thousands of small, oblong seeds. Latex produce from his stem and that probably be the reason to call as Dove Milk.
In the Philippines traditional medicinal practices, Asthma Weed or Tawa Tawa use for treating in dengue. But on very limited researches done to test its ability to use for dengue. However, Current researches reveal that Euphorbia hirta has a high antiviral effect and increasing the platelet. Though They also suggest that need to do more clinical trials and more studies on this.
Caution
The Medicinal Uses describe here is solely based on the common practices and other sources. Please read this before taking this as an internal or external treatment. Though there are a number of studies that have highlighted its medicinal values yet some adverse effects there.
According to experts this plant only use with the guidance of a qualified person. Because higher doses may cause irritation, nausea, vomiting, allergic reactions, gastrointestinal disturbances. Latex of Euphorbia hirta toxic to apply on cuts, even contact with eyes, it may cause skin problems, inflammation. Many members of this family (Euphorbiaceae ) contain toxic chemicals, If continually taking as a medicine, have a high chance of cancer(carcinogenic).
Medicinal Uses
However, This plant has a wide range of medicinal uses. Asthma plant shows anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiamoebic, antifungal, antimalarial, antiasthmatic, anti-allergic, antidiarrheal, anticancer, antioxidant, antiarthritic, antifertility, antidiabetic, analgesic, anti anaphylactic, spasmogenic, antihelmintic, immunoprophylactic, diuretic, carminative, purgative, depurative, sedative, febrifuge, galactogenic, properties.
Including leaves and stem many parts extract of the Euphorbia hirta shows Antibacterial effects that active against both gram-positive & gram-negative bacteria.
Euphorbia hirta or Asthma plant widely us in ethnomedicine for treating wound healing, respiratory diseases like cough, bronchitis, asthma, pimples, gonorrhea, dysentery, pulmonary disorders, tumors.worm infestations.
Smoke of Stem use to treat many lung related problems. Latex of Euphorbia hirta helps to takeout thorn and remove warts from the skin.
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