Peperomia pellucida-rau càng cua
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| Peperomia pellucida | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Magnoliids |
| Order: | Piperales |
| Family: | Piperaceae |
| Genus: | Peperomia |
| Species: | P. pellucida |
| Binomial name | |
| Peperomia pellucida Kunth | |
| Synonyms | |
Piper concinnum Haw.
Peperomia translucens Trel. Piper pellucidum L. | |
Peperomia pellucida (also known by common names pepper elder, shining bush plant, and man to man) is an annual, shallow-rooted herb, usually growing to a height of about 15 to 45 cm. it is characterized by succulent stems, shiny, heart-shaped, fleshy leaves and tiny, dot-like seeds attached to several fruiting spikes. It has a mustard-like odor when crushed. The family Piperaceae comprises about a dozen genera and around 3000 species. The genus Peperomia represents nearly half of the Piperaceae with the genus Piper making the rest.
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[hide]Habitat[edit]
Flowering year-round, the plant is found in various shaded, damp habitats all over Asia and the Americas. It grows in clumps, thriving in loose, humid soils and a tropical to subtropical climate.
Uses[edit]
Peperomia pellucida has been used as a food item as well as a medicinal herb. Although mostly grown for its ornamental foliage, the entire plant is edible, both cooked and raw. It is also said that it can be a good refrigerant.
Pharmacology[edit]
The analgesic properties of the plant seem to be related to its effect on prostaglandin synthesis.[1] It may have potential as a broad spectrum antibiotic, as demonstrated in tests against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli.[2] Chloroform extracts from dried leaves of P. pellucida have been shown to exhibit antifungal activity against Trichophyton mentagrophytes in vitro.[3]
Anti-inflammatory activity (in paw edema) and analgesic activity has been demonstrated in rats and mice.[4]
Although the plant can cause asthma-like symptoms in patients with known hypersensitivity reactions to the species, no clinical data have yet been reported on human toxicity.
Traditional medicine[edit]
Ethnomedicinal uses for the plant vary. P. pellucida has been used for treating abdominal pain, abscesses, acne, boils, colic, fatigue, gout, headache, renal disorders, and rheumatic joint pain.[5][6] In Bolivia, Alteños Indians use the whole plant to stop hemorrhages.[citation needed] The roots are used to treat fevers and the aerial parts are used as dressing for wounds.[7] In northeastern Brazil, the plant has been used to lower cholesterol.[8] In Guyana and the Amazon region, it is a popular cough suppressant, emollient, and diuretic.[citation needed] It is also used to treat proteinuria.[9][10] In the Philippines, a decoction of the plant is used to decrease uric acid levels and to treat renal problems.[citation needed] It is also used topically for skin disorders such as acne and boils.[citation needed]
Common names[edit]
It is known as pepper elder, silverbush, rat-ear, man-to-man, clearweed (North America); prenetaria (Puerto Rico); konsaka wiwiri (Suriname); coraçãozinho or "little heart" (Brazil); lingua de sapo, herva-de-vidro, herva-de-jaboti or herva-de-jabuti (South America), corazón de hombre (Cuba).[11] In Oceania, it is called rtertiil (Belauan); podpod-lahe or potpopot (Chamorro). In the different dialects of the Philippines, it is called pansit-pansitan or ulasimang-bato (Tagalog), olasiman ihalas (Bisaya), sinaw-sinaw or tangon-tangon (Bikol), lin-linnaaw (Ilocano) and "clavo-clavo" (Chavacano). In other parts of Asia, it is known as càng cua (Vietnam); pak krasang ผักกระสัง (Thailand); "krasang teap" ក្រសាំងទាប (Cambodia); suna kosho (Japan); rangu-rangu, ketumpangan or tumpang angin (Bahasa/Malay); rinrin (Nigeria), "shining bush" (Trinidad and Tobago), and mashithanduമഷിത്തണ്ട്, vellipachila and vella-paccha (Malayalam).
