Alternanthera sessilis

Alternanthera sessilis has stems that lie flat and are 10-100 mm long. The leaves are sometimes spear-shaped but mostly elliptic and are 0.3-3cm wide. The petioles are 1-5mm long. The bract are shiny white under the flower's sessile spikes. The sepals are 2.5-3mm long and the uticles are 2-2.3mm long. It can reach heights of up to 1 m.

Other Uses

Alternanthera sessilis is used as a topical treatment for the common skin problem cane vulgaris. The antioxidant carotene is found in large amounts in the plant (Jerajoni et al. 2004). In southeast Asia young shoots and leaves are ingested as vegetables. In folklore, A. sessilis was used for treating sick individuals (USDA, 2004). Gayathri et al (2006) state that A. sessilis is "used for the treatment of biliousness, dyspepsia associated with sluggish liver, chronic congestion of liver, acute and chronic pyelitis, cystitis, gonorrhea, and strangery and snake bite in Sri Lanka." In India and Sri Lanka, it is used for treatment of gastrointestinal problems. A. sessilis is used as a treatment for headaches and vertigo in Nigeria. It is also used to treat hepatitis, bronchitis, and asthma in Taiwan (Jansen, 2004). Often the plant is widely cultivated for its edible young shoots and leaves.

“The whole plant of Alternanthera sessilis is one of three sources of the Ayurvedic drug Lonika, which is used to treat wounds, flatulence, cough, bronchitis and diabetes. This plant is also reckoned as an important ingredient of several compounds of Ayurvedic preparations. The people of Bihar reportedly use the plant to treat night blindness. A poultice of the herb is reportedly useful to promote the healing of boils. The leaves and stems of this herb are used as galactagogue and febrifuge. The fresh and immature shoots and leaves are considered useful for relieving indigestion and are eaten as a cooked vegetable or in soups. To cure inflamed wounds the roots are applied externally. Among the Santhalis and Paharia in eastern Bihar, an extract of the roots, crushed with the bark of Alstonia scholaris (Apocynaceae), is taken with cow`s milk for the treatment of spermatorrhoea” (ref).

Habitat

This is a bog plant that grows better out of water than under water (ref). It is described as a much branched prostrate herb (ref) and a medicinal plant.

Medicinal uses

The plant is bitter, sweet, astringent, acrid, cooling constipating,  depurative; digestive, cholagogue, galactagogue and febrifuge and is  useful in vitiated conditions of kapha and pitta, buring sensation,  diarrhoea, leprosy, skin disease, dyspepsia, haemorrhoids agalactia,  splenomegaly and fever. (ref)

Synonyms: Alternanthera triandra Lam., Altemanthera denticulate R. Br.,Altemanthera nodiflora R. Br., Altemcinthera repens Gmel Vernacular Name: Sinhala:Mukunuwenna; Hin: Gudris; Tam:  Ponnannkannjkkirai