Hydrocotyle rotundifolia

Roxb.

AraliaceaeLeavesPotential hazards — see below
Caution — Parts of this plant may be toxic or require specific preparation. Verify with multiple sources before consuming.
Hydrocotyle rotundifolia
iNaturalist · cc-by-nc
(c) Neptune, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Hydrocotyle rotundifolia
iNaturalist · cc-by-nc
(c) Neptune, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Hydrocotyle rotundifolia
iNaturalist · cc-by-nc
(c) Neptune, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

What to Eat

Edible parts: Leaves

The leaves are edible.

Known Hazards

The phytoconstituents of H. sibthorpioides have shown a wide range of therapeutic utility, although pharmacological use is only justified if it has a satisfactory safety profile. There is no indication that the plant or its extracts have ever been tested in a clinical experiment. Following OECD standards 425, Hazarika et al. (2019) conducted a preclinical acute toxicity investigation on several extracts of H. sibthorpioides using albino rats, and found that the LD50 was larger than 2000 mg/kg of body weight.

Where to Find It

It is a tropical plant.

Asia, Bangladesh,

Countries: United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Brunei, Bhutan, China, Georgia, Indonesia, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mongolia, Maldives, Malaysia, Nepal, Oman, Philippines, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Syria, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen

How to Identify

A tropical herb in the Araliaceae family (sometimes classified in Apiaceae), found in tropical regions.

Medicinal Uses

Many tribes in the world use H. sibthorpioides to treat fever, edoema, dysentery, rheumatalgia, whooping cough, jaundice, throat discomfort, psoriasis, herpes zoster infection, hepatitis-B infection, calming pain, dysmenorrhoea, and carbunculosis. In Assam, it is also employed as a hepatoprotective agent, a brain tonic, and a detoxifying agent. Bengali villagers use the entire plant for bone fractures. Extracts of this plant have been found to be free from toxicity up to a dose of 2000 mg/kg in rats. In Chinese traditional medicine, it is known as Jiangxi Jinqiancao.

Notes

Also put in the family Apiaceae.

Names & Synonyms

Gimashak

References (1)
  • Hossain, U. & Rahman, A., 2018, Study and quantitative analysis of wild vegetable floral diversity available in Barisal district, Bangladesh. Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. 2018, 4 (4), 362-371

More from Araliaceae