Achyranthes aspera

Taxonomy and growth

Family

Amaranthaceae

Genus

Achyranthes

Life cycle

annual

Height

0.9 m

Flower type

hermaphrodite

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Leaves - cooked^[1][3]. Used as a spinach substitute^[5]. Seed - cooked^[1][3]. he seeds are said to be eaten with milk in order to check hunger without loss of body weight^[8].

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

One of the more important mdicinal herbs of Nepal, it is widely used in the treatment of a range of complaints. Ophthalmic^[2]. The root is astringent, diuretic and antispasmodic^[2][4][8]. It is used in the treatment of dropsy, rheumatism, stomach problems, cholera, skin diseases and rabies^[2][8]. The juice extracted from the root of this plant, mixed with the root of Urena lobata and the bark of Psidium guajava, is used in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery^[8]. The plant is astringent, digestive, diuretic, laxative, purgative and stomachic^[8]. The juice of the plant is used in the treatment of boils, diarrhoea, dysentery, haemorrhoids, rheumatic pains, itches and skin eruptions^[8]. The ash from the burnt plant, often mixed with mustard oil and a pinch of salt, is used as a tooth powder for cleaning teeth^[8]. It is believed to relieve pyorrhea and toothache^[8]. The leaf is emetic and a decoction is used in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery^[8]. A paste of the leaves is applied in the treatment of rabies, nervous disorders, hysteria, insect and snake bites^[8].

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The ash from the burnt plant, often mixed with mustard oil and a pinch of salt, is used as a tooth powder for cleaning teeth^[8]. The dried twigs are used as toothbrushes^[8]. The ash of the burnt plant is a rich source of potash. It is used for washing clothes^[8].

Environment

Range

E. Asia - Himalayas to Australia.

Habitat

Open dry places at elevations up to 2000 metres in Nepal^[8]. More or less naturalized as a weed in waste ground in southern Europe^[9].

Light

full sun

Shade tolerance

light shade

Water

moderate

Soil textures

sandy, loamy, clay

Soil pH

acid, neutral, alkaline

Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil

No

Drought

intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Cultivated as a food crop in China^[10]. See also^[11] and^[12].

Related plants

• Achyranthes bidentataNiu Xi
• Achyranthes faureri
• Achyranthes japonicaJapanese Chaff Flower
• Amaranthus albusProstate Pigweed

References

1. Cribb. A. B. and J. W. Wild Food in Australia. Fontana 1976-00-00 ISBN 0-00-634436-4

   ↩1↩2

2. Lassak. E. V. and McCarthy. T. Australian Medicinal Plants.

   ↩1↩2↩3

3. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

   ↩1↩2

4. Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre

   ↩

5. Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977-00-00

   ↩

6. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

7. Carolin. R. & Tindale. M. Flora of the Sydney Region Reed. Australia. 1993-00-00 ISBN 0730104001

8. Manandhar. N. P. Plants and People of Nepal Timber Press. Oregon. 2002-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-527-6

   ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9↩10↩11↩12↩13↩14

9. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00

   ↩

10. Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre (1977-00-00)

    ↩

11. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. (1986-00-00)

    ↩

12. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press (1964-00-00)

    ↩