Euphorbia hirta
Asthma Weed
an annual member of the Euphorbia genus in the family Euphorbiaceae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Euphorbiaceae
- Genus
- Euphorbia
- Life cycle
- annual
- Height
- 0.3 m
- Spread
- 0.25 m
- Fertility
- Insects
- Flower type
- monoecious
- Pollinators
- Insects
Uses
Toxicity
Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
The sap contains a latex which is toxic on ingestion and highly irritant externally, causing photosensitive skin reactions and severe inflammation, especially on contact with eyes or open cuts. The toxicity can remain high even in dried plant material[4]. Prolonged and regular contact with the sap is inadvisable because of its carcinogenic nature[5].
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Tender young leaves and shoots - cooked as a vegetable[12]. A famine food, used when all else fails[2][3] and I would have to be very desperate to eat it even then[K].
- Plant part
- Leaves
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.
Asthma weed has traditionally been used in Asia to treat bronchitic asthma and laryngeal spasm, though in modern herbalism it is more used in the treatment of intestinal amoebic dysentery[11]. It should not be used without expert guidance, however, since large doses cause gastro-intestinal irritation, nausea and vomiting[11]. The plant is anodyne, antipruritic, carminative, depurative, diuretic, febrifuge, galactogogue, purgative and vermifuge[6].The aerial parts of the plant are harvested when in flower during the summer and can be dried for later use[8]. The stem, taken internally, is famed as a treatment for asthma, bronchitis and various other lung complaints[6][8][9]. The herb relaxes the bronchioles but apparently depresses the heart and general respiration[6]. It is usually used in combination with other anti-asthma herbs such as Grindelia camporum and Lobelia inflata[10]. It is also used to treat intestinal amoebic dysentery[10]. The whole plant is decocted and used in the treatment of athlete's foot, dysentery, enteritis and skin conditions[6]. It has been used in the treatment of syphilis[13]. The sap is applied to warts in order to destroy them[8][9]. The treatment needs to be repeated 2 - 3 times a day over a period of several weeks to be fully effective[K].
- Product or use
- Anodyne
- Product or use
- Antiasthmatic
- Product or use
- Antipruritic
- Product or use
- Carminative
- Product or use
- Depurative
- Product or use
- Diuretic
- Product or use
- Febrifuge
- Product or use
- Galactogogue
- Product or use
- Purgative
- Product or use
- VD
- Product or use
- Vermifuge
- Product or use
- Warts
Environment
- Range
- E. Asia - China, Japan, Himalayas.
- Habitat
- Waste places and cultivated fields in lowland Japan[14]. Moist open places at elevations up to 1800 metres in Nepal[12].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- no shade
- Water
- moderate
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - sow mid to late spring in situ. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 3 weeks at 20°c. It might be best to sow the seed in a cool greenhouse in early March. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant out the seedlings in late May. This will give the plants longer to grow and mature.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Prefers a light well-drained moderately rich loam in an open sunny position[4]. The plant is not very tolerant of frost[8], though it can probably be grown successfully in this country as a spring-sown annual[K]. Hybridizes with other members of this genus[4]. The ripe seed is released explosively from the seed capsules[4]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits[7]. This genus has been singled out as a potential source of latex (for making rubber) for the temperate zone, although no individual species has been singled out[1].
References
Carruthers. S. P. (Editor) Alternative Enterprises for Agriculture in the UK. Centre for Agricultural Strategy, Univ. of Reading 1986-00-00 ISBN 0704909820
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977-00-00
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Matthews. V. The New Plantsman. Volume 1, 1994. Royal Horticultural Society 1994-00-00 ISBN 1352-4186
Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8
Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
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
Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148
Stuart. M. (Editor) The Encyclopedia of Herbs and Herbalism Orbis Publishing. London. 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-85613-067-2
Manandhar. N. P. Plants and People of Nepal Timber Press. Oregon. 2002-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-527-6
Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965-00-00