WATER AMARANTH (Alternanthera sessilis DC)

Alternanthera is an herbaceous, much-branched plant belonging to the plant family Amaranthaceae.  The branches may be 15-50 cm. long, either green or purplish, prostrate or ascending and rooting at the lower nodes.  The leaves are succulent, 1.3-5 cm. long, linear-oblong, lanceolate, smooth and hairless.  The flowers are sessile or stalk less, the reason for its species name.  They are white, shiny and found in small axillary sessileheads.  The utricle or bladder-like fruit is only 1.5-2 mm. long, obcordate, and compressed with thickened margins.  The suborbicular seeds are 1.25-1.50 mm. in diameter.

Medicinal use

·         Galactagogue or a substance that increases the amount of milk in nursing mothers.

·         Ophthalmic problems.

·         Febrifuge or a substance that helps in reducing fever.

·         Body itch and blisters in children.

How to use

·         The decoction of the plant is administered to increase the amount of milk in nursing mothers.

·         The plant decoction is used as eyewash for ophthalmic problems.

·         The plant decoction is used to reduce fever.

·         The plant is boiled in water and this is used as a bath to treat body itch and blisters in children.

Parts used

The Whole plant

Dose

Normal