Phyllanthus urinaria: leaf flower

Common Names:

in English: leaf flower

in Borneo: rammin buah

in India: adhyanda, ajata, ajuta, amala, aniccuravitam, aphala, ara-valli, aruha, badar, bahupatra, bahuphala, bahupushpa, bhooyimabi, bhudhatri, bhuiavala, bhumy-avli, bhumyamalaki, cenkilanelli, chakpa-heikru, charati, chengizha- nelli, chirukizhukanelli, chorata, chukanna-kizhanelli, chukannakizhanelli, cikappu ttantu, cikappukkilanelli, cirappu kilanelli, cirukilanelli, civappu kilanelli, civappukilanelli, civappunelli, dalasparshini, dridhapadi, erra usirika, erra-usirika, ettausirika, hazar mani, hazarmani, hilolika, jada, jharika, jhatamala, keezhkai nelli, kempu kira nelli, kempu-kiranelli, kempu nela nelli, kempu nelanelli, kempukiranelli, laal mandaj aamvalee, laalbhooyavali, lal bhuin anvalah, lal-bhuin-anvalah, lalbhuin, lalbhuinanvalah, lalmundajanvali, mala, neeti usiri, nilolika, putrashronika, serhi, shiva, shivappu-nelli, shivappunelli, shivapu-nelli, sukshmadala, sukshmaphala, tali, tamalaki, tamalika, tamalini, tamravalli, tandi meral, ucha chiyu, uchi usiri, uchchata, usirika, vishaghni, vishvaparni, vitunnaka, vituntika, vrishya

Malay name: dukong anak

in Nigeria: apomolehin

in Dominica: gwenn amba fèy

Floral Description:

According to Flora of Pakistan

A monoecious annual or sometimes perennial decumbent or erect, usually glabrous, sometimes puberulous or hispid herb up to 30 cm, sometimes taller, with angular branches. Cataphylls borne 1-2 mm clear of their stipules on the intermediate shoots, triangular-lanceolate, c. 1 mm long, acute, subentire. Foliage leaves: petioles 0.5 mm long; leaf-blades oblong, oblong-oblanceolate or linear-oblong, 5-16 x 2-9 mm, usually rounded at apex and base, ± entire but often with minute tooth-like hairs around the margin, membranous, lateral nerves c. 6 pairs, distinct, glaucous beneath, folding upwards when touched. Stipules of the cataphylls lanceolate, 2 mm long, acuminate, auriculate-sagittate; those of the leaves triangular-lanceolate, 0.5-1 mm long, unequal, not auriculate, stramineous. Proximal nodes ♀, distal ♂. Male flowers: pedicels articulate above the middle; sepals 6, obovate, 0.5 mm long, obtuse, glabrous, pale yellow; disc-glands 6, rounded, papillose; stamens 3, filaments united into a short column, anthers sessile but not fused together, erect, vertically dehiscent. Female flowers: pedicels very short and thick or flowers ± sessile; sepals 6, oblong-lanceolate, 1 mm long, obtuse or subacute, subglabrous, yellowish with a reddish-olive midrib; disc flat, irregularly 9-lobed; ovary subglobose, 1 mm diam, verruculose; styles 3, very short, closely oppressed to the top of the ovary, bifid, the segments recurved. Fruit somewhat depressed-subglobose,. shallowly hexalobate, 2.5 mm diam., sparingly beset with short transverse rows of flattened triangular tubercles, olivaceous, stramineous or reddish. Seeds 1.3 x l x 1 mm, transversely ridged, with c. 15 ridges on the back and fewer on the sides, yellowish-brown.

According to Flora of China:

Annual herbs, erect or procumbent, up to 80 cm tall; stem much branched at base; branches prostrate to ascending, winged, hispidulous along one side. Leaves distichous; stipules ovate-lanceolate, ca. 1.5 mm, base conspicuously auriculate; petiole very short; leaf blade papery, oblong or oblong-obovate or nearly linear, sometimes slightly falcate, 4-10 × 2-5 mm, abaxially gray-green or pale, or sometimes reddish tinged, adaxially bright or dark green, base mostly obtuse, sometimes conspicuously oblique, margin ciliate, apex rounded, obtuse, or acutely mucronulate; lateral veins 4 or 5 pairs, conspicuous. Plants monoecious. Flower fascicles male along distal part of branchlets, 2-4-flowered, female along middle and lower part of branchlets, 1-flowered; pedicel ca. 0.5 mm, with 1-2 bracteoles at base. Male flowers: sepals 6, elliptic to oblong-obovate, 0.3-0.6 × 0.2-0.4 mm, yellowish white, apex obtuse; disk glands 6, green; stamens 3; filaments completely united into a slender column. Female flowers: pedicels ca. 0.5 mm; sepals 6, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, subequal, ca. 1 mm, margin membranous, yellowish white, persistent in fruit; disk orbicular, entire; ovary ovoid or spherical, with conspicuous raised scales; styles 3, free, bifid at apex, lobes revolute. Capsules globose, 2-2.5 mm in diam., with reddish blotches, scurfy-tuberculate. Seed 3-sided, 1-1.2 × 0.9-1 mm, light grayish brown, with 12-15 sharp transverse ridges on back and sides, often with 1-3 deep circular pits on side

Chemical Constitutes:

Corilagin, Dextrobursehernin, Gallic acid, Heliobuphthalmin lactone, Hypophyllanthin, Kaempferol, Lintetralin, Methyl brevifolin carboxylate, Niranthin, Nirtetralin, Phyllanthin, Phyllanthurinolactone, Phyllurine, Quercetin, Quercetin 3-O-L-rhamnoside, Rutin, Urinatetralin, Virgatusin.

Pharmacological Activities and Uses:

Fruits said to be poisonous to rabbits and pigs. Plant diuretic, a decoction drunk for diarrhea, gonorrhea and troubles in urination; whole plant poulticed for fever in children. Leaves infusion used to induce abortion; leaf decoction used for dressing sores and swollen parts; leaf extract in water taken to regularise menstruation and anti-cough. Fish poison, the leaves.

Evidence indicates that P. urinaria extracts possess numerous biological activities , including cardioprotective , antiplasmodial, anti-hypertensive,  and antioxidant effects. Very recently, the anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor,   and anti-microbial activities of P. urinaria were reported. In addition, P. urinaria extracts show antiviral activities against hepatitis B virus , herpes simplex viruses, dengue virus, enteroviruses,,human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis B virus, . This herb is also used as traditional medicine for its protective effects against liver disorders.