Barleria prionitis L.

DeFilipps, Robert A. & Krupnick, Gary A., 2018, The medicinal plants of Myanmar, PhytoKeys 102, pp. 1-341 : 2-3

Barleria prionitis L.

Names.

Myanmar: leik-su-ywe, leik-hsu shwe, leik tha-shwe war. English: barleria, porcupine flower.

Range.

Tropical Asia, Africa, and India. In Myanmar, found in Kachin, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing, and Yangon, especially in fields and pastures.

Uses.

Bitter and astringent in taste, highly beneficial for skin and blood diseases. Whole plant: Crushed, cooked with sesame oil and applied to itches, ringworm and boils. Whole plant, Leaf: Used as diuretic in dropsy and as febrifuge. Stem and Leaf: Crushing the leaves together with the stems and branches, stewing them in a mixture of one part sesame oil to two parts water and straining the mixture provides an oil that can be applied to long-standing sores. Leaf: Made into an ash and taken with fermented rice washing water to bring down swelling from edemas and dropsy; mixed with butter and applied to longstanding sores, to help them heal quickly. Leaves boiled to make a strong tea, and the mixture held in the mouth to strengthen loose teeth. Juice from crushing leaves- applied to scorpion sting will neutralize the poison, also used to treat inflamed areas; mixed with either honey, sugar, or warm water and given to cure children with coughs, fever and bronchitis; also used to treat chronic cough. Juice from grinding the leaves applied to treat fungus infections on the soles of the feet and between the toes. Roots: Ground and applied to bring down inflammation and infection in swellings, bumps, and sores.

Note.

In India the root is placed on boils and glandular swellings; the bark is used for dropsy; and the leaf for toothache and rheumatism ( Jain and DeFilipps 1991).

References.

Nordal (1963), Agricultural Corporation (1980).