Origen:
Es una hierba cosmopolita y se encuentra en zonas perturbadas de las tierras bajas y es considerada una maleza de importancia económica en arroz por la gran cantidad de semilla. Está ampliamente distribuida en Norte, Centro y Sur América. Además, se encuentra en las islas del Caribe, Africa, Madagascar, China y la India. Crece de manera silvestre en zonas bajas de menos de 1,000 msnm, en climas cálidos y húmedos. Su propagación por esquejes o por semillas es posible, pero en la actualidad la mayoría del material medicinal se obtiene por crecimiento (WOODSON, SCHERY, 1975; SOLIS, CORREA, GUPTA, 1996). En Panamá está distribuida en Bocas Del Toro, Coclé, Chiriquí, Colón, Darién, Los Santos, Panamá, Veraguas, Kuna Yala y área del Canal (CORREA, et al, 2004).

Usos etnomédicos y modo de empleo:
Esta planta es utilizada para el resfriado y el asma (SOLIS, CORREA, GUPTA, 1996). Existen en internet más de 25 productos registrados de esta planta. Por ejemplo: Hepagenesis Eclipta alba, contiene hierba Ayurvédica Eclipta alba. Es una hierba medicinal reputada en los sistemas de medicina Ayurveda y Unani como un antihepatotóxico.

Whole plant: For cuts, bruises and sores in order to stop bleeding and relieve pain.

Stem and Leaf: Anemia, dysentery. Aerial portions of plant reputedly effective in a beverage to remedy albuminuria.

Leaf: Ground and rubbed on the head of infants for convulsions, and to make pigmented skin blotches on infants disappear. For fevers, cuts, sores, skin diseases, eye diseases, asthma, bronchitis, liver problems; in baths for pimples and rashes; extract for diarrhoea and weak bladder. Decoction for cancer. Leaf-juice for thrush, and for treating leprosy spots. Juice of crushed leaves in a decoction used to wash the scalp for preventing hair loss. In Guyana, the leaves are crushed in water, then placed in linen and the juice squeezed into the ear to relieve a bad cold; the patient's head is then moved back and the liquid is poured down the nostril.

Flower: Conjunctivitis.

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Range. North America (where flowers nearly year round, mostly summer to fall); Mexico; West Indies; Central America; South America; introduced in Asia, Africa, Pacific Islands, Australia, and Europe. Found growing naturally throughout Myanmar, rampantly like a weed in areas with much rain.

Uses. Promotes vitality, health, and circulation; stimulates strong hair growth; used for respiratory illnesses, as well as for inflammation of eyes and other parts of the body.

Whole plant: Used for asthma. Juice used as a tonic; in medicines for coughs, headaches, hepatitis, and inflammation of joint; in a poultice for skin disorders and sores; and as a black hair dye. Mixed with honey, the juice is given to children for coughs and colds.

Leaf: Powder used to treat headaches, frontal baldness, boils and cysts, and venereal diseases. They are boiled with jaggery added to water, are reduced to one-third of the starting volume and taken to regulate menstrual periods. A mix­ture of the pulverized leaves and juice from Vitex trifolia is used to promote burn healing, prevent new scar tissue formation, and eliminate old scar tissue; mixed with milk they are consumed daily to improve vision and, it is said, to allow mute people to gain their voices, cause deaf people to hear, and stabilize shaky teeth; mixed with mother’s milk, they are given for intestinal worms, diarrhea, smallpox, chickenpox, and measles. A mixture of leaves with pulverized black sesame seeds is taken as a tonic to protect against diseases, promote longevity, and darken hair. Leaves crushed together with those from Acalypha indica and Gardenia resinifera are applied to the head to relieve congestion in children.
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Origen
“Cariri Paraibano”, Brazil
Medicinal indication
As anti-asthmatic:  Leaves
External ulcers: Inflorescences

1) Robertt, A., et al.. Medicinal Plants of the Guianas (Guyana, Suriname, French Guyana)/Smithsonian NMNH. cited online: 17-08-2017.

2) Gupta, Mahabir P.; Santana, Ana Isabel; Espinosa, Alex/ Plantas medicinales de Panamá. sd: sd. - p. sd.

3) DeFilipps, Robert A.; Krupnick, Gary A. / PhytoKeys, v. 102. - - p. 1 - 314,  2018.

4) M.F. Agra; et al/ Medicinal and poisonous diversity of the flora of “Cariri Paraibano”, Brazil/ Journal of Ethnopharmacology 111 (2007), p. 387.