Range. Tropical Asia. Naturalized and cultivated throughout tropical and sub-tropical regions of Pakistan, India, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. Found growing naturally throughout Myanmar in damp forests and on hills.

Uses
Whole plant: Hot, spicy, bitter, and astringent in taste, the five parts (root, stem, leaf, flower and fruit) are known for promoting strength and longevity, “calming the blood”, stimulating appetite, promoting digestion, and controlling fevers, sores, and urinary disorders. A decoction reduced to one-third the starting volume is taken to neu­tralize poisons. The plant can be mixed and boiled together with myin-hkwar (Centella asiatica) leaves to alleviate heart palpitations and anxiety. Thin slices of the plant are eaten frequently to stop vomiting of blood; a decoction can be reduced to one-fourth its starting volume is used to ease chronic joint inflammation; plant also used in making medicines to treat gas and bile problems, urinary tract infections, menstrual disorders, earaches, and phlegm imbalances.

Stem, Leaf: Used as stomachic and cholagogue.

Leaf: Juice from crushed leaves is slightly warmed and used as an ear wash to alleviate earaches. A mixture of the leaves with equal parts of lauk thay (Desmodium triquetrum), ohn hnwai (Aerva javanica), thinbaw maizali (Senna alata), and kone hti-kayone (Mimosa pudica) leaves is made into a tea to promote longevity and prevent illnesses.

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Origin

Tropical India and the Andamans.

Action:

Herb—antipyretic, antiperiodic, anti-inflammatory, antirheumatic, spasmolytic, hypoglycaemic, hepatoprotective. Water extract increases urine output.

Stem juice—prescribed in high fever; decoction in rheumatic and bilious fevers.

Aqueous extract of the plant—fabrifuge.

Starch—antacid, antidiarrhoeal and antidysenteric.

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

2) Khare, C.P./ Indian Medicinal Plants. -- Nueva Dheli: Springer, 2007 . - p 663.