PARTE UTILIZADA= Used part: Hojas, raíz.

ACCIÓN FARMACOLÓGICA= Pharmacological action: Purgante, emético, contra la otitis, etc.

ZONA GEOGRÁFICA= Geografical zone: América tropical. 

DIVERSIDAD GENÉTICA Y MEJORAMIENTO DE PLANTAS MEDICINALES= Medicinal plants and improvement of medicinal herbs:

A modest ethylene climacteric accompanies flower senescence in Mirabilis jalapa L., and exogenous ethylene accelerates the process. However, inhibitors of ethylene action and synthesis have little effect on the life-span of these ephemeral flowers. Treatment with α-amanitin, an inhibitor of DNA-dependent RNA synthesis, substantially delays the onset of senescence. This effect falls linearly between 7 h and 8 h after the start of flower opening. Subtractive hybridization was used to isolate transcripts that were up- and down-regulated during this critical period. Eighty-two up-regulated and 65 down-regulated transcripts were isolated. The genes identified encode homologues of a range of transcription factors, and of proteins involved in protein turnover and degradation. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR was used to examine expression patterns of these genes during flower opening and senescence. Genes that were identified as being down-regulated during senescence showed a common pattern of very high expression during floral opening. These genes included a homologue of CCA1, a 'clock' gene identified in Arabidopsis thaliana and an aspartyl protease. Up-regulated genes commonly showed a pattern of increase during the critical period (4-9 h after opening), and some showed very strong up-regulation. For example, the abundance of transcripts encoding a RING zinc finger protein increased >40 000 fold during the critical period. © The Author [2007]. Published by Oxford University Press [on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology]. All rights reserved.

The plant is very ornamental and planted in gardens. The flowers open in the afternoon, therefore the common name Buenas tardes. The root is thick and tuberous and has purgative effects. With 1-2 spoonful of the crushed root and half a bottle boiling water the purgative is prepared. Roots are also used for oedema. Ear ache is cured with the squeezed flowers (slime). Powdered seeds are sometimes used as a cosmetic. A crimson dye is obtained from flowers steeped in water to color jellies or cakes.

Herb 90 cm, pathside, San Andrés.

Uses: boil leaves in water with leaves of other species, bathe for aches; chop leaves with leaves of other species, mix with Agua Florida, Vicks VapoRub, oil, alcohol, apply as poultice for aire; tear leaves with leaves of other species, add Agua Florida, olive oil. Heat, rub into body for aches. Comerford 50, 16 Aug 1994.

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Uses: blood depurative, expectorant, pneumonia.                                                 

Origin: Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Gabon, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, India, Madagascar, Mexico, Panama, Peru, South Africa, Suriname, Unites States, Venezuela.     

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Root: For a drastic purgative and depurative. Used against hydropsy and gout.

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Origin: Native to tropical America, introduced in China and in many tropical
areas.

Pharmacological Activities: Antibacterial, Antifungal, Antineoplastic
Toxicity: Abortifacient

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Summary
Mirabilis jalapa (Nyctaginaceae) is an American plant traditionally used as a purgative and emetic agent. Popularly known as clavilla, at present these medicinal uses have been left behind, mostly due to the existence of safer natural products. Interesting antiviral proteins to the field of crop protection have been isolated from the roots and seeds, while some extracts have shown antimycotic activity that could be of therapeutic interest in the future. Recent studies also suggest that the extracts could be effective as an anti-inflammatory and analgesic agent.
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Range. Tropical America. Cultivated in Myanmar.

Uses
Whole plant: A decoction of the five parts mixed with sugar and reduced to one-third the starting volume given for urinary infections and bladder stones.

Leaf: Known for promoting virility, leaves are also used to treat bumps and sores. The juice is applied to rashes to relieve itching. Leaves crushed with cold water are used as a poultice for broken and fractured bones, dislocations, and knotted muscles.

Root: The tuber is used in medicines for impotence. Powdered tuber, dried ginger, pepper, and peik-chin (Piper longum) fruit are mixed with honey and licked for gonorrhea.
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Origin

North-West Himalayas, Bengal and Manipur.

Action:

Leaf—used for treating uterine discharge; as poultice for abscesses and boils; fresh juice is applied to body in urticaria, also for in?ammations and bruises.

Tuber— used as a poultice on carbuncles.

Root—mild purgative, spasmolytic.

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Origin

Jamaica

Folk medicinal uses

This species probably finds little use in Jamaican home remedies but is used in baths for fever and colds. The root is said to have purgative properties: it contains carbohydrate and trigonellin. It was employed in earlier times in Jamaica as a laxative and is said to be so used in Cuba. In Antigua and India the leaves are said to be used as an application to ulcers and sores. The juice of the flowers is used in Cuba to treat freckles and herpes while the root is thought anthelmintic and useful in cases of dysentery and melancholia.

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Origin
Mizoram, Northeast India
Parts used
Seed: Skin lotion
Leaf: Boils

1) ALONSO, Jorge ; DESMARCHELIER, Cristian. Plantas medicinales autóctonas de la Argentina : bases científicas para su aplicación en atención primaria de la salud. Buenos Aires : L.O.L.A, 2005, pp.219-224.

2) XU, X., et al. Genes associated with opening and senescence of Mirabilis jalapa flowers. Journal of Experimental Botany. 2007, vol.58, nº8, p.2193-2201.

3) South American medicinal plants : botany, remedial properties, and general use / I. Roth, H. Lindorf. Berlin ; New York : Springer, c2002. -- p. 492.

4) Geraldini , Isanete, Journal of Ethnopharmacology v. 173, 2015 . -- p. 383-423

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

6) A guide to medicinal plants / Hwee Ling, Koh; Tung Kian, Chua; Chay Hoon, Tan. Singapore:  World vScientific Public Co. Pte. Ltd., 2009. p 289 p.

7) Plantas medicinales autóctonas de la Argentina. Bases científicas para su aplicación en atención primaria de la salud / Jorge Alonso y Cristian Jorge Desmarchelier. - 1a ed. - Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires: Corpus Libros Médicos y Científicos, 2015.

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

9) Khare, C.P./ Indian Medicinal Plants. -- Nueva Dheli: Springer, 2007 . - p  420.

10) Asprey, G.F; Phylis Thornton/ Medicinal plants of Jamaica. Parts III & IV. – p. 64.

11) Birla Kshetrimayum/ Medicinal Plants and Its Therapeutic Uses/ USA: OMICS Group eBooks, 2017. p. 29