Know the herbs

Scientific name

Clinacanthus nutans

Family

Acanthaceae

Local name

Belalai gajah, sabah snake grass, ezuihua (Chinese)

Description

Clinacanthus nutans can grow up to 1–3 m high with pubescent branches. The stem is cylindrical, striate and glabrescent. It has opposite leaves, narrowly elliptic oblong or lanceolate, measuring 2.5–13 cm long and 0.5–4 cm wide. The leaf blades are lanceolate-ovate, while the flowers are erect andin dense cymes at the top of the branches. Capsule of this plant is oblong, basally contracted into a short, solid stalk and 4-seeded (Medicinal Herbs & Plant Database 2010–2015).

Usage

Clinacanthus nutans is traditionally used for dysentery by Javanese (Burkil 1935). In Thailand, this plant is traditionally used as an anti-inflammatory drug for the treatment of wounds, disinfection, skin rashes, allergic responses and cancer (Santi et al. 2006).

Malaysia Herbal Monograph (source: Globinmed)