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Heliotropium indicum
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Boraginales
Family:	Boraginaceae
Genus:	Heliotropium
Species:	H. indicum
Binomial name
	Heliotropium indicum; L.
Synonyms
	Heliophytum indicum ; Heliotropium parviflorum ; Tiaridium indicum

Heliotropium indicum, commonly known as Indian heliotrope, Indian turnsole is an annual, hirsute plant that is a common weed in waste places and settled areas. It is native to Asia. It is widely used in native medicine in Tamil Nadu, India.

It grows wildly on roadsides and has a curved arrangement of small flowers and velvety broad green leaves

Description

Indian heliotrope is an annual, erect, branched plant that can grow to a height of about 15–50 cm (5.9–19.7 in). It has a hairy stem, bearing alternating ovate to oblong-ovate leaves. It has small white or purple flowers with a green calyx; five stamens borne on a corolla tube; a terminal style; and a four-lobed ovary.^[1]^[2]

Distribution

The plant is native to Asia. A common weed in waste places and settled areas.^[1]

Traditional medicine

In the Philippines, the plant is chiefly used as a traditional medicine. The extracted juice from the pounded leaves of the plants is used on wounds, skin ulcers and furuncles.^{[citation needed]} The juice is also used as an eye drop for conjunctivitis.^{[citation needed]} The pounded leaves are used as poultice.^[3]

Toxicity

Heliotropium indicum contains tumorigenic pyrrolizidine alkaloids.^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b "Trompang elepante". Philippine Medicinal Plants oten.
^ "Heliotropium indicum L." USDA Plants Database.
^ Onaylos, Irma Noel. Plants That You Know But Really Don't: Home Remedies from 110 Philippine Medicinal Plants. Cebu City: Our Press, Inc. p. 40.
^ Fu, P.P., Yang, Y.C., Xia, Q., Chou, M.C., Cui, Y.Y., Lin G., "Pyrrolizidine alkaloids-tumorigenic components in Chinese herbal medicina and dietary supplements", Journal of Food and Drug Analysis, Vol. 10, No. 4, 2002, pp. 198-211 [1]^{[permanent dead link‍]}

External links

Media related to Heliotropium indicum at Wikimedia Commons

Heliotropium indicum in West African plants – A Photo Guide.

[Stuart-1] "Trompang elepante". Philippine Medicinal Plants oten.

[USDA-2] "Heliotropium indicum L." USDA Plants Database.

[Plants-3] Onaylos, Irma Noel. Plants That You Know But Really Don't: Home Remedies from 110 Philippine Medicinal Plants. Cebu City: Our Press, Inc. p. 40.

[Fu1-4] Fu, P.P., Yang, Y.C., Xia, Q., Chou, M.C., Cui, Y.Y., Lin G., "Pyrrolizidine alkaloids-tumorigenic components in Chinese herbal medicina and dietary supplements", Journal of Food and Drug Analysis, Vol. 10, No. 4, 2002, pp. 198-211 [1]^{[permanent dead link‍]}

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