Heliotropium indicum
Indian turnsole
Heliotropium indicum, commonly known as Indian Heliotrope, is a versatile medicinal herb widely used in traditional Ayurvedic and folk medicine. Characterized by its small white flowers, this plant possesses significant therapeutic properties, including anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and wound-healing effects, making it a vital resource in natural healing practices worldwide.
- Scientific name: Heliotropium indicum
- Family: Boraginaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Boraginales and the family Boraginaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Heliotropium.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Boraginales | WCVP |
| Family | Boraginaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Heliotropium | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Heliotropium indicum, is referred to by various regional names across different languages and cultures. In mainland China, it is commonly called 大尾摇 (zh-hans), while in Taiwan (zh-hant) and Hong Kong (zh-hk), it is known as 大尾搖. In the Pampangan language, the plant is called Uladulad (pam), and in Vietnam, it is frequently referred to as Vòi voi (vi).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 大尾摇 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 大尾搖 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 大尾搖 | Wikidata |
| pam | Uladulad | Wikidata |
| vi | Vòi voi | Wikidata |
| ar | رقيب الشمس الهندي | Wikidata |
| ml | തേൾക്കട | Wikidata |
| te | నాగదంతి | Wikidata |
| th | หญ้างวงช้าง | Wikidata |
| zh | 大尾摇 | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a specific presence within the region of West Tropical Africa. Its documented range includes the country of Benin, where it can be found growing in native habitats. Furthermore, the species is distributed across Burkina and the Gambia. It also extends its geographical reach into Ghana. Finally, the distribution of this medicinal plant includes the nation of Guinea-Bissau.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West Tropical Africa | Benin | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Burkina | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Gambia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ghana | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea-Bissau | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Guinea | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Ivory Coast | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Liberia | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Mali | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Nigeria | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, known for its various therapeutic applications, utilizes different anatomical structures for its medicinal properties. The leaves are a primary component often used in traditional remedies, typically characterized by their shape and texture. Additionally, the stem bark serves as another important part of the plant, containing specific bioactive compounds that are extracted for medicinal purposes.- Total parts
- 2
- Scientific sources
- 3
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaves | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stem bark | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Heliotropium indicum has 9 reported phytochemicals identified across 9 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 1-formylpyrrolizidine, DPPH, Indicine-N-oxide, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids.
- Total chemicals
- 9
- Scientific sources
- 9
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| 1-formylpyrrolizidine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| DPPH | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Indicine-N-oxide | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cardiac glycosides | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| flavonoids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| homospermidine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| indicine | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| polyphenols | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tannins | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Heliotropium indicum has 3 reported activities identified across 4 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Cytotoxic, Antioxidant, Antitumor.
- Total activities
- 3
- Scientific sources
- 4
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Cytotoxic | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antioxidant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antitumor | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Heliotropium indicum has 12 reported medicinal uses identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include diarrhea, bacterial infections, fever, gastric ulcers, inflammation.
- Total uses
- 12
- Scientific sources
- 13
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| diarrhea | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| bacterial infections | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fever | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| gastric ulcers | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| inflammation | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| insect bites | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| lung cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| obesity | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| stings | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tumor | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |