Phyllanthus amarus

Names and Synonyms

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Diasperus nanus
• Phyllanthus niruri var. scabrellus
• Phyllanthus swartzii
• Moeroris amara
• Phyllanthus amarus subsp. sanyaensis
• Phyllanthus niruri var. amarus
• Phyllanthus scabrellus

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified within the phylum Streptophyta and the class Equisetopsida. Following the subclass Magnoliidae, it is organized under the order Malpighiales and the family Phyllanthaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is completed by its placement in the genus Phyllanthus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Phyllanthus amarus, exhibits a specific presence across several regions within West Tropical Africa. In the coastal and inland areas of Benin, it can be found growing naturally. The species is also documented throughout the territories of Burkina and Gambia. Furthermore, its distribution extends into the nation of Ghana. Finally, this medicinal plant is also known to inhabit the landscape of Guinea-Bissau.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Phyllanthus amarus is characterized by a broad environmental adaptability, allowing it to thrive across a diverse range of elevations starting from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum of 1600 m AMSL. This species demonstrates significant ecological plasticity, inhabiting various landscape types including anthropogenic areas (Área Antrópica), floodplain meadows (Campo de Várzea), and open fields (Campo Limpo). Furthermore, it is integrated into complex natural ecosystems such as the Cerrado (latu sensu) and moist tropical forests (Floresta Ombrófila/Floresta Pluvial), indicating its ability to persist in both disturbed human-influenced environments and stable, high-moisture forest habitats.

Elevational range max:

1600 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica, Campo de Várzea, Campo Limpo, Cerrado (lato sensu), Floresta Ombrófila (= Floresta Pluvial)

Life history

The life history of Phyllanthus amarus is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning it completes its entire developmental process from germination to seed production within a single growing season. As a therophyte, the plant follows a strategy where the majority of its life is spent in a dormant seed stage, with the vegetative body existing only during the favorable growing period before dying off at the end of the cycle. This life form allows the species to exploit ephemeral environments and seasonal moisture availability effectively, ensuring survival through the production of resilient seeds that persist until the next optimal climatic window.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Phyllanthus amarus is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb. It functions as a self-supporting, independent organism, neither acting as a climber nor as a parasite, and it is strictly a terrestrial plant rather than an aquatic or epiphytic species. The plant exhibits an erect shoot orientation and typically grows to a height ranging from a minimum of 0.1 m to a maximum of 1.7 m, with an average plant height of approximately 0.4 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1.7 m

Plant height mean:

0.4 m

Plant height min:

0.1 m

Shoot orientation :

erect

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Phyllanthus amarus is characterized by specific morphological dimensions and metabolic traits that define its growth patterns. The leaves exhibit a distinct size range, with lengths varying from a minimum of 0.3 cm to a maximum of 1.2 cm, while their widths range between a minimum of 0.2 cm and a maximum of 0.5 cm. In terms of water storage and tissue structure, the plant does not exhibit succulence, maintaining standard non-succulent leaf and stem tissues. Furthermore, its metabolic nitrogen cycle is characterized by the absence of nitrogen-fixing capabilities, as it does not possess the symbiotic mechanisms required to function as a nitrogen fixer.

Leaf length max:

1.2 cm

Leaf length min:

0.3 cm

Leaf width max:

0.5 cm

Leaf width min:

0.2 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Phyllanthus amarus is characterized by the production of small, green flowers that reach a maximum width of only 0.02 cm. Following pollination, the plant develops fruit in the form of capsules, which are dehiscent in nature. These capsules are quite minute, measuring between 0.15 cm and 0.23 cm in width and up to 0.15 cm in length. The seeds contained within these fruits are equally tiny, with lengths ranging from 0.9 mm to 1 mm and widths between 0.7 mm and 0.8 mm. The fruiting cycle is highly flexible, with the fruiting period starting in March and potentially occurring throughout various months of the year, including January, February, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December. Dispersal of the seeds is primarily zoochorous, meaning the plant relies on animals to facilitate the movement of its offspring.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

zoochorous

Flower colour :

green

Flower width max:

0.02 cm

Fruit length max:

0.15 cm

Fruit type :

capsule

Fruit width max:

0.23 cm

Fruit width min:

0.15 cm

Fruiting time :

Mar

Seed length max:

1 mm

Seed length min:

0.9 mm

Seed width max:

0.8 mm

Seed width min:

0.7 mm

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Phyllanthus amarus has 4 reported plant parts identified across 21 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, root, stem, flower.

Leaf

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine
2. 3 Biotech
3. Journal of basic and clinical physiology and pharmacology
4. Journal of Asian natural products research
5. Heliyon

Root

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine
2. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet thangphaet
3. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
4. Journal of environmental biology
5. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Stem

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine
2. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association

Flower

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine

Chemicals

Phyllanthus amarus has 85 reported phytochemicals identified across 21 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Phyllanthin, Hypophyllanthin, Flavonoids, Corilagin, Geraniin.

Phyllanthin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. In vitro cellular & developmental biology. Animal
4. Microbial pathogenesis
5. Phytochemical analysis : PCA

Hypophyllanthin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. In vitro cellular & developmental biology. Animal
4. Phytochemical analysis : PCA
5. Scientific reports

Flavonoids

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine
2. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS
3. PloS one
4. Journal of basic and clinical physiology and pharmacology
5. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)

Corilagin

1. Dr. Duke
2. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Redox report : communications in free radical research
4. Drug design, development and therapy
5. Antiviral research

Geraniin

1. Dr. Duke
2. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
3. Redox report : communications in free radical research
4. Drug design, development and therapy
5. Antiviral research

Phenols

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine
2. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS
3. Journal of basic and clinical physiology and pharmacology
4. Biotechnologia

CR

1. Applied radiation and isotopes : including data, instrumentation and methods for use in agriculture, industry and medicine
2. Biological trace element research
3. Food chemistry

Gallic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
3. Drug design, development and therapy

Glycosides

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine
2. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS
3. Biotechnologia

Saponins

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine
2. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Biotechnologia

Activities

Phyllanthus amarus has 148 reported activities identified across 21 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Hepatoprotective, Antidiabetic, Diuretic, Antibacterial.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. 3 Biotech
3. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)
4. Chemistry & biodiversity
5. Journal of clinical biochemistry and nutrition

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
3. Scientific reports
4. Biological trace element research
5. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chemistry & biodiversity
3. Biotechnologia
4. Journal of clinical biochemistry and nutrition
5. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Diuretic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Biological trace element research
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. The Nucleus : an international journal of cytology and allied topics
5. Indian journal of experimental biology

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. 3 Biotech
3. Journal of toxicology
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology
4. The Nucleus : an international journal of cytology and allied topics

Antimalarial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. The Nucleus : an international journal of cytology and allied topics

Antinociceptive

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of basic and clinical physiology and pharmacology
3. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antiviral

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. The Nucleus : an international journal of cytology and allied topics

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Journal of basic and clinical physiology and pharmacology

Conditions

Phyllanthus amarus has 68 reported investigations on conditions identified across 21 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include Plasmodium falciparum, hepatitis B virus, malaria, hepatitis, Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Plasmodium falciparum

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR
3. Tropical parasitology
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Hepatitis b virus

1. Lancet (London, England)
2. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet thangphaet
3. Indian journal of pathology & microbiology
4. European journal of clinical investigation

Malaria

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical medicine
2. Tropical parasitology
3. TheScientificWorldJournal
4. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Hepatitis

1. Pharmacognosy magazine
2. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)
3. Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets

Klebsiella pneumoniae

1. 3 Biotech
2. Ancient science of life

Chronic hepatitis b

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
2. The Journal of laboratory and clinical medicine

Diabetes mellitus

1. Journal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences
2. Indian journal of experimental biology

Hypertension

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. La Clinica terapeutica

Jaundice

1. Journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Liver diseases

1. Journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
2. Phytotherapy research : PTR

Preparations

Phyllanthus amarus has 45 reported preparations identified across 21 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include aqueous extract, aqueous extracts, ethanolic extract, ethanolic extracts, hexane extract.

Aqueous extract

1. BMC complementary and alternative medicine
2. Journal of medical virology
3. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
4. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica
5. Antiviral research

Aqueous extracts

1. Tropical parasitology
2. Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association
3. Journal of medical virology
4. Antiviral research

Ethanolic extract

1. Tropical parasitology
2. Journal of toxicology
3. Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology

Ethanolic extracts

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical biomedicine
2. Journal of ethnopharmacology
3. Planta medica

Hexane extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Indian journal of pharmacology

Methanol extract

1. Asian Pacific journal of tropical medicine
2. Medicines (Basel, Switzerland)

Aquous extract

1. Indian journal of pathology & microbiology

Ethanolic root extract

1. Journal of environmental biology

P. amarus extract

1. Xenobiotica; the fate of foreign compounds in biological systems

Tea

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology