Hedyotis Corymbosa Benefits, Information And Common Name

Asians have known the Hedyotis Corymbosa benefits (Starviolet) since thousands of years ago. Benefits of this herbal plant is considered super in Asia to this day. There are at least 115 Hedyotis species, so we need to know what types can be use for herbs. Species commonly used for herbs include Hedyotis Biflora, Hedyotis Corymbosa and Hedyotis Diffusa. These three plants grow and flourish in Asia and to the Pacific islands of the northwest.

Starviolet is a species of Hedyostis Corymbosa, wild grass from the Rubiaceae Family. Usually this grass thrives in moist soil, you can also find in the wet garden or yard. Hedyostis Corymbosa plants also found on roadside and ditch.

Hedyotis Corymbosa Benefits

According to the medical and traditional sciences about the Hedyotis Corymbosa benefits, at least more than 20 species of Hedyotis have been use for the treatment of diseases. Currently the most popular used in herbal medicine is Hedyotis Diffusa and Hedyotis Corymbosa. 

Both types of this plant have long been use in some Chinese medicine, such as Bai hua she she cao, Peh hue juwa chi cao, and Feibao syrup. Chinese society has known Hedyotis Corymbosa as a potent herb to combat cancer, infections and other diseases.

According to scientists, Hedyotis Biflora species is an annual herbaceous plant commonly use to treat body aches in fever and malaria. This plant belongs to the Cyclotide superfamily, a natural defensive compound capable of killing bacteria. Including bacteria E.Coli, S. Salivarius, S.Aureus, P.Aeruginosa, B.Cereus, and B.Megaterium bacteria. The ability of Cyclotides tends to take antimicrobial action, thus causing bacterial cell death.

The history of the name Hedyotis given by Linnaeus in 1753 on Species Plantarum. This generic name is derived from two Greek words that refer to the leaves of sweet-looking and ear-shaped of some wild plant species. Hedyotes were once defined by several authors, but are now restrict and belong to the monophyletic group associated to Agathisanthemum. Before using plants for herbs, here are the characteristics of Corymbosa Hedyotis that used for treatment:

1. Hedyotis Corymbosa grows leafy scattered, and the plant is not sturdy.
2. Plant height between 15 to 50 cm, thrives on moist soil on the side of the road, the edge of the ditch, and has many branches.
3. The characteristics of faceted plant stems, the leaves facing each other and crossed, while the short leaf strap or almost sitting.
4. The length of plant leaves between 2 to 5 cm, pointed leaf tip, there is one leaf bone in the middle and the tip of the leaf has a short hair.
5. The floral features of the plant leads outward from the leaf's armpit, its shape is like a white umbrella. Consists of compound flowers of 2 to 5 florets, stem flowers such as hard wire and a length of 5 to 10 mm. And the tip of the fruit looked cracked.

More than 50 new compounds have found from different types of Hedyotis since 1933. All these compounds have very different structures, including Alkaloids, Antrakuinon, Flavonoids, Iridoid, Triterpenoids, Sterols, and Lignans. The compound is an important value in the processing of herbs to get maximum Hedyotis Corymbosa benefits.

Reference

• Mabberley's Plant-Book third edition, by David J.Mabberley, 2008
• Optimal Oxidative Folding of the Novel Antimicrobial Cyclotide from Hedyotis biflora Requires High Alcohol Concentrations. Wong CTT, Taichi M, Nishio H, Nishiuchi Y, Tam JP. Biochemistry (Mosc) 2011, 50(33):7275-7283.
• Rumput Mutiara (Hedyotis corymbosa), publish by CCRC-UGM Farmasi.
• Hedyotis Corymbosa, image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.