Hydrocotyle
Botanical: Hydrocotyle Asiatica (LINN.)
Family: N.O. Umbelliferae
---Synonyms---Indian Pennywort. Marsh Penny. White Rot. Thick-leaved Pennywort.
---Part Used---Leaves.
---Habitat---Asia and Africa.
---Description---A small umbelliferous plant growing in Southern Africa and India, indigenous to the Southern United States. The special characteristics of the leaflets are petiolate, reniform, crenate, seven nerved and nearly glabrous. ---Constituents---An oily volatile liquid called vellarin (which has a strong smell reminiscent of the plant, and a bitter, pungent, persistent taste) and tannic acid.
---Medicinal Action and Uses---A valuable medicine for its diuretic properties; has long been used in India as an aperient or alterative tonic, useful in fever and bowel complaints and a noted remedy for leprosy, rheumatism and ichthyosis; employed as a poultice for syphilitic ulcers. In small doses it acts as a stimulant, in large doses as a narcotic, causing stupor and headache and with some people vertigo and coma.
---Other Species---
The native species is not unlike the Indian variety, but there is a slight difference in the leaves.
European hydrocotyle vulgaris (syn. Common Pennywort). Leaves orbicular and peltate. The plant appears to have no noxious qualities; it grows freely in boggy places on the edges of lakes and rivers.
The plant has come into disfavour because it is said to cause footrot in sheep.
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