Mirabilis jalapa Linn.
Family _ Nyctaginaceae.
Habitat _ North-West Himalayas,
Bengal and Manipur.
English _ Four-O’Clock Plant,
Marvel of Peru.
Ayurvedic _ Trisandhi.
Unani _ Gul-abbaas.
Siddha/Tamil _ Andhimalligai.
Action _ Leaf—used for treating
uterine discharge; as poultice for
abscesses and boils; fresh juice is
applied to body in urticaria, also for
inflammations and bruises. Tuber—
used as a poultice on carbuncles.
Root—mild purgative, spasmolytic.
The tuberous rootswere erroneously
thought to be the source of jalap.
The plant is used for its antitumour
and virus-inhibitory activity.
The plant contains triterpenes, alpha-
amyrin and its acetate. Mirabilis
Antiviral Protein (MAP) was isolated
from the tuberous roots. MAP also
showed antiproliferative effect on
tumour cells. (MAP is abortifacient.)
TwoMirabilis jalapa antimicrobial proteins,
seeds, showed broad spectrum
antifungal actvity involving
a number of pathogenic fungi.
Miraxanthins I, II, III and IV, indicaxanthin
and vulgaxanthin have been
isolated from flowers.
