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Family Euphorbiaceae
Gatas-gatas
Tawa-tawa
Euphorbia hirta Linn.
ASTHMA WEED, SNAKE WEED
Fei-yang ts'ao


Boto-botonesan or phonetic variations are shared by three plants of different species: (1) Mutha (Cyperus rotundus) Boto-botones (2) Gatas-gatas (Euphorbia hirta) botobotonis, botbotonis, botonis (3) Botoncillo (Gomphrena globosa) botbotonis, botones-botonesan.
Tawa-tawa is a shared common name of (1) Euphorbia hirta, gatas-gatas (2) Grammatophyllum scriptum, tawa-tawa, and (3) Ricinus communis, tañgan-tañgan, tawa-tawa



Other scientific names Common names  
E. capitata Australian asthma weed (Engl.) Pansi-pansi (Bik.)
E. pilulifera Bambanilag (If.) Patik-patik (Sul.)
E. hirta L. var. typica L.C. Wheel Cat's hair (Engl.) Piliak (Sub.)
  Bobi (Bis.) Saikan (Tag.)
  Bolobotonis (Pamp.) Sisiohan (Pamp.)
  Botobotonis (Tag.) Snake weed (Engl.)
  Botonis (Ilk.) Soro-soro (Bik.)
  Bugayau (S.L. Bis.) Tababa (Bis.)
  Butobutonisan (Tag.) Tairas (Iv.)
  Golandrina (Tag.) Tawa-tawa (TaG.)
  Magatas (Pamp.) Tauataua (P. Bis.)
  Malis-malis (Pamp.) Teta (Bon.) 
  Maragtas, marangatas (Ilk.)  

Chinese names
Fei-yang ts'ao, Ta fei-yang, ta nai-chiang ts'ao, ju-chih ts'ao (milk herb), ta-ti chin, ta ju-chih ts'ao (giant milk herb).

Botany
Gatas-gatas is a slender-stemmed, annual hairy plant with many branches from the base to the top, spreading up to 40 cms tall, reddish or purplish in color. Leaves are opposite, elliptic-oblong to oblong-lanceolate, distichoous, 1 to 2.5 cms long, blotched with purple in the middle, toothed at the edge. Involucres are numerous, purplish to greenish in color, dense, axillary, short-stalked clusters or crowded cymes, about 1 mm in length. Capsules are broadly ovoid, hairy, three-angled, about 1.5 cms.

Distribution
Abundant throughout the Philippines, in waste places and open grasslands.
Pantropic.

Constituents and properties
- Studies have isolated gallic acid, quercetin, triacontane, cetyl alcohol, phytosterin, phytosterolin; jambulol, melissic, palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acid.
- Phytochemicals screenings have yielded alkaloids, essential oil, phenols, sterol, flavones and fatty acids.
- Flavonoids: euphorbianin, leucocyanidol, camphol, quercitrin and quercitrol.

Properties
Considered anti-asthmatic, antidote, anti-spasmodic, anthelmintic, antidysenteric, diuretic, expectorant, pectoral, hemostatic, sedative, soporific.

Parts used and preparation
Entire plant.

Uses
Folkloric
Called gatas-gatas because of the healing property of the milky juice.
Juice used for colics.
Juice used as ophthalmic drops for conjunctivitis or ulceration of the cornea.
Infusion or tea of the plant, 4 glasses daily, for bronchits and labored breathing, asthma, chronic dysentery.
Used for boils and wounds.
Decoction of dry plant used for skin disease.
Decoction of fresh plant used as gargle for the treatment of thrusth.
Decoction of the root used to allay vomiting, chronic diarrheas, and fevers.
Root decoction also beneficial for nursing mothers deficient in milk: 4-5 glasses of tea.
The same root decoction as an enema for constipation.
Root used for snake bites.
Used in sores, wounds, boils. As ear drop for pustular swellings in the ear.
Leaves are mixed with Datura metel leaves and flowers to make the "asthma-cigarette."
Latex also prescribed for asthma.
Superficial bleeding: Crush leaves and apply on affected paret, as local hemostatic.
In Brazil, decoction used for gonorrhea and asthma.
In Africa and Australia, used to treat hypertension and edema.
In India, used for treatment of syphilis; sap applied to warts.
Plant decoction: 25 gms of the whole plant to a pint of boiling water; boil for 3-4 minutes; drink 3-5 glasses a day. Externally as needed.
In traditional Indian medicinal systems, leaves used in the treatment of coryza, cough, asthma, bronchial infections, bowel complaints, helminthic infestations, wounds, kidney stones and abscesses.
Santals use the root to allay vomiting; also, used by nursing mothers with deficient milk supply.
In the Gold Coast, ground and mixed with water and used as an enema for constipation.
In La Reunion, used as astringent in chronic diarrheas and dysentery.
Roots used for intermittent fevers.
Recent interests from the folk medicine grapevine
Dengue
• A flurry of queries and web blogs, gatas-gatas has found new interest for gatas-gatas (tawa-tawa) for its use in dengue, with increasing anecdotal reports of "cures."
• Decoction preparation: Cut roots off 5 to 6 gatas-gatas plants. Rinse. Put the tawa-tawa into a pot of boiling water for one minute. Cool. Drink the decoction, 1 to 1 1/2 glasses, every hour for 24 hours. (Also see: Papaya)

Studies
Anti-Diabetic / Lipid Effect:
Study of ethanolic extracts of leaf, flower and stem on streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice showed significant reduction in blood glucose levels. Biochem effects showed significant decreases in serum cholesterol with elevation of HDL. Results showed EH has antidiabetic action and suggests further study for isolation of responsible compound.
Antibacterial: (1) Antibacterial Activities And Toxicological Potentials Of Crude Ethanolic Extracts Of Euphorbia hirta: The study showed the ethanolic extract to inhibit the growth of test isolates except Salmonella typhi.
The antibacterial effect was attributed to the presence of alkaloids, tannins and flavonoids which have been shown to have antibacterial properties. The results support its use in traditional medicine. (2) Study on the antibacterial effect of compounds extracted from C sinensis and the methanol extract of E hirta against dysentery causing Shigella spp showed the extracts to be non-cytotoxic and effective antibacterial agents.
Diuretic: Euphorbia hirta leaf extracts increase urine output and electrolytes in rats: Studty suggests that the active components in the water extract of E. hirta leaf had similar diuretic effect as that of acetazolamide. The results validate its traditional use as a diuretic by the Swahilis and Sukumas.
Anti-Allergic: Inhibition of early and late phase allergic reactions by Euphorbia hirta L: Study demonstrated that E. hirta possessed significant activity to prevent early and late phase allergic reactions.
Anthelmintic: Anthelmintic efficacy of the aqueous crude extract of Euphorbia hirta Linn in Nigerian dogs: Extract of E. hirta Study reduced the fecal egg count of the helminths and suggests a potential as an anthelmintic agent.
Antihypertensive / ACE Inhibition: Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibiting and anti-dipsogenic activities of Euphorbia hirta extracts: Study showed the extract from leaves and stems inhibited the activity of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE).
Anxiolytic: Euphorbia hirta showed an activity profile different from that of benzodiazepines. Study showed a central depressant and sedating effect with no hypnotic or neuroleptic effects.
Antidiarrheal: Study investigated the antidiarrhoeic activity of Euphorbia hirta extract. An active flavonoid constituent, quercitin, was isolated; it show anti-diarrheic activity
Antibacterial / Antifungal: The ethanol extract was analyzed for antimicrobila activitity against S aureus, B cereus, S typhi, K pneumonia, P aeruginosa and fungus species A niger, A fumigatus, A flavus and R oryzae. Study of leaves isolated tannins, flavonoids, alklaloids, glycosides, proteins, sterols and saponins. Antimicrobial activity was attributed to one of these constituents. Leaves collected from August to December showed more significant antimicrobial activity.
Galactogenic: E hirta study in female guinea pigs increased the development of mammary glands and induced secretion.
Antifertility: E hirta has been shown to decrease sperm motility, density of cauda epididymal and testis sperm suspension with 100% infertility.
Anti-Malarial / Flavonol Glycosides: Study of aerial parts isolated flavonol glycosides afzelin, quercitin and myricitrin. The three compounds showed inhibition of proliferation of Plasmodium falcifarum.
Anti-Inflammatory: n-hexane extract of aerial parts and its main triterpene constituents showed significant and dose-dependent anti-inflammatory activity.

Anticancer / Antiproliferative: (1) Studies of extracts of E hirta have shown selective cytotoxicity against several cancer line. (2) Extracts screened showed anti-proliferativce activities against normal mouse fibroblast cells.
Antioxidant: Studies of methanol and water extracts showed antioxidant activities comparable to that of green and black teas.

Availability
Wild-crafted.


Last Update September 2010

Photos © Godofredo Stuart / StuartXchange

Additional Sources and Suggested Readings
(1)
Dengue Fever Cure using Tawa Tawa aka Gatas Gatas weed / The Cure Library
(2)

Antibacterial Activities And Toxicological Potentials Of Crude Ethanolic Extracts Of Euphorbia hirta / Chika C Ogueke et al / Journal of American Science, 3(3), 2007,
(3)
Euphorbia hirta leaf extracts increase urine output and electrolytes in rats / Patricia Johnson et al / Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Vol 65, Issue 1, 1 April 1999, Pages 63-69 / doi:10.1016/S0378-8741(98)00143-3
(4)
Inhibition of early and late phase allergic reactions by Euphorbia hirta L / Singh G D et al / PTR. Phytotherapy research / 2006, vol. 20, no4, pp. 316-321
(5)
Anthelmintic efficacy of the aqueous crude extract of Euphorbia hirta Linn in Nigerian dogs / Adeolu alex Adedapo et al / VETERINARSKI ARHIV 75 (1), 39-47, 2005
(6)
Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibiting and anti-dipsogenic activities of Euphorbia hirta extracts
(7)
Euphorbia hirta reverses chronic stress-induced anxiety and mediates its action through the GABAA receptor benzodiazepine / H Anuradha et al / Journal of Neural Transmission • Volume 115, Number 1 / January, 2008 / DOI 10.1007/s00702-007-0821-6
(8)
Behavioral and neurotropic effects of aequeous extract of E. hirta / Lanhers Marie-Claire et al / Medicaments et aliments / Actes du Colloque Européen d’Ethnophmacologie et de la 1 le Conférence internationale d’Ethnomédecine, Heidelberg, 24-27 mars 1993.
(9)
Antidiarrhoeic activity of Euphorbia hirta extract and isolation of an active flavonoid constituent. / Galvez J et al / Planta Med. 1993 Aug;59(4):333-6.
(10)
Antibacterial effect of theaflavin, polyphenon 60 (Camellia sinensis) and Euphorbia hirta on Shigella spp. — a cell culture study / K Vijaya et al / Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Vol 49, Issue 2, 1 December 1995, Pages 115-118 / doi:10.1016/0378-8741(95)90039-X
(11)
Antibacterial and antifungal activity of Euphorbia hirta l. Leaves: A comparative study / K V. Bhaskara Rao et al. / Journal of Pharmacy Research 2010, 3(3),548-549
(12)
Antimalarial Flavonol Glycosides from Euphorbia hirta / Y Liu et al / Summary
Pharmaceutical Biology, 2007, Vol. 45, No. 4, Pages 278-281 / DOI 10.1080/13880200701214748
(13)
REVIEW ON PHYTOCHEMISTRY AND PHARMACOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF EUPHORBIA HIRTA LINN. / Sandeep Patil, Nilofar S Naikwade et al / JPRHC,July 2009, Vol. 1, No.1, Pp 113-133
(14)
Antioxidant, Anti-Proliferative And Bronchodilatory Activities Of Euphorbia Hirta Extracts / Chen Y S, Er H M / Malaysian Journal of Science, 29 (1). pp. 22-29, 2010 / ISSN 13943065
(15)
Evaluation of antidiabetic activity of Euphobia hirta Linn. in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice / Sunil Kumar, Rashmi and D Kumar / Indian Journal of Natural Products and Resources, Vol 12, June 2010, pp 200-203.


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