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Gen info
Speargrass is one of the most dominant and noxious weeds in agricultural and non-agricultural fields. It is ranked as the world's seventh worset weed. In Nigeria, it is reported to have the potential to invade 260 million hectares of land.
Botany
Kogon isd an annual,
erect, tufted grass, 30 to 80 cm high with a prominent underground
stem. Rhizomes are much extended, equally noded and white. Stems
are solid, rather slender; nodes glabrous or bearded. Leaves are flat, linear-lanceolate, 20 to 50 cm long, and
5 to 9 mm wide, stiff with scabrous margins. Flowers are in panicles, exserted, dense, subcylindric,
white, 10 to 20 cm long, 5 to 15 cm in diameter, silvery-silky.
Callus hairs copious, about twice as long as the glumes. Spikelets
1- to 2-flowered, 2 to 4 mm long, in pairs, its axis continuous.
Stamens 1 or 2, anthers large.
Distribution
- Througout the Philippines,
in open, rather dry lands, often
forming extensive cogon grasslands called cogonales, ascending to 2,300 meters in altitude.
- Difficult
to eradicate because of persistent rhizomes.
- For propagation, use the stoloniferous rhizome or the downy caryopsis
(fruits) from a mature spike.
- A prolific seed producer, when detached from stalks the seeds
are carried by wind at long distances.
Parts
used and preparation
Spikes and roots.
Collect the underground
portion, remove the roots, and clean.
Cut into pieces. Fry with a strong fire until the covering turns
yellow, sprinkle with clean water and sun-dry.
The inflorescence may also be collected and sun-dried for use.
Constituents
Study isolated a new lignan glycoside, impecyloside, from the rhizome.
Properties
Sweet tasting.
Considered antifebrile, anthelmintic, antibacterial, diuretic, febrifuge,
restorative, styptic, tonic.
Uses
Folkloric
· In many Tagalog provinces, decoction of fresh roots used for dysentery.
· For hemoptysis,
hematuria, and nose bleeding (epistaxis): a decoction of 30 to 60 gms
of the herb.
· For urinary tract infections: drink a decoction of 80 to 120
gms of fresh rhizomes.
· Painful outgrowth at the tongue. Use 30 to 90 gms dried rhizome,
or 60 to 120 gms of fresh rhizome in decoction.
· Has also been used for diabetes, wound healing, arthritis.
· Root used in the treatment of nose bleeds, hematuria, edema.
· Decoction of root as anthelmintic.
· Decoction of fruiting spikes used as vulnerary; taken internally, as sedative.
· Decoction used as blood purifier and diuretic.
· In Chinese medicine, used as a
diuretic and antiinflammatory. Also, runners used to make restorative, haemostatic and antifebrile medications.
Others
· Paper-making.
Studies
• No Glucose Lowering: Comparative
anti-hyperglycemic potentials of medicinal plants:
Roots of IC has had folkloric use as an antidiabetic agent. The study
showed no significant lowering in blood glucose levels with Imperata
cylindrica.
• Neuroprotectice: Neuroprotective 2-(2-Phenylethyl) chromones
of Imperata cylindrica: Study yielded four compounds,
two of which showed significant neuroprotective activity against glutamat-induced
neutoxicity.
• Immunomodulating activity:
Isolation and partial characterization of immunostimulating polysaccharides
from Imperata cylindrica. Crude extract and some of the purified polysaccharides enhance the proliferation of murine splenocytes.
• Anti-Platelet Aggregation: Antiplatelet Aggregating Activity
of Extracts of Indonesian Medicinal Plants: All eight
Indonesian medicinal plants, including Imperata cylindrica, studied
showed inhibitory effects on platelet aggregation.
• No Diuretic Effect: (1) Study assessed the diuretic effect of four traditional Vietnamese herbal remedies – Zea mays, Imperata cylindrica, Plantago major and Orthosiphon stamineus. The study failed to show any effect on urine output and sodium excretion and indicates the need for critical reviews on the recommendations of empiric traditional use of plant materials. (2) In a study on treatment of dysuria and diuretic effects of five indigenous Thai medicinal plants, the rhizome of IC apparently inhibited the urination of rats.
• Vasodilative Effect: The study yielded two novel lignans, graminones A and B. Graminone B showed inhibitory activity on the contraction of the rabbit aorta.
• Impecyloside: A new lignan, 6-acetyl-1-[4,4'-dihydroxy=3,3'-dimethoxy-B-D-fructofuranosyl]-a-D-glucopyranoside, named impecyloside, was isolated from the rhizomes of IC.
• Toxicity Studies: Study suggests the water extract of Imperata cylindrica does not cause acute and subchronic toxicities in rats.
• Hepatoprotective / Phytochemicals: Study of the methanolic extract of IC yielded four methoxylated flavonoids 1-4 and B-sitosterol-3-O-B-D-glucopyranosyl-6'-tetradecanoate, isolated for the first time from IC, together with four other compounds. Results showed a significant hepatoprotective activity on co-administration of ME of IC with CCl4.
Availability
Wild-crafted.
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