Edibility / Nutrition

- A neglected and underutilized vegetable.

- Leaves used as vegetable. 

- Good source of vitamins C, B2 and B3.

- In southeastern Nigeria, leaves are cooked and eaten as vegetable.

Folkloric

- Roots in powder, decoction or infusion, used as laxative.

- Root juice used for asthma. 

- Used as diuretic, in strangury, gonorrhea and other internal inflammations.

- In moderate doses, used in asthma; in large doses, used as emetic.

- Infusion of whole plants used as mild laxative and febrifuge in children; also used for convulsions.

- Used to regulate menstruation.

- In the Gold Coast, used in the treatment of yaws.

- In the Antilles, used as a stimulant , tonic, vermifuge, emetic, sudorific and as antispasmodic.

- In Martinique, roots used for snake bites.

- In Uruguay, roots considered antidysenteric and emetic.

- In Ayurveda, considered bitter, cooling, astringent to bowels; used for biliousness, leucorrhea, anemia, asthma. Leaves used in dyspepsia, tumors, abdominal pains and splenic enlargements. Roots used as diuretic, expectorant, vermifuge, analgesic and to improve renal and hepatic functions.

- Punarnava is used in many eye disorders. Leaf juice with honey is dropped into the eyes for chronic ophthalmia. Also used for cataract. Fresh root juice used for night blindness and conjunctivitis. 

- In Chinese traditional medicine, used to move blood and break up stasis, regulate menses, strengthen the bones and tendons; for pain, malnutrition, dysmenorrhea, vaginal discharge.

- In Nigeria, used for boils, epilepsy, convulsions, guinea worms, asthma, fever, constipation.

- In Nepal, used for snakes bites, headaches, pain, hemorrhoids, jaundice, gout, asthma, round worms, excessive menstruation, cough and hemoptysis.

- In India, used for asthma, cough, urethritis, edema, ascites, nephritis; also used for insomnia