Table 1.
Latin pharmaceutical name/Plant scientific name/Family/Voucher specimen no. | Vernacular/pinyin names | Ethnomedicinal uses | Properties |
Herba Polygonis Hydropiperis/Persicaria hydropiper (L.)a Spach/Polygonaceae/001-CS0807 | Laksa plant/Laliaocao | Used as a condiment. Also employed as a stomachic and aphrodisiac. Externally, the crushed leaves or juice are used to treat skin conditions such as ringworms, scabies, boils, abscesses, carbuncles, ulcers or bites of snakes, dogs or insects | Antioxidant [8-10] |
Folium Murraya Koenigii/Murraya koenigii Spreng./Rutaceae/002-CS0807 | Curry leaves/Jialiye | Used as a condiment. Treatment of piles, inflammation, itching, fresh cuts, dysentery, vomiting, burses and dropsy | Reducing halitosis [11], antioxidant [12], antimicrobial [13], antifungal [14], antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic properties [15] |
Rhizoma Arachis Hypogea/Arachis hypogaea L./Leguminosae/003-CS0807 | Groundnut/Huashenggen | Treatment of insomnia and strengthening of bones | Antifibrinolytic [16] |
Herba Houttuyniae/Houttuynia cordata Thunb./Saururaceae/004-CS0807 | Chinese houttuynia or chameleon plant/Yuxingcao | Detoxification, treatment of infection, removing toxic heat, promoting drainage of pus and urination | Anti-Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) [17]. Prevention of urinary infection, modulation of neutrophils and monocytes, inhibition of respiratory bacteria [18,19]. Anti-inflammatory activity [20]. Virucidal effects on herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2, influenza virus, and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 [21,22] |
Epipremnum pinnatum (L.) Engl./Araceae/005-CS0807 | Dragon tail/Pashulong | Detoxification, removes toxic heat, tendonitis, fractures, burns, carbuncles, sores, redness | Cytotoxicity against cancers cells [23], immuno-modulating [24] |
Rhizoma Typhonium Flagelliforme/Typhonium flagelliforme (Lodd.) Blume/006-CS0807 | Rodent tuber/Laoshuyu | Treatment of cough, asthma, nausea and cancers | Relieving cough, eliminating phlegm, asthmatic, analgesia, anti-inflammation, sedation and cytotoxic activities [25-28] |
Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis/Magnolia biloba (Rehder & E. H. Wilson) Cheng/Magnoliaceae/007-CS0807 | Magnolia/Houpo | A tonic to improve general well-being, also used to treat cough, diarrhea, allergic rhinitis and phlegm | Alleviateing menopausal symptoms [29], brochial asthma [30,31], active against Propionibacterium acnes and Propionibacterium granulosum [32], antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities [33,34] |
Rhizoma Imperatae/Imperata cylidrica (L.) Beeuv. var. major (Nees) C.E. Hubb/Gramineae/008-CS0807 | Lalang/Baimaogen | Wound-healing, diuretic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic agents | Neuroprotective, immunostimulating effects [35] |
aPersicaria hydropiper (L.) is synonymous with Polygonum hydropiper (L.). Persicaria hydropiper (L.) and Persicaria odoratum (L.) are commonly used interchangeably in literature while they are two distinct species. Efforts were made to identify the species of laksa plants used in the study. The plant was probably Persicaria hydropiper (L.). A specimen of the plant has been deposited in the National University of Singapore Herbarium for future reference.