NAME: Peperomia pellucida

FAMILY: Piperaceae

COMMON NAMES: Man to man, pepper elder, shiny bush plant

LOCAL NAMES: Salad Peperomia, cao hu jiao, ewe rinirin

MORPHORLOGICAL DESCRIPTION: Peperomia pellucida is a slender, shallow-rooted herb that can be wild or cultivated. It is an annual plant usually growing to a height of about 6 to 18 inches, it is characterized by its glossy, light-green fleshy leaves, and succulent stems that root at the nodes and fruiting spikes with dot-like seeds.

USEFUL PART(s): Leaves, Stems and roots

GENERAL USES:

The plant is grown as a food

Ornamental Purpose

GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION:

Central and South America, China, Nigeria, Angola, Zambia

WHY IS IT GREEN?

Gout
Arthritis
Antibacterial
Prostate Enlargement Problem
Fever
Eye inflammation

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

The plant produces seed abundantly and easily naturalized as a weed in many parts of the tropics.

FUN FACT

The plant species interferes with prostaglandin synthesis.

FURTHER READINGS

Kartika, I. G. A. A., Insanu, M., Safitri, D., Putri, C. A., & Adnyana, I. K. (2016). New update: Traditional uses, phytochemical, pharmacological and toxicity review of peperomia pellucida (l.) kunth. In Pharmacologyonline.

Majumder, P., Abraham, P., & Satya, V. (2011). Research Journal of Pharmaceutical , Biological and Chemical Sciences REVIEW ARTICLE Ethno-medicinal , Phytochemical and Pharmacological review of an amazing. Research Journal of Pharmaceutical, Biological and Chemical Sciences.

Oloyede, G. K., Onocha, P. A., & Olaniran, B. B. (2011). Phytochemical, toxicity, antimicrobial and antioxidant screening of leaf extracts of Peperomia pellucida from Nigeria. Advances in Environmental Biology.

Sonibare, M. A., Moody, J. O., & Adesanya, E. O. (2009). Use of medicinal plants for the treatment of measles in Nigeria. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2009.01.004

Wei, L. S., Wee, W., Siong, J. Y. F., & Syamsumir, D. F. (2011). Characterization of anticancer, antimicrobial, antioxidant properties and chemical compositions of Peperomia pellucida leaf extract. Acta Medica Iranica.