Achicoria azul
StarLaunaea intybacea
Synonyms: Cacalia sonchifolia, Sonchus goraeensis, Sonchus ciliatus, Brachyramphus sonchifolius, Lactuca goraeensis, Sonchus paniculatus, Lactuca virgata, Sonchus spachii, Phaenixopus intybaceus, Lactuca nubica, Scorzonera africana, Microrhynchus surinamensis, Sonchus taraxacifolius, Brachyramphus remotiflorus, Brachyramphus caribaeus, Ammoseris surinamensis, Lactuca arabica, Launaea goraeensis, Brachyramphus goraeensis, Cicerbita intybacea, Brachyramphus intybaceus, Trachodes paniculata, Prenanthes sonchifolia, Lactuca heyneana, Launaea remotiflora, Lactuca pinnatifida, Lactuca intybacea, Lactuca remotiflora, Launaea kuriensis, Lactuca octophylla, Brachyramphus schimperi, Lactuca schimperi, Lactuca runcinata, Microrhynchus octophyllus
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
In traditional medicine across India, Saudi Arabia and parts of Africa, the whole plant, root and aerial parts of Launaea intybacea are used for jaundice, liver enlargement (hepatomegaly), dyspepsia, dry cough, skin diseases and as a blood purifier and galactagogue (ethnobotanical reviews of the Indian subcontinent). Experimental work in rats has supported the traditional use of the plant for liver disorders.
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Botanical Description
Launaea intybacea is an annual or short-lived herb in the family Asteraceae, with milky latex throughout. It grows from a taproot, forming a basal rosette and an erect, branching, often somewhat fleshy stem. The lower leaves are large, oblong, and deeply pinnately lobed or runcinate with toothed margins, clasping the stem at the base, while the upper leaves are smaller and less divided. The flower heads are numerous and borne in an open, branched arrangement; each head contains only yellow strap-shaped ray florets, surrounded by overlapping narrow phyllaries. The fruit is a slender, ribbed achene topped by a pappus of soft white bristles. Native to Africa and widely naturalised in warm regions of Asia and the Americas, the species grows in dry open ground, waste places, fields, roadsides and coastal sands in tropical and subtropical climates.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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