Sepi
StarNeurolaena lobata
Synonyms: Neurolaena suriani, Pluchea symphytifolia, Eupatorium valverdeanum, Calea lobata, Calea suriani, Conyza symphytifolia, Eupatorium chrysocephalum, Neurolaena fulva, Neurolaena lobata var. indivisa, Critonia chrysocephala, Conyza lobata, Neurolaena integrifolia
Western Herbalism Properties
Traditional Uses
Neurolaena lobata, known across the neotropics as jackass bitters, tres puntas or sepi, is a widely used folk medicine of Central America and the Caribbean. The intensely bitter leaves are prepared as decoctions and infusions by Maya and Creole healers; the Q'eqchi' Maya of Belize use the leaves to treat fevers and malaria as well as diarrhea, ulcers and diabetes (Walshe-Roussel et al., 2013). The leaf is also applied to skin sores and ulcers and taken as an antiparasitic bitter tonic throughout the region.
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Botanical Description
Neurolaena lobata is an erect perennial shrub or coarse subshrub of the family Asteraceae, native to southern Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America, where it grows abundantly in open, disturbed and waste ground, along roadsides, in clearings and at forest margins. It reaches 1 to 3 metres in height with branching, leafy stems. The alternate leaves are large, up to about 20 centimetres long, lance-shaped to elliptic, and characteristically three-lobed on the larger lower leaves (giving rise to the common name 'tres puntas', three points), with finely toothed margins and a markedly bitter taste. The numerous small flower heads are borne in dense, flat-topped terminal clusters; each head contains only yellow disc florets, with no ray florets. Flowering occurs chiefly in the dry season. The fruit is a small, ribbed achene topped by a pappus of tawny bristles. The foliage contains flavonoids and intensely bitter sesquiterpene lactones.
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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