Pulicaria undulata

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Pulicaria undulata

Family: Asteraceae Genus: Pulicaria Species: undulata

Synonyms: Inula undulata, Francoeuria undulata

Pulicaria undulata

Western Herbalism Properties

Actions:
carminativeantimicrobialanti-inflammatory

Traditional Uses

In Arabian and North African folk medicine Pulicaria undulata, known locally as jathjath, is used as a carminative and as a remedy for influenza, gastrointestinal complaints and joint inflammation, as well as an insect repellent; modern pharmacological study of its extracts confirms antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity (Alyahya et al., 2021).

Botanical Description

Pulicaria undulata is an aromatic perennial herb or small subshrub of the daisy family (Asteraceae), widespread across the arid lands of North Africa, the Sahara, the Arabian Peninsula and the Middle East. It forms a much-branched, somewhat woody-based tuft to roughly 30 to 60 centimetres tall, with greyish, glandular-hairy stems and sessile, oblong to lanceolate leaves having distinctly wavy (undulate) margins, the whole plant emitting a strong, pleasant scent from its abundant essential oil. The flower heads are small, golden-yellow and daisy-like, with short ray florets surrounding a dense disc, borne singly or in loose terminal clusters; the fruit is a small ribbed achene topped by a pappus of hairs. A hardy desert plant of wadis, rocky slopes and sandy depressions, it is known locally in Arabic as jathjath and is gathered both as a flavouring for tea and as a folk medicine.

Native Region: Afghanistan, Algeria, Benin, Burkina, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Gulf States, India, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sinai, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Tunisia, Yemen

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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