Centipede plant

Centipede plant is native to the Southern Hemisphere, especially South America, Australia, New Zealand,
Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. It is also naturalised in other tropical regions, including Puerto Rico, India, Bolivia, Madagascar, Nicaragua, and Pakistan.

Daun dakang (Indonesia), Vono ni vavalangi (Fijian), Plante ruban (French), Bandbusch (German), Alupihan (Philippines), Solitaria (Spanish).

Centipede plant will grow in full sun to full shade, but seems to do best in partial shade. It prefers a medium humidity and and don't mind being watered regularly, with a large amount of water. In Southern Florida it has been recommended as a shrub suitable for use in xeriscape gardens, with moderate drought tolerance and a high light requirement.

• Stems - usually leafless stems resemble tapeworms, 10-30 cm long, wide 1-5 cm, woody below, sometimes suberect, glabrous, pale green, older stems subterete, the branches flat and ribbon-like.
• Leaves - small green, sessile, membranous, entire, often lobed at base, 1.5-6.5 cm long.
• Flowers - appear at the joints of stems, 1-6 in sessile clusters, bracteate, bracts ovate, 1 ovoid, 3-angular 1 mm long; styles 3
• Fruits - red, round-elongated, berry-like.

• Can be propagated by seeds or cuttings. 
• The seeds should be sown in good quality potting medium, a mix of 2 parts potting soil to 1 part perlite or coarse sand is ideal. Keep the seeds moist, temperature at 21 °C.
• It can be cultivated at room temperature the year round with a winter minimum of 10 °C. At this temperature range it needs less watering (but shouldn’t completely dry) and no fertilizing.

Saponins, flavonoids (morin-3-O-α-rhamnopyranoside, kaempferol-3-O-α-rhamnopyranoside, kaempferol-3-O-β- glucopyranoside, quercetin 3-O-α-rhamnopyranoside and (+)-catechin, kaempferol-3-Oα-rhamnopyranoside and kaempferol-3-O-β-glucopyranoside), alkaloids, asetofenon, lignin, antraquinon, tannins.

Medicinal Uses

• It is effective as detoxicant.
• The plant is diuretic, hypotensive, antihemorragic, sedative, antirheumatic, abortive, cicatrizant, antiulcerogenic, anti-inflammatory, and anthelmintic agents, analgesic activity, antimicrobia, and antinociceptive.

Traditional Uses

• Traditionally used for anthracia and sores, injuries from falls, bites by snakes and insects.
• External application for centipede bite, pestle the centipede plant, smear to skin around the bite.

• Pilih daun segar dan tidak rusak. Cuci daun dengan air bersih mengalir kemudian tiriskan.
• Jemur dengan menggunakan kain berwarna gelap menutupi daun untuk menghindari kontak langsung dengan matahari atau menggunakan oven (suhu 50-60 °C).
• Sortasi kering dari bahan asing yang tidak diinginkan. Simpan simplisia di kantong plastik, suhu kamar, beraerasi baik, terhindar dari matahari langsung, tidak bersentuhan langsung dengan lantai.