Chocolate Weed

Chocolate weed is a weed throughout the tropics and subtropics, including South East Asia. It originates from the old world tropics and has been introduced in the Americas. The plant is harvested from the wild for its edible leaves and medicinal uses. It also provides a good fibre and an insecticide.

Redweed (English), Orang aring (Indonesian), Ma song zi (Chinese), Bankalanan (Tagalog-Philippines), Khaang paak put (Thailand), Pag hug or (Senegalese), Lemak ketam (Malaysia), Trứng cua (Vietnamese).

Mostly found in sunny or slightly shaded, humid localities such as river banks, lake shores and alluvial plains. It is a common and important weed, notably in rice (both upland and lowland), soybean, cotton and cassava.

• Stem - halfwoody, spreading, branched, half-woody, a pale brown hollow stem.
• Leaves - arranged spirally, simple; stipules subulate-lanceolate.
• Flowers - with stalk bearing 3-4 hairy long soft hairs bracteoles at apex.
• Fruit - small spherical capsule size 3.5-5 mm in diameter that is green, whitish or pink to purplish-black.
• Seeds - small and wingless. Their seedling germinates above the ground.

Propagated by seed - germination rates are improved by scarifying the seed prior to sowing.

Triterpenes (friedelin, friedelinol and β-amyrin), flavonol glycosides (hibifolin, triflin and melocorin), flavonoids (vitexin and robunin), β-D-sitosterol and its stearate, β-D-glucoside and alkaloids.

• The methanol extract has significant inhibitory effect on the growth and proliferation of cancer cell.
• Study of corchorifolia extract showed strong free radical scavenging activity in all tested methods.
• In coastal East Africa, leaves are used for unspecified stomach disorders.
• In Benin, the seed is used to treat stomachache.
• In Malaysia and India, the leaves and roots are used to treat a wide range of medical problems: urinary disorders, sores, abdominal swelling, dysentery, and snakebites.
• In Papua New Guinea, the leaves of an unidentified Melochia species are applied to the forehead to treat headache, and the fruit is eaten.

• Sediakan seluruh bagian tanaman dan bersihkan dengan air mengalir.
• Kering anginkan selama 3 hari.
• Setelah kering, haluskan dengan blender.
• Lalu simpan dalam wadah steril dan kedap udara.