Subject: info on a herb??

From: [email-masked] (S.Imber)
Date: Thu, 10 Aug 95 23:46:27 GMT

Hello all,

I've been trying to track down some info on a (I presume) with the
botanical name of Phyllanthus amerus.  Can anyone supply me any
information on this??

Thanks,
Steve.

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From: [email-masked] (Conrad Richter)
Date: Fri, 11 Aug 95 05:38:32 EDT

> botanical name of Phyllanthus amerus.  Can anyone supply me any

This plant (correct spelling: Phyllanthus amarus) has, among other 
things, antiviral activity.  It has been long used for hepatitis 
and indeed it has been shown to have activity against the hepatitis 
B virus.  It has also been used for diabetes, gastrointestinal and 
urinary problems.  

David Unander of Eastern College in PA has done a lot of work on this 
plant.  Check his paper (among many) is Economic Botany 47:79-88 (1993). 

Conrad Richter

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From: [email-masked] ("K N and P J Harris")
Date: Sun, 13 Aug 1995 08:31:38 GMT

Phyllanthus query,
These are pretty weird plants, can be quite big with long strappy leaves 
that the flowers (which are small/tiny) syick straight up from. Only 
ones I've ever seen (can't remember the species) were growing in the 
"Princess of Wales conservatory" in Kew Gardens in London. Need high 
temperatures and humidity. You could certainly try writing to Kew for 
more information.
Peter Harris, Reading, UK.