ຜັກໜອກ / Asiatic pennywort

Use
Food
Income
Medicine
Scientific Name / Family
Centella asiatica (L.) Urb./Apiaceae
Synonyms
Centella asiatica var. asiatica
Centella asiatica var. crista Makino
Centella boninensis Nakai ex Tuyama
Centella glochidiata (Benth.) Drude
Centella hirtella Nannf.
Centella tussilaginifolia (Baker) Domin
Centella ulugurensis (Engl.) Domin
Centella uniflora (Colenso) Nannf.
Chondrocarpus asiaticus Nutt.
Chondrocarpus triflorus Nutt.
Glyceria asiatica Nutt.
Glyceria triflora Nutt.
Hydrocotyle asiatica L.
Hydrocotyle asiatica var. floridana J.M.Coult. & Rose Unresolved
Hydrocotyle asiatica var. monantha F.Muell.
Hydrocotyle biflora P. Vell.
Hydrocotyle brasiliensis Scheidw. ex Otto & F. Dietr.
Hydrocotyle brevipedata St. Lager & St.-Lag.
Hydrocotyle dentata A.Rich.
Hydrocotyle ficarifolia Stokes
Hydrocotyle ficarioides Lam.
Hydrocotyle hebecarpa DC.
Hydrocotyle inaequipes DC.
Hydrocotyle lunata Lam.
Hydrocotyle lurida Hance
Hydrocotyle nummularioides A. Rich.
Hydrocotyle pallida DC.
Hydrocotyle reniformis Walter
Hydrocotyle repanda Pers.
Hydrocotyle sarmentosa Salisb.
Hydrocotyle sylvicola E. Jacob Cordemoy
Hydrocotyle thunbergiana Spreng.
Hydrocotyle triflora Ruiz & Pav.
Hydrocotyle tussilaginifolia Baker
Hydrocotyle uniflora Colenso
Hydrocotyle wightiana Wall.
Trisanthus cochinchinensis Lour.
Other Names
Thai: bua bok, pa-na-e khaa-doh, phak waen, waen khoke, phak nok
Vietnamese: rau ma, tich tuyet thao
Cambodian: trachiek kranh Burmese: min-kuabin
Chinese: tran ke cao
English: Asiatic pennywort, Indian pennywort, gotu-cola, tiger herbal, hydrocotyle, penny, white rot, thick-leaved pennywort
Botanical Description

Phak nok is a 2.5 m long perennial herb. Its stems creep with long horizontal branches from the base of the plant, producing new plants from buds that root at the nodes. Its leaves grow in crowded circles from a common centre, and are 1-7 cm in diameter with jagged edges, and 2-5 cm long. Inflorescences are 1-7 cm long with five pinkish-purple flowers. The fruit, which is hairy when young, is rounded, 4-5 mm broad and 3 mm high with seven to nine ribs.

Description of Use

In Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand a refreshing drink is made from the slightly bitter tasting leaves and stems; the juice is diluted with water and some sugar can be added. Mostly the whole plant is eaten as a vegetable, cooked or raw, with Jeo or Paa Dek. Phak Nok has multiple medicinal applications, being used to treat fever and constipation, to purify the blood, and to cure nervous conditions. The plant’s leaves are used against skin complaints and it has a considerable reputation for treating ulcers, eczema, hepatitis, cancer and leprosy. Phak Nok is said to be ‘good for the eyes’ and for hair growth and is also used psychologically to treat epilepsy, senility and the mentally retarded.

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