Herb's Introduction
Sesuvium portulacastrum (L.) L., commonly known as Sea Purslane or Shoreline Purslane, is a remarkable perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Aizoaceae family, often referred to as the ice plant family. This cosmopolitan species is best recognized as a succulent halophyte, meaning it is naturally adapted to flourish in highly saline environments such as tropical and subtropical coastlines, salt marshes, and beaches worldwide. The plant typically adopts a prostrate, sprawling growth habit, forming dense mats that help stabilize coastal sands, making it a pioneer species in beach ecology. Historically and contemporaneously, S. portulacastrum is highly valued not only for its ecological roles but also as an edible vegetable and a powerful traditional medicinal agent across various cultures due to its rich nutritional profile and diverse bioactive compounds. Its ability to tolerate extreme conditions like high salinity, drought, and heat positions it as a species of significant interest in the fields of phytoremediation, food security, and pharmaceutical research, marking it as a truly versatile and promising plant resource.
Name in Different Countries
Reflecting its extensive global distribution, Sesuvium portulacastrum possesses a multitude of common names, often referencing its coastal habitat and resemblance to common garden purslane (Portulaca species). These names highlight its cultural importance across continents: Country/Region Local Name English Sea Purslane, Shoreline Purslane, Large Sea-Purslane Chinese hǎimǎchǐ (海马齿) Filipino/Tagalog Dampálit, Taraumpalit Indian Languages Bengali: jadu palang, Marathi: dhapa, Rajasthani: lunio, Tamil: orputu (ஓர்பூடு), Telugu: vangaredukura (వంగరేడుకూర) Malay Gelang laut Javanese Krokot French Pourpier-bord-de-mer (Purslane of the seaside) Portuguese/Spanish Beldroega-da-praia (Beach Purslane) Export to Sheets
Terminology
The scientific classification and terminology of the herb are crucial for accurate identification and study: Binomial Name: Sesuvium portulacastrum (L.) L. Family: Aizoaceae (Ice Plant Family) Order: Caryophyllales Genus: Sesuvium Specific Epithet Meaning: The term portulacastrum is derived from the Latin Portulaca (the genus of common purslane) and -astrum (meaning "resembling"), indicating its visual similarity to plants in the Portulaca genus. Synonymy (Basionym): The species was originally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 as Portulaca portulacastrum before he later reclassified it into the genus Sesuvium. Ecological Terminology: It is classified as a halophyte (salt-tolerant plant) and a psammophyte (sand-loving plant) due to its specialized adaptation to saline, sandy coastal habitats.
Availability
Sesuvium portulacastrum is categorized as a pantropical species, meaning it has a natural range that encompasses the tropical and subtropical coastal zones across the globe. Habitat: It is strictly a coastal species, found luxuriantly in areas subject to high salt concentrations, including tidal flats, salt marshes, mangrove fringes, sandy beaches, coastal limestone, and coral cays. It is extremely tolerant of drought and occasional salt-water inundation. Geographical Range: It is found on the shores of Africa, Asia (including India, Southeast Asia, and China), Australia, the Pacific Islands, and the Americas (North and South). Context with Nepal: It is important to note that S. portulacastrum is a marine/coastal species. Given that Nepal is a landlocked country whose medicinal flora primarily consists of species from high-altitude alpine, temperate, and sub-tropical terrestrial zones, S. portulacastrum is not a native or commonly listed medicinal plant of Nepal. However, the rich biodiversity of Medicinal Plants of Nepal is renowned, relying on species like Swertia chirayita and Nardostachys grandiflora which occupy the Himalayan and mid-hill regions. S. portulacastrum belongs to the coastal traditional medicine systems, not the Himalayan ones.
External Look
The distinctive appearance of Sea Purslane is defined by its adaptation to harsh, saline conditions: Habit: It is a low-growing, perennial, mat-forming herb with a prostrate, sprawling habit. Its thick, smooth, reddish-green stems can trail up to 1 meter (3.3 feet) long and often root readily at the nodes, allowing for rapid vegetative propagation and ground coverage. Leaves: The leaves are the plant's most notable feature—they are smooth, fleshy, and highly succulent, retaining water to cope with salinity and drought. They are linear to lanceolate in shape, measuring between 1 and 7 centimeters long. In full sun or with age, the leaves may take on a reddish or yellowish tinge. Flowers: Small, solitary, and borne from the leaf axils, the flowers are typically pink or purple and measure about 0.5 cm in diameter. They are known to open only during the day or when the sky is clear, closing at nighttime or during cloudy weather. Fruit and Seed: The fruit is a small, rounded or conical capsule that, upon maturity, bursts open to release numerous tiny, smooth, shiny black seeds.
Healing Properties
Sesuvium portulacastrum has been a staple in traditional medicine systems for centuries and possesses a range of confirmed modern healing properties: Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory: Phytochemical analysis confirms the presence of high levels of phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and ecdysteroids, which contribute to powerful antioxidant activity (like nitric oxide radical scavenging) and significant anti-inflammatory effects. Anticancer Activity: Recent in vitro studies suggest that extracts of the plant potentiate anticancer activity, potentially by interfering with signaling pathways such as the IRS-1/AKT pathway, which is often implicated in tumor proliferation. Antimicrobial: The plant extract has shown promising antibacterial and anticandidal activities, demonstrating its potential as a natural defense against various pathogens. Traditional Hemostatic and Antiscorbutic: Traditionally, it is used to stop bleeding (haemostatic properties) and the leaves were consumed to prevent scurvy (antiscorbutic) due to their high Vitamin C content. Antidote for Venom: A decoction of the plant is famously recognized in some coastal communities as a highly effective traditional remedy and antidote for stings from venomous fish, applied externally to the affected area.
Advantages
The benefits of Sesuvium portulacastrum extend beyond its direct medicinal use, highlighting its utility in agriculture and environmental science: Nutritional Value: It is a highly nutritious leafy vegetable, providing essential nutrients, particularly a good source of Vitamin C. Environmental Bioremediation: It is a valuable tool in environmental engineering. Its ability to hyperaccumulate or tolerate high concentrations of salts and heavy metals makes it ideal for the phytoremediation of saline soils, heavy metal-contaminated lands, and eutrophic water bodies (like aquaculture ponds, where it removes excess nitrogen and phosphorus). Dune and Erosion Control: As a mat-forming pioneer species, it is extensively used as a ground cover to stabilize coastal dunes and prevent sand erosion in sensitive coastal environments. Source of Bioactive Metabolites: The plant is an emerging source of phytoecdysteroids (like 20-hydroxyecdysone), compounds that function as insect molting hormones, making the plant valuable for the sericulture (silk farming) industry and for potential use in developing pharmaceuticals due to their reported antidiabetic activity. Drought and Salt Resilience: Its extreme tolerance to abiotic stresses (drought and high salinity up to 1000 mM NaCl) makes it a reliable crop for marginal, water-scarce, or problematic saline soils where conventional crops fail.
Uses
The uses of Sea Purslane are broad and varied, spanning consumption, medicine, and environmental protection: Food Source (Edible Vegetable): The primary use is as a nutritious vegetable. The succulent leaves and young shoots are eaten raw (in salads) or cooked (steamed, sautéed, or boiled) in many coastal cuisines globally. Traditional Medicine: Used as a poultice or decoction for treating external wounds, stings, and bites, and internally for various ailments due to its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic qualities. Fodder: In some coastal regions, it is utilized as forage for domestic animals, especially goats and sheep, due to its resilience and biomass. Ornamental and Ground Cover: Its rapid growth, attractive fleshy foliage, and showy pink flowers make it a popular low-maintenance ornamental plant and ground cover in coastal or xeriscape gardening. Ecological Reclamation: Used in large-scale projects for the bioreclamation of saline wastelands, desert greenification, and rehabilitation of coastal ecosystems.
Using way
The methods of preparing and applying Sesuvium portulacastrum depend entirely on its intended use: Culinary Preparation (Leaves and Shoots): Raw: Tender leaves can be consumed fresh in salads, offering a salty and slightly sour, succulent flavor, often likened to sorrel. Cooked: Due to their inherent high salt content, the leaves are often prepared by repeated boiling in fresh water (a process called blanching or leaching) to reduce the salinity before being cooked as a vegetable dish. They can also be stir-fried or added to soups. Preservation: The leaves are sometimes preserved by pickling. Medicinal Preparation (Whole Plant/Decoction/Paste): Decoction: For treating internal ailments or preparing the venom antidote, the plant material (stems and leaves) is often boiled in water to create a strong decoction, which is then used for external application (e.g., against fish stings) or oral consumption (dosage varies traditionally). Paste/Poultice: Fresh leaves or the whole plant are often crushed or ground into a paste and applied directly to cuts, minor wounds, or skin irritations to leverage its haemostatic and antimicrobial properties. Propagation/Cultivation: The plant is easily propagated, preferably by stem cuttings due to the sometimes poor germination rate of its seeds, and requires well-drained, sandy soil, full sun, and tolerance for high salinity.
Conclusion
Sesuvium portulacastrum stands as a quintessential example of a multipurpose halophyte, demonstrating profound adaptability and utility. From an ecological perspective, it is a vital pioneer species crucial for coastal stabilization and bioremediation of problematic saline and contaminated sites. As a medicinal plant, its traditional uses as a wound healer and specific antidote are now scientifically validated by the discovery of potent bioactive compounds like ecdysteroids, phenolics, and flavonoids, which endow it with significant antioxidant, antimicrobial, and promising anticancer properties. While the plant is intrinsically linked to the global coasts and is not part of the traditional Medicinal Plants of Nepal's unique Himalayan and mid-hill flora, its cultural significance as a food source and traditional remedy remains immense across the tropical Asian regions. Ultimately, Sesuvium portulacastrum represents a valuable and sustainable resource with untapped potential for pharmaceutical development and global food security, particularly in the face of increasing environmental salinity and climate change pressures.
