Does ingestion of plants from a phenetic group of Monochoria (‘Diyahabarala’) cause hepatotoxicity?

摘要

Diyahabarala’ is a freshwater aquatic herb having an inflorescence with bright purplish blue flowers. This plant is an essential ingredient in the well known ‘Neelayadithailaya’ used as a hair-oil in traditional medicine. The plant is used for treating many ailments such as toothache, asthma, cough, cold, fever, stomach and liver problems, general debility, haemorrhage, hepatitis, anaemia, scurvy, dipsia, strangury, gastropathy, hepatopathy, odontalgia and diabetes. It is also used externally as an antidote to snakebite poisoning, and for burns and scalds. According to traditional medicine the ‘diyahabarala’ plant is a food which cools the body. Consumption of the plant leaves either as porridge (‘kola-kenda’) or salad (‘mellun’) is recommended. Studies have endorsed the medicinal potential of M. vaginalis. Based on a study showing a hepato-protective effect, M. vaginalis has been used in the development of phytomedicines against hepatic disorders and oxidative damage. We report hepatotoxicity in a patient who ingested ‘diyahabarala’ porridge (‘kola-kenda’) as a remedy for diabetes.Ceylon Medical Journal 2015; 60: 28-30DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/cmj.v60i1.8087