Sessile joyweed (Alternanthera sessilis) Porridge

Sessile joyweed  (Alternanthera sessilis)- Alternanthera sessilis (sessile joyweed, Dwarf Copperleaf) typically grows in warm and humid regions around the world, including Asia and Africa. This particular  weed is purported to have a number of remedial uses.

Uses in Africa

According to legend, Alternanthera sessilis can make sick people well. In some parts of the world, Alternanthera sessilis weed is used for a variety of medicinal purposes. For example in Nigeria, it is used to relieve headaches and dizziness. In various regions of Africa, sessile joyweed, when ground to a powder, is considered to be a viable treatment for snakebites and to stop the vomiting of blood. Another use in Africa is sniffing of the leaf sap to treat neuralgia (acute spasmodic pain along the course of one or more nerves).

In medicine

The stems and leaves of sessile joyweed are used to treat eye problems. The shoots of the weed are mixed with other ingredients to improve male sexual potency. The weed is sometimes used topically to treat acne. In Southeast Asia, young shoots and leaves are eaten as vegetables.

Uses in Taiwan and Thailand.

In Taiwan, Alternanthera sessilis is often combined with other medicinal herbs to treat conditions including bronchitis, asthma and hepatitis. People in Thailand and Sri Lanka use the weed as a galactagogue (agent that increases milk supply). In addition, the leaves are boiled and ingested to treat hypertension (high blood pressure). Alternanthera sessilis is also considered to be a remedy for gastrointestinal issues, chronic liver congestion and gonorrhea.