Hello Saturday and this is a good day to talk about the many health benefits of makahiya.
If you donât know what makahiya is, it is also called Mimosa pudica, sensitive plant, sleepy plant, action plant, Dormilones, touch-me-not, shameplant, zombie plant, or shy plant.
It is a creeping and flowering plant. It is most known for its leaves folding inward when you touch it or if the plant is shaken.
Here is my list of the health benefits of makahiya that Iâve come across on the internet.
1. Makahiya Is Packed With Useful Compounds
Makahiya has been found to have compounds that have qualities that are beneficial to your body.
Some of these are alkaloids, fatty acids, flavonoids, mimosine, sterols, tannins, and terpenoids.
These can have different effects like an antibacterial, anticonvulsant, antidepressant, aphrodisiac, and many more.
2. Improves Wound Healing
Using the makahiya extracts can help heal your wounds.
You can grind the leaves to and get the juice of out it and make a solution with water.
Apply it to your wound for faster healing.
3. Makahiya May Help Treat Asthma
Makahiya may be able to help you with your asthma.
Itâs able to clear your airway paths of allergens, dust, or inflammation.
4. May Have Antivenom Qualities
There have been claims that the extracts from the dried roots of makahiya may be able to stop or lessen the activity of the snake venom in your body.
There should be more studies conducted on this one and I wouldnât bet on this.
5. Makahiya May Help Reduce Excessive Bleeding From Menstruation
Consuming makahiya extracts may be helpful to you if youâre suffering from too much bleeding caused by your monthly menstruation.
You can just grind the leaves to excrete its juice or use a juicer for it. Add honey and water to create a mixture that you can consume.
6. Helps With Anxiety And Depression
There are studies that linked makahiya with the treatment of anxiety and depression. The study was conducted with mice.
Several countries use makahiya as a traditional and herbal way of relieving your anxiety and depression.
Itâs even observed that it can also improve your memory.
This may also be helpful if youâre suffering from insomnia.
7. Makahiya May Be Able To Help With High Blood Pressure
There have been claims that makahiya can help you improve your high blood pressure situation.
You just need to crush the makahiya leaves to get the juice from it. You then consume it twice a day to get its effect.
8. May Treat Piles
Makahiya is used for treating bleeding piles traditionally for many years. Piles are also what you call hemorrhoids.
You can crush or grind the leaves to make a paste out of it. You then apply this paste as a poultice to ease the bleeding and burning feeling.
Itâs said that that this is effective because of makahiyaâs wound healing qualities and anti-inflammatory properties.
9. Makahiya Cleans Your Gut
The seeds of makahiya are mucilaginous. This means that it forms into a gel-like substance when it gets contact with liquid.
This gel-like substance can then have heavy metals, parasites, and toxins in your digestive system stick to it.
It travels through your digestive system and excreted in your stools together with the harmful substances in your body.
10. May Help With Ulcer
Consuming makahiya leaf extracts may be able to decrease gastric acid secretion.
There was a study conducted on rats that proved this observation.
11. Makahiya Has Antiparasitic Qualities
Makahiya seeds have antiparasitic qualities that can be helpful against parasitic roundworms.
In this study, itâs been noted that the roundworms that were exposed to makahiya seed extracts were paralyzed and eventually died.
12. May Treat Diarrhea
Another digestive disorder wherein makahiya can help is with diarrhea.
This time, albino rats were used in the study. The rats were artificially induced with castor oil to promote diarrhea.
Theyâve found out that the ethanolic extract from makahiya was able to control diarrhea.
13. Makahiya Is Rich In Antioxidants
Makahiya has been found to be a good source of antioxidants.
This plant contains phytochemicals and vitamins that have antioxidant properties.
They also found superoxide dismutate in makahiya which is a powerful antioxidant.
14. Has Anti-inflammatory Properties
A study conducted on rats was done to check the anti-inflammatory properties of makahiya.
Makahiya showed effective and significant results in the study.
This can be helpful in treating joint inflammations caused by arthritis.
You can make a paste from the makahiya leaves and apply it overnight on the affected joint.
Regular application can help reduce pain and swelling.
15. Makahiya Relieves Itchiness
If youâre experiencing annoying itchiness, you should try makahiya.
You can make a paste out of it together with sesame oil.
Apply it to the affected part and you should feel relief.
16. May Help With Diabetes Management
In ayurvedic medicine, makahiya is used to help bring down blood sugar levels.
More studies in humans should be conducted on this to be sure that itâs really effective and safe.
Are you looking for another plant that can help lower blood sugar levels? You should check gumamela.
I have an article here about gumamelaâs health benefits.
17. Makahiya May Help Treat Hair Loss
Makahiya seems to have the ability to help prevent or lessen hair loss or excessive hair fall.
Some hair products even use makahiya extracts for this purpose.
18. May Help Protect The Liver
Itâs been said that makahiya may also be able to help with your liver health.
It would seem that it has the ability to help remove the toxins in your liver.
19. Makahiya Helps In Oral Hygiene
You can make a decoction from boiling makahiya roots with water.
You then use it as a gargle or mouthwash.
They say that it can help relieve gum problems and toothache.
20. Has Antibacterial Properties
There have been different researches about makahiyaâs antibacterial properties.
Its ethanol extracts were seen to be effective in controlling various bacteria and fungus.
21. Makahiya May Be Helpful Against Mumps
Itâs been noticed that makahiya has antimumps activity.
This means that it may be able to prevent mumps because of its antiviral properties.
You can check out one study about this here.
22. May Help With Convulsions
In traditional African medicine, makahiya has been used for its anticonvulsant qualities.
This can help minimize or prevent convulsions.
In a study done on mice, the makahiya leaf extracts were helpful in protecting the mice from induced convulsants.
23. Makahiya Is Used As An Aphrodisiac
Makahiya has been traditionally used for aphrodisiac purposes.
This was also observed in a study on mice.
You can also find notes online that itâs able to prevent premature ejaculation.
Conclusion
Thereâs quite a number of health benefits of makahiya.
I used to play with them when I was younger because I saw them a lot just on the side of the roads. I donât notice these plants there anymore.
Of course, my favorite health benefit of makahiya is its anti-inflammatory properties which are very helpful with my gouty arthritis condition.
Which one on my list will you benefit the most if every youâll consume makahiya?
And yes, just like any other article in my blog, you should first talk first with your doctor or health professional before consuming makahiya.
This is just for precautionary measures, just in case you have a condition that prohibits you from using makahiya.
Please feel free to share this article with someone you know who can benefit from it. Thank you!
P.S.
There have been many victims and affected by the CONVID-19 virus. I wish everyone well.
Itâs now going to be a week that weâre in house quarantine.
I hope that the spread of the virus will subside and stop. I also hope that a vaccine will now be discovered and be readily used.
Stay safe and be healthy everyone!