Jack In The Bush

Overview

Jack in the bush or Ageratina riparia is native to Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, and Mexico Southwest. This species is introduced as ornamental plants and widely distributed. The plant has been used as traditional medicine for diabetes and laxative.

Vernacular Names

Lapana malgache (French), teklan (Sundanese), hāmākua pāmakani (Hawaiian).

Agroecology

Ageratina riparia naturally grows in highland meadows with high rainfall. It can invade a variety of natural forest habitats, most commonly found along riverbanks, also in disturbed areas such as roadsides, plantations, and pastures.

Morphology

• Stems -  hairy and becomes glabrous near the end, produces creeping stems that root at the nodes, forming a dense mat of interwoven stems, purplish.
• Leaves - simple, opposite, petiole 1 to 13 mm long, margins sharply serrate, elliptical- to anceolate, w.acuminate end, measures 3,5-10 cm long and 1 to 1,5 cm wide.
• Flowers - numerous small white flower-heads clustered together at the tips of the branches, contains around twenty tubular flowers, 3 to 3,5 mm long, arranged in loose corymbs. The lateral branches are underpinned by 2 leafy bracts. The capitulum grouped in small corymbs. The flower's heads are bell-shaped, measure 2 mm in diameter.
• Fruits - prismatic achene with 5 ribs, of 1,5 to 2 mm long, dark brown to black, hairy.

Cultivation

Propagated by seeds - the plant is a prolific seeder and grows very fast. Germination is reduced if the seed is covered by more than a very thin sprinkling of soil. The seeds are very light and easily dispersed, 75% of fresh seeds may germinate within a week. The seeds can be dispersed by wind, running water, contamination of agricultural produce, and sticking to clothing, animals, vehicles and machinery.

Chemical Constituents

Sesquiterpene lactone, methylripariochromene A (6-acetyl-7,8-dimethoxy-2,2- dimethylchromene), diterpene lactone, flavonoids, terpenoids, sterols, saponins, tannins, quinones, steroids.

Traditional Medicinal Uses

• Studies have suggested antimicrobial, wound healing, hemostatic, antioxidant, anti inflammatory, platelet protective, anticancer, anti-anemic properties.
• In Indonesia, young leaves are used to treat wounds.
• In many tropical countries, it is used to stop bleeding and wound healing.
• In Vietnam, aqueous extract of leaves is used for the treatment of soft tissue wounds, burns wounds and skin infections.
• In Nigeria, it is used for wound healings and as anthelmintic, also used for treatment of piles.
• In the Philippines, crushed leaves are used for "kulebra", bolis and tumorous inflammtory conditions.
• In Java and Sri Lanka, it is used for its strong antifungal properties.
• in Northeast India, it is used as traditional medicine by boiling the whole plant and drinking the juice, indigenous people believe it can prevent disease caused by germs.