Justicia pectoralis

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Justicia pectoralis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Lamiales Family: Acanthaceae Genus: Justicia Species: J. pectoralis
Binomial name
Justicia pectoralis Jacq.[1]

Justicia pectoralis (Acanthus family) is a herb known as tilo in Cuba and other Latin American countries (e.g. Costa Rica, Dominican Rep., Venezuela) and chapantye in Haiti. In Cuba and other countries from Brazil to the US it is used in folk medicine as a relaxant and general tonic. In recent years, with the US government's blockade of the island intensified, it has been used extensively by Cuban health services: there is evidence of its anti-inflamatory and relaxant effects. The name tilo could be by association with tilia, the [[linden tree whose flowers have similar relaxant properties but which is unrelated.

[edit] References

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C. S. Lino, M. L. Taveira, G. S. B. Viana , F. J. A. Matos (1997) Phytotherapy Research 11, Issue 3 , Pages 211 - 215 [4] Leal LK, Ferreira AA,Bezerra GA,Matos FJ,Viana GS J Antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and bronchodilator activities of Brazilian medicinal plants containing coumarin: a comparative study. (2000) Ethnopharmacol. May;70(2):151-9.