Amaranthus spinosus

PLANT NAME: Amaranthus spp.

COMMON NAMES: Pakai (Amaranthus spp.), pakai kükü (A. spinosus)[Hawai'i]; zhi xian, tz'u hsien-ts'ai, [China]; tanduliyah [India] ban lunde [Nepal]; amaranth, spiny amaranth (A. spinosus), red cockscomb, love-lies-bleeding, pigweed [USA]; chiori con espinas [Bolivia]; khichka jat'aqo [Quechua]; mullu keerai, neer keerai, tanduliuyah [India]; gansam lodut, surindi [Borneo]; ntungu [Tanzania].

TOXICITY: Amaranthus retroflexus (not known to grow in Hawai'i) is reportedly nephrotoxic to large domestic animals [Oladosu 1979], although not to rabbits [Schamber 1985]. In China, the roots are said to be mildly toxic and overdose can cause dizziness, nausea, and vomiting.

CAUTIONS AND CONTRAINDICATIONS: Never treat bleeding without first determining its cause.
Not during pregnancy or normal menstruation. Caution with osteoporosis or calcium imbalances~ [Larsen 2003]. See Use As Food below. The genus has been reported to cause dermatitis and photosensitivity. The pollen has been reported to cause keratitis of the eye.

TRADITIONAL CHINESE ENERGETIC FUNCTIONS (~ = extrapolated):
1) Clears heat and poison.
2) Improves digestion.
3) Stops bleeding.

OTHER ENERGETIC FUNCTIONS: Benefits pitta and kapha.

RANGE: Southeast Asia, Malaysia, Southern Africa. Native to tropical Americas. Accidentally brought into Hawai'i in 1900.

HABITAT: Found in the sun almost everywhere in Hawai'i

GATHERING: Use the young ones… or use gloves. When gathering as food, take the young shoots. Can cause hay fever.

PROPAGATION & CULTIVATION: Don't. Seeds are dispersed by water & have long viability.

RESEARCH:
• The essential oil of Amaranthus spp. lowers cholesterol in hamsters and the seeds of Amaranthus esculantus lowers cholesterol in rats [Berger 2003; Chaturvedi 1993].
• A. caudatus and A. paniculatus seeds are antioxidant [Klimczak 2002].

NOTES 'N QUOTES
"The redder the stem, the stronger the effects."
- - Michael Moore

• The family amaranthaceae includes more than 900 species in 60 genera.
• Most amaranths photosynthesize using a different method than some other plants. Called the "C4 carbon-fixation pathway," it is a mechanism best suited for sunny areas.

Berger 2003; Chaturvedi 1993; Chevallier 1996; Cribb 1986; De Lucca 1992; Elpel 2000; Haselwood 1983; Larsen 2003; Klimczak 2002; Moerman 1986; Neal 1965; Oladosu 1979; Schamber 1985.

http: / / bicn.com / wei / resources / nerp / wrs / ch3.htm
http: / / www.borneofocus.com / vaic / R&D / article1.htm
http: / / www.borneofocus.com / vaic / R&D / article18.htm
http: / / www.dweckdata.com / Published / Indian.htm
http: / / www.ethnobotany.com / seeds / Seed_a-e.html
http: / / www.floridaplants.com / Med / nausea.htm
http: / / www.google.com / search?q=cache:BOixxY1zZFg:www.fao.org / WAICENT / FAOINFO / AGRICULT / AGP / AGPS / Pgrfa / pdf / tanzania.pdf+Amaranthus+spinosus+medicine&hl=en
http: / / www.ibiblio.org / pfaf / cgi-bin / arr_html?Amaranthus+spinosus
http: / / www.mssrf.org.sg / 9-Table2-12.htm
http: / / www.mssrf.org / fris9809 / fris1014.html
http: / / www.mssrf.org / fris9809 / planti13.html
http: / / www.mssrf.org / fris9809 / planti52.html
http: / / www.natureproducts.net / Ecology / Biodiversity%20Products / biodiversity_products.html
http: / / www.pfaf.org
http: / / www.purr.demon.co.uk / Food / RelatedPlantList.html
http: / / www.rbgkew.org.uk / peopleplants / regions / africa / aen1 / review.htm
http: / / www.scs.leeds.ac.uk / pfaf / relations / weeds.html
http: / / www.soton.ac.uk / ~icuc / tambib / tam-u-e2.htm