Folk Medicine, Pharmacological and Biological ActivitiesDifferent uses in folk medicine have been attributed to both Aerva javanica and Aerva lanata, being mainly used as diuretic and in kidney troubles (Chopra et al., 1956; Lewis and Elvin-Lewis, 1977; Aboutabl et al., 1997; Punjani, 2010).
Both species are also useful in strangury (Punjani, 2010).
Aerva javanica has been used by Egyptian Bedouins, as an analgesic, local anesthetic, antitoxic (or snake bite) and antihistaminic (El-Seedi and Sobaih, 1999).
Aerva javanica var. bovi is diuretic and demulcent, and is effective in lithiasis. It is also used as anti-inflammatory, for headache and toothache. Aerva javanica var. javanica is used as anthelmintic, diuretic, demulcent, against rheumatism and for the treatment of headache (Qureshi and Bhatti, 2009).
Aerva persica posesses diuretic and demulcent properties (Garg et al., 1979); the roots and flowers are reported to posess medicinal properties against rheumatism and kidney troubles (Garg et al., 1980).
In Pakistan, the roots are used in headache and as demulcent.
Decoction of the roots is given as tonic to pregnant women. It is also used for the treatment of dysentery, gonorrhea, kidney disorders and cutaneous infections (Ahmed et al., 2008).
Aerva javanica extracts showed antimicrobial (antibacterial and antifungal) activity (Mufti et al., 2012).
The antibacterial activity of the ethyl acetate extract and fatty acids of Aerva javanica var. bovei was reported (Radwan et al., 1999).
The aqueous extract of Aerva …