Portulaca includes somewhere from 50 to 100 mostly tropical species of mucilaginous, fleshy-leaved herbs whose fruit is a pyxis (a capsule that splits around the ?equator? to allow the top to pop off and release the seeds). Portulaca oleracea, a weed found almost worldwide, is commonly encountered in gardens and sidewalk cracks. In some cultures it is cultivated as a vegetable. Its succulent, paddle-shaped leaves and prostrate, fleshy stems are eaten cooked or occasionally raw (as with other mucilaginous vegetables, one would have to be tolerant of its unusual texture). One Latin American recipe calls for frying the plant with eggs. Purslane juice has traditionally been used medicinally to treat a variety of conditions (e.g., headaches, painful urination, asthma and other respiratory conditions); it has a particular reputation as an anti-inflammatory. Topical preparations are used to treat conditions such as inflammation, burns, and sore gums. Seeds are used as a vermifuge.

One small human study has found that a boiled extract of purslane temporarily improved pulmonary function in asthmatic patients. Animal studies have reported muscle-relaxant activity (apparently due largely to its high potassium content) and ulcer-preventive activity; wounds in mice healed better when treated with the homogenized herb. At the least, purslane is a very nutritious vegetable; studies have shown that it is an excellent source of antioxidant vitamins (A, C, E) and essential minerals (magnesium, potassium). It also contains more omega-3 fatty acids than any of the more popular leafy vegetables.

Selected References

Danin, A., I. Baker, and H. G. Baker. 1978. Cytogeography and taxonomy of the Portulaca oleracea L. polyploid complex. Israel J. Bot. 27:177-211.

Ezekwe, M. O., T. R. Omara-Alwala, and T. Membrahtu. 1999. Nutritive characterization of purslane accessions as influenced by planting date. Plant Foods Hum. Nutr. 54:183-191.

Habtemariam, S., A. L. Harvey, and P. G. Waterman. 1993. The muscle relaxant properties of Portulaca oleracea are associated with high concentrations of potassium ions. J. Ethnopharmacol. 40:195-200.

Karimi, G., H. Hosseinzadeh, and N. Ettehad. 2004. Evaluation of the gastric antiulcerogenic effects of Portulaca oleracea L. extracts in mice. Phytother. Res. 18:484-487.

Malek, F., M. H. Boskabady, M. T. Borushaki, and M. Tohidi. 2004. Bronchodilatory effect of Portulaca oleracea in airways of asthmatic patients. J. Ethnopharmacol. 93:57-62.

Matthews, J. F. 2003. Portulaca. Pp. 496-501 in: Flora of North America Editorial Committee, eds. Flora of North America, vol. 4. Oxford University Press, New York.

Matthews, J. F., D. W. Ketron, and S. F. Zane. 1993. The biology and taxonomy of the Portulaca oleracea L. (Portulacaceae) complex in North America. Rhodora 95:166-183 [erratum 96: 109].

Miyanishi, K., and P. B. Cavers. 1980. The biology of Canadian weeds: 40. Portulaca oleracea L. Canad. J. Pl. Sci. 60:953-963.

Rashed, A. N., F. U. Afifi, and A. M. Disi. 2003. Simple evaluation of the wound healing activity of a crude extract of Portulaca oleracea L. (growing in Jordan) in Mus musculus JVI-1. J. Ethnopharmacol. 88:131-136.