Potential utilization of purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) as food ingredients and traditional medicine

Abstract

Portulaca oleracea (PO) is a type of wild plant that has long been used as food and traditional medicine. This study aims to examine the use of PO as a food ingredient and traditional medicine and its bioactivity. The research method is a literature study on various online scientific sources from Google scholar using the keywords PO and uses PO. The information obtained is synthesized so that it can explain the use of PO in a comprehensive manner. Purslane is a nutritious vegetable with high antioxidant properties and has been recognized as the richest source of a-linolenic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, ascorbic acid, glutathione, a-tocopherol and b-carotene. Ethnobotanically PO is used for the treatment of various diseases such as skin diseases, fever, dysentery, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, kidney, liver and spleen disease. The bioactivities PO is analgesic, antibacterial, skeletal muscle relaxant, wound healing, anti-inflammatory and radical scavenger, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, and antitumor. The compounds portulacerebroside B, portulacerebroside C, portulacerebroside D and portulaceramide A showed significant antibacterial effects on enteropathogenic bacteria in vitro. PO has the potential to be developed as a nutraceutical, especially to treat digestive tract disorders.