How to strengthen liver with common purslane (paruppu keerai) – DIY

Purslane is a variety of green leafy vegetable which grows abundantly in tropical region. This green is extremely nutritious and contains substantial amounts of dietary fiber, minerals and vitamins. The most important benefit of purslane is that it contains good amounts of Omega 3 fatty acids and is very beneficial for overall health. In this recipe, the focus is on how Purslane can be used to strengthen liver.

The remedy

This remedy uses fresh purslane leaves, honey and water (Simple, right?!) to cleanse and strengthen the liver. This remedy is suitable for teens and adults.

And not to forget, when cooked along with split white gram or black gram, this tastes really good! You can eat it along with white rice, black rice or rotis. You can also make a soup using purslane and chickpeas, you can add it to your dishes and use it in salads.

Health benefits of Purslane leaves

1. Provides Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) and Alpha linolenic acid. It also has excellent amounts of potassium, calcium and magnesium.
2. Due to the presence of Zinc and Carotene in addition to the above minerals, it can definitely be considered a superfood.
3.  It is low in calories due to which it is an excellent option for those trying to lose weight. This green provides nutrition without adding calories.
4. In many ancient civilizations, purslane was used to treat heart diseases.
5. The raw juice of purslane is an effective remedy to treat shortness of breath and dry cough.
6. You can gargle a tea made of purslane leaves to cure mild cases of toothache. This is due to the anti-inflammatory properties of these leaves. For the same reason, it can also be used to treat conditions such as osteoporosis and psoriasis. Various research evidences show that purslane is very effective for overall health.

Scientific evidence:

Oral administration of both the leaves extracts at a concentration of 150 mg/kg bw daily for 15 days showed significant protection against an induced increase in serum and hepatic LDH and TBARS as well as serum tumor necrosis factor-alph (TNF-α) levels. The treatment also resulted in a significant increase in serum and hepatic Pr-SHs as well as GSH, SOD and GPx in blood and liver.

Source:

Mohammed Abdalla H, Soad Mohamed AG. In vivo Hepato-protective Properties of Purslane Extracts on Paracetamol-Induced Liver Damage. Malays J Nutr. 2010 Apr;16(1) 161-170. PMID: 22691863.