About Ruellia prostrata Poir.
Ruellia prostrata Poir. is a perennial herb or small shrub that reaches up to 1.5 meters in height. It produces erect to decumbent stems that grow from a woody rootstock. Its leaves are ovate to elliptic, measure 4–9.5 cm long, and have short to distinct petioles. The flowers are mauve or white, and grow either singly or in small axillary cymes. Its calyx is deeply split into five lobes, and its fruit is a hairy capsule that holds many seeds. This species is native to Angola, Bangladesh, Botswana, Caprivi Strip, Central African Republic, the Christmas Islands, Eritrea, Eswatini (previously known as Swaziland), Ethiopia, India, Jawa, Kenya, the Laccadive Islands, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaya, Mozambique, Namibia, New Caledonia, New Guinea, Northern Provinces, Oman, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan-South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Vanuatu, Wallis-Futuna Islands, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Multiple studies have documented antioxidant activity in Ruellia prostrata. Both aqueous and alcoholic extracts of R. prostrata have been reported to show anti-inflammatory properties. Phytochemical analysis of Ruellia prostrata has detected a range of bioactive compounds, including saponins, flavonoids, phenols, terpenoids, tannins, and glycosides.
