Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is a wild plant that will be familiar to rural people, as it thrives spontaneously in orchards and fields. It also grows on roadsides and even on city sidewalks.

It was very popular in the Roman Empire and today it can be found in many countries, as it is a very undemanding plant and grows easily in infertile lands.

Plant Description

Purslane is a creeping plant, about 40 cm high, very branched, with reddish stems, shiny, fleshy leavesovate and blunt in shape, and tiny, yellow flowers. Blooms from May to September.

Picking wild purslane is common and is, in fact, one of the best known edible wild plants. Due to its mild herbaceous flavor and meaty texture, it is pleasant as a vegetable, fresh, cooked or pickled, but it also has health properties that make it highly recommended in different situations.

The most common thing is to eat the leaves, although the flowers and stems are also edible.

Properties of purslane

If there is a wild plant worthy of appearing in salads, it is purslane. One of the main reasons is its alpha-linolenic acid content (about 0.4 g per 100 g)something unusual in vegetables. This fatty acid is partially transformed by the body into EPA and DHA, omega-3 fatty acids that reduce cardiovascular risk and are only found in large proportions in oily fish.

In the case of purslane, by far the vegetable richest in this fatty acidthe leaves also contain abundant mucilage, vitamins (especially A, C and E) and mineral saltsespecially potassium, magnesium, iron and calcium. The presence of the three antioxidant vitamins in purslane, especially in the leaves, along with that of the antioxidant glutathionemake it a vegetable with great antioxidant potential, according to this study published in The Scientific World Journal.

Due to this rich nutritional composition, these are some of the outstanding properties attributed to purslane:

• Soothing and digestive: The mucilage in purslane calms and softens the digestive mucous membranes. They alleviate excess gastric acid and the unpleasant sensation of heartburn. Purslane is therefore also indicated for gastric ulcers and as support for hiatal hernia.
• Laxative: The mucilage in purslane is a fiber that also helps combat constipation.
• Hypoglycemic: In traditional Chinese medicine, purslane has been used as an antidiabetic plant to reduce blood sugar levels. Although there are no scientific studies in people that confirm these properties, it is still a widespread traditional use and a study published in International Journal of Molecular Sciences confirmed the hypoglycemic effect of purslane polysaccharides in mice.
• Diuretic and purifying: Combined with other diuretic plants such as horsetail and celery, it is an excellent cleanser. The fresh leaves can be add to purifying broths in cures of spring and autumn. It is also indicated in case of fluid retention, edema and urinary infections.
• Astringent and healing: For external use, it has traditionally been used on boils, pimples, abscesses, superficial wounds, sores and cracks on the lips, as it facilitates healing.
• Refreshing and anti-inflammatory: In topical use it has also been used to cool and reduce inflammation in the temples, eyelids and eyes in case of headache, conjunctivitis and blepharitis.

Because it is such a succulent plant, purslane cannot be dried without losing its properties, so it must be used fresh and tender, also in phytotherapy for medicinal purposes.

home remedies

A common way to take purslane to take advantage of its medicinal properties is in juice, both for internal use and external use, in the form of a rinse, for example. We can also prepare a poultice with it to care for the skin.

1. To reduce acidity

Thanks to its mucilage, purslane protects the digestive mucous membranes and prevents burning sensations. For this it is useful to take it in juice.

• Purslane and apple juice for heartburn: A traditional formula to combat heartburn consists of adding about 20 or 25 purslane leaves to half a liter of apple juice, previously crushed in a blender or mixer. It would be enough to do a cure of about 9 days in a row, drinking 2 glasses a day.

2. For skin conditions

You can make a purslane plaster to take advantage of its healing and astringent properties on boils, pimples or small wounds. The plaster is simply applied to the damaged area.

Another option is to water or scrub the damaged area with a warm decoction of the leaves.

4. For the gums

You can use the leaves liquefied or in juice (10 leaves per glass of water) to rinse and strengthen the gums, prevent bleeding and cure canker sores and mouth sores.

Contraindications and precautions

Purslane should not be ingested in case of oxalic stones, as it contains oxalic acid.

If purslane is collected directly from the field, it must be done in clean places and then washed well to avoid possible parasites.

Jordi Cebrián. Advisor: J Mª Teixé, herbalist from “El Manantial de Salud”