Seven Star Needle
Parts Usually Used
Most commonly the leaves, but also sometimes the fruit or flower
Description of Plant(s) and Culture
Pereskia bleo is an unusual form of cactus since it has leaves. It’s a shrubby, deciduous, tree-like plant that grows to 6-8 meters tall. The trunk has spines that are up to 1-2 cm long. red-orange flowers adorn this plant along with yelow, fleshy, thick-walled fruits that measure up to 5 cm in length and 6-8 mm in diameter.
Where Found
Pereskia bleo originates from Central America and Western South America but is now found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world.
Medicinal Properties
This plant has shown to have antiproliferative and cancer protective properties as well as antimicrobial, antiparasitic and antioxidant effects. According to ResearchGate : In-vitro cytotoxicity screening and cytotoxic effects on cancer cell lines of P. bleo leaf had shown different findings from previous studies. For example, an early study by Tan found that methanol extract of P.
bleo plant contains bioactive compound that is able to induce apoptosis in breast carcinoma. Similar findings from Sri Nurestri, Sim, Abdul Wahab and Yaacob and Sri Nurestri et al. showed that P. bleo contains natural constituents such as α-tocopherol, which possessed very remarkable cytotoxic activity against human nasopharyngeal epidermoid carcinoma cell line.
Legends, Myths and Stories
This plant is often used as a barrier hedge, since it has sharp spines and a strong stem. It is also used as an insect repellant.
Uses
Traditionally, the plant was consumed as a dietary vegetable, with the raw leaves, flowers, and fruit eaten for general health maintenance. Folk practitioners employed it as an insect repellent and utilized it to purify water. Historical accounts record its traditional use for hypertension, detoxification, headaches, ulcers, hemorrhoids, stomach ache, and muscle pain. Herbal traditions also applied it in attempts to manage diabetes, inflammation, asthma, dermatitis, rheumatism, and snakebites.