Table of Contents
The list of Sida acuta benefits may be surprised to you as it is not a popular herb in the United States. But this not the case of many parts of the world. The leaves and roots of the plant are used in different parts of the world as an alternative treatment for many medical conditions, ranging from impotence to many degenerative diseases, including urinary infections, skin diseases and certain disorders of the blood and bile.
Sida acuta is also used in Pharmacological Applications such as antifungal, antioxidant, antiplasmodial, antibacterial, cytotoxic activities and many others.
In this article, you will learn top 16 sida acuta benefits and uses around the world.
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Birth Control
In Africa and some parts of Asia, the leaves are used as a birth control or to cause abortion. Extracts of the plants were tested for abortifacient effects in female albino rats from day 1 to day 7 of pregnancy, at reasonable dose of up to 100mg/kg body weight. The researchers found the ethanolic extract to be the most effective in inducing miscarriage/abortion. The petroleum ether extract, however, demonstrated highest estrogenic activity when tested in immature female albino rats who have their ovaries removed. Sida acuta can also cause temporary infertility in women. The infertility is reversible upon withdrawal or discontinue of the plant, which makes some people use it as a natural birth control.
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Anti-impotence
The aphrodisiac effects of sida acuta is well known in some countries in Africa and Asia. Decoction of the leaves 
In addition, boiled in sesame oil, you can apply it on swollen testicles and elephantiasis for inflammation reduction. Extracts of the plant are also used to treat bacterial and Protozoal infections.
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Anti-dandruffs
In Africa, people combine the powder of the leaves with coconut oil and apply the paste on their hair regularly to get rid of dandruffs and strengthening hair.
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Anti-inflammatory
A study conducted in 2005 on mice reported the anti-inflammatory properties of Sida acuta. Extract of the plant was given to the animals over a period of weeks. At the end of the study, the extracts reduced considerably the inflammation in the rodents without any side effects. The powdered aerial part of Sida acuta showed significant inflammation suppressant activity.
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Painkilling
Sida acuta is also used as a pain killer in some parts of the world. In 2009, a group of researchers investigated analgesic activity of the leaves of the plant, using petroleum ether, acetone and distilled water. The acetone extract of the leaf showed maximum analgesic activity amongst other extracts. The pain killing activity of Sida acuta was evaluated by hot plate and tail immersion methods at 3 dose levels in mice. High doses of 500mg/ml showed significant pain management properties.
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Antiulcer
Ethanol extract of Sida acuta leaves showed a significant degree of antiulcer activity in different internal organs. The antiulcer activity of ethanol extract of the whole plant was further confirmed by another study in 2010. The scientists focused on the antiulcer properties of the plant against aspirin side effects and gastric ulcer, using Hcl- ethanol induced ulcer and water immersion stress induced ulcer in rats. It was found that ethanol extract noticeably decreased the incidence of the ulcer in the models treated with sida acuta extract.
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Anti-diabetic
The hypoglycemic activity of Sida acuta was put to test. The effects of the extracts of the plant on blood glucose levels in both normal and diabetic rabbits were studied in glucose overloaded rabbits and anti-diabetic activity in alloxan induced diabetic rabbits. The extracts work for both groups: Blood sugar levels of the alloxan induced diabetic rabbits considerably decrease while the tolerance for glucose among glucose fed normal rabbits increase. But the reduction was not superior but similar to that of glibenclamide, a medication used to treat diabetes mellitus type 2.
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Anti-fever and Cold
A small research was conducted by scientist Sharma in 2012 in order to evaluate Sida Acuta health benefits, particularly its antipyretic activity. Different forms of solvent were used in the production of the extracts: ether, acetone, ethanol and aqueous. It was observed that all the extracts lowered the temperature of the participants, but the acetone extract showed better antipyretic property than other extracts. The antipyretic activity of the ethanol extract was found to be faster and more potent compared to other extracts; its effect was observed within less than 2 hours.
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Anti-liver Damage
Sida acuta contains Ferulic acid, a plant-based antioxidant often used in anti-aging creams. It is also used as a natural alternative to treat hypertension, diabetes, and some other diseases. Beneficial effects of sida acuta on the liver were analyzed to determine if it indeed has the ability to prevent damage to the liver. 2 Groups of rats were used: healthy rats and rodents with liver damage induced by paracetamol overdose. The liver protection effect was further confirmed in rat fed with Sida acuta by study of changes in tissues of the liver organ.
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Wound Healing
Scientists administered tropical methanol extract of Sida acuta ointment on two types of wound models in rats: excision and incision. In the excision group, the ointment treated the wound faster and the rate of wound contraction of the Sida acuta ointment was also greater than that of the control. The researchers concluded that the wound healing property of the ointment is significantly greater in both types of wound tested than the control group.
Note: Besides ointment, you can use decoction of the leaves to clean wound in order to speed up the healing.
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Antioxidant
Antioxidants are vital to health. They prevent damage to cells caused by free radicals, which may play a major role in the development of many diseases such as heart disease and cancer. You cannot prevent your body from exposing to free radicals but you can counteract their effects, and Sida acuta can do so, and more, in one single serving. The antioxidant activity of the plant was found in six species of mallows, including Sida acuta which exhibited significant antioxidants properties. The scientists also discover that the extract demonstrated a cytotoxic activity on murine and human cancer cells by using a MTI assay.
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Anti-cancer
Sida acuta have curative compounds alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, terpenes and phenolics. They protect the body against different types of cancer. In 2010, a research was conducted to analyze in vitro cytotoxicity and antioxidant activities of sida acuta. The potential antiproliferation of cancer cells and antioxidant activities against cellular damage of sida acuta were evaluated in vitro on HepG-2 cells. 5 extracts, from 5 medicinal plants from Cameroon, were used: Sida acuta, Viscum album, Sida cordifolia, Urena lobata, and Sida rhombilifolia.
The results showed, among the 5, sida acuta extracts had significant anti-proliferative activity. It decreased the viability and reproduction of cancer cells in a concentration-dependent manner. The results of the antioxidant property showed considerable increase of CAT, SOD, and GST.
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Anti-Cardiovascular
Heart disease is the major cause of death of most ethnic and racial groups in the United States. It causes the death of about 655,000 Americans each year, representing 1 in every 4 deaths. Worldwide, about 1 individual dies every 36 seconds from cardiovascular disease. According to WHO, an estimated of 17.9 million people died from Cardiovascular in the year 2016; 85% were due to heart attack. This is 31% of all global deaths.
You can improve your heart health with sida acuta. Limited studies on the plant suggest it can help regulate heart beat and support healthy heart functions.
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Anti Headache and Respiratory Illnesses
As stated above, sida acuta leaves contain phytochemicals alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, terpenes and phenolics. These compounds have diuretic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Alkaloids are able to stop or reduce headache associated with high blood pressure. They are also used in alternative treatments of fever, cold, and chronic Catarrh.
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Anti-degenerative Diseases
Sida acuta benefits cover many other medical conditions, including many degenerative diseases. For instance, in addition to cancer, saponin is used to treat or manage high cholesterol, High blood sugar, asthma symptoms, and others. Terpenes have been used as potent agents to treat a wide range of ailments. They are anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, antidiabetic, anticancer, and more.
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Anti-venom
Sida acuta extract has been found to neutralizing snake venom. Ethanol extract of the whole plant has a moderate neutralizing activity against the haemorrhagic effect of Bothrops atrox venom
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