Portulacaceae

The Portulacaceae is a family of flowering plants, comprising 115 species in a single genus Portulaca. Portulaca oleracea L. (Portulacaceae) has been used as a folk medicine in many countries, acting as a febrifuge, antiseptic, vermifuge, and so forth. It exhibits a wide range of pharmacological effects, including antibacterial, antiulcerogenic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and wound-healing properties. It is listed by the World Health Organization as one of the most used medicinal plants, and it has been given the term “Global Panacea”. The Chinese folklore described it as a “vegetable for long life” and it has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese Medicine. It is cold in nature and sour in taste and is used to cool the blood, stanch bleeding, clear heat, and resolve toxins.