Ruellia prostrata

Ruellia prostrata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Acanthaceae
Genus:	Ruellia
Species:	R. prostrata
Binomial name
Ruellia prostrata Poir.
Synonyms [1]
Dipteracanthus prostratus(Poir.) Nees Ruellia patula var. prostrata(Poir.) Chiov.l

Ruellia prostrata is a species of flowering plant in the family Acanthaceae.

Description

Ruellia prostrata is a perennial herb or small shrub growing up to 1.5 m tall, with erect to decumbent stems arising from a woody rootstock. Leaves are ovate to elliptic, 4–9.5 cm long, and shortly to distinctly petiolate. Flowers are mauve or white, solitary or in small axillary cymes. The calyx is deeply five-lobed, and the fruit is a hairy, many-seeded capsule ^[2] .

Distribution

It 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. ^[1]

Uses

Antioxidant activity of Ruellia prostrata has been documented in several studies ^[3] ., ^[4] . In addition, both aqueous and alcoholic extracts of R. prostrata have been reported to exhibit anti-inflammatory properties ^[5] , ^[6] , ^[7] . Phytochemical analysis of Ruellia prostrata has shown the presence of various bioactive compounds, including saponins, flavonoids, phenols, terpenoids, tannins, and glycosides ^[8] . ^{[9] [10]}

References

1. "Ruellia prostrata". Plants of the World-Online. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
2. Herman, PPJ; Retief, E. 1997. Plants of the northern provinces of South Africa: Keys and diagnostic characters. Strelitzia 6: 1 - 681. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
3. A. N. Kalia, Roopa, Sakshi Borar and Jatin Thakral, “Antioxidant Potential Fractionation from Methanol Extract of Aerial Parts of Ruellia Prostrata Poir (Acanthaceae)” in International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research, 2011, Vol. 2(4): 1015-1022.
4. C. O. Wangia, J. A. Orwa, F. W. Muregi, P. G. Kareru, K. Cheruiyot, J. Kibet, “Comparative Anti-Oxidant Activity of Aqueous and Organic Extracts from Kenyan Ruellia linearibracteolata and Ruellia bignoniiflora” in. European Journal of Medicinal Plants, 2016, 17(1): 1- 7, 2016
5. E. Kaulukusi, “Pharmacological screening of Dipteracanthus prostratus with special reference to its anti-inflammatory activity” in MSc. (Drug Assay). Thesis. Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi,1983, unpublished.
6. C. O. Wangia, “Isolation and Pharmacological evaluation of biologically active constituents of the extracts of Dipteracanthus prostratus with special reference to their anti-inflammatory activity” in MSc. (Drug Assay). Thesis. Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi,1985, unpublished.
7. G. Sankari, V. M. Mounnissamy, and V. Balu, “Evaluation of anti- inflammatory and membrane stabilizing properties of ethanol extract of Dipteracanthus prostratus poir (Acanthaceae)” in Amala Res Bull, 2009, 29, 187-90.
8. A. N. Kalia, Roopa, Sakshi Borar and Jatin Thakral, “Antioxidant Potential Fractionation from Methanol Extract of Aerial Parts of Ruellia Prostrata Poir (Acanthaceae)” in International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research, 2011, Vol. 2(4): 1015-1022.
9. C. O. Wangia, J. A. Orwa, F. W. Muregi, P. G. Kareru, K. Cheruiyot, J. Kibet, “Comparative Anti-Oxidant Activity of Aqueous and Organic Extracts from Kenyan Ruellia linearibracteolata and Ruellia bignoniiflora” in. European Journal of Medicinal Plants, 2016, 17(1): 1- 7, 2016
10. G. Sankari, V. M. Mounnissamy, and V. Balu, “Evaluation of anti- inflammatory and membrane stabilizing properties of ethanol extract of Dipteracanthus prostratus poir (Acanthaceae)” in Amala Res Bull, 2009, 29, 187-90.