SOLÉA HERBAL — Plants, their properties, your balance.

Identity & origin

BOTANICAL IDENTITY

The right name is the first step.

Alternanthera brasiliana is an accepted species in Plants of the World Online, in the Amaranthaceae family. Bussmann and Sharon’s survey documents it in northern Peru under the local names Hierba del Oso, Veronica (Hembra), Moradilla de Cerro. Recorded material: fresh or dried whole plant. References include RBU/PL275, JULS11, EHCHL78 and ISA83. Hierba del Oso is also assigned to Alternanthera villosa in the inventory: the two species are not interchangeable on that name alone. This entry follows the botanical identity and context of the record; it is not an identification key for collecting plants.

Part used: Fresh or dried whole plant
Origin & distribution: Native range reported by Kew: Mexico to Tropical America. The uses presented come from the northern Peru survey; the interview location does not establish where a marketed batch grew wild.

Also known as: Achyranthes brasiliana (L.) Standl., Alternanthera dentata Scheygr., Gomphrena brasiliana L., Gomphrena brasiliensis Jacq., Gomphrena dentata Moench, Philoxerus brasiliana (L.) Sm., Telanthera brasiliana (L.) Moq., Telanthera brasiliensis Endl., Telanthera dentata Moq., Hierba del Oso, Veronica (Hembra), Moradilla de Cerro

Check the binomial Alternanthera brasiliana and the actual plant part. The local names Hierba del Oso, Veronica (Hembra), Moradilla de Cerro alone do not guarantee botanical identity; properties of a related species cannot be transferred.

An illustration is not enough to identify a plant for consumption. Do not forage for a species based solely on this profile.

Uses & evidence

UNDERSTANDING THE USES

Properties & uses.

Reported historical use

Uses reported in northern Peru

The whole plant appears in compound drinks reported for bronchitis, asthma, bruises and fractures. A separate bath is linked to susto de la cumbre, a local fright-related category. These terms reproduce survey reports and do not demonstrate respiratory or bone effects. These reports establish neither a causal relationship nor clinical effectiveness. Described methods are ethnographic observations, without advice to prepare or take the plant.

Use reported in a survey or inventory. This establishes neither benefit nor safety.

Read the source

The traditional uses described are not clinical proof of effectiveness. Evidence for one preparation cannot automatically be applied to another.

Precautions before use

BEFORE ANY USE

Precautions & contraindications.

This guidance does not cover every individual situation. Missing information is not a guarantee of safety.

The following warnings do not constitute a complete review of interactions or contraindications. An unstudied combination cannot be considered compatible.

Contraindications & precautions

The selected sources provide no complete clinical assessment of contraindications for this species. Their silence does not establish safety.
Medical or pharmaceutical advice is required before medicinal use, particularly with a chronic condition or persistent symptoms.

Medicine interactions

Interactions with medicines are not evaluated in the cited ethnobotanical survey. Ask a pharmacist to assess the exact species, plant part and product; do not discontinue prescribed treatment.

“Reported” does not prove causality; “possible” may reflect indirect evidence. “None reported” means none in the cited source, not that all combinations have been studied. Do not stop a prescribed treatment based on this profile.

Adverse effects

The use inventory contains no monitoring that could establish the frequency or severity of adverse effects. No safe dose is inferred from the described practices.

Pregnancy & breastfeeding

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: the selected sources do not establish safety for this medicinal use. Do not self-medicate; seek appropriate professional advice.

Children & adolescents

Any uses reported in children validate neither safety nor a paediatric dose. Do not independently use this plant medicinally in children; consult a professional.

If symptoms persist, worsen or are unusual, consult a healthcare professional. In an emergency, contact the emergency services.

Bussmann & Sharon (2006) — Additional file 1, p. 1, Alternanthera brasiliana Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — Plants of the World Online: Alternanthera brasiliana (L.) Kuntze Bussmann & Sharon (2006) — Traditional medicinal plant use in Northern Peru: tracking two thousand years of healing culture

Sources & last review

CHECKING REFERENCES

Sources for this profile.

Bussmann & Sharon (2006) — Additional file 1, p. 1, Alternanthera brasilianaAccessed on 09/10/2026
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — Plants of the World Online: Alternanthera brasiliana (L.) KuntzeAccessed on 09/10/2026
Bussmann & Sharon (2006) — Traditional medicinal plant use in Northern Peru: tracking two thousand years of healing cultureAccessed on 09/10/2026

Image: Pavel Smirnov · CC BY 4.0. View the original image and its licence. Image resized and converted to WebP.