Merremia tridentata

Merremia is a genus of flowering plants in the morning glory family, Convolvulaceae. Members of the genus are commonly known as woodroses.

Merremia tridentata is widely used in traditional medicine in Africa and Asia. In several parts of Africa a maceration of the leaves is drunk as an anti-venom after snake-bites. In Togo and Benin Merremia tridentata is part of a decoction of a mixture of plants, drunk against candida infections of mouth, digestive tract or anus. An infusion of the aerial parts and of Hyptis suaveolens (L.) Poit. is used as a mouth wash to treat stomatitis and aphthae. A decoction of the leafy stems together with leaves of Ocimum spp. is given to drink or as enema to babies against stomach-ache. A vapour bath of leafy twigs is taken against jaundice. In Niger the pounded leaves together with those of Ficus thonningii Blume enter into a medicine taken orally against liver problems. In northern Nigeria a decoction of the whole plant is taken to treat gonorrhoea. In Tanzania small children are bathed in a macerate of the plant against malaria. In Zimbabwe an ointment made of the leaves is applied to inflammation of the navel cord. In Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire a decoction of the whole plant or root sap is used as eye drops to treat eye problems, such as conjunctivitis. In Congo a decoction of the grated roots is used for this purpose. In Namibia root tea is drunk against cardiac pain after anger and vapours of a plant decoction are inhaled against headache.

Merremia tridentata is part of the catalog of ayurvedic medicinal plants of Sri Lanka.