Mimosa Pudica – food and medicinal plant.

Nutritional information about Mimosa Pudica plant.
The whole plant is rich in vitamins and minerals that increase body’s strength and supplying resources for the healthy function of the immune system. According to International Journal of Current Research, Vol. 9, Issue, 06, pp.51689-51694, June, 2017 Phytoactive constituents of Neptunia oleracea consist of :

1. Leaves Pheophorbide a and related compounds Nakamura, et al., 1996 (Pheophorbide a is a promising modality for cancer treatment)​
2. Seeds Dichrostachinic acid(L-form) and Djenkolic acid(R-R) form, N-Ac Krauss and Reinbothe, 1973​
3. Shoot and leaves Na, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, Pb and Ni Prusty, 2007​
4. Leaves Na, K, Mg, Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn and P Abulude, F.O., 2005​
5. Dried plant Vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenes, xanthophylls, tannins and phenolics Chanwitheesuk, A., 2005​
6. Leaves Carotene Tee and Lim., 1991

 According to Romesh Sagolshemcha and Robindro Singh (International Journal of Current Research​ Vol. 9, Issue, 06, pp.51689-51694, June, 2017 ) common chemical constituents of the Mimosa Pudica plant responsible for the treatment of various ailments . Also, High nutritious value, high antioxidant an activity shown by the plant makes these plants an ideal food.

It is useful in:
​Degenerated conditions of pitta. Explanation: Pitta in Ayurveda means fire. In the body it means inflammation, infection, heat. Mimosa Pudica has an ability to clear heat and inflammations in these disorders:
1. Otalgia (pain in the ear)
2. Cephalalgia (Cephalalgia is a symptom that refers to any type of pain located in the head)
3. Syphilis (Infectious disease that cause Firm, painless, non-itchy skin ulcer)

4. Digestive symptoms: burning sensation, dipsia (craving for water ), diarrhea Crushed twigs are mixed with paste of un- boiled rice and made into large sized
pills,​ fried and taken orally or with meals to prevent gastritis, acidity and constipation. Leaf is eaten raw in dysentery and intestinal infection

5. Genito urinal symptoms: strangury (a condition caused by blockage or irritation at the base of the bladder, resulting in severe pain and a strong desire to urinate.)
6. Helminthiasis (infestation with parasitic worms.)​
(Warrier et al., 1995)

In Thailand It is used medicinally as a detoxifier to treat fever, food poisoning, and severe allergic reactions.

Anti-tumor activity​
Nakamura et al., 1996 reported the isolation of Pheophorbide a (PPBa) and its related compounds (PPBb, EtPPBa, EtPPBb, MePPBa, 10-OHPPBa) as a possible anti-tumor promoter in the leaves of N. oleracea.Six chlorophyll-related compounds isolated from leaves of Mimosa Pudica inhibited the activation of tumor promoter -induced Epstein-Barr virus ( EBV). 

Inhibition of EBV
PPBa and PPBb showed marked inhibitory activity toward EBV (Epstein-Bar virus)
Antioxidant activity​
Neptunia oleracea exhibited antioxidant activity (Abulude,2005). Antioxidant is a substance such as vitamin C or E that removes potentially
damaging oxidizing agents in a living organism
Anti-bacterial, Helicobacter Pylori ​

The leaves of Neptunia oleracea possess antimicrobial activity (Uyub, et al., 2010). The in-vitro antimicrobial activity of N.oleracea extracts were tested against Helicobacter pylori by​ disc diffusion and agar dilution methods. The highest inhibition was in methanol (28.3±4.1). Information is taking from this research article.
TRADITIONAL AND BIOLOGICAL USES OF NEPTUNIA OLERACEA LOUR: AN OVERVIEW​
*Romesh Sagolshemcha and Robindro Singh, W.​
Department of Biotechnology, S. K. Women’s College Nambol, Manipur Science About Mimosa Pudica toxicity
Phytochemical Screening and Toxicological Study of Neptunia oleracea Lour. (Mimosaceae) Extracts, Plant Used in Traditional Medicine Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International​ 31(6): 1-8, 2019; Article no.JPRI.53166​, ISSN: 2456-9119. (Past name: British Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, Past ISSN: 2231-2919,​ NLM ID: 101631759
Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that the aqueous and hydro-ethanolic extracts of Neptunia oleracea contain bioactive constituents that have practically no toxic effect. This could justify the many forms of use of this plant in traditional medicine.
How Mimosa Pudica works in the body?
When Mimosa Pudica seeds are made into the powder and mixed with the moisture, they will turn into gelatinous mass. In digestive tract Mimosa Pudica powder expands and become jelly-like and sticky. It adds bulk to your stools, which aids elimination. It’s a type of soluble fiber, meaning it’s soluble in water. That’s why it’s able to soak up water and form a gel. By passing through the digestive tract the Mimosa Pudica seeds will scrap and scrub mucus, pulling out toxins, heavy metals, bacteria, worms and all other unwanted elements that have adhered there. Most bad bacteria (like Helicobacter pylori, Candida, Staphylococci etc.) are using biofilm to protect their survival. This biofilm is creating a protective environment for the bacteria. This is one of the reasons why some of the bacteria is so hard to eradicate.
Mimosa Pudica seeds is one of the few plants that has no toxicity and at the same time it has high nutritional value. It can be taking for many months without any side effect.