Портулак

Portulaca, commonly known as pigweed, is a succulent herbaceous plant. It is usually an annual plant and may reach 40 centimetres in height. It has smooth, reddish, mostly prostrate stems and yellow flowers up to 6 millimetres wide. It grows from a taproot with fibrous secondary roots.

Origin and Distribution

The genus Portulaca has over 100 species and is found generally in the tropics and warm temperate regions. Purslane has an extensive distribution from North Africa and Southern Europe through the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent to Malesia and Australasia. Its origin is not certain. Its succulent stems and fleshy leaves suggest that it may have originated and adapted to the desert climates of the Middle East and India. It grows well in orchards, vineyards, crop fields, gardens, roadsides and other disturbed sites. The taproot helps the plant tolerate poor soil and drought. The name Portulaca comes from two Latin words meaning to carry and milk, which refers to the milky juice in the plant.

Chemistry and Constituents

Purslane supplies alpha-linolenic acid, an essential omega-3 fatty acid. Its leaves contain nearly 300-400 mg of alpha-linolenic acid per 100 g of fresh weight. Its leaves contain more alpha-linolenic acid, alpha-tocopherol, ascorbic acid and glutathione than spinach leaves. Its leaves are reported to contain 671-869 mg of oxalate per 100 g of fresh weight. Purslane is also a source of specialised metabolites such as alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids and betalains.

Culinary and Traditional Use

All parts of purslane are edible raw or cooked, and the seeds can be used to make flour. Its taste is slightly sour and salty, and it is eaten throughout much of Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Mexico. Oxalic and malic acid cause the sour taste. Because of its mucilaginous quality, purslane is also suitable for soups and stews. In Mexico and the American Southwest, the plant is consumed as verdolagas. In the Alentejo region of Portugal, purslane is used for a traditional soup, sopa de beldroegas. Aboriginal Australians use the seeds of purslane to make seedcakes. It has been used as folk medicine and traditional food in various parts of the world since ancient times.

Cosmetic Use

In cosmetic products, Portulaca oleracea extract has the function of skin conditioning.

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