The Mimosa pudica It is a climbing herb that belongs to the Leguminosae family. It is an annual or perennial plant that is characterized by having compound leaves that are sensitive to the touch. In turn, it is a plant native to tropical America with a pantropical distribution..
Mimosa pudica it is commonly known as sleeper, poppy or sensitive plant, and is a creeping herb, prostrate, and with cylindrical stems. It is a plant that grows about half a meter and spreads up to 0.3 meters.
In the same way, M. pudica It is a plant that develops compound leaves with four pinnae, which can each contain 12 to 25 pairs of leaflets. The leaves of this plant close to the touch, due to a nastic movement, known as thigmonastia..
Mimosa pudica It is a plant that grows frequently in disturbed spaces, on the edges of roads and trails, and in cultivated soils. It is a native plant of South and Central America, however it has a pantropical distribution, being declared in some cases as an invasive herb.
By contrast, M. pudica It is widely used in traditional medicine as a wound healing agent, as a microbial repellent, as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory, as an anticonvulsant, as an antidiarrheal, and as an antimalarial, among others..
However, Mimosa pudica It contains mimosine, a non-protein amino acid that, together with a plant enzyme, produces 3,4-dihydroxy pyridone, a potent goitrogen. This component is toxic and is associated with cases of alopecia.
From a horticultural point of view, Mimosa pudica It is an herb that is generally propagated by seeds and its growth is optimal in greenhouses with warm temperatures.
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Mimosa pudica It is a plant with herbaceous growth, with a woody stem only at the base, annual or perennial, which can measure from 0.15 to 1.0 meters in length and 0.3 meters in width..
The stem is cylindrical up to 2.5 cm in diameter, with few spines, and is covered with thick and long weak hairs. In addition, the stem has longitudinal grooves, and has a light brown outer surface. While the inner surface is gray in color.
In turn, the mature stem shows exfoliated cork, four to eight layers of elongated cells filled with reddish-brown content..
The sheets of M. pudica they have stipules 5 to 10 mm long, and are composed of 1 or 2 pairs of sessile pinnae. In addition, the leaves are hairy, alternate, and hang from a petiole 1 to 5 cm long.
Each leaf is lanceolate in shape and can contain 10 to 20 pairs of leaflets, each 5 to 10 mm long and 1.5 to 2.5 mm wide. The leaflets are obliquely linear to linear-oblong, and the upper surface and underside lack pubescence..
The eccentric rib is prominent and the margin is setose. While the apex is acute or apiculate.
The root is cylindrical in the shape of a spindle, and has secondary and tertiary roots 2 cm wide, which vary in length. The root surface is more or less rough or wrinkled. In addition, it has a coloration that varies from grayish brown to brown.
The inflorescence is organized in chapters 1.0 to 1.5 cm in diameter, globose, with 95 to 125 flowers. Each inflorescence is axillary, solitary and racemose. The inflorescence hangs from a peduncle 1 to 3 cm long, with pubescence, and without spines..
The bracts, on the other hand, are located 0.5 to 0.75 cm in length from the corolla, are linear to lanceolate, and do not have pubescence..
The flowers are hermaphroditic, sessile and have a calyx ten times smaller than the corolla. The calyx has four lobes, campanulate, without pubescence, and has a smooth margin.
The corolla, meanwhile, has four free pink lobes, and is devoid of pubescence. On the other hand, the filaments of the stamens are free and lilac in color..
The fruit of Mimosa pudica it is a sheath 1 to 1.5 cm long and 3 to 4 mm wide. The fruit is straight to slightly curved, compressed between the seeds. In turn, the pods are sessile, lack pubescence, and have an acuminate or cuspid apex..
The seeds are 3 to 3.2 cm long and 2.5 to 3 cm wide, with a thickness of 1 to 1.2 mm. In addition, each seed is lenticular, and they have ocher-colored testa, which is smooth or porous..
- Kingdom: Plantae.
- Subkingdom: Viridiplantae.
- Under realm: Streptophyte.
- Super division: Embryophyte.
- Division: Tracheophyte.
- Subdivision: Euphylophytin.
- Infra division: Lignofita.
- Class: Spermatophyte.
- Subclass: Magnoliofita.
- Superorder: Rosanae.
- Order: Fabales.
- Family: Leguminosae.
- Subfamily: Mimosoideae.
- Tribe: Mimoseae.
- Gender: Mimosa.
- Species: Mimosa pudica Linnaeus.
Sleeper root has been reported on multiple occasions to be sour, astringent, and refreshing; and that is used in the treatment of leprosy, dysentery, vaginal and uterine complications, inflammations, burns, asthma, fatigue, and diseases of the blood. This plant is used in the traditional medicine of a large part of the Asian population.
Methanolic extract of stem and root of M. pudica has shown healing properties. This is due in part to the phenolic constituents in both extracts.
Antagonistic activity of methanolic extracts of sleepylone has been reported against Aspergillus fumigatus, Citrobacter divergens, Y Klebsiella pneumonia, at different concentrations of the extract. This antagonistic activity is mainly attributed to the presence of terpenoids, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, etc..
The ethanolic extract of leaves Mimosa pudica at doses of 200 and 400 mg / kg it has shown negative effects against edema, and analgesic effects. According to some researchers this is due to certain flavonoids.
The infusion of leaves M. pudica placed intraperitoneally, has shown antagonistic effects against seizure inducers in rats.
Ethanolic extracts of leaves Mimosa pudica have shown inhibitory effects against diarrhea-inducing drugs in laboratory rats. According to the researchers, this is largely due to the tannins and flavonoids present in the extracts..
Orally administered root system extracts prolongs the estrous cycle time in laboratory rats. In addition, it has been shown under laboratory conditions that root extract is related to gonadotropin levels..
Methanolic extract of aerial parts of M. pudica has shown moderate antioxidant activity compared to ascorbic acid.
Ethanolic extract of nightshade leaves have shown antagonistic activity, in vitro, against Plasmodium berghei. According to the researchers, this is due to constituents of the type terpenoids, flavonoids, and alkaloids..
Mimosine is a non-protein amino acid found in Mimosa pudica and other plants of the Mimosoideae subfamily. This component, plus an enzyme from plant tissue, produces 3,4-dihydroxy pyridone (3,4-DHP), a powerful goitrogen, which is transformed, by mechanical effects, into 2,3-DHP.
The mimosine; 3,4-DHP; and 2,3-DHP are toxic, and are associated with various diseases in domestic animals. In ruminants, mimosine causes hair loss and inhibits the absorption of iodine in the thyroid.
Even if Mimosa pudica it is toxic to most poultry animals, in humans it is classified as a non-poisonous herb.
Even if Mimosa pudica It is a ruderal plant, from the horticultural perspective several cares must be taken into account during the establishment and growth of this herb.
Mimosa pudica it requires soils that can retain enough water to stay moist, while providing good aeration and drainage. Thus, root rot caused in highly compact soils is avoided..
In this case, it is recommended to make a mixture of two parts of loamy soil, two parts of peat, and one part of sand or perlite..
It is necessary to use pots with holes in the bottom, to be able to maintain the drainage in the ground. Mimosa pudica it develops best when its roots are a bit confined, so it is advisable to choose a pot according to the size of the plant. 8 cm pots are used for seedlings, while 13 cm pots are used for adult plants.
The sleeper constantly needs bright light. For good results, it is preferable to place it in sunny locations. If there is no direct sunlight, it is recommended to put the plants under lamps that emit 300 photons of light.
Mimosa pudica requires temperatures in the range of 16 to 30 ͒ C to germinate, and have optimal growth.
Sleeper does well in constantly moist soils. It is not advisable to keep the substrate flooded or very dry. The amount of water depends on the size of the plant and the environmental conditions.
Like other members of the Leguminosae family, Mimosa pudica is a plant that establishes symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria, mainly of the genus Rhizobium. This results in that in nature this herb tends to grow in soils poor in nitrogen..
However, under controlled conditions, this plant requires half as much commercial fertilizer, and requires a high potassium content, since this ion is involved in the nastic movement of the leaves..
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