Table 1

Ethnomedicinal uses and properties of the selected plants
Latin pharmaceutical name/Plant scientific name/Family/Voucher specimen no.	Vernacular/pinyin names	Ethnomedicinal uses	Properties

Herba Polygonis Hydropiperis/Persicaria hydropiper (L.)^aSpach/Polygonaceae/001-CS0807	Laksa plant/Laliaocao	Used as a condiment. Also employed as a stomachic and aphrodisiac. Externally, the crushed leaves or juice are used to treat skin conditions such as ringworms, scabies, boils, abscesses, carbuncles, ulcers or bites of snakes, dogs or insects	Antioxidant [8-10]
Folium Murraya Koenigii/Murraya koenigii Spreng./Rutaceae/002-CS0807	Curry leaves/Jialiye	Used as a condiment. Treatment of piles, inflammation, itching, fresh cuts, dysentery, vomiting, burses and dropsy	Reducing halitosis [11], antioxidant [12], antimicrobial [13], antifungal [14], antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic properties [15]
Rhizoma Arachis Hypogea/Arachis hypogaea L./Leguminosae/003-CS0807	Groundnut/Huashenggen	Treatment of insomnia and strengthening of bones	Antifibrinolytic [16]
Herba Houttuyniae/Houttuynia cordata Thunb./Saururaceae/004-CS0807	Chinese houttuynia or chameleon plant/Yuxingcao	Detoxification, treatment of infection, removing toxic heat, promoting drainage of pus and urination	Anti-Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) [17]. Prevention of urinary infection, modulation of neutrophils and monocytes, inhibition of respiratory bacteria [18,19]. Anti-inflammatory activity [20]. Virucidal effects on herpes simplex virus type 1 and 2, influenza virus, and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 [21,22]
Epipremnum pinnatum (L.) Engl./Araceae/005-CS0807	Dragon tail/Pashulong	Detoxification, removes toxic heat, tendonitis, fractures, burns, carbuncles, sores, redness	Cytotoxicity against cancers cells [23], immuno-modulating [24]
Rhizoma Typhonium Flagelliforme/Typhonium flagelliforme (Lodd.) Blume/006-CS0807	Rodent tuber/Laoshuyu	Treatment of cough, asthma, nausea and cancers	Relieving cough, eliminating phlegm, asthmatic, analgesia, anti-inflammation, sedation and cytotoxic activities [25-28]
Cortex Magnoliae Officinalis/Magnolia biloba (Rehder & E. H. Wilson) Cheng/Magnoliaceae/007-CS0807	Magnolia/Houpo	A tonic to improve general well-being, also used to treat cough, diarrhea, allergic rhinitis and phlegm	Alleviateing menopausal symptoms [29], brochial asthma [30,31], active against Propionibacterium acnes and Propionibacterium granulosum [32], antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities [33,34]
Rhizoma Imperatae/Imperata cylidrica (L.) Beeuv. var. major (Nees) C.E. Hubb/Gramineae/008-CS0807	Lalang/Baimaogen	Wound-healing, diuretic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic agents	Neuroprotective, immunostimulating effects [35]

^aPersicaria hydropiper (L.) is synonymous with Polygonum hydropiper (L.). Persicaria hydropiper (L.) and Persicaria odoratum (L.) are commonly used interchangeably in literature while they are two distinct species. Efforts were made to identify the species of laksa plants used in the study. The plant was probably Persicaria hydropiper (L.). A specimen of the plant has been deposited in the National University of Singapore Herbarium for future reference.
Chan et al. Chinese Medicine 2008 3:15 doi:10.1186/1749-8546-3-15