Amman pacharisi (Euphorbia hirta)

Amman pacharisi, dudhi in Hindi, is asthma weed, a small, hairy spurge with milky latex that grows on lawns, roadsides and waste ground across the tropics. It has a long folk use for asthma, coughs and dysentery, and in Tamil homes to increase breast milk. Its tiny flowers are packed into round clusters in the leaf axils. The latex irritates skin and eyes.

Botanical name: Euphorbia hirta L.
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Tamil: Amman pacharisi
Hindi: Dudhi
Sanskrit: Dugdhikā
Parts used: Whole herb in lists, Latex
Habit: Hairy waste-ground spurge with dense flower clusters
Last updated: 2026-10-27

How to recognise Amman pacharisi

It is an annual herb, usually ankle- to knee-high, with reddish, hairy stems.

The leaves are opposite, oval, toothed and lopsided at the base, often with a purple blotch.

Tiny flowers form dense, round heads in the leaf axils.

Broken stems ooze white, milky latex.

Purslane is succulent and hairless with no latex.

Traditional use of Amman pacharisi

Folk use

Decoctions are used in Asian and African folk practice for asthma, coughs and dysentery.

Asian and African folk practice

Folk use

In Tamil homes the herb is cooked or ground for nursing mothers to increase milk.

Tamil folk practice

Folk use

The latex is dabbed on warts.

Indian folk practice

Modern notes on Amman pacharisi

Laboratory studies show some anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects, but human trials are lacking.

Spurge latex contains diterpene esters that irritate skin and eyes.

Asthma needs proper medical treatment.

Related garden spurges such as poinsettia and crown of thorns also have irritant latex.

Amman pacharisi safety

Keep latex away from the eyes. Do not use it for asthma in place of prescribed inhalers, and avoid it in pregnancy.

Ecology and sourcing

It probably originated in tropical America and is now a weed worldwide.

Ants visit its tiny flowers.

It seeds prolifically and sprouts in pavement cracks.

Related plants

Also in Euphorbiaceae

Questions about Amman pacharisi

Why is Amman pacharisi called asthma weed?

It was traditionally used for asthma.

Does Amman pacharisi have latex?

Yes, milky latex.

Is Amman pacharisi safe?

The latex is irritant; avoid it in the eyes.

What is amman pacharisi?

Its Tamil name.

Is Amman pacharisi a weed?

Yes, a common one.

How do I recognise Amman pacharisi?

Look for hairy reddish stems, lopsided leaves and round flower clusters in the axils.

Sources

Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.