Mesosphaerum suaveolens explained

Mesosphaerum suaveolens, synonym Hyptis suaveolens, chia,^[1] pignut, or chan, is a branching pseudocereal plant native to tropical regions of Mexico, Central, the West Indies, and South America, as well as being naturalized in tropical parts of Africa, Asia and Australia.^[2] It is generally 1- tall, occasionally up to 3m (10feet). Stems are hairy, and square in cross section. Leaves are oppositely arranged, 2- long, with shallowly toothed margins, and emit a strong minty odor if crushed. Flowers are pink or purple, arranged in clusters of 1–5 in the upper leaf axils.^[3]

Traditional Uses

Studies have found that M. suaveolens is effective as an insecticide.^{[4] [5]}

Mesosphaerum suaveolens can be made into a refreshing drink by soaking the seeds in water and refrigerating the mix. Some people add lemon or other citrus to improve the taste. In Colima, Mexico, people use the M. suaveolens seeds to prepare a traditional beverage called bate. The process consists in roasting and grinding the seeds and then mixing the resulting powder with water. M. suaveolens is also a traditional treatment for diarrhea.

See also

• Salvia hispanica

External links

• Making Chan drink (spanish)
• Using Chan as insecticide (spanish)
• Evaluation as Alternative Crop for Food and Drugs (spanish)
• Protein value of Chan (spanish)
• Chan used as diarrhea treatment (spanish)
• https://biotaxa.org/Phytotaxa/article/view/phytotaxa.58.1.1

Notes and References

1. Wood . John R.I. . Bedolla Garcia . Brenda Yudith . Pink . Lynsey . King . Christabel . June 2022 . 1028. SALVIA HISPANICA: Lamiaceae . Curtis's Botanical Magazine . en . 39 . 2 . 359–378 . 10.1111/curt.12443 . 1355-4905.
2. http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/namedetail.do?name_id=126237 Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
3. Web site: Weeds of Australia Factsheet — Hyptis suaveolens . 2014-02-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140222135224/http://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/03030800-0b07-490a-8d04-0605030c0f01/media/Html/Hyptis_suaveolens.htm . 2014-02-22 . dead .
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3281326/ Cyrille Adda, Pierre Atachi, Kerstin Hell, and Manuele Tamò. Potential use of the Bushmint, M. suaveolens, for the Control of Infestation by the Pink Stalk Borer, Sesamia calamistis, on Maize in Southern Benin, West Africa
5. https://www.academia.edu/1421713/Hyptis_suaveolens_and_Hyptis_spicigera_Lamiaceae_essential_oils_qualitative_analysis_contact_toxicity_and_repellent_activity_against_Sitophilus_granarius_L._ Conti et al. Hyptis suaveolens and Hyptis spicigera (Lamiaceae) essential oils:qualitative analysis, contact toxicity and repellent activity against Sitophilus granarius.