A medicinal plant used by the Mayans to purify the blood by drinking the tea made from the leaves for centuries. After about 20 minutes of boiling the leave, the water turns from clear to a bright blood red color. It is served with sugar and lime juice. Once the lime Juice acids hit the tea it transforms to a glowing gold liquid. This is a sacred Mayan plant and was given to me on a trip to Mexico by a Mayan Shaman.
A 2014 study found that the kaempferitrin extracts from Justicia spicigera are beneficial for insulin uptake and suggests the potential to treat human diabetes. Ancient Mayan uses have been for treating diabetes, skin irritation, rashes, infections, inertial bowel, mange, and constipation. In Mexico the Muscle plant is still used in traditional medicine, while Mayan Shaman use the leaves to treat dysentery, and serve a tea for dengue,leukemia, anemia, and heart problems. The fruits are used for Asthma and coughing. A 2012 academic paper by Ortiz-Andrade et al published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology claimed the extracts from the plant helped to treat Type 2 diabetes because it stimulates the uptake of glucose under various conditions.
The Badiano Codex assembles data of diseases that plague Mesoamerican natives and their remedies. There are remedies made from Muscle that treat cough, deafness, skin problems, diarrhea, fever, hemorrhoids, intestinal, ,rheumatism, bone disease, parasites, pulmonary tuberculosis, arthritis, and eye diseases. While we are not doctors and cannot suggest treating medical conditions with these plants we can share what we have learned. So please consult your medical professional before treating a condition.
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