“Cỏ lưỡi rắn” (Hedyotis corymbosa (L.) and “lưỡi rắn hoa trắng” or “bạch hoa xà thiệt thảo” (Hedyotis diffusa Willd) are two different species. Both of them grow wildly in Viet nam. According to Viet nam traditional medicine, the species are used to make drug. They have antipyretic, detoxication effects, used in the treatment of inflammation and lesions induced by venomous bitten. Recently, the researchers determined active element in two species as ursolic acid, oleanolic acid and geniprosidic acid. These active ingredients have effect of tumor inhibition (in vivo and in vitro). In China, Hedyotis diffusa Willd was used to treat cancer
Plants, medicinal ; Medicine, Traditional