Sunhemp

At a glance

Origin / distribution: Iraq

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Depurative, Emmenagogue, Impetigo, Psoriasis

Science studied: ASH, CELLULOSE, JUNCEIN, PECTIN

Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗

Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.

Names and identity

Family: Fabaceae

Scientific name: Crotalaria juncea

Common names: Sunhemp, Benares hemp, Bengalsk hamp, Canapa indiana, Chanvre de Malabar, Crotalaire jonc, Deccan Hemp, Indian hemp, Indian-hemp, Janumu, Madras hemp, Madras-hemp, Sanhanf, Sun hemp, Sunn Hemp, Sunn hemp, Zesabiins

POWO: 322601-2 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in Iraq.

It records these historical or traditional applications:

• Depurative
• Emmenagogue
• Impetigo
• Psoriasis
• Poison

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

• Iraq

Documented cultural uses

• Depurative
• Emmenagogue
• Impetigo
• Psoriasis
• Poison

Cultural record detail

These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.

• Depurative · Iraq · "
• Emmenagogue · Iraq · "
• Impetigo · Iraq · "
• Psoriasis · Iraq · "
• Poison · Iraq · "

Contemporary uses

Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.

Scientific research

Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.

Indexed research records

• Pulmonary fibrosis in horses associated with spontaneous Crotalaria juncea intoxication. · 2026 source ↗
• In Vivo Digestibility, In Vitro Gas Fermentation and Enteric Methane Values of Sunn Hemp’s (Crotalaria juncea L.) as Affected by Cutting Stages · 2026 source ↗
• Complete chloroplast genome of Crotalaria juncea, a bast fibre crop with late-acting self-incompatibility, reveals evolutionary insights and phylogenetic relationships within Fabaceae. · 2026 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

• ASH
• CELLULOSE
• JUNCEIN
• PECTIN
• RIDDELLIINE
• SENECIONINE
• SENECIPHYLLINE
• TRICHODESMIN
• WATER
• FAT
• DL-BETA-HYDROXY-N-METHYL-NORVALINE
• PROTEIN
• STARCH
• GENISTEIN
• FIBER

Legality

No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.

Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.

Reference images

Sources

Plants of the World Online (POWO) · Kew data terms; cite POWO/WCVP

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) · CC BY 3.0

CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive

Contributions and revisions

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