Family

Lamiaceae

Genus

Perilla

Common Name

Zi Su

Plant Figure

Description

Perilla frutescens, which is a self-compatible annual herb, belongs to the family Lamiaceae. This species has been widely cultivated in China, Japan, and Korea for centuries. P. frutescens is an important medicinal and edible plant in China with medical and nutritional uses. Its leaves can be utilized as a transitional medicinal herb, as a vegetable, and as a spice, and its seeds can be processed into foods and nutritional edible oils. The extract from leaves of P. frutescens is composed of many chemical components containing flavonoids, polysaccharides, amino acids, and trace elements, which are mainly used in traditional Chinese medicine. Previous studies reported that flavonoids have many biological functions such as anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-diabetic, and anti-hypertensive activities.