Spilanthes is an herbaceous plant that belongs to the daisy family. It is recognized in traditional medicine throughout Asia and South America for a variety of properties including anti-inflammatory, diuretic, and aphrodisiac effects. The leaves are used as food sources. The flowers of Spilanthes have earned it the name “toothache plant” for their numbing and pain-relieving effects.

Spilanthes has also been noted to stimulate taste and improve saliva flow. Therefore, whether it could help side effects from cancer treatments such as dry mouth, mouth sores and inflammation, or changes in taste sensation may be of interest to researchers. However, very few studies have been conducted and none of them have yet been done in humans.

Spilanthes acmella, Spilanthes oleracea, Acmella oleracea, Acmella uliginosa