Kenikir of the genus cosmos is a tropical herb that comes from Latin America, but grows wild and easily found in Florida, United States, as well as in Indonesia and other South east Asian countries. Kenikir is a member of the Asteraceae.
Shrubs with a height of 75-100 cm and distinctive smell. Stem erect, square, grooved lengthwise, much branched, purplish-green segmented. The leaves are compound, cross face, sharing pinnate, pointed tip, flat edge, 15-25 cm long, green. Compound interest, a hump, at the end of the stem, the stem ± 25 cm long, crown consists of 8 leaf crown, ± 1 cm long, red stamens form a tube, blackish brown anthers, pistil-haired, green yellow, red. The fruit is hard, the shape of the needle, the tip-haired, young green after dark chocolate. Seeds hard, small, needle shape, ± 1 cm long, black. Roots riding and white.
Cosmos caudatus leaves contain saponins, flavonoids and essential oil polyphenols. Roots contain koniferil hidroksieugenol and alcohol.
Leaves kenikir (Cosmos caudatus Kunth.) consumed many people as a vegetable. Traditionally, the leaves of this herb is also used as an appetite enhancer drugs, weak stomach, reinforcing the bone and insect repellent.
Research shows this herb leaves contain compounds that have antioxidant power is high enough with IC50 of 70 mg / L. Compounds that are antioxidants can stimulate the process of apoptosis through the intrinsic (mitochondrial point) is one way of inhibition of carcinogenesis.
Common name : Kenikir
Division : Spermatophyta
Sub Division : Angiospermae
Class : Dicotyledonae
Nation : Asterales
Tribe : Asteraceae
Genus : Cosmos
Type : Cosmos caudatus Kunth.
