Boldo-brasileiro (Plectranthus barbatus) boldo-de-jardim, my balcony barbatus mean BEARD

Plectranthus barbatus, or more commonly known as Coleus forskohlii and Indian Coleus (Kikuyu: Maigoya), is a tropical perennial plant related to the typical coleus species. It is interesting from a scientific and medicinal standpoint because it produces forskolin. In Kenya it is also referred to as Kikuyu toilet paper, as in rural areas its leaves are used as such.

In Ayurvedic medicine Coleus species have been used to treat heart disease, convulsions, spasmodic pain and painful urination. It is widely used as a domestic mild medicine in South America among both urban and rural developments, sometimes confused with the native plant with similar properties but different uses, boldo. The herbal tea of Plectranthus barbatus is composed mainly by rosmarinic acid, but also by flavonoid glucuronides and diterpenoids . It showed interesting activities in vitro, such as antioxidant activity, acetylcholinesterase inhibition (related with the treatment of Alzheimer's disease)and inhibition of the growth of cariogenic bacteria. When administered to rats, the components of the herbal tea were found in the plasma and an inhibition of brain acetylcholinesterase was observed, suggesting that the plant extract may be useful in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Note: Plectranthus forskalaei Vahl is a junior synonym of Plectranthus madagascariensis.

Plectranthus, with some 350 species, is a genus of warm-climate plants occurring largely in the southern hemisphere, in sub-Saharan Africa, Madagascar, India and the Indonesian archipelago down to Australia and some Pacific islands. It is closely related to Solenostemon and known as the spurflowers. Several species are grown as ornamental plants, as leaf vegetables, as root vegetables for their edible tubers, or as medicine.

Plectranthus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including The Engrailed (Ectropis crepuscularia).