Orthosiphon aristatus

Orthosiphon aristatus, “Java tea” or “Cat’s whiskers” in English, belongs to the Lamiaceae botanical family. Native from tropical areas of East Asia to Australia, it is a herb growing to 2 m at maturity in thickets, regrowths, grasslands and along forest borders and roadsides.

It is cultivated in particular on Java, from where it is exported.

Made with Orthosiphon aristatus leaves, Java tea is a popular herbal remedy used as a diuretic, in the treatment of various kidney conditions, irritable bladder, cystitis, urethritis, and gout.

Among its main constituents are essential oil, sesquiterpenes; a range of phenolic constituents : flavones, flavonols (eupatorine, sinensetin, scuterallarein tetramethylether) and caffeic acid derivatives, mainly rosmarinic and 2,3-dicaffeoyltartaric acids.

• English name Java tea
• French name Orthosiphon