Purslane

Portulaca oleracea

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Fasting glucose in type 2 diabetes¹ Dyslipidemia^{2, 3} Oral lichen planus^{4, 5} Chronic hand eczema⁶ Kidney stone prevention⁷ Fatty liver disease⁸ Immune function⁹	Pregnancy¹⁰ Breastfeeding¹⁰

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is a leafy succulent eaten as a vegetable and used in traditional medicine, supplied as whole herb, seed, and extract. Supplementation rests on anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity, and trials in type 2 diabetes report lower inflammatory markers¹¹. Uses include glycemic and lipid control in type 2 diabetes, oral lichen planus, chronic hand eczema, and kidney stone prevention.

Meta-analyses of randomized trials found lower fasting glucose without a clear change in insulin resistance measures^{1, 12}. Triglycerides also fell^{1, 2}. For fatty liver, a 2026 network meta-analysis found purslane ranked favorably for liver stiffness but did not support plant extracts as standalone therapy. In healthy adults, a 2025 crossover trial of a purslane and perilla seed oil complex found higher natural killer cell activity than placebo; no trial has replicated it. Products listing purslane are mostly powders, with liquids and capsules; see Form comparison.

Per Health Canada labeling, people taking prescription medications are asked to consult a health care practitioner before use¹⁰.

Last updated October 16, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

48 sources, 35 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
InteractionsThe medicines and supplements it interacts with, the effect of each, and what labeling says to watch.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources