Katuk, whose scientific name is sauropus androgynus, is a shrub that grows as a leafy vegetable in several tropical regions.
It is also known as star gooseberry, or sweet leaf, and is an excellent source of β-carotene α- and β-carotenes, which is partially metabolized into vitamin A.
Its upright stems can reach 2.5 meters in height and have dark green oblong leaves that are 5 to 6 cm long.
The small purplish flowers and fruits were also eaten. In Indonesia, the leaves of this plant have been used for infusion and are believed to promote the flow of breast milk in nursing mothers.
However, according to one study, excessive consumption of katuk leaf juice can cause lung damage due to its high concentration of the alkaloid papaverine.
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