Asmachilca

1. A review of the toxicosis and biological properties of the genus Eupatorium.

Sharma OP, Dawra RK, Kurade NP, Sharma PD.

Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Himachal Pradesh.

Nat Toxins. 1998;6(1):1-14.

Eupatorium genus grows wild in many parts of the world. A number of species of Eupatorium are toxic to grazing animals. Milk sickness in humans is caused by ingestion of milk of the animals reared on the pastures infested with Eupatorium rugosum (white snakeroot). While some information is available on the toxins in various species of Eupatorium, ambiguities still persist in extrapolation of the data to field incidence of toxicosis. Eupatorium genus has been used for its medicinal properties for many decades. A number of bioactive natural products have been reported in the extracts of Eupatorium spp. and the genus is a promising bioresource for preparation of drugs and value-added products.

PMID: 9851506 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Chemical Composition of the Essential Oil from the Leaves of Eupatorium triplinerve Vahl

Journal of Essential Oil Research: JEOR, Sep/Oct 2004 by Gupta, Deepti, Charles, Reena, Garg, S N

Abstract

The essential oil from the leaves of Eupatorium triplinerve was analyzed by GC, GC/MS, IR and NMR. Nineteen compounds representing 82% of the oil were identified. The major components were selina-4(15),7(11)-dien-8-one (36.6%), [beta]-caryophyllene (14.7%) and [delta]-elemene (5.9%).

Eupatorium triplinerve, Compositae, essential oil composition, selina-4(15),7(11)-dien-8-one, [beta]-caryophyllene.

Introduction

Eupatorium (family Compositae) is a large genus of herbs, shrubs or undershrubs distributed chiefly in tropical America, although few species can be found in Europe, Africa and Asia. In India seven species are found. Eupatorium triplinerve (syn. E. ayapana Vent), which is commonly known as ayapana in Hindi, is native to America; however, it was introduced as an ornamental plant in Indian gardens and has now become naturalized in many parts of India. The herb has been reported as a stimulant and tonic in small doses, and a laxative when taken in quantity (1). A hot infusion has been found to be useful in the treatment of yellow fever in ethno medicine in America and as a popular haemostatic remedy against various kinds of hemorrhage. (2-4). The oil of the plant has been found to possess antimicrobial activity (5).

In 1970, Garg and Nigam (6) reported the presence of thymohydroquinone dimethylether, coumarin, borneol and bornyl acetate along with seven monoterpenoids in the leaf oil. Later, Garg and Saxena (7) analyzed the flower oil of E. triplinerve and found thymohydroquinone dimethylether (50.3%), followed by borneol (5.81%) and isoeugenol (4%) as the major constituents, along with other minor constituents. The present communication deals with the chemical composition of the leaf oil.

Experimental

Plant material: The leaves of E. triplinerve Vahl were collected from the campus of Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow, in April 2000. A voucher specimen has been deposited in the Herbarium of the Institute (CIMAP, Lucknow).

Oil isolation: The leaves were subjected to hydrodistillation for 3 h using a Clevenger-type system. The pale yellow oil obtained in an yield 0.4% (v/w) was dried over anhydrous sodium sulphate. It was found to possess the following physicochemical properties: d^sup 18^0.9592 and n^sub D^ (18°C)1.48994.

2. Hispidulin: antioxidant properties and effect on mitochondrial energy metabolism.

Dabaghi-Barbosa P, Mariante Rocha A, Franco da Cruz Lima A, Heleno de Oliveira B, Benigna Martinelli de Oliveira M, Gunilla Skare Carnieri E, Cadena SM, Eliane Merlin Rocha M.

Departamento de Bioquimica, Universidade Federal do Parana, CP 19046, Curitiba, PR, CEP 81531-590, Brazil.

Free Radic Res. 2005 Dec;39(12):1305-15.

Hispidulin (6-methoxy-5,7,4’-trihydroxyflavone) and eupafolin (6-methoxy-5,7,3’,4’-tetrahydroxyflavone), are flavonoids found in the leaves of Eupatorium litoralle. They have recognized antioxidant and antineoplastic properties, although their action mechanisms have not been previously described. We now report the effects of hispidulin on the oxidative metabolism of isolated rat liver mitochondria (Mit) and have also investigated the prooxidant and antioxidant capacity of both flavonoids. Hispidulin (0.05-0.2 mM) decreased the respiratory rate in state III and stimulated it in state IV, when glutamate or succinate was used as oxidizable substrate. Hispidulin inhibited enzymatic activities between complexes I and III of the respiratory chain. In broken Mit hispidulin (0.2 mM) slightly inhibited ATPase activity (25%). However, when intact Mit were used, the flavonoid stimulated this activity by 100%. Substrate energized mitochondrial swelling was markedly inhibited by hispidulin. Both hispidulin and eupafolin were able to promote iron release from ferritin, this effect being more accentuated with eupafolin with the suggestion of a possible involvement of H2O2 in the process. Hispidulin was incapable of donating electrons to the stable free radical DPPH, while eupafolin reacted with it in a similar way to ascorbic acid. The results indicate that hispidulin as an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation, is able to release iron from ferritin, but has distinct prooxidant and antioxidant properties when compared to eupafolin.

PMID: 16298860 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]