Anatomy of Subterranean Organs of Medicinally Used Cardueae and Related Species and its Value for Discrimination

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Abstract

Numerous species of the Asteraceae, the composites, are famous for their use in both traditional and conventional medicine. Reliable anatomical descriptions of these plants and of possible adulterations provide a basis for fast identification and cheap purity controls of respective medicinal drugs by means of light microscopy. Nevertheless, detailed comparative studies on root and rhizome anatomy of valuable as well as related inconsiderable composite plants are largely missing yet. The presented study aims to narrow this gap by performing anatomical analyses of roots and rhizomes of 16 species belonging to the tribe Cardueae, of formerly and currently used drugs as well as their near relatives as potential adulterations ( Carlina acaulis L., Carlina vulgaris L., Arctium lappa L., Arctium tomentosum Mill., Carduus defloratus L., Carduus personata (L.) Jacq, Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop., Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten., Cirsium erisithales (Jacq.) Scop., Onopordum acanthium L., Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn., Rhaponticum scariosum Lam., Centaurea jacea L., Centaurea scabiosa L., Centaurea cyanus L. , Cnicus benedictus L.). A detailed verbal and graphical survey of the analysed anatomical features is provided. Several characters were finally extracted which allow for discrimination of the examined species and may be effectively used for drug quality controls.

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Hepatoprotective effects of Arctium lappa on carbon tetrachloride- and acetaminophen-induced liver damage.

T Ueng, Cheng-Chieh Lin, Raymond Chung … (1999)

The root of Arctium lappa Linne (A. lappa) (Compositae), a perennial herb, has been cultivated for a long time as a popular vegetable. In order to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of A. lappa, male ICR mice were injected with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4, 32 microl/kg, i.p.) or acetaminophen (600 mg/kg, i.p.). A. lappa suppressed the SGOT and SGPT elevations induced by CCl4 or acetaminophen in a dose-dependent manner and alleviated the severity of liver damage based on histopathological observations. In an attempt to elucidate the possible mechanism(s) of this hepatoprotective effect, glutathione (GSH), cytochrome P-450 (P-450) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were studied. A. lappa reversed the decrease in GSH and P-450 induced by CCl4 and acetaminophen. It was also found that A. lappa decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content in CCl4 or acetaminophen-intoxicated mice. From these results, it was suggested that A. lappa could protect the liver cells from CCl4 or acetaminophen-induced liver damages, perhaps by its antioxidative effect on hepatocytes, hence eliminating the deleterious effects of toxic metabolites from CCl4 or acetaminophen.

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Chemistry and pharmacology of Rhaponticum carthamoides: a review.

Ladislav Kokoska, Dagmar Janovská (2009)

Rhaponticum carthamoides (Willd.) Iljin is a perennial herb, commonly known as a maral root or Russian leuzea, which has been used for centuries in eastern parts of Russia for its marked medicinal properties. This review based on 117 literary sources, with many of them being originally published in non-English languages (mainly in Russian), discusses the current knowledge of traditional uses, chemistry, biological effects and toxicity of this species. Several different classes of compounds were previously isolated from various parts of R. carthamoides of which the main groups are steroids, particularly ecdysteroids, and phenolics (flavonoids and phenolic acids) accompanied with polyacetylenes, sesquiterpene lactones, triterpenoid glycosides and terpenes (essential oil). A comprehensive account of the chemical constituents is given in this review (figures of 120 structures are shown). Various types of preparations, extracts and individual compounds derived from this species have been found to possess a broad spectrum of pharmacological effects on several organs such as the brain, blood, cardiovascular and nervous systems as well as on different biochemical processes and physiological functions including proteosynthesis, work capacity, reproduction, and sexual function. Moreover, the extracts and preparations from the plant, which are hopefully safe, exhibited various additional biological effects e.g. antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anticancerogenic, antimicrobial, antiparasitic and insect antifeedant or repellent activities. The results of data analysis on the chemical, pharmacological and toxicological characteristics of R. carthamoides support the view that this species has beneficial therapeutic properties and indicate its potential as an effective adaptogenic herbal remedy. Finally, some suggestions for further research on chemical and pharmacological properties are given in this review.

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Anatomy of the underground system in Vernonia grandiflora Less. and V. brevifolia Less. (Asteraceae)

Adriana Hissae Hayashi, Beatriz Appezzato-da-Glória (2007)

This work dealt with the anatomy of the underground system in Vernonia grandiflora Less. and V. brevifolia Less. (Vernonieae; Asteraceae), two perennial geophytes, to elucidate their ability to sprout in the Brazilian Cerrado conditions. V. grandiflora, a subshrubby species, possessed a thickened underground system constituted by a xylopodium and many tuberous roots. The xylopodium had stem and root structure and its buds were axillary or originated from the cortical parenchyma proliferation. The tuberous roots produced by this organ were adventitious and accumulated inulin-type fructans mainly in the cortical parenchyma. The thickened underground system of V. brevifolia, an herbaceous species, was a tuberous primary root whose buds originated from the proliferated pericycle. The occurrence of these bud-forming underground systems, which stored reserve compounds, enabled these plants to survive throughout unfavourable environmental conditions in the Cerrado, such as dry season and frequent fires in the winter. Este trabalho teve como objetivo estudar a anatomia dos sistemas subterrâneos de Vernonia grandiflora Less. e V. brevifolia Less. (Vernonieae; Asteraceae), duas geófitas perenes, a fim de esclarecer sua capacidade para brotar em condições de Cerrado. O sistema subterrâneo espessado de V. grandiflora, uma espécie subarbustiva, é constituído pelo xilopódio e por várias raízes tuberosas. O xilopódio possui estrutura mista (radicular e caulinar) e suas gemas são de origem axilar ou se originam a partir da proliferação do parênquima cortical. As raízes tuberosas produzidas por este órgão são adventícias e acumulam frutanos do tipo inulina, principalmente no parênquima cortical. Em V. brevifolia, uma espécie herbácea, o sistema subterrâneo espessado é constituído pela raiz primária cujas gemas são originadas a partir do periciclo proliferado. A ocorrência destes sistemas subterrâneos gemíferos, que armazenam compostos de reserva, permite que estas plantas sobrevivam às condições desfavoráveis do Cerrado, tais como a estação seca e os freqüentes incêndios durante o inverno.

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Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Sci Pharm

Journal ID (publisher-id): Scientia Pharmaceutica

Title: Scientia Pharmaceutica

Publisher: Österreichische Apotheker-Verlagsgesellschaft

ISSN (Print): 0036-8709

ISSN (Electronic): 2218-0532

Publication date (Print): March 2011

Publication date Collection: 2011

Publication date (Electronic): 2 December 2010

Volume: 79

Issue: 1

Pages: 157-174

Affiliations

Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria

Author notes

[* ]Corresponding author. E-mail: Elisabeth.Fritz@ 123456fritztec.com (E. Fritz)

Article

Publisher ID: scipharm_2011_79_157

DOI: 10.3797/scipharm.1010-05

PMC ID: 3097509

PubMed ID: 21617780

SO-VID: d67b7ae5-ae11-4539-a349-1d61d004d36d

License:

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

History

Date received : 20 October 2010

Date accepted : 2 December 2010

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