Artemisia herba-alba | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Asterales |
Family: | Asteraceae |
Genus: | Artemisia |
Species: | A. herba-alba |
Binomial name | |
Artemisia herba-alba | |
Synonyms [1] | |
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Artemisia herba-alba, the white wormwood, is a perennial shrub in the genus Artemisia that grows commonly on the dry steppes of the Mediterranean regions in Northern Africa (Saharan Maghreb), Western Asia (Arabian Peninsula) and Southwestern Europe. [2] It is used as an antiseptic and antispasmodic in herbal medicine.
Its specific epithet herba-alba means "white herb" in Latin, as its stems and leaves are white and woolly. [3] Similarly, it is armoise herbe-blanche or armoise blanche in French.
In Arabic, it is shīeḥ (الشيح). [4] And it is la'anah (לענה) in Old Testament Hebrew. [5] [6] "Wormwood" (in the Bible, Rev. 8:10–11).
Artemisia herba-alba is a chamaeophyte that grows to 20–40 cm (8–16 in). Leaves are strongly aromatic and covered with fine glandular hairs that reflect sunlight giving a grayish aspect to the shrub. The leaves of sterile shoots are grey, petiolate, ovate to orbicular in outline; whereas, the leaves of flowering stems, more abundant in winter, are much smaller. [7]
The flowering heads are sessile, oblong and tapering at base. The plant flowers from September to December. [8] The receptacle is naked with 2–5 yellowish hermaphrodite flowers per head. [7]
Essential oil of A. herba-alba, from the Sinai Desert, contains mainly 1,8-cineole and appreciable amounts of α- / β-thujone as well as other oxygenated monoterpenes including terpinen-4-ol, camphor and borneol. [9] Davanone, chrysanthenone and cis-chrysanthenol have been described as major constituents in some populations of A. herba-alba from Morocco [10] and Spain. [11] Less common non-head-to-tail monoterpene alcohols have been identified in some populations from Negev desert, such as santolina alcohol and yomogi alcohol. [12]
Several sesquiterpene lactones were found in the aerial parts of A. herba-alba. Mainly, eudesmanolides and germacranolides types were reported in most cases. [13] A variety of flavonoids were also described mainly with methylated (i.e. patuletin) and O-methylated (i.e. hispidulin, cirsilineol) aglycones. [14] [15] The presence of C-glycosides (i.e. isovitexin, schaftoside, isoschaftoside) is also noticeable. [14] [16]
Artemisia herba-alba is good fodder for grazing animals, mainly sheep, and in the Algerian steppes cattle. [9] [17]
This section needs more medical references for verification or relies too heavily on primary sources .(September 2015) |
This species of sagebrush is widely used in herbal medicine for its antiseptic, vermifuge and antispasmodic properties. [9] Artemisia herba-alba was reported as a traditional remedy of enteritis, and various intestinal disturbances, among the Bedouins in the Negev desert. [18] Based on laboratory assays, essential oil showed antibacterial activity, [19] as well as, antispasmodic activity on rabbits [9] and cytotoxic effect on cancer cells. [20]
Artemisia herba-alba based teas were used in Iraqi folk medicine for the treatment of diabetes mellitus. [21] An aqueous extract of aerial parts of the plant has shown a hypoglycemic effect in alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits and mice. [22] [23] [24]
Artemisia herba-alba is thought to be the plant translated as "wormwood" in English-language versions of the Bible (apsinthos in the Greek text). Wormwood is mentioned seven times in the Jewish Bible, always with the implication of bitterness. Wormwood is mentioned once in the New Testament, as the name of a star, also with implications of bitterness. [25]
Artemisia is a large, diverse genus of plants with between 200 and 400 species belonging to the daisy family Asteraceae. Common names for various species in the genus include mugwort, wormwood, and sagebrush.
Morus alba, known as white mulberry, common mulberry and silkworm mulberry, is a fast-growing, small to medium-sized mulberry tree which grows to 10–20 m (33–66 ft) tall. It is generally a short-lived tree with a lifespan comparable to that of humans, although there are some specimens known to be more than 250 years old. The species is native to China and India and is widely cultivated and naturalized elsewhere.
Artemisia absinthium is a species of Artemisia, native to North Africa and temperate regions of Eurasia, and widely naturalized in Canada and the northern United States. It is grown as an ornamental plant and is used as an ingredient in the spirit absinthe and some other alcoholic beverages.
Sida cordifolia is a perennial subshrub of the mallow family Malvaceae native to India. It has naturalized throughout the world, and is considered an invasive weed in Africa, Australia, the southern United States, Hawaiian Islands, New Guinea, and French Polynesia. The specific name, cordifolia, refers to the heart-shaped leaf.
Artemisia scoparia is a Eurasian species in the genus Artemisia, in the sunflower family. It is widespread across much of Eurasia from France to Japan, including China, India, Russia, Germany, Poland, central + southwest Asia, etc.
Triterpenes are a class of chemical compounds composed of three terpene units with the molecular formula C30H48; they may also be thought of as consisting of six isoprene units. Animals, plants and fungi all produce triterpenes, including squalene, the precursor to all steroids.
Galangin is a flavonol, a type of flavonoid.
Hyperoside is a chemical compound. It is the 3-O-galactoside of quercetin.
Prenylated flavonoids or prenylflavonoids are a sub-class of flavonoids. They are widely distributed throughout the plant kingdom. Some are known to have phytoestrogenic or antioxidant properties. They are given in the list of adaptogens in herbalism. Chemically they have a prenyl group attached to their flavonoid backbone. It is usually assumed that the addition of hydrophobic prenyl groups facilitate attachment to cell membranes. Prenylation may increase the potential activity of its original flavonoid.
Equisetum myriochaetum, also known as Mexican giant horsetail, is a species of horsetail that is native to Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and Mexico. It is the largest horsetail species, commonly reaching 15 feet (4.6 m), with the largest recorded specimen having a height of 24 feet (7.3 m). It is semi-aquatic and is often found growing on riverbanks.
Rhus chinensis, the Chinese sumac or nutgall tree, is a deciduous shrub or small tree in the genus Rhus. Growing to 6 m (20 ft) tall, it has downy shoots and leaves comprising several leaflets. These turn red in autumn before falling.
Verbascoside is a caffeoyl phenylethanoid glycoside in which the phenylpropanoid caffeic acid and the phenylethanoid hydroxytyrosol form an ester and an ether bond respectively, to the rhamnose part of a disaccharide, namely β-(3′,4′-dihydroxyphenyl)ethyl-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1→3)-β-D-(4-O-caffeoyl)-glucopyranoside.
Pterocarpans are derivatives of isoflavonoids found in the family Fabaceae. It is a group of compounds which can be described as benzo-pyrano-furano-benzenes which can be formed by coupling of the B ring to the 4-one position.
Bakuchiol is a meroterpene in the class terpenophenol.
Dorstenia mannii is a plant species in the genus Dorstenia.
Rosiridin is a chemical compound that has been isolated from Rhodiola sachalinensis. Rosiridin can inhibit monoamine oxidases A and B, possibly meaning that the compound could help in the treatment of depression and senile dementia.
Dendrobium plicatile is an Asian orchid species, a member of the genus Dendobium. It was formerly described as Flickingeria fimbriata.
Sarcococca saligna, the sweet box or Christmas box, is a species of flowering plant in the family Buxaceae. This shrub is native to northern Pakistan. Its common name in Pakistan is sheha.
Vobasine is a naturally occurring monoterpene indole alkaloid found in several species in the genus Tabernaemontana including Tabernaemontana divaricata.
Begonia malabarica, the Malabar begonia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Begoniaceae, native to India and Sri Lanka. It has antibacterial properties.