| Neurolaena lobata | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Genus: | Neurolaena |
| Species: | N. lobata |
| Binomial name | |
| Neurolaena lobata | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Neurolaena lobata, commonly known as jackass bitters, [1] is a species of perennial flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is found in Mexico, Central America, South America, and the West Indies.
Neurolaena lobata occurs from southern Mexico to South America, and in the West Indies. In Mexico it has been reported from the states of Campeche, Chiapas, Tabasco, Quintana Roo, and Oaxaca. [2] It is found throughout Central America. [2] [3] In South America, it has been reported from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, and the Guyanas. [3] In the Caribbean, it has been reported from Cuba, Trinidad, and the Bahamas. [3]
Neurolaena lobata grows in a wide variety of habitats including fields, pastures, riverbanks, roadsides, clearings, and sometimes in oak forests. [1] [3] It is found from sea level to 1,400 meters in elevation. [3]
Neurolaena lobata is an herb which grows 1–4 meters tall. [1] The leaves are long and slender when young, but typically have three points when mature. [4] The flowers, which appear in clusters at the end of stems, are small and yellow. [4]
Neurolaena lobata is considered an important plant in folk medicine [1] and is one of the most commonly used plants in Maya medicine. [4] Traditional uses include: the treatment of wounds and infections; the prevention and treatment of a variety of parasitic ailments such as malaria, ringworm, and amoebiasis; treatment of inflammatory conditions; and as an insect repellent or fungicide. [1] [4] [5] The leaves are known to contain flavonoids and sesquiterpene lactones. [1] [5]
Artemisia vulgaris, the common mugwort, is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family Asteraceae. It is one of several species in the genus Artemisia commonly known as mugwort, although Artemisia vulgaris is the species most often called mugwort. It is also occasionally known as riverside wormwood, felon herb, chrysanthemum weed, wild wormwood, old Uncle Henry, sailor's tobacco, naughty man, old man, or St. John's plant. Mugworts have been used medicinally and as culinary herbs.
Glechoma hederacea is an aromatic, perennial, evergreen creeper of the mint family Lamiaceae. It is commonly known as ground-ivy, gill-over-the-ground, creeping charlie, alehoof, tunhoof, catsfoot, field balm, and run-away-robin. It is also sometimes known as creeping jenny, but that name more commonly refers to Lysimachia nummularia. It is used as a salad green in many countries. European settlers carried it around the world, and it has become a well-established introduced and naturalized plant in a wide variety of localities. It is also considered an aggressive invasive weed of woodlands and lawns in some parts of North America. In the absence of any biological control, research conducted by the USDA herbicides are relied upon particularly for woodland ecosystems. The plant's extensive root system makes it difficult to eradicate by hand-pulling.
Curcuma zedoaria is a perennial herb and member of the genus Curcuma, family Zingiberaceae. The plant is native to South Asia and Southeast Asia but is now naturalized in other places including the US state of Florida. Zedoary was one of the ancient food plants of the Austronesian peoples. They were spread during prehistoric times to the Pacific Islands and Madagascar during the Austronesian expansion. Its use as a spice in the West today is extremely rare, having been replaced by ginger, and to a lesser extent, yellow turmeric.
Saussurea is a genus of about 300 species of flowering plants in the tribe Cardueae within the family Asteraceae, native to cool temperate and arctic regions of East Asia, Europe, and North America, with the highest diversity in alpine habitats in the Himalayas and East Asia. Common names include saw-wort and snow lotus, the latter used for a number of high altitude species in East Asia.
Amaranthus hybridus, commonly called green amaranth, slim amaranth, smooth amaranth, smooth pigweed, or red amaranth, is a species of annual flowering plant. It is a weedy species found now over much of North America and introduced into Europe and Eurasia.
Eupatorium cannabinum, commonly known as hemp-agrimony, or holy rope, is a herbaceous plant in the family Asteraceae. It is a robust perennial native to Europe, NW. Africa, Turkey, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, the Caucasus and Central Asia. It is cultivated as an ornamental and occasionally found as a garden escape in scattered locations in China, the United States and Canada. It is extremely attractive to butterflies, much like buddleia.
Helenalin, or (-)-4-Hydroxy-4a,8-dimethyl-3,3a,4a,7a,8,9,9a-octahydroazuleno[6,5-b]furan-2,5-dione, is a toxic sesquiterpene lactone which can be found in several plants such as Arnica montana and Arnica chamissonis Helenalin is responsible for the toxicity of the Arnica spp. Although toxic, helenalin possesses some in vitro anti-inflammatory and anti-neoplastic effects. Helenalin can inhibit certain enzymes, such as 5-lipoxygenase and leukotriene C4 synthase. For this reason the compound or its derivatives may have potential medical applications.
Andrographis paniculata, commonly known as creat or green chiretta, is an annual herbaceous plant in the family Acanthaceae, native to India and Sri Lanka.
Pluchea is a genus of flowering plants in the tribe Inuleae within the family Asteraceae. Members of this genus might be known as camphorweeds, plucheas, or less uniquely fleabanes. Some, such as P. carolinensis and P. odorata, are called sourbushes. There are plants of many forms, from annual and perennial herbs to shrubs and trees, and there is variation in the morphology of leaves, flowers, and fruits.
Helenium amarum is a species of annual herb in the daisy family known by the common names yellowdicks, yellow sneezeweed, fiveleaf sneezeweed, and bitter sneezeweed. It is native to much of the south-central United States and northern Mexico, and it is present elsewhere in North America, Australia, and the West Indies as an introduced species.
Barkleyanthus is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae, containing the single species Barkleyanthus salicifolius, a plant formerly classified in the genus Senecio. It is native to North and Central America, where its distribution extends from the southwestern United States to El Salvador. Its common names include willow ragwort, willow groundsel, Barkley's-ragwort, and jarilla.
Neurolaena is a genus of flowering plants in the tribe Neurolaeneae within the family Asteraceae.
Blumea balsamifera is a flowering plant belonging to the genus Blumea of the family Asteraceae. It is also known as Ngai camphor and sambong.
Eryngium foetidum is a tropical perennial herb in the family Apiaceae. Common names include culantro, recao, chadon beni, Mexican coriander, bandhaniya, long coriander,’’’Burmese coriander’’’,sawtooth coriander, and ngò gai. It is native to Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America, but is cultivated worldwide, mostly in the tropics as a perennial, but sometimes in temperate climates as an annual.
Smilax aristolochiifolia, also known as gray sarsaparilla, Mexican sarsaparilla, sarsaparilla, is a species in the genus Smilax and the family Smilacaceae, native to Mexico and Central America. It is widely used as traditional medicine to treat many symptoms.
Arglabin is a sesquiterpene lactone belonging to the guaianolide subclass bearing a 5,7,5-tricyclic ring system which is known to inhibit farnesyl transferase. It is characterized by an epoxide on the cycloheptane as well as an exocyclic methylene group that is conjugated with the carbonyl of the lactone. Arglabin is extracted from Artemisia glabella, a species of wormwood, found in the Karaganda Region of Kazakhstan. Arglabin and its derivatives are biologically active and demonstrate promising antitumor activity and cytoxocity against varying tumor cell lines.
Persicaria minor is species of herb in the family Polygonaceae. Common names include pygmy smartweed, small water pepper and swamp willow weed. This herb is native to Asia, but distributed widely in Europe and Australia. It is used in South East Asian cooking.
Schkuhria pinnata, the canchalagua or dwarf Mexican marigold, is a small, dainty, pioneer annual herb of the family Asteraceae and widespread in the tropics. It is regarded as a naturalised weed with low ecological impact.
Achillea santolina, a perennial herb, is commonly found in arid environments of Iraq and Jordan, but may colonize colder and more humid climates of the northern hemisphere, such as Europe and Asia. It is a traditional plant used as an herbal remedy in many parts of Iraq and Jordan and has been used as an insecticide and repellent.
Xanthatin, or (3aR,7S,8aS)-7-methyl-3-methylidene-6-[(E)-3-oxobut-1-enyl]-4,7,8,8a-tetrahydro-3aH-cyclohepta[b]furan-2-one (C15H18O3) is a major bioactive compound found in the leaves of the Xanthium strumarium (Asteracae) plant. It is classified as a natural sesquiterpene lactone. Xanthatin is believed to have anti-inflammatory, anti-tumour, anti-microbial, and anti-parasitic properties hence it is being researched for potential use in treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. While it has been used in traditional medicine for decades, its mechanisms and modern use haven’t been fully understood yet.
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