Anti-Helicobacter pylori Activity of Artemisia ludoviciana subsp. mexicana and Two of Its Bioactive Components, Estafiatin and Eupatilin

Artemisia ludoviciana subsp. mexicana, whose main etiological agent is Helicobacter pylori, has been traditionally used for the treatment of digestive ailments such as gastritis. In a previous screening study, the aqueous extract exhibited good in vitro anti-H. pylori activity. With the aim of determining the efficacy of this species as a treatment for H. pylori related diseases and finding bioactive compounds, its aqueous extract was subjected to solvent partitioning and the fractions obtained were tested for their in vitro anti-H. pylori effect, as well as for their in vivo gastroprotective and anti-inflammatory activities. The aqueous extract showed a MIC = 250 µg/mL. No acute toxicity was induced in mice. A gastroprotection of 69.8 ± 3.8%, as well as anti-inflammatory effects of 47.6 ± 12.4% and 38.8 ± 10.2% (by oral and topical administration, respectively), were attained. Estafiatin and eupatilin were isolated and exhibited anti-H. pylori activity with MBCs of 15.6 and 31.2 µg/mL, respectively. The finding that A. ludoviciana aqueous extract has significant anti-H. pylori, gastroprotective and anti-inflammatory activities is a relevant contribution to the ethnopharmacological knowledge of this species. This work is the first report about the in vivo gastroprotective activity of A. ludoviciana and the anti-H. pylori activity of eupatilin and estafiatin.

Ethnopharmacology of the Asteraceae family in Mexico

Background: In Mexico, the Asteraceae are part of traditional knowledge where its members have several uses, but they are particularly remarkable in traditional medicine and are used for different purposes. Questions: What pharmacologically studies have been carried out with Asteraceae species used in Mexican traditional medicine? What pharmacological activities have been tested? What compounds are responsible for the tested activities? Species studied: Asteraceae species used in Mexican traditional medicine pharmacologically tested. Methods: A database including scientific studies on Asteraceae species which studies on pharmacological activity or phytochemical characterization was compiled and analyzed. Results: From 249 reviewed studies only 202 fulfilled the criteria for our analysis. A total of 101 species distributed in 65 genera and 16 tribes were registered. The tribes Heliantheae and Senecioneae were the most studied. Ageratina pichinchensis, Artemisia ludoviciana, Heliopsis longipes, and Heterotheca inuloides were the most studied species. In Mexico, the Asteraceae family is mainly used in the treatment of diseases or symptoms related to the digestive and respiratory systems. In 48 % of the studies some biocidal activity was evaluated but only 21.8 % included phytochemical characterizations. Conclusions: The antimicrobial activity and phytochemical characterizations are the main kind of ethnopharmacological studies for Asteraceae in Mexico. Most of the compounds responsible for the activities have not been identified yet. The uses of Asteraceae in Mexico are similar to other countries emphasizing its cultural importance in the world. Mexican Asteraceae should be prioritized in conservation and bioscreening schemes.

Status of Some Escaped Ornament Perennials in the Flora of Latvia

This paper introduces eight ornamental perennial garden escapees that were recorded by the authors of this article on Lucavsala Island, Riga (Latvia) in 2016. Our data on Achillea ptarmica cv. ‘Boule de Neige’, Artemisia ludoviciana, Asclepias syriaca, Campanula lactiflora, Heliopsis helianthoides, Lathyrus latifolius, Phlox paniculata and Rudbeckia hirta contribute to the knowledge about the occurrence of these taxa in wild. All these species are also growing in the collection of ornamental perennials in the Botanical Garden of the University of Latvia. A review of these species in Latvian herbarium collections has been conducted. Five species, Heliopsis helianthoides, Artemisia ludoviciana, Campanula lactiflora, Lathyrus latifolius, Phlox paniculata, were observed for the first time outside cultivation forming relatively stable, reproducing populations. Two species, Achillea ptarmica multiplex cultivar and Rudbeckia hirta, were previously observed in seminatural habitats and, thus, considered as casual aliens at the naturalization stage. One of the species, Asclepias syriaca, was considered a new to Latvia casual alien species with high potential of invasiveness.

Evaluation of the antibacterial activity of Artemisia ludoviciana subsp. Mexican against three enterobacteria

Fractionated extraction of the leaves of Artemisia ludoviciana subsp. mexicana was performed, using hexane, dichloromethane and methanol, to obtain compounds of different polarity. Essential oils, aqueous decoction and hydroalcoholic extract were also obtained. Phytochemical profile was determined for each extract based on coloration and precipitation tests. Extracts were evaluated against three enterobacteria using the plate microdilution method. Chemical analysis revealed that dichloromethane fraction has a greater variety of compounds than hexane and methanolic fractions. The content of compounds of dichloromethane fraction correlates with the highest antimicrobial activity observed, suggesting that metabolites responsible for antimicrobial effect are intermediate polarity. Regarding extracts, ethanolic extract exerts a better effect than the decoction, while the essential oil shows the same antibacterial effect at low concentrations. Results demonstrate that A. ludoviciana subsp. mexicana has a great variety of compounds, which, according to their nature, can be eluted with solvents of different polarity. These compounds contribute to the antibacterial effect attributed to this plant.

Desarrollo de productos de uso personal y alimenticios utilizando frutos y plantas de la región como medida de prevención de enfermedades transmitidas por el mosco Aedes aegypti: avances de proyecto del cuerpo académico UTSEM-CA-1

The objective of this project is to develop various personal care and food products using natural extracts of regional plants, which reduce the impact caused by Aedes aegypti. As of December 2018, the advances that were made consist of the development of a repellent patch prototype, two cutaneous spray products, hand soap, and an incense. The plants used are Ricinnus comunis, Artemisia ludoviciana, Cymbopogum citratus, Cucurbita maxima, Coffea arabica and Syzygium aromaticum. After conditioning, extracts were obtained using organic solvents.

Efecto de aceites naturales contra Micosphaerella fijiensis en condiciones in vitro y detección de fitoquímicos activos

<p>El control químico de la sigatoka negra en banano<em> Micosphaerella fijiensis</em> ha incrementado la presión de selección en el patógeno, con el consecuente impacto en el ambiente. El objetivo de este estudio, fue evaluar el efecto de los aceites esenciales de <em>Pimenta dioica</em>, <em>Piper auritum</em>,<em> </em><em>Syzygium aromaticum</em>,<em> </em><em>Cinnamomum zeylanicum</em>,<em> Origanum vulgare</em>, <em>Artemisia ludoviciana</em> <em>y Origanum majorana</em>, en el crecimiento micelial de <em>M. fijensis</em> en condiciones <em>in vitro</em> e identificar sus metabolitos activos. Los aceites se obtuvieron mediante el método de hidrodestilación. El patógeno se aisló y desarrolló en medio de cultivo PDA. Se usaron cinco concentraciones: 50, 100, 500, 1000 y 5000 ppm de cada aceite. Para identificar los metabolitos de cada uno de los aceites esenciales, se usó cromatografía en capa fina (CCF) y cromatografía en columna (CC). Los aceites de <em>P. dioica</em>,<em> </em><em>C. zeylanicum</em>, <em>O. vulgare </em>presentaron menor crecimiento micelial de <em>M. fijiensis</em> a una concentración de 500 ppm; mientras que <em>O. majorana</em> y <em>A. ludoviciana</em> a 1000 ppm. El aldehído cinámico fue el principal metabolito detectado en la especie<em> C. zeylanicum</em>; el eugenol y carvacrol, en las especies <em>P. dioica y O. vulgare. </em> </p>

Quantitative Analysis and Pharmacological Effects of Artemisia ludoviciana Aqueous Extract and Compounds

Artemisia ludoviciana Nutt. (Asteraceae) is widely used in Mexican folk medicine for treating inflammation, diabetes and painful complaints. The in vivo antinociceptive, antiinflammatory and antihyperalgesic activities of an aqueous extract (AE) of the plant were investigated using well-known animal models. AE reduced the licking time in the formalin test in healthy and NA-STZ mice; the activity was better during the inflammatory phase; accordingly, it displayed significant antiinflammatory when tested at the same doses using the carrageenan-induced oedema model. AE also produced a significant dose-dependent antinociceptive effect in the hot plate test at 100 and 316 mg/kg (p.o.). Phytochemical analysis of the non-polar fraction of AE resulted in the isolation of two major lactones [achillin (1) and dehydroleucodin (2)], which showed antiinflammatory effect, being 2 the most active at 17.7 mg/kg. A suitable analytical method was successfully developed and validated to quantify 1 and 2. Altogether, these results tend to support the medicinal uses of the plant.

Artemisia estesii (Asteraceae), a new diploid species of the Artemisia ludoviciana complex in the Pacific Northwest (U.S.A.)

The new species described here, Artemisia estesii, belongs to the Artemisia ludoviciana Nutt. species’ group in the Pacific Northwest. It was shown by J.R. Estes (1968a, 1969) to be a diploid member of an otherwise polyploid hybrid complex, with most of its related species and subspecies occurring at the tetraploid and hexaploid levels. Artemisia estesii is recognized by its underground and emergent, over-wintering, basal shoots, which are homologs of the elongate, underground rhizomes found in other herbaceous Artemisia species. Its regularly lobed leaf blades, with usually a broad rachis, differ from subspecies of A. ludoviciana in eastern Oregon. It occupies a narrow zone of streambank vegetation along the central Deschutes River and extends eastward along the lower Crooked River. Disjunct populations are known from Wheeler County and Lake County.