Asteraceae family

A considerable amount of extracellular polysaccharides is produced in the process of cultivation of certain plant suspension cultures and the spent culture medium has proved to be an accessible source for their production (1-3). The interest in investigating these extracellular polysaccharides has been quite strong over the past 10-15 years, motivated by their biological activity (4,5). Plants of the Asteraceae family, as well as their cell cultures, have been established to contain polysaccharides with immunostimulating activity (1-6). The object of our research was Helianthus annuus 1805 cell culture (Asteraceae), which according to the preliminary investigation produces a considerable amount of exopolysaccharides. 

Susceptible plants Chrysanthemum, cineraria, calendula, lettuce, groundsel, sow-thistle, and other members of the Asteraceae family, indoors and outside. 

The aerial parts of Conyza steudellii (Asteraceae) have given new labdane xylosides, while from the leaves of Conyza trihecatactis, a xylopyranoside of 13-epi-sclareol has been isolated among other labdanes [104,105]. Havardic acids A-F (as methyl esters), have been isolated from another genus of the Asteraceae family, i.e Grindelia havardii [106]. 11-oxo-manoyl oxide derivatives and coleosol, which is also a manoyl oxide derivative, have been obtained from Coleus forskohlii (Labiateae) [107,108] while from another plant of the Labiatae family, Roylea calycina a tumor inhibitory compound, namely precalyone, as well as calyone have been isolated [109]. 

Qinghao (Sweet Wormwood) is the dried aerial parts of the herb Artemisia annua L. (Asteraceae family), which has been used in China for centuries to treat fever and malaria. Artemisinin (Nl) (Qing Hao Su) (128), the active principle, directly kills Plasmodium falciparum (malaria parasites) with little toxicity to animals and humans. Thus, it is a clinically effective, safe, and rapid antimalarial agent (129, 130). The novel endo-peroxide link is essential for the antimalarial activity. 

Plants of the Xanthium genus, commonly known as burweed or cocklebur, belong to the large Asteraceae family, and have been widely... 

There are five classes of fructans inulin, levan, mixed levan, inulin neoseries, and levan neoseries [26]. Inulin is a linear polysaccharide composed of (2-l)-P-D-fructosyl units (Figure 2.5a). Levan is a linear polysaccharide composed of (2-6)-P-D-fructosyl units (Figure 2.5b). Mixed levan is a branched polysaccharide composed of (2-1) and (2-6)-P-D-fructosyl units. Inulin neoseries is a linear polysaccharide composed of two inulin polymers that are connected together by a sucrose molecule. Levan neoseries is a linear polysaccharide composed of two levan polymers linked together by the glucose unit of the sucrose molecule. The type of fructan produced varies with plant species. For example, plants such as chicory (Cichorium intybus) and Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) in the Asteraceae family produce inulin. Plants in the Liliaceae family such as garlic (Allium sativum) produce inulin neoseries. Plants in the Poaceae family such as wheat (Triticum spp.), barley (Hordeum vulgare), and oats (Avena sativa) produce mixed levan or levan neoseries. 

Persons with allergies to other members of the Asteraceae family (such as feverfew, chamomile, or Echinacea species) should exercise caution with yarrow, as allergic cross-reactivity is common to Asteraceae plants (Hausen 1996 Paulsen et al. 1993). 

Cases of contact allergy to yarrow plants have been reported, and allergic cross-reactivity to plants in the Asteraceae family has been documented (Davies and Kersey 1986 Guin and Skidmore 1987 Hausen 1996 Paulsen et al. 1993). 

Allergic reactions to blessed thistle have been reported (De Smet 1993). In animal studies, blessed thistle was a sensitizer and showed cross-reactivity to other members of the Asteraceae family (Zeller et al. 1985). 

Sensitization testing in guinea pigs indicated that blessed thistle is a relatively strong sensitizer. In this testing, crossreactivity to "a considerable number" of other plants in the Asteraceae family was observed (Zeller et al. 1985). Blessed thistle contains the compound cnicin, a sesquiterpene lactone. Such compounds are responsible for allergic contact dermatitis associated with a number of species of the Asteraceae family (Gordon 1999). 

Allergic reactions to Echinacea products have been reported see Adverse Events and Side Effects, below). Some authorities have suggested that the reactions may be due to the presence of Echinacea poUen in products, as allergies to pollens in the Asteraceae family are common. Ingestion of products made from the flowering top of Echinacea are thus more likely to result in allergic reactions than products made from the root and leaf (Mills and Bone 2005 Upton and Graff 2004). 

Among plants of the Asteraceae family that cause allergic reactions and contact sensitization, elecampane has been recognized as one of the species that, relatively frequently, causes sensitization (Paulsen 2002). 

Use with caution in persons with hypersensitivity to the active substance or to other plants of the Asteraceae family (EMEA 2008). 

Contact dermatitis from tansy has been reported and is attributed to sesquiterpene lactone compounds in the plant. Cross-reactivity has been reported between sesquiterpene lactone-containing plants in the Asteraceae family including tansy, dandelion, feverfew, and yarrow (Guin and Skidmore 1987 Hausen 1996 Hausen and Osmundsen 1983 Killoran et al. 2007 Mark et al. 1999 Opdyke 1979 Paulsen et al. 1993,2001). 

HSS, the first committed pathway enzyme, was localized to the root endo-dermis and cortex adjacent to the phloem in S. vernalis (Fig. 2C), which might reflect a functional accommodation for systemic transport of pyrrolizidine alkaloids to the stem (259). However, HSS was found throughout the root cortex in E. cannabinum (Fig. 2D), which is a member of the Asteraceae family along with S. vernalis (170). In contrast to the general monophyletic origin of BA biosynthesis (16),... 

The botanical name of sunflower is Hdianihus annuus, a predominantly cross-pollinated [3] species of the Asteraceae family. Sunflowers are annual crops with a height of up to 300 cm and a distinguishing, 15-30-cm diameter head. This inflorescence is composed of yellow flowers forming an outer ring and a brown inner... 

Several nematicidal acetylenic compounds have been isolated most possess thiophene structures and are from members of the Asteraceae family. Another recently isolated compound with this activity is (8/ ,9jR,10S)-9,10-epoxyhep-tadec-16-ene-4,6-diyne-8-ol (16) from Cirsium japonicum (Kawazuetal, 1980) (Fig. 3.13). l-Phenylhepta-l,3,5-triyne and 2-phenyl-5-(l -propynyl)-thiophene from Coreopsis lanceolata and Z-dehydromatricaria ester (5) from Solidago altissima have been shown to be fly ovicidal substances (Seigler, 1983). 

Over 3000 different sesquiterpene lactones are known, and a large number of them occur in the Asteraceae family—in which they are considered a signature group of compounds. They often occur as mixtures of several related compounds, and tend to concentrate in leaves and flowers. Structurally they consist of one and a half terpenes (or six isoprene units) attached to a lactone ring. Many of their names end in the suffix olide indicating the presence of the lactone group. 

---