Baccharis genus constituents

Characteristic constituents from the Baccharis genus, one member of the Compositae, are the neo-clerodane type diterpenes. For example, the aerial parts of B. trinervis, a representative of which is used in South American folk medicine, furnished 24 neo-clerodane type diterpenes, many of them new, e.g., methyltrineracetal, Fig. (1) and epi-methyltrineracetal, Fig. (2) [19],... 

A large number of compounds, which are typical constituents of the Baccharis genus, were isolated from these species and might be partly or wholly responsible for the antimicrobial effects exhibited by the plants. For example, four compounds, including a flavone, an acetylenic lactone, a... 

However, a saponin mixture, an unusual constituent of Baccharis genus, in which echinocystic acid, Fig. (69) is the major aglycone, has been found to be the main active principle of this plant. 

Tortoriello and Aguilar-Santamaria [120] investigated in detail the spasmolytic mechanisms of action of one of these plants, B. serraefolia. The results suggest that the extract does not interact with classical receptors and its effects, at least that produced on smooth muscle, may be due to a probable interference with calcium influx and/or calcium release from an intracellular store. Different chemical compounds, such as clerodane diterpenes and flavonoids, which are typical constituents from the Baccharis genus, have been considered as the active principles of many spasmolytic drugs. A bioassay-monitored fractionation of an extract from B. genistelloides yielded a mixture that blocked the calcium-induced contractions of KCl-depolarized rat portal vein preparations [121], Pharmacological tests of two pure compounds isolated from the mixture revealed a dilactonic clerodane-diterpene, Fig. (70) as the active compound. 

To date more than 100 species from the large genus Baccharis have been investigated chemically. The most widespread compounds are clerodane diterpene derivatives, but labdane derivatives have also been isolated. Furthermore, typical acetylenic compounds, baccharis oxide, a unique triterpene, and derivatives of hydroxyacetophenone are present, although it is mainly other biologically active constituents, e.g. flavonoids, sesquiterpenes and essential oils that have been reported in the last years. The constituents of Baccharis species compiled from different sources are presented below. 

Compositae plants have been used for medicinal purposes for many centuries, showing different biological activities. Of these, plants belonging to the genus Baccharis are reported to have excellent medicinal value. Several pharmacological activities, including antitumoral, antimicrobial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects have been documented for extracts of Baccharis species and/or their constituents, and we present these below. 

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