Baccharis serraefolia

Baccharis serraefolia Baccharis serraefolia is a popular form of treatment for various gastrointestinal illnesses. 

Baccharis serraefolia D. C. ( Tzajal ) is a popular form of treatment for various gastrointestinal illnesses with the Tzeltal and Tzotzil of Chiapas, Mexico [7], Ethnomedical information shows that this plant has been widely used to treat diarrhoea by the past and present Mayas [9],... 

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. 

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