Genus Sideritis

The name of the genus Sideritis, family Lamiaceae (Labiatae), given by Dioscorides, seems to be derived from the Greek word sideron (iron) on account of an alleged efficacy in curing wounds produced with iron swords. 

This biochemical profile distinguishes these diterpenoids from the antiinflammatory polyphenolics, such as flavonoids occurring in the genus Sideritis, and suggests that medicinal decoctions of these plants are likely to owe any anti-inflammatory activity to more than one bioactive ingredient. 

Another flavonoid, hypolaetin-8-glucoside, found in many species of the genus Sideritis, is traditionally used in Spain for its antiinflammatory and digestive properties [115, 116], It was isolated from Sideritis leucantha and its antiulcerogenic properties studied by Alcaraz and Tordera [117]. The authors found that this compound significantly reduces the gastric lesions induced by absolute ethanol, acetyl salicylic acid and, Shay s pyloric ligature. 

VON Carstenn-Lichterfelde, C., S. Valverde, and B. Rodriguez Studies on Diterpenes from Genus Sideritis. XIII. Two New Stachene Derivatives from Sideritis angustifolia (Labiatae). Austral. J. Chem. 27, 517 (1974). 

The genus comprises at least from 100 to 150 species [1], occurring in temperate and tropical regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The countries around the Mediterranean Sea, and especially Spain, Canary Islands and Middle East, are particularly rich. The taxonomic classification of the genus is rather complex. The chemical investigations on Sideritis were concerned with flavonoids, essential oils, and especially diterpenoids. Diterpenoids occur in almost all the species and show a remarkable variability of carbon skeleta... 

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