Jasminum species

The alkaloid jasminine, C11H12O3N2 (mp 174°-176° [ ]u —37.5°) from several Jasminum species has also been obtained from Ligustrum novoguineense Lingelsh. It is a monoterpenoid base whose structure is given as LXXIa (113). 

Traditional Medicine. The flowers and volatile oil of several Jasminum species are used in Western culture mainly as a calmative as well as an aphrodisiac. 

In China, numerous Jasminum species are also used in medicine. Different parts of the plants (flowers, leaves, roots, etc.) are used... 

Several Jasminum species have been used in cancers. ... 

Some relatively simple but unusual pyridine derivatives, including jasminine (39), were isolated from Jasminum and Oka species belonging to the Oleaceae 54, 55]. 

Esterification with iridane at C-7 of the oleoside 11 -methyl ester is quite common in some species of the genus Jasminum, Which may give rise to a series of derivative compounds. 

Another efficient indicator may be the presence of jasminoside and related compounds also exclusive to a group of species of Jasminum and recently found in Menodora (see table 8). 

Up to now, all the species of the tribe Oleaceae contain oleoside-type iridoids, which are also present in the group of species Jasminum. of Jasmineae. In both tribes, these oleosides may be hydroxylated at C-10, even though, in genus as Syringa and many species of the Jasminum group, this transformation is not present. 

It is known that the Oleaceae family is a rich source of phenylethanoid glycosides (PhGs). Many cinnamic esters of PhGs of diverse structures have been isolated from the genera Syringa, Forsythia, Ligistrum, Jasminum and Osmanthus [25]. However, only the occurrence of verbascoside (24) and calceolarioside A and B in Fraxinus species have been reported [19,26,27]. 

The perfume of the Jasmine flower is principally marketed in the form of enfleurage products or similar preparations, but the oil is of the highest importance, an I its examination has led to the preparation of a synthetic jasmine oil of considerable commercial value. The jasmine perfume of commerce is almost entirely prepared from the flowers of Jasminum grandiflorum, but as there are many closely allied species the lollowing details of them are of considerable interest. 

The species commonly found in this country is Jasminum officinale, the white jasmine, but it is not known when it was introduced into England. It may be propagated by cuttings or by layering. The flowers only develop on the young shoots, and to secure a goM crop the plant should be pruned in the autumn. Three varieties of this species are known, the golden and the silver-edged leaf varieties, and a double-flowered variety. 

Source Jasminum officinale L., J. grand-iflorum L. (syn. J. officinale L. var. grandiflorum Bailey), and other/asminHin species (Family Oleaceae). 

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