Lippia dulcis Trev

The first Mexican substance searched for, found, and isolated based on old traditions, was the sesquiterpene hemandulcin from Lippia dulcis Trev. It was determined by a human taste panel to be more than 1000 times sweeter than sucrose. The structure of this sesquiterpene was determined and confirmed by chemical synthesis. It was nontoxic when administered orally to mice, and did not induce bacterial mutation.5 Further work has been carried out with some of the plants more frequently used (Table 12.3). The sesquiterpene alkaloids hippocrateine I, hippocrateine II, and emarginatine were identified in Hippocratea excelsa used in Mexican traditional medicine, and antimicrobial abietane type diterpenes were isolated from Salvia albocaerulea.6 7... 

Hernandulcin is a bisabolane sesquiterpene isolated from the herb Lippia dulcis Trev. (Verbenaceae), which is native to Mexico, and has been reported to be 1500 times sweeter than sucrose.44 45 The natural product has a 6S, 1 xS" configuration, and of the four possible stereoisomers, only this one has intense sweetness.46 47 Another sweet substance, 4,3-hydn> x v hern a n d u I cm, was isolated from a sample native to Panama.46 The sweetness and bitterness of hernandulcin have been reported to linger in the mouth for sometime. This compound is rather thermolabile. 

Hemandulcin is a sweet sesquiterpene from Lippia dulcis Trev. (Verhenaceae), with the structure 6-( 1,5-dimethyl-1 -hydroxy-hex-4-enyl)... 

---