Litsea

Laurotetanine, C13H21O4N. H2O. This alkaloid was first isolated by Greshoff from Litsea chrysocoma, who also found it in a number of other Lauraceae, and subsequently by Filippo from L. citrata, and by Gorter from L. cubeba. 

IV-Methyllaurotetaninc, C20H23O4N. This alkaloid was obtained by Spath and Suominen from Litsea citrata. It distils at 205-15° (air-bath temperature) urder a pressure of 0-01 mm. and is dextro-rotatory. Diazomethane converts it into glaucine and Hofmann degradation of the ethyl ether yields 3 5 6-trimethoxy-2-ethoxy-8-vinylphenanthrene, m.p. 140-1°, identical with that obtained from laurotetanine (see above). The alkaloid is therefore represented by formula II (NMe replacing NH). 

Several CHX samples were isolated from the leaves and barks of tropical dicots such as the Litsea species [3]. The mucilage-forming seeds of Plantago sp. contain very complex heteroxylans [53,54]. For the CHX from Plantago major seeds [53], a (1 3, 1 -> 4)-mixed-linkage xylan backbone has... 

Fig. 26. Litsea cubeba. Flora of Malay peninsula. Geographical localization Bukiy Kutu, Kudla Kubu. Date 12/25/1930. No 23848. Field collector Cooman. Botanical identification F.S.P. Ng, 11/27/2001. 

Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers. (Litsea citrata BL, Laurus cubeba Lour., Daphnidium cubeba), or pokok myuniak kayah puteh (Malay, Indonesian), is a shrub which grows wild in China, Korea, Vietnam, and Indonesia. The stems are smooth the leaves are aromatic, simple, and exstipulate. The petiole is about 1 cm long. The blade is lanceolate, thinly coriaceous, 12—4 cm X 3-1 cm and shows six to eight pairs of secondary nerves. The fruits are globose and 3 mm in diameter (Fig. 26). 

The plant is strongly aromatic on account of an essential oil which comprises cis-a-ocimene (25.11%), 3,7-dimethyl-l,6-octadien-3 ol (16.85%), and trans-nerolidol (13.89%), hence the use of the plant in aromatherapy. A methanolic extract of bark of Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers. and its fractions (0.01 mg/mL) from bark inhibit NO and PGE2 production in LPS-activated RAW 264.7 macrophages without significant cytotoxicity at less than 0.01 mg/mL concentration. The methanol extract decreased the enzymatic activity of myeloperoxidase (0.05 mg/mL). These findings suggest that L. cubeba is beneficial for inflammatory conditions and may contain compound(s) with anti-inflammatory properties (63). Can we expect the vasorelaxant laurotetanine (64) isolated from the plant to exert such activity ... 

Fig. 27. Litsea odorifera Val. BOSWESEN. Nederlands New Guinea (Forestry Division Neth. New Guinea) Field collector F. Schram No B 1737. Date 3/9/1955. Geographical localization New Guinea, Res. Manokawaii, Sidei, altitude 7 m. 

Choi EM, Hwang JK. Effects of methanolic extract and fractions from Litsea cubeba bark on the production of inflammatory mediators in RAW264.7 cells. Fitoterapia 2004 75 141-148. 

Chen WY, Ko FN, Wu YC, Lu ST, Teng CM. Vasorelaxing effect in rat thoracic aorta caused by laurotetanine isolated from Litsea cubeba Persoon. J Pharm Pharmacol 1994 46 380-382. 

Natural citral is nearly always a mixture of the two isomers. It occurs in lemon-grass oil (up to 85%), in Litsea cubeba oil (up to 75%), and in small amounts in... 

Isolation from Essential Oils. Citral is isolated by distillation from lemongrass oil and from Litsea cubeba oil. It is the main component of these oils. 

Individual compounds can be isolated from essential oils containing one or only a few major components by distillation or crystallization. Examples are eugenol from clove oil, menthol from commint oil, citronellal from Eucalyptus citriodora oil and citral from Litsea cubeba oil. These compounds are used as such or serve as starting materials for the synthesis of derivatives, which are also used as flavor and fragrance substances. However, the importance of some of these oils has decreased substantially because of the development of selective synthetic processes for their components. 

The two oils were formerly the main source of natural citral, obtained as a ca. 4 1 mixture of geranial and neral by distillation [463, 466a]. However, lemongrass oil has declined in commercial importance due to the competitive synthesis of citral and isolation of natural citral from Litsea cubeba oil. Today, some lOOt/yr are still... 

Litsea cubeba oil is produced by steam distillation of the fruits of Litsea cubeba C. H. Persoon (Lauraceae) growing in East Asia. It is a pale yellow liquid with a fresh odor, reminiscent of citral. 

Litsea cubeba Litsea cubeba C.H. Persoon Geranial (38-45), neral (25-33)... 

Litsea cubeba Lour. Shan Cong Zi (Cubebs) (fruit) Citral, linalool, laurotetanine.33 Treat chronic bronchitis and bronchial asthma, protect hypersensitization shock. 

Alpinia katsumadai, A. globosum, A. kumatake, Blumea lacera, Citrus deliciosa, C. nobilis, C. reticulata, Cymbopogon citratus, Daucus carota, Litsea cubeba, Magnolia biloba, M. denudata, M. discolor,... 

E. lindleyanum, E. japonicum, Glechoma hederacea, G. longituba, Hedyotis corymbosa, H. diffusa, Litsea cubeba, Luffa aegyptiaca, L. cylindrica, L. faetida, L. petola, Medicago falcata, M. lupulina,... 

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