Parthenium

Camphor, Cj HjgO, occurs in the wood of the camphor tree Laurus camphora) as dextro-camphor. This is the ordinary camphor of commerce, known as Japan camphor, whilst the less common laevo-camphor is found in the oil of Matricaria parthenium. Camphor can also be obtained by the oxidation of borneol or isoborneol with nitric acid. Camphor may be prepared from turpentine in numerous ways, and there are many patents existing for its artificial preparation. Artificial camphor, however, does not appear to be able to compete commercially with the natural product. Amongst the methods may be enumerated the following —... 

The hypothesis of Gray and Bonner (31, 32) that 3-acetyl-6-methoxybenzaldehyde, which is found in the leaves of Encelia farinosa and in the soil beneath these plants, is responsible for the suppression of other plant species has not been substantiated by Muller (33, 34). The same is true for the presumed role of trans-cinnamic acid in "soil sickness associated with guayule (Parthenium argentatum), for the amygdalin of peach roots, and for the phlorizin of apple roots or its breakdown products (35), which were thought to be associated with the "soil sickness" of orchards. 

Allelopathic Agents from Parthenium hysterophorus and Baccharis megapotamica... 

In this chapter we are focusing on two different plants which appear to express allelopathy in quite different fashions. The first, Parthenium hysterophorus Linn, is recognized in many parts of theworld as causing serious agricultural problems due principally to its invasion of crop lands and the subsequent lowering of crop yields (1). Although this plant is native to the North and Central Americas, it has now been spread to many other... 

Heptinstall S, Awang DVS, Dawson BA, Kindack D, Knight DW, May J. Parthenolide content and bioactivity of feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium (1.) Schultz-Bip.). Estimation of commercial and authenticated feverfew products. J Pharm Pharmacol 44 391-395, 1992. 

Sumner H, Umit S, Knight DW, Hoult JRS. Chrysanthemum parthenium (L.) Bernh. Inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase in leukocytes by feverfew Involvement of sesquiterpene lactones and other components. Biochem Pharmacol 1992 43 2313-2320. 

Sukhada, K.D. and Jayachandra (1980b). Allelopathic effects of Parthenium hysterophorus L. Part IV. Identification of inhibitors. Plant and Soil 55 67-75... 

Rubber obtained from the shrub, Parthenium argentatum, native to north central Mexico and the adjacent part of Texas. The rubber is not obtained by tapping but by harvesting the shrubs and crushing the woody tissue to separate it from the rubber. Intensive research, started in 1942, has not succeeded in making guayule competitive with Hevea rubber, and since 1962 there has been no commercial production. 

Pollen grains of another species, parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus L.), contained growth inhibitors which inhibited fruit set in many test species (Sukhada and Jayachandra 1980). However this plant is a noxious weed and its pollen is strong, therefore use of parthenium in agriculture is unlikely. 

Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium). Reprinted with permission from Sturdivant and Blakely. (1999). Medicinal Herbs in the Garden, Field, and Marketplace. Friday Flarbor, WA San Juan Naturals. Illustration by Peggy Sue McRae. 

Capasso F. (1986). The effect of an aqueous extract of Tanacetum parthenium L. on arachidonic acid metabolism by rat peritoneal leucocytes. J Pharm Pharmacol. 38(1) 71-72. 

Gromek D, Kisiel W, Stojakowska A, Kohimunzer S. (1991). Attempts of chemical standardizing of Chrysanthemum parthenium as a prospective antimigraine drug. Pol J Pharmacol Pharm. 43(3) 213-17. 

Jain NK, Kulkarni SK. (1999). Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects ofTanacetum parthenium L. extract in mice and rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 68(1-3) 251-59. 

Tanacetum parthenium (L.) Schultz Bip. is the official Latin name for the member of the Compositae family which is more commonly referred to as feverfew [6]. The plant had previously been classified as Chrysanthemum parthenium (L.) Bernh., so the latter name is strictly speaking no longer correct. Other old classifications for feverfew are Leucanthemum parthenium (L.) Gren. Godron or Pyrethrum parthenium (L.) Sm. 

There are at least two varieties of feverfew, the wild variety and a cultivated variety, also known as the golden feverfew or Tanacetum parthenium aureus [7]. The leaves of the golden variety are much yellower than those... 

In 1959-61, a Czech group [8,9] reported the isolation of a new sesquiterpene lactone from Chrysanthemum (Tanacetum) parthenium as part of a study of the sesquiterpene lactones of the Compositae family. They named it parthenolide. The initial structure for parthenolide was later revised [10,11] and the accepted structure for parthenolide today is represented by structure (1). Parthenolide is a germacranolide-type sesquiterpene lactone. The crystal structure for parthenolide has also been reported [12]. Extractions of C. (T.) parthenium grown in Mexico, known locally as santamaria, did not yield parthenolide [13], but a closely related compound was isolated and named santamarine (3). This suggests that regional variations in the chemical constituents may occur. 

An extract of T. parthenium is described in a patent [20] which, besides the known sesquiterpene lactones parthenolide (1) and chrysartemin A (4, see above), also contained previously unreported partholide (26) and chry-santhemolide (27), both of unknown stereochemistry. Further, dimers and trimers of the sesquiterpene nucleus such as chrysanthemonin (28) were said to be present in this extract which had not been reported before. 

English marigold Caienduia officinalis), fennel, yarrow Achillea millefolium), dandelion, angelica, cilantro, feverfew Tanacetum parthenium), tansy Tanacetum vulgare)... 

The chlorination of low molecular weight natural rubber from Guayule (Parthenium Argentatum Grey) has been accomplished. The structure of the chlorinated product is consistent with that of chlorinated Hevea rubber. The use of Azo-bis-isobutyronitrile was as a catalyst resulted in increased chlorine content with a concomitant reduction in molecular weight, thereby allowing the preparation of lower viscosity grades of chlorinated rubber. 

Chrysanthemum parthenium oil [100%(15,45)(—)] and the two chemotypes of Artemisia judaica oils contained (15,45)(—)-camphor as the dominant enantiomer. The (15,45)(—)-enantiomer, with high enantiomeric purity, was detected in two types of 5. ojjjcinalis and in Coriandrum sativum (15,45) (-)-Camphor has been reported in the oils of 5. grandiflora, 5. fruticosa, Matriearia parthenium and in other... 

Vikrant P, Verma KK, Rajak RC, Pandey AK, Characterization of a phytotoxin from Phoma herbarum for management oi Parthenium hysterophorus C, J Phytopath 154 461-468, 2006. 

Lloyd, F. E. "Guayule ( Parthenium argentatum Gray) A rubber-plant of the Chihuahuan Desert". Carnegie Institute of Washington, 1911, 213 pp. 

Parthenium hysterophorus L. (parthenium weed), native to North and Central America and introduced into Queensland as recently as I960 (39), is a contemporary example. It is aggressive, persistent and lowers crop yield through interference, a component of which is allelopathic ( ). 

Ephedra (Ephedra sinica)/Ma Huang Evening Primrose Oil Oenothera biennis) Feverfew Tanacetum parthenium)... 

The purple coneflower Echinacea purpura, and its close relatives, E. angustifolia and E. pallida, are the source of the herb Echinacea, which is widely popular as a nonspecific immune stimulant. These perennials are native to the prairies of North America and are now widely grown garden ornamentals. The root and aerial parts of the plant are the portions used, and the preparation s potency can be verified by the transient tingling sensation produced when it is tasted. Echinacea contains alkamides, caffeic acid esters (echinacoside, cichoric acid, caftaric acid), polysaccharides (heteroxylan), and an essential oil. Some echinacea products are standardized for their echinacoside content. In the past, adulteration with American feverfew (Parthenium integri-folium) was common. Echinacea is now sold either by itself or in combination with golden seal or zinc for the treatment of colds and influenza. 

---