Tanacetum species activity

Tanacetum species contain mainly sesquiterpenoids and flavonoids, whereas the other terpenoids and phenolic compounds are rarely found. Sesquiterpenoids which are the main constituents of the genus, supposed to be bioactive principles of the plants. Flavonoids and essential oils are also pointed out as active substances in some species. On the other hand, there is a confusion on the systematic position and classification of several species of Asteraceae, therefore chemotaxonomy of the species will help the systematic studies. 

The main goal of this chapter is to present the chemical constituents and the biological activities of Tanacetum species. 

Antiinflammatory activity of Tanacetum species is caused by various kind of compoimds, such as sesquiterpenoids, flavonoids and essential oils. 

In a human polymorphonuclear leucocj e-based bioassay, it was determined that acetone extracts of the leaves of four Tanacetum species T. parthenium, T vulgare, T. ptarmiciflorum and T. niveum) inhibit phorbol myristate acetate-induced chemiluminescence of human polymorphonuclear leucocytes [186,187]. Brown et al. investigated the antiinflammatory activity of T. parthenium and a constituent of Ais plant, parthenolide. They suggested that parthenolide is not the only active constituent [187]. Hoult et al have announced that a flavonoid, tanetin is one of the active compounds presented in T. parthenium [156]. 

Antiinflammatory activity of the flavonoids [131,132,141,147,148,156,157] and essential oils [83,150,152,158] isolated from Tanacetum species were also reported. 

Table 10. Biological Activities and Active Principles in Tanacetum Species...

ABSTRACT The genus Tanacetum has been used as medicinal plants for over 2000 years. Interest in the genus has been stimulated by its biological activities, particularly as insect antifeedants, antitumor and antimicrobial activities due to its sesquiterpenoid constituents. The genus Tanacetum is represented by c.a.70 species in the world and by 44 in Turkey. It is an Asia centered genus which is widespread in the Northern Hemisphere and temperate regions. 

Parthenolide, isolated from Tanacetum parthenium and other species, is a sesquiterpene lactone widely investigated for its anti-inflammatory activity [168,169,170]. Recent in vitro studies have shown that this compound inhibits the NF-kB pathway. A study on the effect of parthenolide in endotoxic shock in rodents showed that treatment with this compound stopped nitrotyrosine formation, PARP synthetase expression, and apoptosis. It also reduced iNOS mRNA content in the tissues studied. All these effects are brought about by the compound s inhibition of NF-kB [171]. In addition, parthenolide mimicked the effects of IkBoc in that it inhibited both NF-kB DNA binding activity as well as Mn-SOD expression, while simultaneously increasing paclitaxel-induced apoptosis of breast cancer cells [90]. 

Some essential oils develop a combined activity on the insects, for example, EOs of Ocimum spp. exhibited both a repellent and a larvicidal action [45]. Acorus calamus EO and its active ingredients, asarone and its analogues, were both antifeedant and potent growth inhibitors to the variegated cutworm Peridroma saucia (Lepidoptera Noctuidae) [46]. It has also been shown that some essential oils exert quite opposite effects on different insect species. As an example, the tansy (Tanacetum vulgare L.) EOs impacted in different ways the following three beetles it was attractive and paralyzing for Rhizoperta dominica, repulsive for Tribolium confusum, and toxic for Sitophilus americana [47]. 

Wormwood oil Artemisia absinthium L.), sage oil Salvia officinalis L.) and milfoil oil Achillea millefolium L.) contain the diastereoisomeric thujones (113) as their main components (792). The biogenesis of these ketones was investigated in certain Thuja, Tanacetum and Juni-perus species (25). (-)-Isothujone cis-113) possesses an antinociceptive activity which is comparable with that of ( —)-A -tetrahydrocannabinol and codeine 498). The acute toxicity of California bay oil Umbellularia californica Nutt.) is due primarily to umbellulone (114) (39%), a substance, which is not present in Mediterranean or West Indian oils 67, 369). A similar neuropharmacological effect is reported for ( —)-thujone trans-113) 208). 

Generally, sesquiterpenes are less volatile than monoterpenes. Among the sesquiterpenes, the sesquiterpene lactones are widely distributed in terrestrial and marine organisms and are well known for their wide variety of biological activities. The anti-inflammatory activities of some medicinal plants are due to presence of one or more sesquiterpene lactones [89]. Parthenolide is responsible for the majority of the medicinal characteristics of this traditional herbal remedy. This sesquiterpene lactone can be found in several species, including Chrysanthemum parthenium, Leucanthemum parthenium, Pyrethrum parthenium, and Tanacetum parthenium [90]. 

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