DIVERSIDAD GENÉTICA Y MEJORAMIENTO DE PLANTAS MEDICINALES= Medicinal plants and improvement of medicinal herbs

Chenopodium ambrosioides L. is known in many parts of Brazil for its medicinal properties, mainly used to control intestinal worms. Its genetic diversity is little studied. The objective of this work was to evaluate the genetic variability of 16 accessions of C. ambrosioides from the cocoa region of Bahia State, Brazil, by the RAPD technique (Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA). Only 6.9% of the 216 amplified RAPD bands were polymorphic and the pattern of dispersion of individuals showed no clustering related to sample site. Therefore, there is low variability among accessions and it is distributed among the accessions from the entire sampled region.

ÚLTIMOS AVANCES EN LA QUÍMICA Y ACTIVIDADES BACTERIOLÓGICAS EN LAS PLANTAS MEDICINALES= Medicinal plants, last advances on chemistry and bacteria activities on the medicinal herbs

1) The essential oil of the aerial part (leaves, flowers and stem) of Chenopodium ambrosioides was obtained by hydrodistn. and its chem. compn. analyzed by GC and GC/MS, which permitted the identification of 14 components, representing 98.8% of the total oil.  Major components were a-terpinene (51.3%), p-cymene (23.4%) and p-mentha-1,8-diene (15.3%).  The antifungal properties of this essential oil were investigated in vitro by the well diffusion and broth microdilution methods.  The in vitro antifungal activity was concn. dependent and min. inhibitory concn. values varied from 0.25 to 2 mg/mL.  The in vivo antifungal activity was evaluated on an induced vaginal candidiasis rat model.  The in vivo activity of the oil on mice vaginal candidiasis was not dose-dependent.  Indeed, all the three tested doses; 0.1%, 1% and 10% led to the recovery of mice from the induced infection after 12 days of treatment.  The effect of the essential oil on C. albicans ATCC 1663 fatty acid profile was studied.  This oil has a relatively important dose-dependent effect on the fatty acids profile.

2) The leaf essential oil of Chromolaena odorata L. (Chenopodiaceae) from Togo were steam-distd., analyzed by GC and GC-MS for chem. compn. and investigated in vitro for its potential cytotoxic activity on human epidermic cell line HaCat.  The chem. compn. showed that the main constituents of essential oil sample were resp. ascaridole (51.12%), p-cymene (19.88%), neral (8.70%) and geraniol (7.55%).  The in vitro cytotoxicity bioassays on human cell line HaCaT revealed moderate toxicity level of C. ambrosioides essential oil IC50 with 700 mL.mL-1.  Pure com. neral std. showed high toxicity with IC50 value of 100 mL.mL-1.  Conversely, pure ascaridole p-cymene and geraniol stds. appeared almost non-toxic (IC50 >1000 mL.mL-1), proving the major role played by neral in the overall toxicity showed by the C. ambrosioides oil sample tested in this work.

3) Vegetal water exts., namely the water remaining after hydro-distn. and decoctions, and essential oils of 10 plant species were tested as inhibitors for the growth of Paenibacillus larvae, the causative agent of American Foulbrood.  Achyrocline satureioides, Chenopodium ambrosioide, Eucalyptus cinerea, Gnaphalium gaudichaudianum, Lippia turbinata, Marrubium vulgare, Minthostachys verticillata, Origanum vulgare, Tagetes minuta and Thymus vulgaris were included in the study.  The water remaining after hydro-distn. showed the highest antibacterial activities, the growth of almost all the P. larvae strains tested was inhibited by these exts.  Regarding the plants tested, E. cinerea and M. verticillata were the plant species with the highest biol. activity with 100% efficacy (all its exts. inhibited the growth of all P. larvae strains).  Essential oils were less active for the inhibition of P. larvae growth.

Origin
South America (Andean region) and Mexico.

Historical background
In the 'Historia del Nuevo Mundo' Cobo (1654) refers to the use of Chenopodium ambrosioides (apasote) as a very important medicinal plant the leaves of which were used as a plaster against any type of tumor. However, the species had many other medicinal applications and also served as a food to South and North American Indians.

Occurrence
The plant is now almost a cosmopolitan weed. In Venezuela it is frequently found in uncultivated regions or in disturbed areas near housing. The plant occurs from 0 to 2760 m a.s.l. STEYERMARK & HUBER (1978) found it at the Avila between 900 and 1000 m.

Ethnobotanical and general use

Nutritional use
The infrutescences are edible. The plant is already mentioned in prehispanic times in the texts of nahuatl as 'epazotl', an expression derived from the word epatl which means skunk; the speculative association between plant and animal is the bad smell which both emit. The infrutescences are eaten raw or cooked. The 'epazote del zorillo' is still used as a condiment in Mexican cuisine: The young and tender leaves of the plant are added to the meal at the end of the preparation. The species is esteemed for its nutritional and curative properties. In mediaeval times, the species was therefore widely planted and cultivated in Mexico(FRANCISCO HERNANDEZ 1571).

Medical use
All parts of the plant are used: Leaves, stem, root, flowers, fruits , seeds and the entire plant. Leaf The leaves in infusion are used as a tonic and stomach remedy or even against chorea. In latinoamerican pharmacopoeia, limonene was long ago obtained by distillation of leaves and sold as an oil rich in ascaridole (HERRERA 1921). Leaves applied as a plaster heal any kind of tumor. Root. According to FRANCISCO HERNANDEZ (1571) the cooked roots were utilized by the Indians to cure dysentery or inflammations and were applied as a vermifuge. Flowers. In Brazil, the flowers are used as avermifuge. Fruits. In Mexico, there exists an anthelmintic variety which is superior to the traditional species; in this case, the fruits are used as a vermifuge. Entire plant. In many cases, no distinction is made between the different plant parts; the entire plant is used as a tonic, a stomachic, a vermifuge, against indigestion, fatigue, palpitations, dyspnoea, dysentery, cough, asthma, as well as a postpartum depurant, and to cure sores. A decoction of the plant with much salt produces detumescence of podagra. Further applications are against headache and toothache. The plant is also said to be sudorific, diuretic, febrifuge, and emmenagogic. It is used against irritations of the skin, against kidney problems, colics, stomachache, haemorrhoids, high blood pressure, inflammations, stings of poisonous insects and spiders, diarrhoea, Fig. 91. Chenopodium ambrosioides. a, b axis in t.s. c t.s. of midrib ( 6.3). and meteorism. It is applied as an antirheumatic, anthelmintic, amoebicide, antispasmodic, antiasth matic, and as cough easing. It is said to be eupeptic, diaphoretic, carminative, antipalduic, aperitive, and abortive.

Method of use
Usually the entire plant is either applied orally or externally. A decoction of the entire fresh plant is taken orally. In the case of haemorrhoids and stings of poisonous insects, the irritated area is washed with the decoction of the branches. A decoction of the roots, branches and leaves orally taken was a very effec Externally, the plant is used in the form of a sitz bath to cure haemorrhoids, rheumatism and as a resolutive. To wash out wounds, a decoction of the leaves together with leaves of Carica papaya is applied.

Healing properties
The antiparasitic property of ascaridole could be widely demonstrated. The drug is very toxic to Ascaris and Ancylostoma. Pharmacological studies were carried out to prove the curative properties of Chenopodium ambrosioides related to ulcer, malaria, muscular relaxation, as a respiratory stimulant, and against cardiac debilitation, as well as its antifungal and antibacterial (Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) effects. In all experiments, the studied activities could be confirmed. The lethal dose of ascaridole in rats is 0.075 mg/kg. The oil is however also toxic to humans and can produce nausea, vomiting, head ache, nervous depressions, injuries of the liver and the kidneys, visual disturbanmces, deafness, cardiac and respiratory problems, such as tachycardia and complete respiratory break down. Very high doses can even cause death. A carcinogeneous action has been observed in rats. The lack of standardization of the drug still makes dosage difficult, due to the proportional variations of the active principle in the plant and to the existence of numerous varieties of the species.

Chemical contents
The plant is rich in essential oils. One of the components is ascaridol which exercises the antiparasitic effects on man and animals (dogs). The highest content of this oil is found in the seeds. Further contents are limonene, camphor, ambroside, Chenopodium saponin A, chenopodioside, the rhamnoside kaempferol, santonin and others (GUPTA 1995). The plant has a very penetrant smell of camphor and a bitter taste. 1 % of the essential oil is found in the fruit and seed, and only 0.4% in the leaf.

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Summary
American wormseed (Chenopodium ambrosioides – Chenopodiaceae) is a medicinal herb native to Mexico and other temperate regions of the American continent, although nowadays it can be found in several other regions of the World. From a pharmacological point of view, the essential oil of wormseed, together with one of its main constituents ascaridol, have shown excellent antiparasitic properties, thus validating one of the main popular uses of this plant. Antimalarial, leishmanicidal, analgesic, anti inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities have also been studied. Although the use of C. ambrosioides as an anti-parasitic agent is still frequent in some regions, some synthetic alternatives have gradually displaced wormseed in this aspect, mostly due to lower costs and other clinical issues. However, in rural areas of many developing countries, C. ambrosioides is still of great importance when it comes to primary attention in health.
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Origin

Jamaica

Folk medicinal uses

This species is the source of oil of chenopodium, the well-known anthelmintic. It is fairly commonly employed in Jamaica as a vermifuge. An infusion of the plant is also used in Trinidad as a vermifuge.

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Origin
“Cariri Paraibano”, Brazil
Medicinal indication
- As vermifuge, stomachic and expectorant: Entire plant

The infusion of the whole plant is reported to be an antidysenteric and a vermifuge. The whole plant is used in regional cooking (Bye 1986; González E. 1981; González F. 1979; González F. and González S. 1980; González S. 1979; Linares, Penafiel, and Bye 1988; Martínez 1969; Sánchez C. 1981 Uphof 1968).

Herb 60 cm, pathside, San Andrés.

Uses: crush leaves, drink juice for intestinal worms; crush leaves, use as poultice for wounds; boil leaves in water, bathe skin infections. Comerford 43, 16 Jul 1994.

Uses: wound healing, injuries, bruise, blow, bone regeneration, local pain, stomach, gastritis, hepatitis, intestine (infection), roundworms, worm, antibiotic, flu, inflamation, bone fracture, swelling, twist.                                                 

Origin:  Argentina, Australia, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Caribbean, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Java, Kenya, Madagascar, Mexico, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, Phillipines, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sulawesi, Suriname, Tanzania, Uganda, USA, Venezuela.                

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Whole plant: Infusion for children's and adult vermifuge; macerated in rum for grippe; decoction for a vermifuge; decoction and infusion for stomach pain; decoction for internal haemorrhage due to prolapse; for shoulderblade pain; sap to treat wounds. In French Guiana, used as a substitute for Artemisia semen-contra, the excellent vermifuge. For urinary tract inflammation in Surinam. Macerated plant in water is used as a herbal bath, by the Guyana Patamona. Plant is boiled and the water drunk as an antidiarrheal, antipyretic, and as a cough medicine by the Guyana Patamona. Dried plant is boiled and used as a tonic by the Guyana Patamona.

Leaf: Leaf-sap is mixed with molasses and drunk to expel worms in Surinam. Leaves are boiled, and the water drunk as an antipyretic or a cough medicine, by the Guyana Patamona.

Leaf and Inflorescence: Macerated leaves and flowers are mixed with a pinch of salt, and used as a poultice for treating persistent sores, by the Guyana Patamona.

Inflorescence: Flowering-tops for anthelmintic in French Guiana.
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Origins: Waste places, cultivated pound, abandoned fields.

Uses: Primary use is in the manufacturing of chenopodium oil, which is used to treat intestinal worms, both in humans and animals. The pollen is allergenic. In Mexico it is cooked and eaten as a vermifuge, and in Europe it is used as an infusion. In New Mexico, Spanish speaking people use a tea made of the leaves to encourage milk flow and to relieve post-delivery pains.

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Origin:

Nigeria

Part used

whole plant

Medicinal uses

Anthelmintics,tumour

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Origin:
Mexico
Medicinal  properties:
- Tea is taken to treat stomach ailments and expel worms
- Avoid in pregnancy, lactation, and children
- Leaves are safe as condiment, but oil isneurotoxic
Toxicity:
- Avoid in pregnancy, lactation, and children
- Leaves are safe as condiment, but oil isneurotoxic

PARTE UTILIZADA= Used part: Tallo, semilla y frutos.

ACCIÓN FARMACOLÓGICA= Pharmacological action: Diaforético, emenagogo, carminativo, antipalúdico, febrífugo y para la bronquitis.

POSOLOGÍA= Posology: Se mplea la infusión de tallos, hojas , semillas y frutos como digestiva. Infusión al 1%.

COMPOSICIÓN QUÍMICA= Chemical composition: La planta entera es rica en aceite esencial, uno de cuyos componentes, el ascaridol, es el causante del efecto antiparasitario de esta planta. El mayor contenido de este aceite se encuentra en las semillas. En este aceite esencial se ha determinado la presencia de ascaridol, p-cimeno, (-)-limoneno, (+)-alcanfor, aritasona, safrole, N-docosano, N-hentriacontano, N-heptacosano, N-octacosano, beta-pineno, methadieno, metilsalicilato, dimetilsulfóxido, delta-terpineol. Además se reportan en diferentes partes los siguientes compuestos: ambrósido, betaína, chenopodiósidos Ay B, chenopodium saponina A, kaempferol rhamnósido y santonina.

ZONA GEOGRÁFICA= Geografical zone: Argentina, Brasil y Uruguay. 

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Parte empleada: hoja.
Usos: desparasitar.
Preparación: hervir unas hojas en agua y tomarla en ayunas por la mañanas durante dos días.

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Fruto y hojas: Antiparasitario

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Hierba, Amazónico, Andino, Costa

Uso:
1. Parásitos / Hojas y Tallos, fresco / Oral / Extraer jugo de las hojas. El aceite de semillas y fruta tienen un ingrediente que mata a parásitos. Usar una vez al mes.
2. Tos / Hojas y Tallos, fresco / Oral / Añadir 10g de material de la planta a 1/2 litro de agua. Tomar caliente, 1 taza 2-3 veces por día por 1 semana.
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Uso tradicional:
esta planta se usa para tratar problemas de parásitos estomacales e inflamaciones.

Método de empleo:
se usan los tallos, hojas y raíces de individuos preferiblemente adultos. Las partes de la planta se recogen en cualquier época del año principalmente invierno. Se prepara una bebida hirviendo las partes de la planta en agua, como infusión o extrayendo el zumo por macerado.

Origen: Colombia
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Enfermedad o síntoma
Dolor de estómago

Empacho

Apunamiento

Parte utilizada
Hoja

Forma de preparación
Infusión

Modo de administración
Vía oral

Origen
Tucumán, Argentina

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Distribución
Cajamarca, Cuzco, Huánuco, Loreto, San Martín.

Usos
Tallos
Cólicos: infusión de las hojas y tallos tiernos; un vaso tres o cuatro veces al día en el caso de adultos y tres o cuatro cucharadas, en el caso de niños.
Infecciones urinarias: beber una taza caliente del cocimiento de «paico» con «pampa orégano» tres a cuatro veces cada día.

Hojas
Heridas: con el cocimiento de las hojas se hacen lavados en la zona afectada; las hojas machacadas se aplican como emplasto sobre ellas.
Antidiarreico: infusión de las hojas flores: 20 g en un litro de agua. Tomar tres a cuatro tazas al día.
Parasitosis intestinal: infusión de las hojas y tallos tiernos. Tomar un vaso tres a cuatro veces al día. Tener extrema precaución al preparar la infusión: una infusión demasiado concentrada puede tener efectos tóxicos.
Digestivo: tomar una taza de la infusión preparada (20 g de hojas en un litro de agua) después de las comidas.
Hemorroides: en baños de asiento con la infusión de las hojas.
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Origin:
Native to West Indies and South America. Now distributed in South India, Bengal, Kashmir and Maharashtra in wet places with cultivated lands.

Action:
Antispasmodic, pectoral, haemostatic, emmenagogue. Employed in treating nervous affections, particularly chorea. Dried herb—anthelmintic against round and hookworms.

Toxicity:
It is highly toxic and can cause serious side effects.

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Toxicidad
Embarazo, niños y personas con problemas renales.
Parte utilizada:
Sumidades (brotes).
Propiedades:
Digestivo, antianémico, antimicrobiano, antiparasitario y vermífugo.
Indicaciones:
La infusión de las hojas o de la parte aérea de la planta se usa en flatulencias, dispepsias y trastornos gastrointestinales. También está indicado en el tratamiento de las lombrices humanas, y en uso externo contra parásitos de la piel y picaduras de insectos. En forma de cataplasmas calientes sobre furúnculos y abscesos.

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