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

Giant reed is one of the most widespread invasive species in riparian habitats in California and other coastal states of the United States. This species is thought to spread primarily asexually by flood dispersal of stem and rhizome pieces; viable seeds have not been found in the United States. Research was conducted to quantify genetic variation in giant reed along the Santa Ana River in California and to investigate the pattern of distribution of variation along this watershed. Populations at least 3.2 km apart were collected along the length of the Santa Ana River from the headwaters to the Pacific Ocean. One additional population from a different watershed was collected to serve as an out-group. Genetic analyses were conducted using both starch gel electrophoresis for isozyme analysis and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. Both isozyme and RAPD analyses revealed levels of genetic diversity comparable with those in the literature for clonal species, suggesting that asexual reproduction is the primary means of spread of giant reed. Most phenotypes were spread along the Santa Ana River, which is expected if water is the primary means of spread of vegetative propagules. Among the unique phenotypes found, two isozyme phenotypes and one RAPD phenotype were dominant and were found spread along the river, which may indicate greater fitness or competitive superiority to the other phenotypes that were less common. The dominant phenotypes were also found in the out-group population, possibly because of spread by humans. Because spread occurs mainly asexually, management efforts should focus on preventing establishment and spread of vegetative propagules. A moderate level of genetic diversity also suggests that biological control of this weed could be successful.

PARTE UTILIZADA= Used part: Rizoma.

ACCION FARMACOLOGICA= Pharmacological action: Diurético y sudorífico.

COMPOSICIÓN QUÍMICA= Chemical composition: Chemicals 2-O-(4-O-METHYL-ALPHA-D-GLUCOPYRANOSIDE-URONIC-A.)-D-XYLOSE Plant: DUKE1992A; 3,3'-BIS(INDOLYL-METHYL)-DIMETHYL-AMMONIUM-HYDROXIDE Flower: DUKE1992A; 5-METHOXY-N-METHYLTRYPTAMINE Plant: DUKE1992A; ALKALOIDS Plant 5,000 ppm; DUKE1992A; ALPHA-AMYRIN-ACETATE Leaf: DUKE1992A; ASH Plant 92,000 - 150,000 ppm DUKE1992A Stem 42,000 ppm; DUKE1992A; BETA-AMYRIN-ACETATE Leaf: DUKE1992A; BETA-SITOSTEROL Plant: DUKE1992A; BUFOTENIDINE Rhizome: DUKE1992A; BUFOTENINE Leaf: DUKE1992A ; CALCIUM Plant 4,900 ppm; DUKE1992A; CAMPESTEROL Leaf: DUKE1992A; CARBOHYDRATES Plant 699,000 - 777,000 ppm DUKE1992A; CELLULOSE Stem 446,000 - 503,000 ppm DUKE1992A; DEHYDROBUFOTENINE Rhizome: DUKE1992A; DONAXARIDINE Plant: DUKE1992A; DONAXERINE Rhizome: DUKE1992A; DONAXINE Rhizome: DUKE1992A ; ELEAGNINE Flower: DUKE1992A; FAT Plant 11,000 - 13,000 ppm DUKE1992A Stem 30,000 ppm; DUKE1992A; FIBER Plant 285,000 - 375,000 ppm DUKE1992A; FLAVONE-C-GLYCOSIDES Leaf: DUKE1992A; FRIEDELIN Leaf: DUKE1992A; GALACTOSE Stem: DUKE1992A; GLUCOSE Plant: DUKE1992A; GLUCURONIC-ACID Stem: DUKE1992A; GRAMINE Rhizome: DUKE1992A; GRAMINE-METHOHYDROXIDE Flower: DUKE1992A; GRAMINE-N-OXIDE Plant 700 ppm; DUKE1992A; L-ARABINO-D-GLUCURONO-D-XYLAN Stem: DUKE1992A; L-ARABINOSE Stem: DUKE1992A; LIGNIN Stem 157,000 - 227,000 ppm DUKE1992A; LUPEOL Leaf: DUKE1992A; N,N-DIMETHYLTRYPTAMINE Leaf: DUKE1992A; N,N-DIMETHYLTRYPTAMINE-METHOHYDROXIDE Flower: DUKE1992A; PENTOSANS Stem 251,000 ppm; DUKE1992A; PHOSPHORUS Plant 1,100 ppm; DUKE1992A ; POTASSIUM Plant 25,500 ppm; DUKE1992A; PROTEIN Plant 69,000 - 132,000 ppm DUKE1992A; RESIN Stem: DUKE1992A; STIGMASTEROL Plant: DUKE1992A; TRIACONTANE Plant: DUKE1992A; TRIACONTANOL Plant: DUKE1992A; TRICIN Plant: DUKE1992A; XYLOSE Stem: DUKE1992A; ppm = parts per million tr = trace

ZONA GEOGRAFICA= Geografical zone: Uruguay, 

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Distribución: Regiones Tarapaca, Antofagasta, Atacama, Coquimbo, Valparaiso, Metropolitana de Santiago, O’Higgins, Araucania. Isla de Pascua.

Usos medicinales: Los rizomas se usan por sus propiedades diureticas, desintoxicantes y antiinflamatorias. Externamente se usan para evitar la caida del cabello. Se recomienda tener cuidado de no consumir en exceso pues es hipotensora. Al ser hemostatica, se usa para evitar un sangrado prolongado al sufrir alguna herida.

Range. Mediterranean region; also in tropical America. In Myanmar, found grow­ing naturally all over up to 1 km altitude, most common in Bhamaw, Katha, Pyin-oo-lwin and Thayet areas.

Uses. With cooling properties, as well as bitter, sweet and astringent tastes, this plant facilitates digestion, clears phlegm, repels bile, purifies blood, and diminishes “heat”. It relieves aches and pains in the heart, bladder and uterus, in addition to curing herpes, stimulating appetite, increasing sperm, purifying urine and strengthening breathing.

Leaf: When dried can be brewed with tea leaves and taken to stimulate appetite, promote virility, stop vomiting, remedy passing of blood, and relieve muscle aches, pains and stiffness.

Root: Used as diuretic, for urine purification, gonorrhea, itchy skin, and menstrual flow stimulation; the root mass is boiled in water, and the resulting liquid is ingested. Adding the powder of the tiger cowry (Cypraea tigris) to the liquid in which the root mass has been boiled and ingesting the mixture used to treat women for the red or white discharges of gonorrhea. Because this plant promotes urination, it is an ingredient in many diuretics. A mixture containing ten parts of the root mass, five parts tiger cowry, two parts rock salt, five parts hsin-hnamaung (Heliotropium in­dicum or Tournefortia roxburghii) and one part sting ray is made into balls the size of betel (Piper betle) nuts, and dried in the sun as a treatment for kidney stones, bladder or urination pain, blood in the urine, incomplete urination in males, and dysentery in females. The mixture is taken once in the morning and once at night for symptom relief and to promote health.

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Origin:
Native to Mediterranean region; found in Kashmir, Assam and the Nilgiris, also grown in hedges.

Action:
Rhizome—sudorific, emollient, diuretic, antilactant, antidropsical; uterine stimulant (stimulates menstrual discharge), hypotensive.

1) GONZALEZ, Matías ; LOMBARDO, Atilio ; VALLARINO, Aida.-- Plantas de la medicina vulgar del Uruguay.-- Montevideo : Talleres Gráficos, 1937, p.33.

2)Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases [en línea].[Consulta: 27 de noviembre , 2008]. Disponible en:http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/

3) Khudamrongsawat, J.; Tayyar, R.; Holt, J.S.Genetic diversity of giant reed (Arundo donax) in the Santa Ana River, California. Weed Science. 2004,vol. 52,nº.3, p 395-405.

4) Plantas silvestres comestibles y medicinales de Chile y otras partes del mundo/Cordero R., Sebastián; Abella A., Lucía; Galvez L. Francisca; Corporación chilena de la madera: Concepción, 2017 . -- 292 p.

5) DeFilipps, Robert A.; Krupnick, Gary A. / PhytoKeys, v. 102. - - p. 1 - 314,  2018.

6) Khare, C.P./ Indian Medicinal Plants. -- Nueva Dheli: Springer, 2007 . - p. 836.