Summary
Cabo Toril (Hypericum connatum - Guttiferae) is an invasive herb that grows in the Northern and Central areas of Argentina. Traditionally, H. connatum is used in the treatment of liver, heart and lung diseases, although none of these uses has been pharmacologically confirmed. Although closely related to H. perforatum (St. John´s Wort), antidepressant properties can not be attributed to cabo toril, mostly due to the absence of hypericin, hyperforin and pseudo hypericin. However, some interesting results have been observed in the fields of experimental oncology and virology.

PARTE UTILIZADA= Used part: Los extremos de los tallos que contienen las hojas.

ACCIÓN FARMACOLÓGICA= Pharmacological action: Astringente, vulnerario.

COMPOSICIÓN QUÍMICA= Chemical composition: The essential oil of six Brazilian Hypericum species (Family Guttiferae) has been obtained by hydrodistillation: H. caprifoliatum Cham. & Schlecht. (0.2%), H. carinatum Griseb. (0.2%), H. connatum Lam. (0.1%), H. myrianthum Cham. & Schlecht. (0.5%), H. polyanthemum Klotzsch ex Reichardt. (0.2%) and H. ternum A. St. Hil. (0.1%). The composition of the oils was determined by GC and GC-MS and 84 compounds in total have been characterized. The principal constituents of each oil are: nonane (56%) in H. caprifoliatum, undecane (21%) in H. myrianthum, beta-caryophyllene (21%) in H. carinatum, caryophyllene oxide (40%) in H. connatum, beta-caryophyllene (12%) in H. ternum and the benzopyran HP1 (6-isobutyryl-5,7-dimethoxy-2,2-dimethyl-benzopyran) (27%) in H. polyanthemum. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

ZONA GEOGRAFICA= Geografical zone: S. de Brasil, Paraguay, Uruguay y N. y Centro de Argentina.

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Parte utilizada
Parte aérea o sumidad florida.

Farmacodinamia - Acciones farmacológicas
Actividad antitumoral, Actividad antitumoral, Acción antimicrobiana y antiviral

1) TOURSARKISSIAN, Martín. Plantas medicinales de Argentina : sus nombres botánicos, vulgares, usos y distribución geográfica. Buenos Aires : Hemisferio Sur, 1980, p.61.

2) FERRAZ, A.B.F., et al. Essential oil composition of six Hypericum species from southern Brazil. Flavour and Fragrance Journal. 2005, vol.20, nº3, p.335-339.

3) ALONSO, Jorge ; DESMARCHELIER, Cristian. Plantas medicinales autóctonas de la Argentina : bases científicas para su aplicación en atención primaria de la salud.  Buenos Aires: L.O.L.A, 2005, p. 93.

4) Plantas medicinales autóctonas de la Argentina. Bases científicas para su aplicación en atención primaria de la salud / Jorge Alonso y Cristian Jorge Desmarchelier. - 1a ed. - Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires: Corpus Libros Médicos y Científicos, 2015.