PARTE UTILIZADA= Used part: Partes aéreas, raíces.

ACCION FARMACOLOGICA= Pharmacological action: Diurético, purgante.

COMPOSICIÓN QUÍMICA= Chemical composition: Chemicals 6"-O-METHYLVERTICILLATINE Plant: DUKE1992A ; ABRESOLINE Plant: DUKE1992A ; ALKALOIDS Shoot 18,000 ppm; DUKE1992A ; ANELISINE Plant: DUKE1992A ; CRYOGENINE Shoot: DUKE1992A ; DEHYDRODECODINE Plant: DUKE1992A ; DEMETHYLLASUBIN Plant: DUKE1992A ; ELLAGIC-ACID Leaf: DUKE1992A ; FAT Seed 287,000 ppm; DUKE1992A ; HEIMIDINE Shoot: DUKE1992A ; HEIMINE Shoot: DUKE1992A ; LYFOLINE Shoot: DUKE1992A ; LYTHRIDINE Plant: DUKE1992A ; LYTHRINE Plant: DUKE1992A ; NESODINE Shoot: DUKE1992A ; PROTEIN Seed 216,000 ppm; DUKE1992A ; SAPONINS Plant: DUKE1992A ; SINICUICHINE Leaf: DUKE1992A ; SININE Shoot: DUKE1992A ; VERTINE Shoot: DUKE1992A ; ppm = parts per million tr = trace

ZONA GEOGRAFICA= Geografical zone: Brasil, Uruguay y América cálida y templada. 

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

Incorporation studies of the known heimia alkaloid precursors [3H]lysine/[14C]phenylalanine into the three types of alkaloids, phenylquinolizidinols, phenylquinolizidinyl p-coumarates and biphenylquinolizidine lactones, produced by in vitro-grown Heimia salicifolia indicate that whereas within an alkaloid type both the cis-fused and trans-fused alkaloids originate from a common metabolic pool, the three types of alkaloids are formed from different precursor pools.  The biphenylquinolizidine lactones are derived from neither the phenylquinolizidinols nor the ester alkaloids that accumulate in the cultures.  Studies with [3H]lysine/[14C]p-coumaric acid confirm these findings and further indicate that p-coumaric acid is a precursor to both the phenylquinolizidinyl- and the p-coumaroyl group of the alkaloids.  

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

A 26-yr-old male came to hospital around midnight complaining about muscle pain of the extremities as well as the tongue and slightly raised temp.  He reported the intake of an unknown amt. of sinicuichi tea he had fermented over 24 h by adding yeast and sugar.  The patient was treated with Vomex A (dimenhydrinate) and released from hospital the following afternoon.  A blood sample taken shortly after submission and a small amt. of the used plant material were available for anal.  Herbal drugs are widely used as stimulants as a legal alternative to illegal psychoactive drugs or in traditional context.  Among many others like Sassafras officinalis, Salvia divinorum or Ephedra, Heimia salicifolia ("sinicuichi"), a species of the lythraceae family, is available via several online shops.  Brewed up or fermented and consumed, the so-called sinicuichi tea may cause exhilarating feelings and an alteration of awareness accompanied by bradycardia, relaxation of the muscles and a pleasant faintness.  Therefore Sinicuichi brew and heimia leaves are widely used for medication by the natives of Central and South America.  After liq. extn. with acetone five different alkaloids were detected in the plant material by LC-MS/MS operated in the Q1 scan mode applying a TurboIonSpray source.  Subsequently, Product Ion Spectra were recorded and after confirming the mol. formula by detg. the accurate masses, possible structures of H. salicifolia alkaloids were assigned.  The information of the Product Ion Spectra was then used to set up a sensitive multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) method.  Applying the MRM method to the patient's serum sample after alk. liq.-liq. extn. all of the five heimia alkaloids detected in the plant material were also detected qual. in the serum ext., confirming the ingestion.

Summary
Heimia salicifolia (Litraceae) is a widely used medicinal plant in Argentina, in particular in the Northern provinces of the country. Although the most popular part of the plant is the root, most pharmacological studies (in animals and humans) to date have focused on other parts such as flowers and leaves, suggesting that further investigations are needed in order to validate its ethnopharmacological uses. The antimicrobial effects observed in the extracts against E. coli, together with the antispasmodic and analgesic activity of the main alkaloid present in the plant (vertine) could be a starting point in order to further analyze its effects on gastrointestinal disorders claimed in popular medicine.

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Origin:
Mexico
Medicinal  properties:
- Bruises, inflammation (ground leaves applied topically as plaster)
- Cold bladder (branch decoction as bath)

1) OLIVEIRA SIMOES, Claudia María.../et al./.-- Plantas da maedicina popular no Rio Grande do Sul.-- Porto Alegre : UFGRS,1986, pp.60-61.

2) Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases [en línea]. [Consulta: 28 de noviembre de 2008]. Disponible en:http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/ 

3)Rother, Ana; Edwards, J. Michael. Biosynthesis of phenylquinolizidine alkaloids by  Heimia   salicifolia.  Phytochemistry. 1994. vol.36(4): 911-16

4) Kempf, Juergen; Stedtler, Uwe; Neusuess, Christian; Weinmann, Wolfgang; Auwaerter, Volker.  Identification of sinicuichi alkaloids in human serum after intoxication caused by oral intake of a Heimia salicifolia extract. Forensic Science International. 2008. vol.179(2-3): e57-e61.     

5) 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. 486.

6) 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.

7) Armando González Stuart/ Plants Used in Mexican Plants Used in Mexican Traditional Medicine Traditional Medicine: Their Application and Effects In Traditional Healing Practices. - p. 106.