DIVERSIDAD GENÉTICA Y MEJORAMIENTO DE PLANTAS MEDICINALES:

Chromosome numbers have been obtained for 39 populations of vascular plants from Paraguay belonging to 33 species grouped in 23 families. Chromosome studies for 13 species is reported for the first time. The data obtained about five other species differ from previous chromosome counts. Some of the numbers are of interest because they relate to endemic or rare species or because they provide data of special evolutionary significance. Noteworthy findings include Angelonia gardneri (n = 10), Angelonia integerrima (2n = 20), Asclepias mellodora (2n = 22), Aspilia montevidensis var. setosa (n = 34), Calea uniflora (n = 16), Dolichopsis paraguariensis (2n = 22, n = 11), Heteropteris glabra (2n = 31), Hibiscus striatus (In = 52), Lupinus paraguariensis (2n = 18), Microlobius foetidus (2n = 26), Myrsine guianensis (2n = 48), Thevetia bicornuta (n = 10), Tibouchina gracilis (n = 12) and Vitex cymosa (n = 16). © Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques de Genève 2006. 

PARTE UTILIZADA= Used part: Hojas, raíz. 

ACCIÓN FARMACOLÓGICA= Pharmacological action: Antifebriles, la cataplasma de hojas se aplican a las heridas de animales venenosos, vómitivo. 

COMPOSICIÓN QUÍMICA= Chemical composition: The South American perennial plant, A. mellodora, dried and powd., was extd. with MeOH to give a sirup contg. 0.34% cardenolides, detd. as digitoxin by the Baljet reaction (CA 12, 1586). Thin-layer chromatography showed 5 spots, all giving pos. Kedde reactions (CA 42, 3139i). One spot was present in very large quantity relative to the others. The principal glycoside (I), m. 260-72grados, was isolated by chromatography on silica. Acid hydrolysis of I split off glucose, and the acetate of the aglycon was identical with authentic anhydrouzarigenin acetate. Hydrolysis of I with emulsion gave glucose and uzarigenin. I was identical (mixed m.p. and ir) with desglucouzarin (uzarigenin beta-D-glucoside) isolated by Masler et al. (CA 57, 7350i) from A. syriaca. 

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

1) GONZALEZ, Matías ; LOMBARDO, Atilio ; VALLARINO, Aida. Plantas de la medicina vulgar del Uruguay . Montevideo : Talleres Gráficos, 1937, p.12.

2) PETRICIC, J . Desglucouzarin, the principal cardenolide glycoside of A sclepias mellodora. Naturwissenschaften. 1966, vol.53, nº13, p.332.
     
3) MOLERO, J., et al. Chromosome studies on plants from Paraguay II. Candollea.2006, vol.61, nº2, p.373-392.