Summary
Lippia turbinata (Verbenaceae) is widely used in Argentina as a digestive. There is very little pharmacological information for this plant, except for the fact that one study has shown some interesting in vitro antiviral activity against Junín virus and Herpes simplex. Some problems have arisen regarding botanical identification, since several different species are know by the common name of poleo, no only in Argentina but also in other regions of the continent.

PARTE UTILIZADA =Used part: Gajos.

ACCIÓN FARMACOLÓGICA =Pharmacological action: Diurético, emenagogo, estomacal, nervino.

COMPOSICIÓN QUÍMICA =Chemical composition: The volatile oils from four species of genus Lippia of the Verbenaceae family, Lippia turbinata, L. polystachya, L. junelliana and L. integrifolia have been examined by means of GC/MS and IR in combination with retention indices. The main constituents of the essential oil of L. turbinata were found to be alpha;-thujone (28.29%), carvone (7.40%), beta-caryophyllene (5.39%), germacrene-D (5.16%), bicyclogermacrene (4.53%), spathulenol (6.06%) and caryophyllene oxide (7.03%). The volatile oil of L. polystachya was found to contain α-thujone (68.94%) and carvone (10.34%) as major components. The oil from L. junelliana was characterized by the presence of large amounts of myrcenone (15.48%), myrcene (7.92%), limonene (9%), camphor (10.55%), (E)-tagetenone (6.30%), transdihydrocarvone (5.85%) and cis-dihydrocarvone (16.65%). The main components of the volatile oil of L. integrifolia were shown to be camphor (16.20%), africanene isomers (5.04%), lippifoli-1(6)-en-5-one (16.70%) and an unidentified component (14.89%).

ZONA GEOGRÁFICA =Geografical zone: Argentina.

------------

Enfermedad o síntoma
Dolor de estómago

Empacho

Dolor de cabeza

Tos

Parte utilizada
Hoja, tallo, flor y fruto

Forma de preparación

Infusión

Modo de administración
Vía oral

Origen
Tucumán, Argentina

1) TOURSARKISSIAN, Martín. Plantas medicinales de Argentina : sus nombres botánicos, vulgares, usos y distribución geográfica. Buenos Aires : Hemisferio Sur, 1980, p.135.

2) VELASCO-NEGUERUELA, Arturo, et al. Volatile constituents of four Lippia species from Cordoba (Argentina). Journal of Essential Oil Research. 1993, vol.5, nº5, p.513-524.

3) 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.

4) Ceballos, Sergio J.; Perea Mario C./ Boletín Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Plantas Medicinales y Aromáticas, vol 13, no 1, 2014. - p. 47 - 68