PARTE UTILIZADA= Used part: Parte aérea.

ACCIÓN FARMACOLÓGICA= Pharmacological action:
: Antialérgico, digestivo, antihelmíntico.

COMPOSICIÓN QUÍMICA= Chemical composition:
: Three flavonoids, 4 terpenoids, and 3 steroids were isolated from C. graveolens. These included pinostrobin, stigmasterol, stigmast-22-en-3-ol, 3beta-sitosteryl-glucoside, geranyl acetate, pinocembrin, chrysin, cryptomeridiol, and 2 new sesquiterpenes which were characterized by spectral means as (+)-8alpha-hydroxyelemol and (+)-8alpha-acetoxycryptomeridiol.

ZONA GEOGRÁFICA= Geografical zone:
: Argentina. 

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

We present a case of acute lethal poisoning by oil of "epazote" (oil of chenopodium), in a 2 y 9 m female.  The volatile oil was administered according to the advice of a "curandera" (female healer), in a total quantity of 40 ml.  Clinical features of the poisoning were: vomiting, deep coma, seizures, mydriasis, apnea, metabolic acidosis, neurogenic shock and death.  The EEG suggested a diffuse encephalopathy, the CT scan with an image of severe brain edema and ventricular collapse.  Relevant postmortem findings were brain edema and neuronal necrosis, pneumonia, enteritis, pericholangitis, mild pancreatitis and tubular necrosis.  The phytochemical analysis of volatile oil identified ascaridol, the main active compound of the chenopodium herbs, in a quantity of 39 mg/ml (1,560 mg in the dose administered), and Chenopodium graveolens as the plant employed to prepare it.  According to the age of the patient, 60 mg of ascaridol would be the recommended dose formerly used in the treatment of parasitic disease.  Thus 1,560 mg was 26 times higher than the recommended dose, and exceeded by 56% the dose of 1,000 mg reported as lethal in humans.

The infusion of the leaves is reported to be a vermifuge and is used to treat bronchitis (Bye 1986; González F. and González S. 1980; González S. 1979; Linares, Penafiel, and Bye 1988; Martínez 1969; Sánchez C. 1981).

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Summary
Although not that common within Argentine ethnomedicine, the essential oil of fetid goosefoot (Chenopodium graveolens – Chenopodiaceae) contains important levels of ascaridol, making this species similar to Chenopodium ambrosioides from a pharmacological and phytochemical point of view. Thus, the antiparasitarian effect of C. graveolens is interesting, together with its potential use in the treatment of lice in infants. To-date, however, in both cases the mentioned the effective doses are still to be determined.
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Toxic Plant
- Potentially toxic, avoid use
Origin:
Mexico
Medicinal  properties:
- Anthelminthic
- “Aire” (flatulence)
- Coughs (expectorant)
- “Fright” (espanto)
- Stomach and liver ailments
- Potentially toxic, avoid use

1) 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.611-613.

2) MATA, Rachel, et al. Chemical studies on Mexican plants used in traditional medicine. Part I. Flavonoids and terpenoids of Chenopodium graveolens. Phytochemistry. 1986, vol.26, nº1, p.191-193.
 
3) MONTOYA-CABRERA, M A., et al. Fatal poisoning caused by oil of epazote, Chenopodium graveolens. Gaceta medica de Mexico. 1996, vol.132, nº4, p.433-437.
 
4) Nicholson Michael S. ; Arzhennithe, Charles . Economic Botany. vol. 47 . --p. 184-192 1993

5) 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.

6) Armando González Stuart/ Plants Used in Mexican Plants Used in Mexican Traditional Medicine Traditional Medicine: Their Application and Effects In Traditional Healing Practices. - p. 79.