PARTE UTILIZADA= Used part: Parte enterrada de las partes aéreas. 

ACCIÓN FARMACOLÓGICA= Pharmacological action: Anticefalálgico.

COMPOSICIÓN QUÍMICA= Chemical composition: The aerial parts of G. megapotamica afforded known pseudoguaianolides helenalin, its epimer, their acetates and linitolin B (I) and the new compds. II-V and….

ZONA GEOGRÁFICA= Geografical zone: S. de Brasil, E de Argentina.

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

The biosystematic study of the Argentinian entities of the genus Gaillardia Foug, have confirmed the differentiation of three species, Gaillardia cabrerae, G. tontalensis and G. megapotamica, and the three varieties of the latter (var. megapotamica, var. scabiosoides and var. radiata). The chemotaxonomic study carried out on the above species and varieties has confirmed the morphological findings and resulted in the isolation of the biogenetic precursor, the pseudoguaianolide 2β-hydroxy- 2,3-dihydrohelenalin from G. megapotamica var. radiata. 

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

1) Steam distn. of G. megapotamica scabiosoides gave 0.32-0.37% of an oil that contained 4.32% phenols and 3.33% acids; the remainder of the oil consisted of terpenes 48.0, oxygenated compds. 50.8, and 8 other gas-chromatog. peaks 1.2%.  Of the 28 peaks identified, the major components were limonene  [138-86-3] 10.8, b-pinene  [127-91-3] 9.9, and 1,8-cineole  [470-82-6] 6.4%.

1) TOURSARKISSIAN, Martín. Plantas medicinales de Argentina : sus nombres botánicos, vulgares, usos y distribución geográfica. Buenos Aires : Hemisferio Sur, 1980, p.32.

2) JAKUPOVIC, J., et al.. New pseudoguaianolides from Gaillardia megapotamica var. scabiosoides. Planta Medica. 1986, vol.4, p.331-332.
 
3) PETENATTI, E.M., et al. Chemotoxonomy of the Argentinian species of Gaillardia. Phytochemistry. 1996, vol.42, nº5, p.1367-1368.
 
4) TALENTI, Edilberto C. J.; PIAGENTINI, Roberto O.; NUNEZ, Jose L. Study of essential oil of Gaillardia megapotamica (Sprengel) Baker variety scabiosoides (Arnott) Baker. Essenze, Derivati Agrumari. 1982, vol.52, nº4, p.326-49.

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. 543.