Abstract
Background: Native Americans have had a rich ethnobotanical heritage for treating diseases, ailments, and injuries. Cherokee traditional medicine has provided numerous aromatic and medicinal plants that not only were used by the Cherokee people, but were also adopted for use by European settlers in North America. Methods: The aim of this review was to examine the Cherokee ethnobotanical literature and the published phytochemical investigations on Cherokee medicinal plants and to correlate phytochemical constituents with traditional uses and biological activities. Results: Several Cherokee medicinal plants are still in use today as herbal medicines, including, for example, yarrow (Achillea millefolium), black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa), American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius), and blue skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora). This review presents a summary of the traditional uses, phytochemical constituents, and biological activities of Cherokee aromatic and medicinal plants. Conclusions: The list is not complete, however, as there is still much work needed in phytochemical investigation and pharmacological evaluation of many traditional herbal medicines.
Highlights
Natural products have been an important source of medicinal agents throughout history and modern medicine continues to rely on traditional knowledge for treatment of human maladies [1]
Aqueous extracts reduced inducible nitric oxide synthase protein expression as well as iNOS mRNA levels, but did not inhibit iNOS enzymatic activity; the triterpenoid glycoside 23-epi-26-deoxyactein was found to be the active principle in the extract [555]
These effects likely explain the anti-inflammatory activities of C. racemosa and their traditional uses to treat rheumatism and other inflammatory diseases
Summary
Natural products have been an important source of medicinal agents throughout history and modern medicine continues to rely on traditional knowledge for treatment of human maladies [1]. Flavonoid glycosides: quercetin 3-glucoside, quercetin 3-rutinoside, and quercetin 3-glucoside-7-rhamnoside Leaf: major volatiles: α-pinene, mesityl oxide, β-pinene, myrcene, 2,4-heptadienal, β-caryophyllene, germacrene D, caryophyllene oxide Aerial parts: guaianolide sesquiterpenoid spicatin Corms (underground stems): sterols (stigmasterol and its 3-O-glucoside), triterpene (obtusifoliyl acetate), benzofurans: (euparin and 6-hydroxy-3-methoxytremetone), phenolic acids (protocatechuic, vanillic and ferulic acid) and a sesquiterpene lactone igalan. Chemical Constituents and Activities Leaves: drimane sesquiterpenoids (polygonic acid, 11-ethoxycinnamolide, polygodial acetal, valdiviolide, and fuegin), drimane norsesquiterpenoids (isopolygonal and polygonone) Leaves: flavonoids (7,4 -dimethylquercetin, 3 -methylquercetin, quercetin, isoquercitrin) Leaves: flavonoid sulfates (quercetin 3-sulfate, isorhamnetin 3,7-disulfate, and tamarixetin 3-glucoside-7-sulfate) Leaves: flavonoids [3-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyloxy-3 ,4 ,5,7-tetrahydroxyflavone; 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyloxy-4 ,5,7-trihydroxyflavone; 6-hydroxyapigenin; 6”-O-(3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoyl) 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyloxy-3 ,4 ,5,7-tetrahydroxyflavone; scutillarein; 6-hydroxyluteolin;3 ,4 ,5,6,7-pentahydroxyflavone; 6-hydroxyluteolin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside; quercetin 3-O-β-D-glucuronide; 2”-O-(3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoyl)quercitrin; quercetin) Sprout: drimane sesquiterpenoids (polygodial, warburganal) Sprout: flavonoid (2R,3R)-(+)-taxifolin (showed tyrosinase inhibition) Aerial parts: sucrose cinnamyl esters (hydropiperoside A, hydropiperoside B, vanicoside A, vanicoside B, vanicoside E) Sprout: essential oil [β-caryophyllene (9.3%), α-humulene (6.0%), (E)-β-farnesene (44.1%), (E)-nerolidol (6.9%), phytol (10.8%)] Leaves: essential oil (confertifolin, 22.9%).
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