Mexican Salvia Research Articles

Rediscovery of Salvia dugesiana (Lamiaceae) in Guanajuato, Mexico, after 129 years

A wild population of Salvia dugesiana is recorded for the first time after 129 years since the last collections made of the species. It was known only in base to two different gatherings with imprecise localities by Alfred A. D. Dugès in 1880 and 1894. The taxon was detected by a photograph published in an online website for citizen science, iNaturalist. The population was found in southern Guanajuato, in tropical deciduous forest. The species is akin to S. karwinskii (sect. Holwaya). A lectotype was designated, and a detailed description, photographs and distribution map are presented. Additionally, an identification key to Mexican Salvia species with red or orangish corollas is provided, which helps to contrast S. dugesiana against the rest of Mexican species with these colors in their corollas.

Mexican Sage (Salvia officinalis) Extraction Using Factorial Design and Its Effect on Chemical and Antibacterial Properties

The essential oils (EOs) extracted by hydrodistillation (HYDRO) and steam distillation (SD) from Mexican Salvia officinalis L were analyzed for yield, chemical composition (GC-MS), particle morphology (SEM), antioxidant activity (ABTS), and antibacterial activity against Enterobacter agglomerans, Citrobacter freundii, Salmonella sp, E. coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The influence of the factors (method, quantity, and sample) was evaluated using a 23 full factorial design, Pareto chart, normal probability plot, main effects, and interaction plots in variance analysis on yield and antioxidant activity. The quantity, methods, sample, and the methods × sample and methods × quantity interactions were the most significant factors on yield (%). The sample, methods, and quantity × sample interaction were significant for antioxidant activity. EO yields were between 0.35 and 1.27 (% w/w), and the highest value was obtained by the HYDRO method using 50 g of whole sage leaves. The antioxidant activity values were in the range of 2.35 to 3.44 mg Trolox equivalent/g. Camphor, limonene, camphene, and caryophyllene were the main compounds identified. Micrographs of sage leaves showed relevant changes in the structure after extraction. The antibacterial activity was confirmed with the inhibition diameter and inhibition percentage of all bacteria, and P. aeruginosa was the most resistant bacteria. Finally, S. officinalis EO potentials can be considered an alternative natural preservative for the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Tools to Tie: Flower Characteristics, VOC Emission Profile, and Glandular Trichomes of Two Mexican Salvia Species to Attract Bees.

A plant can combine physical and chemical tools to interact with other organisms. Some are designed for pollinator attraction (i.e., colors and volatile organic compounds-VOCs); others can act to discourage herbivores (i.e., non-glandular trichomes). Few studies fully address available tools in a single species; notwithstanding, this information can be pivotal in understanding new interactions out of the home range. We characterized flower traits, emission profiles of constitutive compounds from flowers and leaves, micro-morphology of the glandular trichomes, and listed flower visitors of two Mexican bird-pollinated Salvia species (S. blepharophylla and S. greggii), growing in an Italian botanical garden. Flowers were highly variable in their morphometric characteristics. In both species, four trichome morphotypes with similar histochemistry and distribution were documented for leaves and flowers except the calyx abaxial side. The vegetative emission profiles were qualitatively more complex than the floral ones; however, common compounds occurring in high relative percentages were β-caryophyllene and germacrene D. Floral bouquets were dominated by limonene and β-pinene in S. greggii and by 1,8-cineole in S. blepharophylla. Two potential (non-bird) pollinators were especially abundant: small bees belonging to the genus Lasioglossum and large bees belonging to the species Xylocopa violacea. Our study highlights the plasticity of these plants, as well as tools that can be conveniently used to establish novel interactions.

Structural Elucidation of Malonylcommunol and 6β-Hydroxy-trans-communic Acid, Two Undescribed Diterpenes from Salvia cinnabarina. First Examples of Labdane Diterpenoids from a Mexican Salvia Species.

The aerial parts of Salvia cinnabarina afforded two undescribed labdane diterpenoids 1 and 2 (malonylcommunol and 6β-hydroxy-trans-communic acid) along with two known labdane diterpenoids, trans-communic acid (3) and trans-communol (4). Additionally, seven known metabolites were also isolated; two isopimarane diterpenoids 5 and 6, two sesquiterpenoids identified as β-eudesmol (7) and cryptomeridiol (8), and three aromatic compounds identified as phthalic acid (9), a mixture of tyrosol fatty acid esters (10) and the flavone salvigenine (11). While compounds compounds 1–3 showed significant inhibition of yeast α-glucosidase, compounds 2, 3 and 7 had no anti-inflammatory activity in the edema model induced by TPA. This paper is not only the first report on a wild population of Salvia cinnabarina, but also of the presence of labdane-type diterpenoids in a Mexican Salvia sp.

Salvia palmetorum (Lamiaceae), a new species from Sonora, Mexico

A new Salvia L. species was discovered in the vicinity of San Carlos Bay (Guaymas county) in Sonora, Mexico. The discovery was carried out during botanical explorations for the floristic inventory of the area. The new taxon is described and illustrated. This is an interesting addition to the Flora of Sonora because it constitutes the first Salvia endemic to this state. The species is characterized by an unusual combination of characters within Salvia subg. Calosphace (Benth.) Epling: densely white-tomentulose stems, presence of bracteoles, flowers arranged in thyrses, trimucronate upper calyx lip and ornate connective with an antrorse obtuse tooth. The taxon is also atypical among Mexican Salvia subg. Calosphace in growing in palm groves below 100 m elevation.

Salvia ozolotepecensis, S. patriciae and S. sirenis (Lamiaceae), three new species from Miahuatlán district, Oaxaca, Mexico

Salvia ozolotepecensis, S. patriciae and S. sirenis (Lamiaceae) from Oaxaca, Mexico, are described and illustrated as three new species. The first one is characterized by its glandular-capitate pubescence in stems, leaves and inflorescences, mostly persistent floral bracts, entire and 5-veined upper calyx lip, red corolla, epapillate inside, included stamens, and connective ornate with opposed retrorse and antrorse teeth bordering an incision. It is most similar to S. perlonga and S. praestans to which it is compared. The second can be distinguished in having ovate to ovate-deltoid leaf blades, entire, acute and 7-veined upper calyx lips, red corollas, internally ornate near the base with two slender linguiform papillae, upper corolla lip shorter than the lower one, exserted stamens and glabrous style. This new taxon is morphologically similar to the species belonging to Salvia sections Cardinales, Charantia, Incarnatae, Flexuosa, Fulgentes, Iodophyllae and Pedicellata; although, it cannot be unambiguously assigned to one of these. In contrast, S. sirenis clearly belongs to S. sect. Scorodonia; amongst the species therein, the new species can be differentiated by the concolorous leaves, rounded to slightly oblique at base, 6–8-flowered floral nodes, longer floral bracts, pedicels, calyces and corollas, and 5 or 7-veined upper calyx lip. Also, it represents an addition to Mexican Salvia with white corollas. The molecular markers ITS, trnL-trnF and trnH-psbA were sequenced for two of the three new species, and their phylogenetic position is discussed.

Ultrastructural insight into terpene-producing trichomes and essential oil profile in Salvia greggii A. Gray

Micromorphological investigations on the terpene-producing trichomes at the active secretory stage were performed on leaves and flowers of the Mexican Salvia greggii A. Gray (Lamiaceae), cultivated in Italy. Two types of glandular trichomes are described and compared: peltate, widespread on both the vegetative and the reproductive organs, and medium-stalked capitate, typical of the calyx abaxial side. The histochemical evidences indicate an exclusive terpene production for both morphotypes. TEM survey highlighted several common ultrastructural features that validated the light microscope observations, however a great variability was detected at the plastidome level. Different plastid populations characterized each trichome type, also in relation to the different distribution pattern on the plant epidermis. In the peltates plastids invariably displayed a well-developed internal membrane system and various types of osmiophilic inclusions: on the leaf and the calyx plastoglobuli were also observed, whereas on the corolla abundant starch grains. True leucoplast are only detected in the calyx capitate trichomes.49 compounds were detected in the essential oil (EO) obtained from the aerial parts, with terpenes representing 98.76% of the total EO, besides negligible amounts of non-terpene derivatives and apocarotenoids. Sesquiterpenes and monoterpenes occurred in similar relative abundances: 52.7% versus 46.1%, respectively. Among sesquiterpenes, γ-muurolene (11.48%) and guaiol (6.15%) dominated for hydrocarbons and oxygenated compounds, respectively. β-pinene (20.24%) prevailed among the monoterpene hydrocarbons, resulting also as the most abundant compound in the essential oil. 1,8-cineole (11.00%) is the dominant compound of the oxygenated monoterpenes.The ultrastructural appearance of the plastidome was linked with the various terpene classes present in the EO profile. We argued that monoterpenes were probably synthetized in the calyx capitate trichomes and the sesquiterpenes in the peltates.

NMR analysis and crystal structure of hydroxyclerodanes from Mexican Salvia species

NMR and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of seven clerodanes from Mexican Salvia species was performed. We focused on clerodanes with tertiary hydroxyl group at C-4, C-8, and C-10, in which the establishment of absolute configuration around these chiral centers is nontrivial and the 13C NMR signals can be misassigned. In addition, the analysis by 1H NMR in aprotic solvent allowed us to establish a common pattern that correlates the chemical shift with the position of the hydroxyl groups, which constitute a good methodology for future structural elucidation of these kinds of compounds. The obtained data allowed us to establish the absolute configuration of five of these diterpenes and the structural revision of salvimicrophyllin D (7).

Salvia wixarika (Lamiaceae), a new species from Jalisco, Mexico, and novelties on Mexican Salvia with white corollas

The new species Salvia wixarika from Sierra Madre Occidental region (northern Jalisco, Mexico) is here described and illustrated. This is one of the few Mexican species characterized by having corollas entirely white. It is morphologically related to S. sphacelifolia but differs by the absence of glandular-capitate hairs, leaf shape, floral bract length, pedicel length, number of veins in the upper calyx lip, filament length, connective and style length. It is also similar to S. collinsii but differs in size and duration of floral bracts, pedicel length, calyx width, corolla length, lower lip size, filament length, connective length, theca and style length. Additionally, the updated descriptions of S. collinsii and S. sphacelifolia are provided.

Antiamoebic and Antigiardial Activity of Clerodane Diterpenes from Mexican Salvia Species Used for the Treatment of Diarrhea.

Terpenoids from Salvia species have been identified to possess biological properties as antiprotozoal agents. Here, we evaluated the antiamoebic and antigiardial activities of 14 known clerodane and modified clerodane-type diterpenes isolated from five Mexican Salvia species against Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia, and analyzed the effects of the functionalities in decalin ring or in the whole clerodane framework to visualize the structural requirements necessary to produce an antiprotozoal activity. Among these, linearolactone was the most active clerodane diterpene against both protozoa with IC50 values of 22.9 μM for E. histolytica and of 28.2 μM in the case of G. lamblia. In this context it may be a lead compound for the development of novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of diarrhea and dysentery. The remaining diterpenes assayed showed moderate to weak activity against both protozoa. These findings give support to the use of Salvia species in the traditional medicine from México for the treatment of diarrhea.

Isolation, chemical transformations, and antiproliferative activity against human cancer cell lines of abietane diterpenes from two Mexican Salvia species

Salvia, one of the largest plant genera of about 900 species, has been used in traditional medicinal systems for generations [1]. In the course of a study of the chemical composition of the flora used in Latin America popular medicine, we have performed the phytochemical studies of extracts from two Salvia species, S. pachyphylla Munz and S. clevelandii (A. Gray) E. Greene. Both are endemic from the North of Baja California (Mexico) and South of California (USA). Salvia pachyphylla is used by indigenous communities for its medicinal properties [2].

Abietane Diterpenoids from the Roots of some MexicanSalvia Species (Labiatae): Chemical Diversity, Phytogeographical Significance, and Cytotoxic Activity

From the roots of some Mexican Salvia species, classified in subgenus Jungia, several diterpenoids belonging to abietane (i.e., 3-7), salvifolane (9-->20,10-->6)-diabeoabietane) (i.e., 2), and totarane (i.e., 10) carbocyclic skeletons were isolated together with two 20-nor- and one 6,7-secoabietane derivatives, 1 and 9, and 8, respectively. While compounds 2-10 were previously known from different sources, compound 1 is a new 20-norabietane derivative, whose structure was deduced by spectroscopic means and confirmed by X-ray-diffraction analysis. The phytogeographical significance of the distribution of 20-norabietanic diterpenoids in the genus suggested an evolutionary link between the Chinese and New-World Salvias. Compounds 2 and 8 were tested for cell-growth inhibition activity against several human cancer cell lines and human normal lymphocytes, while 2 showed a moderate cytotoxic activity, 8 exhibited a moderate yet selective activity against leukemia cell line.

Tri-Nordammarane Triterpenoids and Neoclerodane Diterpenoids From Salvia Aspera (Labiatae)

From the aerial parts of Salvia aspera one new tri-nordammarane named amblyol ( 1 ) was isolated besides amblyone ( 2 ). An X-ray analysis was performed on compound 1 . In addition, three known neoclerodane diterpenoids were also isolated. The structures of these compounds were established by spectral and chemical methods. The presence of dammarane triterpenoids in a Mexican Salvia is described for the first time.