Saussurea Species Research Articles

Conservation categories and rarity types of Siberian Saussurea species

The criteria for assessing conservation categories of rare species are not identical in drafting the red lists of Russia and the IUCN. By the example of genus Saussurea (Compositae), we have shown that the conservation measures for some endangered species do not match their state. We conducted indicator analyses on two factors of more than 9000 relevés with Saussurea species with large ranges and determined their rarity types according to D. Rabinowitz. Only 2 Siberian Saussurea species are not characterised by any type of rarity. The other 54 taxa all feature a small range, low abundance or high habitat specificity.

Cytogenetic variations in eight species of Saussurea DC. (Asteraceae, Cardueae) from Northwest Himalaya

The genus Saussurea comprises many species with highly medicinal, religious or other economical values. The chromosome number in the genus ranges from 2n = 24 to 108, based on x = 12, 13, 16, or 17, but the primary base number is still not clear. The present meiotic study cover 8 species (14 populations) of Saussurea from the Northwest Himalayas, and add new or varied cytotypes, as an attempt to solve the enigmatic cytogenetic variations in the genus. The chromosome numbers in Saussurea auriculata (n = 16) is new to the world, while S. costus (n = 17), S. jacea (n = 17) and S. roylei (n = 17) reveal the varied cytotypes at world level. Besides, S. taraxicifolia (n = 16) is a first ever report for Indian populations. The meiotic studies on different populations reveal a substantial amount of meiotic abnormalities in the form of chromosome stickiness, un-oriented bivalents, cytomixis, laggards, etc. leading to the meiocytes with less (aneuploidy) or more (polyploidy) chromosome numbers. These abnormalities may produce unreduced pollen grains and adversely affect pollen viability. The high number of these meiotic abnormalities may be responsible for the chromosome number variation in the genus.

Twenty-six new species of Saussurea (Asteraceae, Cardueae) from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and adjacent regions

Twenty-six new species of Saussurea (Asteraceae, Cardueae) from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and adjacent regions are described and illustrated. Our molecular phylogenetic analysis based on the nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and two chloroplast DNA fragments (trnL-F and psbA-trnH) has shown that most of the new species are well recognized in the molecular tree, with their taxonomic affinities also largely revealed.

A review of therapeutic potential of Saussurea lappa-An endangered plant from Himalaya

There are 300 known Saussurea species. Among them, Saussurea lappa (S. lappa) is a representative perennial herb, globally distributed across Himalaya region. S. lappa has been traditionally used in medicines without obvious adverse effects. Despite significant progress in phytochemical and biological analyses of S. lappa over the past few years, inclusive and critical reviews of this plant are anachronistic or quite limited in scope. The present review aims to summarize up-to-date information on the active constituents, pharmacology, traditional uses, trade and challenges in conservation and sustainable use of S. lappa from the literature. In addition to botanical studies and records of the traditional use of S. lappa in over 43 diseases, scientific studies investigating the latent medicinal uses of this species and its constituent phytochemicals for a range of disorders are presented and discussed. The structure, bioactivity, and likely mechanisms of action of S. lappa and its phytochemicals are highlighted. Although some progress has been made, further scrupulous efforts are required to investigate the individual compounds isolated from S. lappa to validate and understand its traditional uses and develop clinical applications. The present review offers preliminary information and gives direction for further basic and clinical research into this plant.

Five new species of Saussurea (Asteraceae, Cardueae) from the Hengduan Mountains region, southwestern China

Based on both herbarium and field observations, five new species of Saussurea (Asteraceae, Cardueae) from the Hengduan Mountains region, southwest China, namely S. fuscipappa, S. liangshanensis, S. pseudorockii, S. qamdoensis, and S. xiaojinensis, are described and illustrated.

Saussurea pseudograminea sp. nov. (Asteraceae) from the Qinghai–Tibetan plateau, China

Morphological characteristics, as well as ultrastructure of pollen grains, chromosome numbers and karyotype analysis have been used to establish a new species of Saussurea from the Qinghai–Tibetan plateau. The new species, Saussurea pseudograminea Y. F. Wang, G. Z. Du et Y. S. Lian is easily distinguished from the similar S. graminea Dunn by having 2–3 capitula, involucre 0.7–1.2 cm in diameter, smaller pollen grains, pollen surface with larger and denser spines, achenes 4.0–5.5 mm long, 32 chromosomes, and a karyotype formula 2n = 2x = 32 = 18m + 10sm + 4st, whereas S. graminea has solitary capitula, involucre 1.2–2.0 cm in diameter, larger pollen grains, pollen surface with smaller and sparser spines, achenes 3–4 mm long, 28 chromosomes and a karyotype formula 2n = 2x = 28 = 6m + 20sm + 2st. The new species is distributed in Dianzhangou, Awanchang, and Gamaliang mountain regions of Maqu county in Gansu province.

Eight New Alkyne and Alkene Derivatives from Four Saussurea Species Collected in China

Five samples of four Saussurea species, S. hieracioides, S. stella, S. graminea, and S. tatsienensis, collected in Sichuan Province, China were studied and seven new diynes and a new alkene derivatives were isolated along with 16 known compounds. Absolute configurations of two of the new compounds were established using a modified Mosher's method.

An initial investigation of the taxonomic status of Saussurea esthonica Baer ex Rupr. utilising DNA markers and sequencing

Saussurea esthonica Baer ex Rupr. is a species of the genus Saussurea that is found in Estonia, Latvia and the Leningrad region in Russia. Only two populations have been identified in Latvia, and it is protected at the national level. The taxonomic relationships within this genus are unclear, and the majority of phylogenetic studies of this genus have been undertaken on species found in Asia. The relationship of S. esthonica to the other Saussurea species is equally unclear, with some suggestions that this species should be regarded as a subspecies of S. alpina. Two different molecular marker techniques, iPBS and ITS sequencing, were utilised to investigate the phylogeny of S. esthonica and its relationship with other Saussurea species, including three European species: S. alpina, S. pygmaea and S. discolor. The phylogeny obtained with the iPBS markers was similar to that obtained with the ITS sequences. The phylogenies obtained were broadly consistent with previous morphological classification, with S. alpina, S. esthonica and S. discolor clustering together. S. pulchella, S. albescens and S. candicans also formed one discrete cluster. The taxonomic status of S. esthonica was not unambiguously determined, with Norwegian and Italian S. alpina populations clustering with Latvian and Estonian S. esthonica populations, and the Austrian S. alpina populations clustering with Austrian S. discolor populations.

Yak and Tibet sheep grazing ingestion restrain seed germination of two Saussurea species in Tibetan meadow.

Grazing disturbance had been defined as an important mechanism that allows the maintenance of species diversities in plant communities. To help understand effect of grazing on seed germination characteristics, we conducted a laboratory germination experiment with two Saussurea species, which were dominant species in alpine meadow communities of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, and yak and Tibet sheep rumen juices. Results showed that yak rumen juices completely restrained seed germination for two species. Tibet sheep rumen juices significantly decreased seed germination percentage, germination index and weighted germination index, prolonged first germination time and mean germination time for two species. Saussurea japonica showed a significantly higher germination percentage, germination index and weighted germination index, but a significantly shorter first germination time and mean germination time than Saussurea iodostegia . Our study suggests that yak and Tibet sheep grazing ingestion may affect species population dynamic by significantly restraining seed germination in alpine area of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Key words : Rumen juices, seed germination, Saussurea iodostegia , Saussurea japonica.

A New Sesquiterpene and other Constituents from Saussurea Lappa Root

Five sesquiterpenes, dehydrocostus lactone (1), santamarine (5), beta-cyclocostunolide (6), 4alpha-hydroxy-4beta-methyldihydrocostol (7) and 10alpha-hydroxyl-artemisinic acid (9), along with four other compounds, beta-sitosterol (2), daucosterol (3), 5-hydroxymethyl-furaldehyde (4), and trans-syingin (8), were isolated and identified from the roots of Saussurea lappa (Compositae). Based on previous reports and our study, sesquiterpene derivatives are common and characteristic constituents of the genus Saussurea. Among the nine compounds obtained, 9 is a new sesquiterpene. It is an artemisinic acid derivative, whose structural skeleton has not been reported for Saussurea species before, but artemisinic acid is a common compound in another Compositae species, Artemisia annua. Dehydrocostus lactone (1) is present in high-content and is a possible bioprecursor of 10alpha-hydroxyartemisinic acid (9).

Saussurea Species in Indian Himalayan Region: Diversity, Distribution and Indigenous Uses

In spite of the high economic value of the Saussurea species in the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR), the potential of most of the species is yet to be investigated. Therefore, an attempt has been made to study the diversity, distribution, habitat preference, nativity, endemism, status and indigenous uses of Saussurea species in the IHR. A total of 62 species were recorded from the IHR; of these, 37 species were native to the Himalayan region, 8 were endemic and 21 were near endemic to the IHR. Twenty-seven of the 28 species that were known to have indigenous uses also had medicinal value and are used for the treatment of various diseases/ailments. Many species, e.g., S. affinis (Ganga Mula*), S. auriculata (Pachak Kut), S. bracteata (Prerak Mul), S. costus (Kuth), S. gossypiphora (Kasturi Kamal) and S. obvallata (Brahm Kamal), have multiple uses. The genus showed high habitat specificity in that 16 species were recorded to be restricted to one or two habitats only. As many as 44 species were identified as rare in the study region. Considering the high industrial demand for raw materials and the endangered status of S. costus, S. gossypiphora, S. obvallata and S. simpsoniana (Fen Kamal), these species should be prioritized for conservation (in situ and ex situ) throughout the IHR. Population assessment of the rare-endangered, native, endemic and economically important species using standard ecological methods has been suggested for the quantification of the existing stock of these species in their natural habitats. Further, phyto-chemical investigations for the identification of active ingredients are suggested. Propagation and cultivation techniques are lacking for most of the species of Saussurea except for S. costus, S. obvallata and S. medusa (Snow Lotus). Furthermore, the native communities need to be sensitized to the sustainable use and conservation value of the species in this genus. * Local names given in parentheses throughout are in the Pahari language, spoken by native communities in the Himalayan region.

Analysis ofSaussureaspecies from tibet using HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSn

Summary An HPLC-DAD-ESI-MSn method has been developed for simultaneous quantification of eight major compounds in eight Saussurea species which have long been used as the traditional Tibetan medicines. The method was validated for sensitivity, precision, and accuracy. LODs were from 0.11 to 5.01 μg mL−1, overall intra-day and inter-day variation was less than 2.70%, and overall recovery was over 98.0%. The correlation coefficients (r2) of the calibration plots were >0.991. This newly established method was successfully used to reveal difference among the chemical profiles and analytes contents of eight Saussurea species collected in Tibet. In addition, by comparison of UV and mass spectra with those of authentic compounds, a total of fifteen peaks were identified. It can be concluded that this is an effective method for quantification and evaluation of the flavonoids and coumarins in the eight species of the genus Saussurea. It can be used as an efficient reference method for development and use of the eight traditional Tibetan medicines by comparing their different characteristics.

Phytochemicals and biological activities of Saussurea species

The genus Saussurea has been studied from phytochemical and pharmacological viewpoints for years, which resulted in the discovery of hundreds of secondary metabolites with various kinds of bioactivities. This review summarizes the research progress of the genus of Saussurea in the phytochemical and pharmacological viewpoints, which covered the period of 1990–June 2009.

Saussurea luae (Compositae, Cardueae),a new species of Snow Lotus from China

Raab-Straube E. von: Saussurea luae (Compositae, Cardueae), a new species of Snow Lotus from China. — Willdenowia 39: 101–106. — Online ISSN 1868-6397; © 2009 BGBM Berlin-Dahlem. doi:10.3372/wi.39.39112 (available via http//dx.doi.org/)A species of Saussurea from the S. obvallata group is described as new to science and illustrated. It occurs in the central and eastern part of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau in western China, in the high alpine zone above 4000 m altitude. First chromosome counts for the species resulted in 2n = 32. All previous Chinese records of S. conica, a distinct taxon so far actually known only from Sikkim and Bhutan, can be attributed to the new species.

Saussurea grandicapitula W. Lee et H. T. Im (Compositae), a New Species from the Taebaek Mountains, Korea

Saussurea grandicapitulata, a new species of Saussurea, was repodrted in the Taebaek Mountains. It has peculiar morphological characters, easily distinguisable from other Saussurea in Korea and Japan; robust plant size, pale green leaf beneath, purplish brown-cobwebby hairs on petioles of radical and lower cauline leaves, few heads with not so long pedicel, big globose involucres with brown-cobwebby hairs, and often recurved long phyllaries. S. grandicapitula is an endemic species to Korea which was differentiated in consequence of adaptation to heavy snowy environment of the Taebaek Mountains.

Flavonoid Diversity of Saussurea and Serratula Species in Tien Shan Mountains

Nine Saussurea species, S. alberti, S. elegans, S. gnaphalodes, S. involucrata, S. konuroba, S. kuschakewiczii, S. leucophylla, S. schanginiana and S. sordida, and Serratula lyratifolia from the Tien Shan Mountains and adjacent area were chemically characterized for flavonoids. Thirty-one flavonoids and one hydroquinone were isolated from the leaves of these species and identified from mass spectrometric, UV, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopic data, by characterization of hydrolyzates, and direct TLC and HPLC comparisons with authentic samples as kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside (1), quercetin 3-O-rutinoside (2), isorhamnetin 3-O-rutinoside (3), quercetin 3-O-glucoside (4), quercetin 3-O-galactoside (5), kaempferol 5-O-glucoside (6), kaempferol 7-O-glucoside (7), quercetin 5-O-glucoside (8), quercetin 7-O-glucoside (9), isorhamnetin 5-O-glucoside (10), luteolin (11), hispidulin (12), nepetin (13), selagin 7-methyl ether (14), selagin (15), velutin (16), luteolin 7-methyl ether (17), jaceosidin (18), apigenin 7-O-rutinoside (19), apigenin 7-O-glucoside (20), luteolin 7-O-rutinoside (21), luteolin 7-O-glucoside (22), luteolin 7-O-galactoside (23), luteolin 7-O-glucuronide (24), hispidulin 7-O-glucoside (25), nepetin 7-O-glucoside (26), luteolin 5-O-glucoside (27), isovitexin (28), apigenin 6,8-di-C-glycoside (29), isoorientin (30), luteolin 8-C-glycoside (31), and arbutin (32). The nine surveyed Saussurea species differed in their flavonoid composition. It was shown that the genus is not only morphologically, but also chemically diversified.

A new species of Saussurea (Asteraceae) from Tibet and its systematic position based on ITS sequence analysis

A new species of Saussurea, S. erecta S. W Liu, J. T Pan A J. Q. Liu sp. nov., is described from Tibet. It resembles S. kingii but may be distinguished by having distinct stems and glabrous achenes. Saussurea kingii was placed in sect. Pseudoeriocoryne of subgen. Eriocoryne; this section was circumscribed by acaulescence and an inflorescence with congested capitula surrounded by a rosette of leaves. The discovery of S. erecta with distinct stems, cauline leaves and corymbose capitula blurred the delimitation of sect. Pseudoeriocoryne and suggested that the section may be polyphyletic. Both the close relationship and the significant difference between S. erecta and S. kingii were confirmed by analyses of nrDNA ITS sequences. The resulting phylogenies based on ITS data further suggest that Saussurea sect. Pseudoeriocoryne, as traditionally defined, does not constitute a monophyletic group. The rapid radiation and speciation of Saussurea in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, as inferred from ITS phylogeny, are discussed. (c) 2005 The Linnean Society of London.

Unusual fatty acids in compositae: γ‐Linolenic acid in Saussurea spp. seed oils

AbstractThe plant family Compositae is known to produce a set of unusual fattly acids in their seed oil. Saussurea, a genus of the Compositae is less studied in respect to the fatty acid compsition of their seed oil. Only Saussurea candicans was reported to contain crepenynic acid (33%) as seed oil component.In continuation of our exploration of the portential of wild oil seeds, fatty acids in seed oils of seven Saussurea species (S. amara, S. salicifolia, S. lipschitzii, S. pseudoalpina, S. pricei, S. parviflora, and S. dorogostaiskii) growing in Mongolia a were investigated by means of capillary GLC on capiallary columns of different selectivity (Silar 5 CP and BPX 70).γ‐Linolenic acid was found at levels up to 11% of the consitituent fatty acids of Saussurea spp. seed oils. This is the first time that γ‐Linolenic acid has been found in members of the plant family Compositae. Moreover, the number, position and configuration of the double bonds in γ‐linolenic acid and that of other fatty acids was additionally confirmed by silver ion thin layer chromatography and infrared spectroscopy. The occurence and distribution of γ‐linolenic acid, which has found considerable interest for pharmaceutical and dietary use, may be of chemotaxonomical significance in the plant family Compositae.

Karyotypes in some Japanese species of Saussurea

Karyotypes in some Japanese species of Saussurea