Verbena Officinalis Research Articles

Estimation of Isolated Triterpenoid – Ursolic Acid in Verbena officinalis L. Aerial Parts Using TLC Densitometry

Verbena officinalis L. (Vervain; family-Verbenaceae),a traditionally used and medicinally promising plant, has been reported to contain triterpenoids as major class of phytoconstituents. But no work has ever been carried out on V. officinalis to isolate major chemical constituent(s), and to standardize plant material on the basis of isolated constituent(s) using TLC densitometry.The chloroform extract of V. officinalisaerial parts was prepared by extracting properly identified plant in a Soxhlet apparatus.Preliminary phytochemical screening of chloroform extract showed presence of triterpenoids. Column chromatography of chloroform extract using solvent systems viz., hexane:chloroform, chloroform and chloroform:methanol in different concentrationsyielded five fractions (F1- F5). Preliminary phytochemical screening of various fractions of chloroform extract revealed presence of triterpenoids in F2 and F3 fractions. Therefore, these fractions were further subjected to column chromatography. White colored crystals were obtained in SF1 sub-fraction separated from F2and was designated as VOC-1. Structure of VOC-1 was elucidated by IR and NMRspectral studies and was characterized as ursolic acid. Further, ursolic acid was quantified in V. officinalisaerial parts by validated TLC densitometric method. The content of ursolic acid was found to be 0.1580% in V. officinalis aerial parts.The linearity range, correlation coefficient, intra-day precision, inter-day precision, LOD, LOQ and accuracy were found to be 300-1800 ng, 0.997, 1.2% CV, 1.6% CV, 40 ng/spot, 130 ng/spot and 98.27% respectively.

Medicinal plants used for respiratory affections in Navarra and their pharmacological validation

Ethnopharmacological relevanceThis paper provides important ethnopharmacological information on plants used in respiratory affections in Navarra. Material and methodsInformation was collected using semi-structured ethnobotanical interviews with 667 informants in 265 locations. In order to confirm the pharmacological validation of the uses claimed by the informants, monographs from Official International Agencies (ESCOP, Commission E, WHO and EMA) were reviewed. A literature review was conducted focusing on the plants that were widely used but had no published monograph. ResultsA total of 456 pharmaceutical uses was reported, for 79 plants and 34 families, mainly represented by Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Rosaceae, Crassulaceae and Malvaceae. The most frequently used parts were the aerial parts followed by inflorescences and leaves. Twenty-two out of 79 plants (28%) and 270 of 456 uses (42%), had already been pharmacologically validated. ConclusionsThe authors propose Verbena officinalis for validation.

Two new iridoids from Verbena officinalis L.

Two new iridoids, 3-(5-(methoxycarbonyl)-2-oxo-2H-pyran-3-yl)butanoic acid, named verbeofflin I (1), and 7-hydroxydehydrohastatoside (2), were isolated from the aerial part of Verbena officinalis L, along with three known iridoids, verbenalin (3), 3,4-dihydroverbenalin (4), hastatoside (5) by means of various column chromatography steps. The structures of these compounds were elucidated through analysis of their spectroscopic data obtained using 1D and 2D NMR and MS techniques. Verbeofflin I (1) is the new class of secoiridoid in the family Verbenaceae.

Carotenoid content of wild edible young shoots traditionally consumed in Spain (Asparagus acutifolius L., Humulus lupulus L., Bryonia dioica Jacq. and Tamus communis L.)

Carotenoid content of wild edible young shoots traditionally consumed in Spain (<i>Asparagus acutifolius</i> L., <i>Humulus lupulus</i> L., <i>Bryonia dioica</i> Jacq. and <i>Tamus communis</i> L.)

Medicinal plants traditionally used in the northwest of the Basque Country (Biscay and Alava), Iberian Peninsula

Ethnopharmacological relevanceMany ethnobotanical studies show that people in industrial countries still rely on their traditional knowledge of medicinal plants for self-treatment, although the trend might not be as common as some decades ago. Given the social and public health implications of ethnopharmacological practices, this survey aims at recording and analysing the medicinal plants used in the folk medicine of the Northwest of the Basque Country focusing on how medicinal plants knowledge and practices evolve. Materials and methodsFieldwork consisted of 265 orally consented semi-structured interviews with 207 informants about medicinal uses of plants. Interviews were conducted between September 2008 and January 2011. Informants were on average 76 years old (minimum 45, maximum 95), being more than half of them (112) men. Data collected were structured in use-reports (UR). Following informants' comments, medicinal use-reports were classified as abandoned-UR, when the informants reported that the use was only practiced in the past, and prevalent-UR, when the informants reported to continue the practice. Results and discussionA total of 2067 UR for 139 species that belong to 58 botanical families were recorded, being the most important families Asteraceae, Liliaceae sensu latu and Urticaceae. Some of the most important species are commonly used in other European areas (e.g., Chamaemelum nobile, Urtica dioica and Chelidonium majus). However, there are also plants commonly used in the area such as Helleborus viridis or Coronopus didymus, that are scarcely used in other areas, and whose record is an original contribution of the local pharmacopeia. It is also the case of remedies such as the use of Plantago leaves against strains in a local remedy called zantiritu. Overall, and for all variables analysed (total UR, medicinal use-categories, drug preparation and administration), the percentage of UR being currently practiced (prevalence ratio) was very low (near 30%) suggesting a strong decay in the use of traditional medicinal plants. Exceptionally, some species (Chamaemelum nobile, Verbena officinalis or Anagallis arvensis) had a high prevalence ratio, reflecting the fact that this erosion process is not evolving homogeneously. Informants also reported that new species and medicinal plant uses were entering into the local pharmacopeia via non-traditional sources such as books, courses, or the internet. These modern ways are now being used to spread some traditional remedies that in the past were only orally transmitted. ConclusionsThis study shows that traditional knowledge is continuously changing, evolving and adapting to the new social and environmental conditions. The image of the local folk medicine as a dying reality doomed to disappear should be reviewed. It also shows the need of a culturally sensitive approach by the official health systems to these practices.

Перша в Україні знахідка Peronospora verbenae на Verbena officinalis

Перша в Україні знахідка Peronospora verbenae на Verbena officinalis

Distributional Characteristics of Plants in Hajo Island of Jeollanam-do, South Korea

This study investigated the plant distribution in Hajo Island, Jodo-myeon, Jindo-gun, Jeollanam-do, South Korea. The surveyed plants were recorded as total 483 taxa, 100 families, 298 genera, 427 species, 1 subspecies, 52 varieties, and 3 forms. Total 1,360 pieces were obtained as evidential specimen. Through floristic survey and collection in Hajo Island, Jodo-myeon, Jindo-gun, Jeollanam-do, 1,360 items of specimen were obtained. Based on the specimen, the flora in Hajo Island included total 483 taxa, 100 families, 298 genera, 427 species, 1 subspecies, 52 varieties, and 3 forms. The investigation was carried out based on mountains (Mt. Dondae-bong, Mt. Songarak, and Mt. Singeum), reservoirs (Jodo reservoir, Yukdong reservoir), Hajodo lighthouse, and Jodo bridge. In particular, rare plants designated by Korea Forest Service were recorded as 12 taxa such as Glochidion chodoense, Crypsinus hastatus, Celtis choseniana, Ardisia crenata, Millettia japonica, etc. Endemic plants were recorded as 3 taxa such as Hepatica insularis, etc. Special plants over 3rd degree designated by the Ministry of Environment were recorded as 31 taxa such as Litsea japonica, Kadsura japonica, Raphiolepis indica var. umbellata, Verbena officinalis, Stauntonia hexaphylla, etc. Naturalized plants were recorded as 31 taxa, accounting for 6.4% of the total, such as Physalis angulata, Aster subulatus, Euphorbia supina, Chenopodium ambrosioides, Bromus unioloides, etc.

Culinary Decoctions: Spectrophotometric Determination of Various Polyphenols Coupled with their Antioxidant Activities

The aqueous extracts of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus L.), fennel (Foe- niculum vulgare Miller), olive (Olea europaea L.), sage (Salvia officinalis L.), thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), wild thyme (T. serpyllum L.), tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze), and verbena (Verbena officinalis L.) were investigated for polyphe- nol, tannins, antocyanins and flavonoids. Among the nine culinary herbs, tea and wild thyme extracts contained the higher phenol content of 874.10 ± 3.50 GAE (g gallic acid equivalents/Kg (dry wt.) extract) and 945.70 ± 0.81 GAE, respec- tively, while the fennel extract contained the lowest content at 149.90 ± 1.16 GAE. Sage and verbena extracts do not con- tain any anthocyanins and have low levels of tannins (2.40 ± 0.12 and 1.97± 0.06 CE, respectively). Tea rich in tannins and verbena and sage, totally devoid of anthocyanins, have higher antioxidant activities according to the ABTS/DPPH as- says. However, the results fail to show any positive correlation between phenol contents and antioxidant activities.

Simultaneous quantification of verbenalin and verbascoside in Verbena officinalis by ATR-IR and NIR spectroscopy

Attenuated-total-reflectance infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR) and near-infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (NIR) in hyphenation with multivariate analysis was utilized to quantify verbenalin and verbascoside in Verbena officinalis. A new high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method as a reference was established and validated. For both vibrational spectroscopic methods test-set and cross validation were performed. Different data-pre-treatments like SNV, 1st and 2nd derivative were applied to remove systematic errors and were evaluated. Quality parameters obtained for the test-set validation revealed that ATR-IR (verbenalin: R2=0.94, RPD=4.23; verbascoside: R2=0.93, RPD=3.63) has advantages over NIR (verbenalin: R2=0.91, RPD=3.75; verbascoside: R2=0.80, RPD=2.35) in the given application.

Study on in-vivo anti-tumor activity of Verbena officinalis extract.

We investigated the anti-tumor effects of Verbena officinalis extract on H22 tumor-bearing mice and its effect on immune function. Mice model of H22 solid tumor was established, the mice were divided into five groups and administered the extract, later, tumors were removed and inhibition rates were calculated; spleens were removed and spleen indices were calculated, and the sheep red blood cell-delayed-type hypersensitivity (SRBC-DTH) and the serum hemolysin level were determined. The Verbena officinalis extract had anti-tumor effect, with the inhibition rate reaching 38.78%, it also increased the spleen index to a certain extent, in addition, the changes in DTA and HA were not obvious compared with the model group. The Verbena officinalis extract had in vivo anti-tumor effect, while causing no damage on the immune function.

Eficacia de los extractos hidroalcohólicos de dos plantas sobre garrapatas adultas Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus

Se determinó la eficacia del extracto natural de Verbena officinalis L. y de Ruta graveolens L. en el control in vitro de la garrapata adulta Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus. El extracto de cada planta se obtuvo mediante la técnica de maceración. Para las pruebas, se utilizaron garrapatas adultas de dos tamaños (pequeñas y medianas), que fueron expuestas a los extractos de cada planta, utilizando la técnica de inmersión de garra­patas adultas. A las 24, 48, 72 y 96 h de exposición, se realizó la lectura de mortalidad, donde se tomó como mínimo eficaz una mortalidad de 60%. Las pruebas ini­ciales se realizaron con extractos puros y cuando éstos mostraban eficacia se procedía a realizar diluciones cre­cientes, hasta encontrar la concentración mínima eficaz. Las pruebas fueron realizadas en clima frío. El extracto de R. graveolens (ruda) mostró efectividad en garrapata pe­queña y mediana, sólo con el extracto puro; V. officinalis (verbena negra) mostró eficacia sobre garrapata pequeña y mediana en la dilución 5:10. V. officinalis mostró ma­yor eficacia y se observó que los mejores resultados se obtuvieron con las mayores concentraciones.

Revealing anti-cariogenic efficacy of smokeless tobacco: A pilot study

Background:The tobacco plant, Nicotiana tabacum, has been responsible for more deaths than any other herb. However, the literature has also been endowed with its use as “holy herb” since the pre-Columbian era. Used for treating pain, poisonous bites, ulcers, nasal polyps, and basal cell carcinoma; it also acts as an important ingredient of commercially available toothpastes; and even used as tobacco vaccines against Streptococcus species as highlighted in the literature.Aims and Objectives:(1) To elicit the anti-microbial property of tobacco against Streptococcus mutans, if any, in raw smokeless tobacco. (2) To study the relationship of duration and growth inhibition efficacy of smokeless tobacco.Materials and Methods:Extracts were prepared by centrifugation of mixed raw smokeless tobacco with Ringer's lactate solution and with saliva. The extracts were placed in wells prepared on Mitis salivarius culture plate and incubated at 37°C for 24 h after 0 h, 1 h, and 2 h of extract preparation. The inhibition zones were measured on the underside of plate using the vernier calipers.Results:Smokeless tobacco has a statistically significant zone of inhibition, which proves its anti-microbial activity against S. mutans. However, the mean zones of inhibition were greater for Ringer's lactate and tobacco group as compared to test samples (saliva and tobacco) with subsequent reduction of inhibition zones with an increase in duration.Conclusion:The anti-microbial property of extensive tobacco resources can be utilized from their extracts in order to balance the deterioration it had caused to mankind.

A new triterpenoid from Verbena officinalis L.

To investigate the chemical constituents of Verbena officinalis L., five triterpenoid constituents were isolated and elucidated as 3α,19,23-trihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid, namely, 4-epi-barbinervic acid (1), 2α,3β-dihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid (2), 3α,24-dihydroxyurs-12-en- 28-oic acid (3), 3α,24-dihydroxy-olean-12-en-28-oic acid (4), ursolic acid (5), using spectroscopic methods and comparing with published data. Compounds 2 and 4 were obtained from V. officinalis for the first time, and compound 1 is a new triterpenoid compound, which exhibits significantly higher antitumor activity against human hepatoma cell line Bel 7402 in vitro than the blank control.

New alternate hosts for the rustsCronartium ribicolaandCronartium flaccidumin Finland

We explored the potential of the North European flora and some garden plants growing naturally outside Europe to support a reservoir of pine stem rusts. Live plants and detached leaves of 35 species in 16 families (Solanaceae, Verbenaceae, Grossulariaceae, Paeoniaceae, Balsaminaceae, Gentianaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Loasaceae, Tropaeolaceae, Acanthaceae, Myricaceae, Phrymaceae, Plantaginaceae, Orobanchaceae, Apocynaceae, and Fagaceae) were inoculated in the greenhouse and (or) laboratory with aeciospores of Cronartium ribicola J.C. Fisch. and Cronartium flaccidum (Alb. &amp; Schwein) G. Winter in 2010. Cronartium flaccidum produced uredinia and (or) telia in 14 species in nine families, 11 of which represent new alternate hosts in Finland and nine also elsewhere (excluding Nemesia versicolor and Tropaeolum majus L.): Euphrasia stricta D. Wof. ex J.F. Lehm., N. versicolor E. Mey. ex Benth., Nemesia strumosa Benth., Verbena × hybrida Voss., Verbena officinalis L., Veronica longifolia L., Impatiens glandulifera Royle, T. majus, Loasa triphylla Juss., Asclepias incarnata L., and Bartsia alpina L. Cronartium ribicola formed fruitbodies in nine species and cultivars in five families, five of which are new alternate hosts for this species in Finland and also elsewhere: Mentzelia lindleyi Torr. &amp; A. Gray, A. incarnata, B. alpina, L. triphylla, and T. majus. Both species of Cronartium infected four alternate hosts, each in its own family. The alternate host range of each Cronartium was wider than expected and wider than that previously described. In local natural forests, Euphrasia , Veronica , and Bartsia (in northern Finland) are potential hosts that are common and may be able to spread these rusts. The recently established ornamental I. glandulifera could provide the means to spread C. flaccidum to Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) in southern Finland, and species of Mentzelia may be important for the spread of C. ribicola.

In vitro control of post-harvest fruit rot fungi by some plant essential oil components.

Eight substances that are main components of the essential oils from three Mediterranean aromatic plants (Verbena officinalis, Thymus vulgaris and Origanum vulgare), previously found active against some phytopathogenic Fungi and Stramenopila, have been tested in vitro against five etiological agents of post-harvest fruit decay, Botrytis cinerea, Penicillium italicum, P. expansum, Phytophthora citrophthora and Rhizopus stolonifer. The tested compounds were β-fellandrene, β-pinene, camphene, carvacrol, citral, o-cymene, γ-terpinene and thymol. Citral exhibited a fungicidal action against P. citrophthora; carvacrol and thymol showed a fungistatic activity against P. citrophthora and R. stolonifer. Citral and carvacrol at 250 ppm, and thymol at 150 and 250 ppm stopped the growth of B. cinerea. Moreover, thymol showed fungistatic and fungicidal action against P. italicum. Finally, the mycelium growth of P. expansum was inhibited in the presence of 250 ppm of thymol and carvacrol. These results represent an important step toward the goal to use some essential oils or their components as natural preservatives for fruits and foodstuffs, due to their safety for consumer healthy and positive effect on shelf life extension of agricultural fresh products.

Simultaneous determination of four bioactive compounds in Verbena officinalis L. by using high-performance liquid chromatography

Background:Verbena officinalis L., called mabiancao in Chinese, is derived from the aerial part of Herba Verbanae. It is a traditional Chinese medicine commonly used in China and northern Europe, which is widely used for clearing away heat and detoxicating, promoting blood circulation, and removing blood stasis. This paper describes a sensitive and specific assay for the determination of four bioactive compounds in V. officinalis L.Materials and Methods:In this paper, the four components were separated on an Agilent Zorbax Extend C18 column (250 mm × 4.6 mm × 5 μm) and detected by a diode array detector. The mobile phase was composed of (a) aqueous phosphoric acid (0.1%, v/v) and (b) acetonitrile using a gradient elution. Analytes were performed at 30°C with a flow rate of 1.0 ml/min and UV detection at 203, 238, and 331 nm.Results:All calibration curves showed good linear regression (r2 ≥ 0.9999) within tested ranges. Overall intra- and interday variations were less than 1.84%, and the average recoveries were 97.32–102.81% for analytes.Discussion and Conclusion:The proposed method would be sensitive enough and reliable for comprehensive quality control for clinical use and modernization of V. officinalis L.

Cytomorphological Studies on Some North Indian Members of the Family Verbenaceae

Summary This paper presents cytomorphological diversity covering the chromosome number, meiotic behavior and pollen study of 5 species on an accession basis under the family Verbenaceae from North India. Six new chromosome reports have been made for the first time which involve 2 varied chromosome counts; n=18 for Caryopteris odorata and n=6 for Verbena officinalis ; 3 new euploid cytotypes of diploid (2n=2x=14) for V. officinalis and hexaploid (2n=6x=42) and octaploid (2n=8x=56) for Verbena bonariensis; and B-chromosome for Vitex negundo with 2n=32+0­ 2B. Morphotypes are identified for 2 species; Caryopteris odorata and Lantana camara, and cytomorphotype for Verbena officinalis. All the investigated species show abnormal meiotic behavior.

Active caspase-3 detection to evaluate apoptosis induced by Verbena officinalis essential oil and citral in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia cells

Verbena officinalis L., Verbenaceae, commonly known as vervain, is a plant widely used in medicine. Despite of its widespread use in different traditional practices, the mechanisms of pharmacological actions of the plant and its volatile oil are still unclear. We evaluated the pro-apoptotic activity of V. officinalis essential oil and of its main component, citral, on lymphocytes collected from ten patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), a disease in which a faulty apoptotic mechanism is still retained one of the primary pathogenic events, by adding to treated mononuclear cells, annexin-V, propidium iodide, and CD19. Apoptosis was also evaluated using anti-active-caspase-3 monoclonal antibody after permeabilization of the cells. Both V. officinalis essential oil and citral were found able to induce apoptosis in CLL cells and to activate caspase-3, which is considered the way by means they active apoptosis in B neoplastic cells. This data further support evidences that indicate natural compounds as possible lead structure to develop new therapeutic agents for CLL.

Chemical constituents from Verbena officinalis

Chemical constituents from Verbena officinalis

Larvicidal activity of two Algerian Verbenaceae essential oils against Culex pipiens

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the bioactivity of essential oils extracted from the leaves of Verbena officinalis and Lantana camara L. for the control of Culex pipiens. Triplicate bioassays were performed with fourth larval instars of C. pipiens (n=25 per replicate) with solutions at 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500μL/L of V. officinalis and L. camara L. extracts. Cumulative mortalities were determined 3, 6, 12 and 24h after treatment. Results showed cumulative mortalities, at three (3) hours to be 30.0±2.9% and 14.8±1.5% and achieve 43.3±1.9% and 44.4±3.1% after 24h exposure time, at 100mg/L of essential oil from L. camara and V. officinalis, respectively.