Aloysia citriodora Palau

Aloysia citriodora Palau, cedron or lemon verbena, is a South American aromatic species widespread in North America, Eurasia, and Africa. It is appreciated because it therapeutic and food (condiment, flavoring) uses. Also is valued as ornamental, insect repellent, and sometimes in perfumery. Its popular culinary and medicinal uses have been expanded from Latin America to the rest of the Western world. Its main active constituents are essential oils, to which owes its aroma and flavor similar to lemon, but also contain flavonoids, verbascosides, iridoids heterosides, and others. It most disseminated uses in folk medicine include those to treat gastrointestinal disorders (digestive, antispasmodic, carminative, antidiarrheal), mild sedative, cardiotonic, febrifuge, analgesic, and antiseptic. Various experimental studies validate different effects, as eupeptic, spasmolytic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, hypotensive, among others. Its sedative/anxiolytic activity requires deeper further studies. Of particular interest are its cancer-related effects analyzed to date (antimutagenic, antigenotoxic, and antiangiogenic), and its antioxidant activity linked in various ways to our health.Fil: Hurrell, Julio Alberto. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Laboratorio de Etnobotánica y Botánica Aplicada; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentin

Chemistry and biochemistry of Terpenoids from Curcumaand related species

Several curcuminoids have been identified from rhizome of the common spice Curcuma longa (Zingaberaceae) and related plant species. Curcuminoids are known to display several pharmacological properties summed up in numerous papers and reviews. In addition to curcuminoids, more than 250 mono-, sesqui- di-, and triterpenoids have been identified from curcuma species. These lipophilic compounds have better absorption than curcuminoids and also exhibit a wide spectrum of pharmacological properties. Little attention has been paid to these lipophilic compounds, which may be as physiologically active, if not more, as curcuminoids. This review focuses on Curcuma terpenoids and their physiological properties