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

Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants

Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants (= Chenopodium ambrosioides L.) is an American aromatic species used as medicinal and culinary purposes since pre-Columbian times by Aztecs and Mayans in Mesoamerica (where is called epazote) and Andean communities and many others in South America (where is better known as paico). Currently, it is globally known by a wide diversity of cultures around the world, due to its cultivation and naturalization. Its uses are currently widespread in pluricultural contexts, by means the commercial circuits and mass media, especially the Internet. The main active constituents are essential oils, to which owes its aroma and flavor. It is toxic in high doses, but safe if is consumed in appropriated concentrations. The most widespread folk therapeutic use is as antiparasitic (anthelmintic, antimicrobial), and it is also employed against gastrointestinal disorders, as hypotensive, antipyretic, vulnerary, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, sedative and anxiolytic, among others, many of which have been evaluated scientifically. The researches on its anticancer activity are very promising.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