Artemisia

Background Moxibustion is a traditional East Asian medical therapy that uses the heat generated by burning herbal preparations containing Artemisia vulgaris to stimulate acupuncture points. The aim of this review was to evaluate previously published clinical evidence for the use of moxibustion as a treatment for hypertension. Methods We searched 15 databases without language restrictions from their respective dates of inception until March 2010. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing moxibustion to either antihypertensive drugs or no treatment. The risk of bias was assessed for each RCT. Results During the course of our search, we identified 519 relevant articles. A total of 4 RCTs met all the inclusion criteria, two of which failed to report favorable effects of moxibustion on blood pressure (BP) compared to the control (antihypertensive drug treatment alone). However, a third RCT showed significant effects of moxibustion as an adjunct treatment to antihypertensi...

Artemisia based medications are used the world over for anti-malarial activity.  Their pharmacology and safety are well studied and published in the scientific literature.  The use of these agents in the patient with cancer and their effectiveness against cancer cell lines are newer areas of scientific research, but also published in the literature.  Experience in our clinical research of over one thousand parenteral doses of Artesunate have shown this agent to be safe in patients with advanced cancers, infectious diseases and autoimmunity.  While specific human clinical data needs to be collected our experience and the basic pharmacology of artesunate in cancer lead us to the conclusion that this agent is worthy of further investigation in oncology and chronic illness practice.

The chromatographic separation of a methylene chloride extract of Artemisia rubripes led to the isolation of a new sesquiterpene lactone (3), together with four known compounds, a coumarin (2) and three terpenes (1, 4, and 5). Their structures were characterized to be 1beta,6alpha-dihydroxy-4(15)-eudesmene (1), scopoletin (2), 1alpha,4beta-dihydroxy-8alpha-acetoxy-guaia-2,10(14), 11(13)-triene-6,12-olide (3), 1alpha,4beta-dihydroxy-8alpha-acetoxy-guaia-2,9,11(13)-triene-6,12-olide (4), and beta-sitosterol-3-O-beta-D-glycoside (5) by spectroscopic means.

SUMMARY - "Study of essential oils of some pastoral plants from Matmata (Tunisia)" The essential oil of three plants (Artemisia herba-alba, Thymus capitatus and Juniperus phoenicea) collected from Matmata in the south east of Tunisia was isolated and investigated by GC and GC/SM. The yield of essential oil (ml/100 g) was 0.65% for Artemisia herba-alba, 2.75% for Thymus capitatus and 0.75% for Juniperus phoenicea. The Artemisia herba- alba was mainly composed of α-thujone (44%) and trans-acetate de sabinyle (17%). The principal component of Thymus capitatus essential oil was carvacrol (66%) while α-pinene (67.71%) constituted the major component of Juniperus phoenicea essential oil.

The effect of liposomal inclusion on the in vitro antiherpetic activity of Artemisia arborescens L. essential oil was investigated. In order to study the influence of vesicle structure and composition on the antiviral activity of the vesicle-incorporated oil, multilamellar (MLV) and unilamellar (SUV) positively charged liposomes were prepared by the film method and sonication. Liposomes were obtained from hydrogenated (P90H) and non-hydrogenated (P90) soy phosphatidylcholine. Formulations were examined for their stability for over one year, monitoring the oil leakage from vesicles and the average size distribution. The antiviral activity was studied against Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) by a quantitative tetrazolium-based colorimetric method. Results showed that Artemisia essential oil can be incorporated in good amounts in the prepared vesicular dispersions. Stability studies pointed out that vesicle dispersions were very stable for at least six months and neither oil leakage...

Sage (Salvia fruticosa L.), anise (Pimpinella anisum L.), Hawthorn (Crataegus orientalis), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.), mountain tea (Sideritis spp), basil (Ocimum basilicum L.), lime flower (Tilia cordata), nettle (Urtica dioica L.), thyme (Thymbra spicata), coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.), rosehip (Rosa canina L.), mentha (Mentha piperita L.), balm (Melissa officinalis L.), tea (Camelia sinensis L.) (Black and green), sena leaf (Casia angustifolia), camomile (Matricaria chamomilla), tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus L.), cinnamon (Cinnamomum casia) and fennel (Foeniculum vulgare L.) were used as plant material in this study. Decoction was applied to R. canina, A. dracunculus and C. casia, and infusion was applied to other plant materials. Ten, 15 and 20 min were used as a time parameter for both infusion and decection. Inductive coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AEs) has been used for the determination of the elements in all infusions, decoctions and plant material.The Fe (1295.65 ppm) and Mg (3178.74 ppm) of M. officinalis, P (12698.05 ppm) and Pb (3.85 ppm) of green tea, Ca (19685.70 ppm) of C. orientalis, K (29167.53 ppm), Cu (12.18 ppm) and Na (2563.86 ppm) of C. casia, Zn (26.00 ppm) of M. chamomille and Se (23.53 ppm) contents of C. sativum were higher than the other plant materials.Ca (28.621 mg/100 ml) was the highest in concentration in the infusion of C. angustifolia for 10, 15 and 20 min. Ca could not be found in black and green teas. K (231.390 mg/100 ml) and P (24.857 mg/100 ml) contents were the highest in A. dracunculus tea. Mg (16.230 mg/100 ml) content of O. basilicum was determined as the highest.In general, the minerals that difuse to the tea at higher concentrations at the 10th minute were Ag, B, Cu, Co, Fe, ln and Zn, at the 15th minute were Ag, B, Cu, Co, K, ln and Zn and at the 20th minute were Ag, B, Cu, Co, ln, Fe and K. As a result, 10 min was the optimum time for getting the minerals into the tea, and it is apparent that plants and teas are good sources of the minerals.

Present control technologies of plant pathogenic fungi decouple the pathogen's life cycle mainly in two points of ontogeny, either by destroying spores prevent the infection or inhibit the biotrophic thallus, thus anticipating the formation of new infective propagules. Although, nowadays, the only tool for credible control of cultivated plants is the use of synthetic chemicals, the calculability of yield sureness has been worldwide threatened by the emergence of acquired tolerance to this group of pesticides as well as anxious feelings for their undesirable side effects. This situation urges the development of efficient alternative control agents, as threatening the net return even 10% disease incidence can cause economic loss. One approach to discover newer antimicrobial compounds is to search for their presence in natural sources exploiting the defense strategies of plants against their pathogens. Contrary to phytoalexins that are synthesized de novo after the plant is exposed to microbial attack, i.e., being produced in response of elicitors or stressors, the phytoanticipins are not formed in the tissue or released from preexisting plant constituents. These substances are plant antibiotics presented in tissue prior to infection, serving as the basis of pest tolerance. Several thousands of such molecules of different structure have been identified; however, few of them met practical application. In this chapter, we focus on constitutive mechanisms that might be used for controlling phy-topathogenic fungi with special regard to organic substances, which might serve either as botanical fungicides or as lead compounds for molecular design.

L’articolo tenta di delineare un’analisi comparata fra Artemisia (1947) di Anna Banti e To the Lighthouse (1927) di Virginia Woolf, con particolare attenzione ai personaggi di Artemisia e Lily Briscoe, entrambe pittrici. Sebbene la scrittrice inglese sia stata più volte evocata dalla critica bantiana, infatti, mai le due autrici sono state oggetto di uno studio comparativo sistematico: approfondire i possibili legami intertestuali fra Artemisia e Al faro, cui spesso vengono preferite altre opere woolfiane come Orlando o A room of One’s Own, potrebbe pertanto rivelarsi interessante per indagare da un’ulteriore prospettiva la costruzione del primo personaggio di finzione ispirato alla vicenda di Artemisia Gentileschi – a maggior ragione perché nei decenni successivi la pittrice barocca sarà oggetto di un vero e proprio processo di “finzionalizzazione”, fra romanzi, opere teatrali, film, graphic novel, docufiction ecc.

The essay aims to outline a comparative analysis between Anna Banti’s Artemisia (1947) and Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse, with a focus on the characters of Artemisia and Lily Briscoe, both painters. Indeed, even if the English writer was often mentioned by Banti’s critics, the two authors have never been the object of a systematic comparative study. Therefore, the article deepens the potential connections between Artemisia and To the Lighthouse (and not the most quoted Orlando or A room of One’s Own) in order to investigate from a further point of view the construction of the first fictional character inspired by Artemisia Gentileschi - particularly since the baroque painter will be the subject of a massive fictionalising process in the following decades, including novels, plays, films, graphic novels, docufictions etc.

Research conducted in 2003/2004 documented and validated (in a non-experimental way) ethnoveterinary medicines used by small-scale, organic livestock farmers in British Columbia (BC), Canada. Interviews were conducted with 60 participants who were organic farmers or holistic medicinal/veterinary practitioners. A workshop was held with selected participants to discuss the plant-based treatments. This paper reports on the medicinal plants used for fleas in cats and dogs. Fleas and flies are treated with Artemisia vulgaris L. (Asteraceae), Citrus × limon (L.), Juniperus communis L. var. depressa Pursh. (Cupressaceae), Lavandula officinalis L. (Labiatae), Melissa officinalis L. (Lamiaceae), and Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don (Cupressaceae). All of the plants used have insecticidal activity. Ear problems are treated with Achillea millefolium L., Calendula officinalis L., and Helichrysum angustifolium (Roth.) G. Don. (Asteraceae), Allium sativum L. (Alliaceae), Berberis aquifolium Pursh./Mahonia aquifolium (Berberidaceae), Glycyrrhiza glabra L. (Fabaceae), Lobelia inflata L. (Campanulaceae), Matricaria recutita L., Melaleuca alternifolia L. (Myrtaceae), Origanum vulgare L. (Labiatae), Ricinus communis L. (Euphorbiaceae), Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L. M. Perry (Myrtaceae), Thymus vulgaris L. (Lamiaceae), and Verbascum thapsus L. (Scrophulariaceae).

Recent investigations have shown that the antioxidant properties of plants could be correlated with oxidative stress defense and different human diseases. In this respect flavonoids and other polyphenolic compounds have gained the greatest attention. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo antioxidant activities of aqueous extract of Artemisia vulgaris. The plant extract was tested for DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl, 2-picryl hydrazyl) radical scavenging, nitric oxide radical scavenging, reducing power assays, total phenol, flavonoid and flavonol content. Determination of serum ascorbic acid level, blood glutathione level and superoxide dismutase activity in rats treated with 100 mg/Kg of Artemisia vulgaris extract. The extract exhibited scavenging potential with IC50 value of 11.4 micro g/ ml for DPPH, the value were found to close to those of standard rutin (10 micro g/ ml).On the other hand Artemisia vulgaris extract exhibited nitric oxide scavenging activity w...

L'incontro, tenutosi il 15 maggio 2019 presso l'Aula Forti di via Zamboni 32 a Bologna, è nato dalla mia proposta "Una pittura 'di memoria, non di maniera': Artemisia Gentileschi e Lily Briscoe, Virginia Woolf e Anna Banti" sottoscritta da altri 9 studenti del Dipartimento di FICLIT e coordinata dal Prof. Marco Antonio Bazzocchi, poi approvata e finanziata sulla base della pertinenza con il progetto “Dipartimento di eccellenza" – MIUR (Legge 232 del 1/12/2016).
Il dibattito, coordinato dal Prof. Bazzocchi e dal Prof. Filippo Milani, ha visto gli interventi di Fausta Garavini e Laura Desideri (curatrici del Meridiano dedicato a Anna Banti, "Romanzi e Racconti"), ai quali è seguito anche un mio approfondimento sui possibili legami intertestuali tra "Artemisia" di Anna Banti e "To the Lighthouse" di Virginia Woolf.

A total of 444 naturally distributed taxa belonging to 62 families are used in the traditional medicine in the East Anatolian region of Turkey. These mainly belong to the families like Asteraceae (93 taxa), Lamiaceae (52 taxa), Rosaceae (30 taxa), Fabacaee (27 taxa), Boraginaceae (20 taxa), Apiaceae (17 taxa), Brassicaceae (16 taxa), Ranunculaceae (16 taxa), Malvaceae (12 taxa), Liliaceae (11 taxa), Polygonaceae (10 taxa), Euphorbiaceae (8 taxa), Scrophulariaceae (7 taxa), Solanaceae (6 taxa), Plantaginaceae (5 taxa), Crassulaceae (5 taxa) and Chenopodiaceae (5 taxa). The dominating genera are Achillea (11 taxa), Centaurea (11 taxa), Scorzonera (9 taxa), Alcea (8 taxa), Euphorbia (8 taxa), Salvia (8 taxa), Anthemis (7 taxa), Taraxacum (7 taxa), Tragopogon (7 taxa), Allium (7 taxa), Artemisia (6 taxa), Crataegus (6 taxa), Ranunculus (6 taxa), Rubus (6 taxa), Rumex (6 taxa), Thymus (6 taxa), Anchusa (5 taxa), Plantago (5 taxa), Rosa (5 taxa), Stachys (5 taxa), Tanacetum (5 taxa) and Verbascum (5 taxa). Although this region shows the highest ratio of endemism (25%) in Turkey, this ratio for medicinal plants lies around 8 percent. Out of 444 taxa evaluated medicinally 82 were observed to be poisonous. Local people in the region generally use herbal remedies for the treatment of gastro-intestinal disorders, respiratory system disorders, rheumatic pain, kidney stones, hemorrhoids and skin troubles such as cut, wounds, burns, and abscess. In this paper an attempt has been made to present the information on the medicinal plants of the region for its availability to the researchers in different fields related to herbal drugs.

Several volatile allelochemicals were identified and characterized from fresh leaf tissue of three distinct populations of the invasive perennial weed, mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris). A unique bioassay was used to demonstrate the release of volatile allelochemicals from leaf tissues. Leaf volatiles were trapped and analyzed via gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Some of the components identified were terpenes, including camphor,

In the present study, the essential oil components of the leaf, stem and roots of Artemisia dracunculus have been analyzed using a combination of capillary GC-FID and GC-MS analytical techniques. The study led to the identification of 17 components in the leaf and 13 in root essential oils accounting for 85.5% and 91.2% respectively of the total oil composition. In the stem essential oil, 24 components accounting for 94.6% of the total oil were identified. The principal components identified in the leaf essential oil were (z)-ß-ocimene (12.2%), capillene (12.6%), acenaphthene (51.7%) and elemicin (2.7%). In the stem, the major components were (z)-ß-ocimene (17.6%), capillene (34.7%) and acenaphthene (32.6%) while as in the root the major components were capillene (22.8%) and acenaphthene (66.6%). The aromatic hydrocarbon acenaphthene is reported for the first time in tarragon essential oil growing in this geographical part of the world.