€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****ACTA PHARMACEUTICA HUNGARICA***** Sarg TM Ateya AM Farrag NM Abbas FA Constituents and biological activity of Bidens pilosa L. grown in Egypt. In: Acta Pharm Hung (1991 Nov) 61(6):317-23 ISSN: 0001-6659 Column chromotography and preparative TLC of the light petroleum- diethyl ether extract from Bidens pilosa L. afforded tridecapentyn-1- ene, trideca-2,12-diene-4,6,8,10-tetrayne-1-ol, trideca-3,11-diene- 5,7,9-triyne-1,2-diol and trideca-5-ene-7,9,11-triyne-3-ol. The compounds were identified on the bases of UV, 1H-NMR spectra and comparison with reported data. The chloroform extract was chromatographed to yield B-amyrin, phytosterin-B, esculetin and B- sitosterol glucoside. The petroleum ether extract afforded long chain ester, saturated hydrocarbon, long chain alcohol, B-amyrin, phytosterin-B, lupeol and lupeol acetate. GLC analysis of the fatty acids indicated the presence of 5 acids. The antimicrobial test was carried out to indicate an evident activity. The antidiabetic activity showed non significant decrease of blood glucose. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****ACTA TROPICA***** Geissberger P Sequin U Constituents of Bidens pilosa L.: do the components found so far explain the use of this plant in traditional medicine? In: Acta Trop (1991 Feb) 48(4):251-61 ISSN: 0001-706X The dried aerial parts of Bidens pilosa L. were extracted with petrol ether, chloroform, methanol, and methanol/water. The petrol ether and the methanol/water extracts showed some antimicrobial activity. Fractionation of the extracts yielded well known substances, most of which have, however, not yet been described as constituents of Bidens pilosa. Several of these substances have previously been shown to be biologically active. Thus, phenylheptatriyne, linolic acid and linolenic acid have antimicrobial activities. On the other hand, friedelin and friedelan-3 beta-ol, as well as several of the flavonoids found are anti-inflammatory agents. The detection of these compounds in extracts from B. pilosa may rationalize the use of this plant in traditional medicine in the treatment of wounds, against inflammations and against bacterial infections of the gastrointestinal tract. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CHINESE MEDICINE***** Chih HW Lin CC Tang KS Anti-inflammatory activity of Taiwan folk medicine "ham-hong-chho" in rats. In: Am J Chin Med (1995) 23(3-4):273-8 ISSN: 0192-415X "Ham-Hong-Chho" is a folk medicine in Taiwan, derived from the entire plants of Bidens pilosa L. var. minor (Blume) Sherff (Compositae), B. pilosa L. and B. chilensis DC. The anti-inflammatory effect of aqueous extracts of the three plants against paw edema induced by carrageenan and chronic arthritis induced by complete Freund's adjuvant were determined in rats. The results indicated that paw edema induced by carrageenan was significantly decreased by treatment with aqueous extracts (150 or 300 mg/kg) of all three plants (p < 0.05) and that the effect of Bidens pilosa var. minor was the most potent. However, only extracts (500 mg/kg) of B. pilosa L. var. minor and B. pilosa L. significantly decreased the paw edema induced by complete Freund's adjuvant (p < 0.05). Registry Numbers: 53-86-1 (Indomethacin) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Chin HW Lin CC Tang KS The hepatoprotective effects of Taiwan folk medicine ham-hong-chho in rats. In: Am J Chin Med (1996) 24(3-4):231-40 ISSN: 0192-415X Bidens pilosa L. var minor (Blume) Sherff, B. pilosa L. and B. chilensis DC (compositae), commonly known as "Ham-hong-chho" in Taiwan, have been traditionally used for medicinal purposes. To clarify and compare the hepatoprotective effects of these three plants, we evaluated their potential effectiveness on CCl4- and acetaminophen-induced acute hepatic lesions in rats. The results indicated that the increase in SGOT and SGPT activities caused by CCl4 (3.0 ml/kg, s.c.) and acetaminophen administration (600 mg/kg, i.p.) could be significantly reduced by treating with the extracts of all the three kinds of "Ham-hong-chho" and the extract of B. chilensis exhibited the greatest hepatoprotective effects. These phenomena were also confirmed by histological observation. Liver damage induced by CCl4 and acetaminophen was markedly improved in the extract of B. chilensis treated groups, while groups treated with the extracts of B. pilosa var minor and B. pilosa demonstrated only moderate protective effects. The pharmacological and pathological effects of these three crude groups were compared with Bupleurum chinense, which has been reported previously as a treatment criteria in the CCl4 model, and with silymarin as a standard reference medicine in the acetaminophen model. The results suggest that B. pilosa var minor, B. pilosa and B. chilensis can protect liver injuries from various hepatotoxins and have potential as broad spectrum antihepatic agents. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****CANCER LETTERS***** Mirvish SS Rose EF Sutherland DM STUDIES ON THE ESOPHAGUS. II. ENHANCEMENT OF [3H]THYMIDINE INCORPORATION IN RAT ESOPHAGUS BY BIDENS PILOSA (A PLANT EATEN IN SOUTH AFRICA) AND BY CROTON OIL In: Cancer Lett (1979) 6(3):159-165 The effects of Bidens pilosa (a plant eaten in South Africa) and croton oil in the diet on 3H-thymidine incorporation (TI) into DNA was studied in rat esophagus epithelium. The test materials were fed with a semisynthetic diet for 1 or 2 wk, and TI were measured 1 hr after ip injection of 3H-thymidine. TI was enhanced up to 2.3-fold in the esophagus of rats fed dried B. pilosa leaves (1:4 mixture of leaves: diet). A smaller enhancement of TI occurred with an ethanol extract of B. pilosa leaves, with a methanol-water fraction of the extract, and when B. pilosa was boiled under conditions resembling those used in cooking. The enhancement was not as great as that with unboiled material, indicating that some, but not all, of the active material survived the boiling. No enhancement occurred with raw spinach. TI was also enhanced significantly (1.08-to 1.21-fold) when croton oil was administered in the diet at levels of 2-6 g/kg. Since tumor promoters usually cause cell proliferation, these results suggest that B. pilosa consumption might be a promoting factor in the etiology of esophageal cancer in parts of South Africa that have a high incidence of this cancer. (17 Refs) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY***** Rivera D Obon C The ethnopharmacology of Madeira and Porto Santo Islands, a review. In: J Ethnopharmacol (1995 May) 46(2):73-93 ISSN: 0378-8741 The ethnopharmacology of Madeira and Porto Santo Islands is extremely interesting because of the cultural and biogeographic features of this region, which make it a centre of medicinal plant diversity (richness of endemic flora, geographical isolation in the Atlantic sea, crosscultural influences, and past abundance of local healers). The medicinal flora of Madeira is composed of 259 species. Some noteworthy medicinal taxa, endemic or locally relevant, are: Acanthus mollis, Aeonium glandulosum, Aeonium glutinosum, Bidens pilosa, Borago officinalis, Chamaemelum nobile var. discoideum, Culcita macrocarpa, Echium nervosum, Euphorbia platiphylla, Helichrysum melaleucum, Helichrysum obconicum, Hypericum glandulosum, Hypericum humifussum, Kleinia repens, Laurus azorica, Monizia edulis, Ocotea foetens, Psoralea bituminosa, Rubus bollei, Rumex maderensis, Sambucus lanceolata, Scilla maderensis, Sedum brissemoretii, Sedum farinosum, Sedum nudum, Sibthorpia peregrina, Teucrium betonicum, Thymus caespititius, Trifolium squamosum and Vaccinium padifolium. Among the medicinal cryptogams, one can underline the parasitic fungus Laurobasidium lauri, which grows on the stems of Laurus azorica and is used as an antirheumatic, haemostatic, emmenagogue, insecticide and analeptic. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Alarcon de la Lastra C Martin MJ La Casa C Motilva V Antiulcerogenicity of the flavonoid fraction from Bidens aurea: comparison with ranitidine and omeprazole. In: J Ethnopharmacol (1994 May) 42(3):161-8 ISSN: 0378-8741 Effects of the flavonoid fraction of Bidens aurea (Aiton) Sherff on gastric ulceration induced by restraint and cold were studied in rats. Mucosal damage was evaluated histomorphometrically and the results were compared with those of omeprazole and ranitidine. The effects of these agents on the quantity and quality of the gastric mucus were also determined histologically and biochemically. Oral treatment with the ether fraction of the flavonoid extract gave the highest level of gastric protection. Mucus content was increased and accompanied by a proportional increase in proteins and hexosamines. There was also a marked increase of the periodic acid-Shiff (PAS) area (neutral glycoprotein) and the alcian blue (AB) area (sulphated glycoprotein). The groups which received ranitidine and omeprazole did not overcome the inhibition of the mucus secretion induced in this experimental model. Registry Numbers: 66357-35-5 (Ranitidine) 73590-58-6 (Omeprazole) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Jager AK Hutchings A van Staden J Screening of Zulu medicinal plants for prostaglandin-synthesis inhibitors. In: J Ethnopharmacol (1996 Jun) 52(2):95-100 ISSN: 0378-8741 Aqueous and ethanolic extracts of 39 plants used in traditional Zulu medicine to treat headache or inflammatory diseases were screened for prostaglandin-synthesis inhibitors. Extracts were tested in an in vitro assay for cyclooxygenase inhibitors. In general, ethanolic extracts caused higher inhibition than aqueous extracts. Two-thirds of the plants screened had high inhibitory activity. The highest inhibition was obtained with ethanolic extracts of Bidens pilosa, Eucomis autumnalis, Harpephyllum caffrum, Helichrysum nudifolium, Leonotis intermedia, L. leonorus, Ocotea bullata, Rumex saggitatus, Solanum mauritianum, Synadenium cupulare and Trichilia dregeana. Registry Numbers: 53-86-1 (Indomethacin) 64-17-5 (Alcohol, Ethyl) 7732-18-5 (Water) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS***** Wat CK Biswas RK Graham EA Bohm L Towers GH Waygood ER Ultraviolet-mediated cytotoxic activity of phenylheptatriyne from Bidens pilosa L. In: J Nat Prod (1979 Jan-Feb) 42(1):103-11 ISSN: 0163-3864 The tropical weed Bidens pilosa L. (Asteraceae) contains a number of polyacetylenes which are phototoxic to bacteria, fungi, and human fibroblast cells in the presence of sunlight, artificial sources of long-wave ultraviolet light, or cool-white fluorescent light. The principle photoactive compound in the leaf, phenylheptatriyne, is present in the cuticle as well as in the underlying cells. Experiments with calf thymus DNA indicate that, unlike photoactive furanocoumarins, phenylheptatriyne does not form interstrand cross linkages with DNA in ultraviolet light. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****PLANTA MEDICA***** Alvarez L Marquina S Villarreal ML Alonso D Aranda E Delgado G Bioactive polyacetylenes from Bidens pilosa [letter] In: Planta Med (1996 Aug) 62(4):355-7 ISSN: 0032-0943 From the methanolic extract of the whole plants of Bidens pilosa the new beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy-3-hydroxy-6(E)-tetradecen-8, 10,12- triyne besides a known polyine has been isolated and identified mainly by IR and NMR methods. The new compound showed overgrowing action against normal and transformed human cell lines in culture. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ Redl K Breu W Davis B Bauer R Anti-inflammatory active polyacetylenes from Bidens campylotheca. In: Planta Med (1994 Feb) 60(1):58-62 ISSN: 0032-0943 The n-hexane extract of Bidens campylotheca Schultz Bip. ssp campylotheca (Compositae) showed significant in vitro inhibition of cyclooxygenase (CO) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO). Five polyacetylenes, heptadeca-2E,8E,10E,16-tetraene-4,6-diyne (1), heptadeca-2E,8Z,10E,16- tetraene-4,6-diyne (2), heptadeca-2E,8E,16-triene-4,6-diyne-10-ol (3), safynol (5) and, as a new compound, safynol-2-O-isobutyrate (4) could be isolated and their structures elucidated mainly by UV, MS, NMR, and COSY-NMR. The isolated compounds exhibited a significant inhibitory effect on cyclooxygenase and 5-lipoxygenase. Registry Numbers: 25067-58-7 (polyacetylene) 74-86-2 (Acetylene) €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€ *****ZEITSCHRIFT FUR NATURFORSCHUNG. SECTION C. JOURNAL OF BIOSCIENCES***** Martin Calero M La Casa C Motilva V Lopez A Alarcon de la Lastra C Healing process induced by a flavonic fraction of Bidens aurea on chronic gastric lesion in rat. Role of angiogenesis and neutrophil inhibition. In: Z Naturforsch [C] (1996 Jul-Aug) 51(7-8):570-7 ISSN: 0341-0382 The aim of this study was to elucidate the mechanism of the healing process mediated by the flavonic fraction of Bidens aurea on chronic gastric ulceration induced by 5% acetic acid in rats. The diethyl ether extract (125 and 62.5 mg kg-1 body weight) was administered in a single doses, 7 and 14 days after provocation of lesions. Our results demonstrated that both doses significantly decreased the macro and microscopic ulcer index. Usually after 14-days treatment the lesions were found completely covered with regenerative epithelium and also an important proliferation of blood vessels was observed. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity was assayed and used as an index of leucocyte infiltration. Application of acetic acid produced a significant increase of this activity 7 days after induction of chronic injury. Administration of 125 mg kg-1 of the ether extract provoked a sharp reduction on the enzymatic activity at the same period. After 14 days, this decrease was higher with both doses (p < 0.001). In addition, the macroscopic examination showed a drastic reduction of leucocyte infiltration in treated groups. These results suggest that the recovery of vascularization of the ulcerated area and the decrease of neutrophil infiltration are involved in the antiulcerogenic effect of the flavonoid fraction of Bidens aurea. €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€