Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
CHARA VULGARIS
LINNAEUS, 1753
Phylum: Chlorophyta
Class: Chlorophyceae
Order: Charales
Family: Characeae
Common name: Common stonewort
Distribution: South America, North America, Southwest Asia, Central Asia,
Australia, New Zealand
Habitat: Ponds, puddles, ditches, rivers, lakes, brackish waters
Description: The annual or perennial species grows to a maximum height of
50 cm, and its axis measures 0.5-1.0 mm diameter. The plant is gray to dark
green in color with seven to nine branches. Each of these branches has six
to eight segments. The lowers are polymorphic and monoecious.
Compounds and activities: The bioactive sterol compounds isolated from this
species are 24-ethyl cholest-5-en-3-ol, clionasterol (an isomer of sitosterol),
28-isofucosterol, and an isomer of sitosterol. The 24-ethyl cholest-5-en-3-ol
possesses antiviral activities and prevents common cold and lu, HIV, and
AIDs. Further, the extracts of this species have been reported to mitigate
heart problems, high cholesterol, rheumatoid arthritis, tuberculosis, psoria-
sis, cervical cancer, asthma, bronchitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, and hair
loss, besides boosting the immune system in humans.
H
3
C
H
3
C
CH
3
CH
3
CH
3
H
3
C
H
3
C
CH
3
CH
3
H
3
C
H
H
CH
3
CH
3
H
H
H
H
H
H
HO
HO
clionasterol
28-isofucosterol
