Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
H
3
C
O
OH
HO
O
O
CH
3
OH
O
tricin
FALLOPIA JAPONICA
HOUTT
Phylum: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Polygonaceae
Common name: Japanese knotweed
Distribution: East Asia, North America, Europe
Habitat: Ponds
Description: This large herbaceous perennial plant grows to a maximum
height of 4 m. Its stems are hollow and leaves (15 × 12 cm) broad and oval
with a truncated base and entire margin. Flowers are small, white, and in
erect racemes (15 cm long).
Compounds and activities: The 70% ethanol extracts of this species contain
the most active compounds, viz., (E)-resveratrol, 5,7-dimethoxyphthalide,
(+)-catechin, and emodin-8-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, showing fairly strong
antiviral activity against HIV-1-induced cytopathic effects in C8166 lympho-
cytes at noncytotoxic concentrations with EC
50
values of 4.37 ± 1.96, 19.97 ±
5.09, 14.4 ± 1.34, and 11.29 ± 6.26 µg/ml and therapeutic index values of
8.12, >10.02, >13.89, and >17.71, respectively. The bioactive anthroquinones
isolated from the roots of this species, viz., physcion, emodin, citreorosein,
anthroglycoside B, and resveratrol, possess antityrosinase potency and are
of great use as skin-whitening agents. Compounds physcion and emodin
have also been reported to possess antidiabetic (type 1 diabetes) and anti-
inlammatory activities.
