Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
O
O
HO
CH
3
O
CH
3
H
3
C
OH
O
OH
OH
O
OH
physcion
emodin
O
OH
OH
OH
HO
O
citreorosein
NEPTUNIA OLERACEA
LOUR
Phylum: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Common name: Water mimosa
Distribution: Mexico to northern South America
Habitat: Still waters
Description: This perennial, nitrogen-ixing leguminous species has a stem
(15 cm long) with aerenchyma that makes it loat in water. Though the stem
is short, it spreads in water to an even 1.5 m long. The sensitive leaves close
up when they are touched. The leaf segments have 10-14 small oblong leaf-
lets arranged in opposite pairs. The small greenish yellow lowers are found
crowded into feathery or bicular inlorescences.
Compounds and activities: The leaf extracts of this species possess an active
bioactive compound, viz., pheophorbide A, which has antitumor activi-
ties and inhibits the activation of tumor promoter-induced Epstein-Barr
