Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
CALTHA PALUSTRIS
LINNAEUS
Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Ranunculales Family: Ranunculaceae
Common name: King cup, yellow marsh marigold, American cowslip
Distribution: Western temperate countries, United States
Habitat: Marshes, fens, ditches
Description: This herbaceous perennial and polymorphic species has hollow
stems and grows to a maximum height of 80 cm, and its leaves (4-20 cm)
are rounded, heart shaped, or kidney shaped. The clusters of lowers mea-
suring 2-6 cm diameter are yellow and buttercup-like.
Compounds and activities: The bioactive compounds isolated from this spe-
cies are protoanemonin and pyrrolizidine. The free radical scavenging
activity (IC
50
) of total methanol extract of this species was found to be 189 ±
98.60 µg/ml (Nikolova et al., 2011). From the root extracts of this species,
triterpenoid glycosides possessing anti-inlammatory activities have been
isolated. These compounds have also been reported to reduce serum choles-
terol and total protein. The lower extracts yield bioactive compounds such
as lavonoids, rhamnosides, glucosides, and glucorhamnosides of kaemp-
ferol and quercetin. The ethanol extracts of this species have shown central
nervous system-depressant and hypotensive properties. This species has
also been used as an anodyne and antispasmodic, diaphoretic, and diuretic
expectorant and rubefacient and to promote healing of wounds. Externally
it is used for removing warts and for rheumatic pain.
N
O
CH
2
O
protoanemonin
pyrrolizidine
