Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Common name: Knotweed
Distribution: Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Egypt,
Madagascar, South Africa
Habitat: Semiaquatic habitats, banks of dams, lakes, and rivers
Description: This is a nonwoody perennial, glabrous plant with green leaves
that are simple and with entire margins.
Compounds and activities: From the leaf extracts of this species, 13 nonpolar
lavonoid derivatives (chalcones, dihydrochalcones, and lavones) have
been isolated. The plant extracts contain 2′-glucosyl-6′-hydroxyl-4′-
methoxychalcone. From the internal aerial tissues, common lavonoids,
quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin, and their glycosides have been isolated.
The phenolic derivative, polygonomoisolavonone, viz., 2-propen-1-one,1-
(2,4-dihydroxy-3,6-dimethoxyphenyl-3-phenyl), isolated from this species
has been found to possess antimalarial (antiprotozoal) activities, as it acts
in vitro
against
Plasmodium falciparum.
Two chalcones (R
1
= R
2
= OCH
3
,
RC = O, and R
1
= H, R
2
= OH, R
3
= OCH
3
) isolated from the aerial exudates
of this species were found to be active with IC
50
values of 3.1 and 14.0 µm,
respectively (Bero et al., 2009). The extracts of this species with sodium
carbonate have been used in traditional medicines for treating rheumatic
swellings, eruptive fever (antipyretic), and urethral discharge.
OH
O
E
MeO
Ph
HO
OMe
2-propen-1-one,1-(2,4-dihydroxy-3,6-dimethoxyphenyl-3-phenyl
POTAMOGETON PERFOLIATUS
LINNAEUS
Phylum: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Alismatales
Family: Potamogetonaceae
