Friday Fellow: Imperial Fritillary

by Piter Kehoma Boll

Let’s bring a high dose of beauty into today’s Friday Fellow with a wonderful species that may sometimes be found in your garden.

Imperial fritillary growing in its natural environment in Kurdistan. Photo by Wikipedia user A2raya07.*

Fritillaria imperialis, the imperial fritillary or crown imperial, is native from Asian highlands between Turkey and the Himalayas but is cultivated worldwide, having a series of artificially selected cultivars. The plant reaches a height of about 1 m and has a series of lance-shaped leaves along its stem, similarly to what is found in other species of the lily family, Liliaceae, to which it belongs. The flowers appear in a whorl close to the top of the stem and face downwards. A crown of small leaves tops the flowers, hence its name imperialis. The bell-shaped flowers are usually orange in the wild but, in cultivars, they vary between red and yellow.

A cultivar named ‘Rubra Maxima’. Photo by Hendry Heatly.**

The imperial fritillary has been used in traditional medicine for centuries by people living around its native range. Recent studies revealed that the plant contains a series of alkaloids, mostly anticholinergic steroidal alkaloids, which have the potential to be used for the development of new medicines to treat several conditions.

Despite its popularity as an ornamental plant, wild populations of the imperial fritillary are endangered in many countries in which it occurs, especially due to habitat loss. In order to aid in the preservation and restoration of wild populations, some laboratory techniques have been developed to generate clones that could help increase population size in the wild.

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References:

Akhtar MN, Rahman A, Choudhary MI, Sener B, Erdogan I, Tsuda Y (2003) New class of steroidal alkaloids from Fritillaria imperialis. Phytochemistry 63: 115–122. doi: 10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00569-1

Gilani AH, Shaheen F, Christopoulos A, Mitchelson F (1997) Interaction of ebeinone, an alkaloid from Fritillaria imperialis, at two muscarinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes. Life Sciences 60 (8): 535–544. doi:
10.1016/S0024-3205(96)00691-1

Kiani M, Mohammadi S, Babaei A, Sefidkon F, Naghavi MR, Ranjbar M, Razavi SA, Saeidi K, Jafari H, Asgardi D, Potter D (2017) Iran supports a great share of biodiversity and floristic endemism for Fritillaria spp. (Liliaceae): A review. Plant Diversity 39(5): 245–262. doi: 10.1016/j.pld.2017.09.002

Mohammadi-Dehcheshmeh M, Khalighi A, Naderi R, Sardari M, Ebrahimie E (2008) Petal: a reliable explant for direct bulblet regeneration of endangered wild populations of Fritillaria imperialis L. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum 30(3): 395–399. doi: 10.1007/s11738-007-0126-2

Wikipedia. Fritillaria imperialis. Available at < https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritillaria_imperialis >. Access on 11 February 2019.

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Friday Fellow: Reishi Mushroom

by Piter Kehoma Boll

The first Friday Fellow of 2018 is here, and it is a beloved parasite from the Far East. This lovely mushroom is scientifically known as Ganoderma lucidum and has no native common name in English, being usually called the reishi mushroom, from its Japanese name 霊芝 (reishi), or lingzhi mushroom, from its Chinese name 靈芝 (língzhī).

The beautiful and shiny kidney-shaped reishi. Photo by Wikimedia user Mokkie.*

The reishi mushroom, as other species in the genus Ganoderma and in the order Polyporales, grows on tree trunks, usually parasitizing live trees and continuing to grow on them after they die. The mature fruiting body is kidney-shaped and may or may not have a stalk, which is displaced to the side, below the concave side of the cap. The cap has a red-varnished color with a lighter rim. It is easily mistaken for some of its closest relatives, such as Ganoderma tsugae and G. lingzhi.

Traditionally used in Chinese medicine, the reishi mushroom was considered the “mushroom of immortality” and said to improve the heart and the mind. Recently, it has demonstrated, in laboratory studies, to have many potential uses for the treatment of different illnesses. For example, their fruiting bodies release polysaccharides that showed the ability to increase the cytokine production of human white blood cells, which increase anti-tumor activities. Other studies have identified compounds with potential anti-HIV activity and the ability to reduce the levels of blood sugar.

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References:

El-Mekkawy, S.; Meselhy, M. R.; Nakamura, N.; Tezuka, Y.; Hattori, M.; Kakiuchib, N.; Shimotohnob, K.; Kawahatac, T.; Otakec, T. (1998) Anti-HIV-1 and anti-HIV-1-protease substances from Ganoderma Lucidum. Phytochemistry, 49(6): 1651–1647. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(98)00254-4

Wang, S.-Y.; Hsu, M.-L.; Hsu, H.-C., Lee, S.-S.; Shiao, M.-S.; Ho, C.-K. (1997) The anti-tumor effect of Ganoderma Lucidum is mediated by cytokines released from activated macrophages and T lymphocytes. International Journal of Cancer, 70(6): 699–705. Doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0215(19970317)70:6<699::AID-IJC12>3.0.CO;2-5

Wang, Y.-Y.; Khoo, K.-H.; Chen, S.-T.; Lin, C.-C.; Wong, C.-H.; Lin, C.-H. (2002) Studies on the immuno-Modulating and antitumor activities of Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi) polysaccharides: functional and proteomic analyses of a fucose-Containing glycoprotein fraction responsible for the activities. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, 10(4): 1057–1062. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0968-0896(01)00377-7

Wikipedia. Lingzhi mushrom. Available at: < https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingzhi_mushroom >. Access on December 31, 2017.

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Friday Fellow: Chinese Magnolia Vine

by Piter Kehoma Boll

Coming from the forests of Northern China, Korea and Eastern Russia, our newest fellow is a woody vine called Schisandra chinensis and populary known as Chinese magnolia vine.

The beautiful red fruits of the Chinese magnolia vine. Photo by Vladimir Kosolapov.*

Used in Chinese traditional medicine, the plant is considered one of the 50 fundamental herbs. The part of the plant most commonly used are the berries, which are known as magnolia berries or five-flavor-fruits. The second name is a translation of the Chinese name, 五味子 (wǔwèizi), because the berry is said to contain all five basic Chinese flavors: salty, sweet, sour, spicy and bitter. An infusion prepared with the dried fruits is called omija tea or omija-cha, from the Korean name of the fruits.

A cup of omija tea. Photo by Raheel Shahid.**

The traditional uses of the Chinese magnolia vine included the treatment of disorders related mainly to the sexual organs. Several current studies by laboratory trials indicated that the plant has a large number of beneficial properties, including antioxidant properties and the ability to increase endurance, working ability, accuracy of movements and mental ability. It also seems to be useful in the treatment of several diseases and disorders, especially inflamatory ones, such as sinusitis, otitis, neuritis, dermatitis and gastritis, as well as on some infectious diseases such as influenza and pneumonia, among many other conditions.

I’m certainly interested in trying a cup of omija tea. What about you? Have you ever had the chance?

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References:

Panossian, A.; Wikman, G. (2008) Pharmacology of Schisandra chinensis Bail.: An overview of Russian research and uses in medicine. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 118(2): 183-212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2008.04.020

Wikipedia. Schisandra chinensis. Available at < https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schisandra_chinensis >. Access on October 31, 2017.

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Friday Fellow: Mexican Giant Horsetail

by Piter Kehoma Boll

If you are walking through the forest of Central America, you may end up finding something that at first you could think is a group of bamboos, plants growing as a cylindrical segmented stem that can reach up to 7 m in height, as seen in the picture below:

A group of bamboos? Not exactly. Photo by Alex LomasAlex Lomas.*

Those are not actually bamboos, though, but specimens of the largest species of horsetail that exists today, the Mexican giant horsetail, Equisetum myriochaetum. It can be found growing naturally from Peru to Mexico in areas of fertile soil, especially along water bodies such as streams and swamps.

As other horsetails, the Mexican giant horsetail has an erect and hollow stem with very narrow leaves growing in a whirl around the “joints” of the stem. The leaves are very simple, similar to those of more primitive plants such as the spikemosses and ground pines, but are thought to be a simplification of more complex leaves, as they are more closely related to the complex-leaved ferns.

More than only the largest horsetail in the world, the Mexican giant horsetail is an important medicinal plant in Mexican folk medicine, being used to treat kidney diseases and type 2 diabetes mellitus. And as in many other occasions, laboratory studies confirmed that water extracts from the aerial parts of E. myriochaetum do indeed reduce the blood glucose levels of type 2 diabetic patients without reducing their insulin levels. One more point to traditional medicine.

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References:

EOL – Encyclopedia of Life. Equisetum myriochaetum. Available at <http://eol.org/pages/6069616/overview&gt;. Access on March 4, 2017.

Revilla, M., Andrade-Cetto, A., Islas, S., & Wiedenfeld, H. (2002). Hypoglycemic effect of Equisetum myriochaetum aerial parts on type 2 diabetic patients Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 81 (1), 117-120 DOI: 10.1016/S0378-8741(02)00053-3

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Equisetum myriochaetum. Available at <http://www.rbge.org.uk/the-gardens/plant-of-the-month/plant-profiles/equisetum-myriochaetum&gt;. Access on March 4, 2017.

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Friday Fellow: Asian Pigeonwing

by Piter Kehoma Boll

Today’s Friday Fellow is a creeping (but not creepy) plant with nice deep blue flowers shaped like a human female genitalia.

Yeah, you read that right. Its scientific name is Clitoria ternatea, the genus name being a direct reference to a woman’s clitoris due to the shape of the flowers. Its common names include Asian pigeonwings, bluebellvine, blue pea, butterfly pea, cordofan pea and many others.

Almost pornographic. Photo by N. Aditya Madhav.*

Native from tropical Asia, the Asian Pigeonwing has been introduced worldwide in tropical regions. Its seeds are edible when tender and the flowers may be used to make a nice blue infusion called “clitoria tea” or “butterfly pea tea”. It is a plant used in Ayurvedic medicine to improve mental health.

A nice blue tea to improve your memory. Photo by Tanya May.*

In fact, some studies have shown that it may indeed be benefitial for memory improvement, at least in rats, and has also anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic properties, especially from root extracts. Once more traditional medicine was a good guide for pharmacological research.

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References:

Devi, B., Boominathan, R., & Mandal, S. (2003). Anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic properties of Clitoria ternatea root Fitoterapia, 74 (4), 345-349 DOI: 10.1016/S0367-326X(03)00057-1

Taranalli, A., & Cheeramkuzhy, T. (2011). Influence of Clitoria Ternatea Extracts on Memory and Central Cholinergic Activity in Rats Pharmaceutical Biology, 38 (1), 51-56 DOI: 10.1076/1388-0209(200001)3811-BFT051

Wikipedia. Clitoria ternatea. Available at: < https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clitoria_ternatea >. Access on August 1, 2016.

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Friday Fellow: Beggar’s tick

by Piter Kehoma Boll

What if the cure for cancer has been living in your garden all this time and you have been trying to get rid of it because it is an annoying weed?

I cannot assure you that the answer lies in today’s Friday Fellow, but it certainly has a good potential. Its name is Bidens pilosa, commonly known as beggar’s tick, beggar ticks, black jack, cobbler’s pegs or Spanish needle.

Not extravagant, but discrete. This is Bidens pilosa. Photo by Wibowo Djatmiko.*

Native from the Americas, where it grows in open fields and forest glades, the beggar’s tick is now found worldwide, from Eurasia and Africa to Australia and the Pacific Islands. At first it does not call much attention while growing among other weeds. It grows up to 1.8 m tall and has small discrete flowers in a daisy-like head, with a handful of white ray florets and a small disc of yellow florets.

The problem with this fellow happens when you have to pass among them after the flowers have turned into fruits.

The terrible evil infructescence of the beggar’s tick. Photo by Wibowo Djatmiko.*

The fruits of the beggar’s tick are small, stiff, dry rods with about 2–4 small heavily barbed awns at the end. They are arranged in spherical infructescences are are eager to stick on any passing animal. The small barbed awns catch onto fur and clothes and the fruits are easily dispersed to other areas. It is a classical example of zoochory, i.e., seed dispersal by animals. If you live in an area where this plant is common, you most likely have had the experience of finding your clothes full of those prickling seeds, especially after playing, working or simply walking through a field.

But the beggar’s tick is much more than a dull and annoying weed. In Subsaharan Africa, it is one of the most widely eaten plants. Its leaves are edible when cooked, but have a strong and unpleasant taste.

Furthermore, the beggar’s tick is used in traditional medicine in South America and several studies have found out that it is indeed a powerful medicine. Extracts from the plant have shown several medicinal properties, including:

• Antibacterial and antifungal activity
• Antimalarial activity
• Anti-herpes simplex activity
• Ability to reduce tumoral and leukemic cells
• Immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory effects

If this were not enough, the beggar’s tick has the ability to bioacumulate cadmium in its tissues, so that it can be used to depollute cadmium-contaminated soils.

The next time you find your clothes full of beggar’s ticks, remember that it is more, much more, than simply an annoying weed.

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References:

Brandão, M., Krettli, A., Soares, L., Nery, C., & Marinuzzi, H. (1997). Antimalarial activity of extracts and fractions from Bidens pilosa and other Bidens species (Asteraceae) correlated with the presence of acetylene and flavonoid compounds Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 57 (2), 131-138 DOI: 10.1016/S0378-8741(97)00060-3

Chang, J., Chiang, L., Chen, C., Liu, L., Wang, K., & Lin, C. (2001). Antileukemic Activity of Bidens pilosa L. var. minor (Blume) Sherff and Houttuynia cordata Thunb. The American Journal of Chinese Medicine, 29 (02), 303-312 DOI: 10.1142/S0192415X01000320

Chiang, L., Chang, J., Chen, C., Ng, L., & Lin, C. (2003). Anti-Herpes Simplex Virus Activity of Bidens pilosa and Houttuynia cordata The American Journal of Chinese Medicine, 31 (03), 355-362 DOI: 10.1142/S0192415X03001090

Deba, F., Xuan, T., Yasuda, M., & Tawata, S. (2008). Chemical composition and antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal activities of the essential oils from Bidens pilosa Linn. var. Radiata Food Control, 19 (4), 346-352 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2007.04.011

Kviecinski, M., Felipe, K., Schoenfelder, T., de Lemos Wiese, L., Rossi, M., Gonçalez, E., Felicio, J., Filho, D., & Pedrosa, R. (2008). Study of the antitumor potential of Bidens pilosa (Asteraceae) used in Brazilian folk medicine Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 117 (1), 69-75 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2008.01.017

Oliveira, F., Andrade-Neto, V., Krettli, A., & Brandão, M. (2004). New evidences of antimalarial activity of Bidens pilosa roots extract correlated with polyacetylene and flavonoids Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 93 (1), 39-42 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2004.03.026

Pereira, R., Ibrahim, T., Lucchetti, L., da Silva, A., & de Moraes, V. (1999). Immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory effects of methanolic extract and the polyacetylene isolated from Bidens pilosa L. Immunopharmacology, 43 (1), 31-37 DOI: 10.1016/S0162-3109(99)00039-9

Sun, Y., Zhou, Q., Wang, L., & Liu, W. (2009). Cadmium tolerance and accumulation characteristics of Bidens pilosa L. as a potential Cd-hyperaccumulator Journal of Hazardous Materials, 161 (2-3), 808-814 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2008.04.030

Wikipedia. Bidens pilosa. Available at < https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bidens_pilosa >. Access on July 31, 2016.

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