Search results for "hypericin"
showing 8 items of 8 documents
Content variability of bioactive secondary metabolites in Hypericum perforatum L
2021
Abstract St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum L.; Hypericaceae) is a perennial medicinal herb widespread and largely used in folk medicine inside the Mediterranean basin. Many bioactive compounds have been identified within its extracts. Under a pharmacological point of view, the most important of them belong to the chemical classes of naphthodianthrones, phloroglucinols and polyphenols. Many factors have been claimed responsible for the phytochemical variability in Hypericum perforatum, such as genotype, geographical origin, harvesting stage and age of the plants. Yet, when harvested plant material is addressed to the industry, the standardization of the active ingredients over cultivation…
Phytochemical profiles, phototoxic and antioxidant properties of eleven Hypericum species - A comparative study
2018
Hypericum is one out of the nine genera belonging to the botanical family Clusiaceae Lindl (syn. Hypericaceae Juss.; APG III, 2009). The genus contains 484 species spread worldwide, one of which, Hypericum perforatum, is largely used in folk medicine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition, along with the antioxidant and phototoxic activity, of 11 Hypericum species grown in Sicily (H. perforatum L., H. aegypticum L., H. androsaemum L., H. calycinum L., H. hircinum L., H. hirsutum L., H. montanum L., H. patulum Thunb., H. perfoliatum L., H. pubescens Boiss., H. tetrapterum Fr.). Samples of flowering tops collected from these Hypericum species were extracted and analys…
Characterization and hypericins content in some Hypericum species from Sicily
2014
Different species belonging to the genus Hypericum are distributed into many environments of Sicily, where they represent an important component of wild Sicilian flora (Giardina et al., 2007). Among these, H. perforatum (St John’s Wort) is certainly the most common and famous; its floral parts are largely and traditionally used as a folk herbal remedy for treatment of wounds and burns, and considered an important raw matter for pharmaceutical industry due to their acknowledged antidepressant and sedative properties. Although it is not completely clear yet which compounds are responsible for the biological activity of Hypericum, the European Pharmacopoeia takes as a reference index for evalu…
Variability of Hypericins and Hyperforin in Hypericum Species from the Sicilian Flora
2019
Within Sicilian flora, the genus Hypericum (Guttiferae) includes 10 native species, the most popular of which is H. perforatum. Hypericum's most investigated active compounds belong to naphtodianthrones (hypericin, pseudohypericin) and phloroglucinols (hyperforin, adhyperforin), and the commercial value of the drug is graded according to its total hypericin content. Ethnobotanical sources attribute the therapeutic properties recognized for H. perforatum, also to other Hypericum species. However, their smaller distribution inside the territory suggests that an industrial use of such species, when collected from the wild, would result in an unacceptable depletion of their natural stands. This…
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi altered the hypericin, pseudohypericin, and hyperforin content in flowers of Hypericum perforatum grown under contrastin…
2016
St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a perennial herb able to produce water-soluble active ingredients (a.i.), mostly in flowers, with a wide range of medicinal and biotechnological uses. However, information about the ability of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to affect its biomass accumulation, flower production, and concentration of a.i. under contrasting nutrient availability is still scarce. In the present experiment, we evaluated the role of AMF on growth, flower production, and concentration of bioactive secondary metabolites (hypericin, pseudohypericin, and hyperforin) of H. perforatum under contrasting P availability. AMF stimulated the production of aboveground biomass und…
Hypericum spp.: A Resource from Wild Mediterranean Flora for the Treatment of Mild Depression
2015
The present volume of the series, "Bioactive Phytochemicals: Perspectives for Modern Medicine - Vol. 3" with 21 original research and review articles written by eminent scientists and researchers from within India and abroad has been compiled, and the notable amongst which include: Lupeol as Anticancer Drug; Bioactive Phytochemicals as Phytomedicine and its Pharmacology and Toxicology of Genus Capparis; Artesunate with its Antimalarial Profile; Fractionation and Structural Characterization of Antimicrobials from Woodfordia fruticosa Kurz.; Exocyclic-Nitrogen Alkaloids in Herbalism as a Source of New Drugs; Naringin, a Citrus Flavonone Inhibits the Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP)-Induced Forestomach Ca…
Factors Affecting Polyphenol Biosynthesis in Wild and Field Grown St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum L. Hypericaceae/Guttiferae)
2009
The increasing diffusion of herbal products is posing new questions: why are products so often different in their composition and efficacy? Which approach is more suitable to increase the biochemical productivity of medicinal plants with large-scale, low-cost solutions? Can the phytochemical profile of a medicinal plant be modulated in order to increase the accumulation of its most valuable constituents? Will polyphenol-rich medicinal crops ever be traded as commodities? Providing a proactive answer to such questions is an extremely hard task, due to the large number of variables involved: intraspecific chemodiversity, plant breeding, ontogenetic stage, post-harvest handling, biotic and abi…
Antiproliferative Effects of St. John’s Wort, Its Derivatives, and Other Hypericum Species in Hematologic Malignancies
2021
Hypericumis a widely present plant, and extracts of its leaves, flowers, and aerial elements have been employed for many years as therapeutic cures for depression, skin wounds, and respiratory and inflammatory disorders. Hypericum also displays an ample variety of other biological actions, such as hypotensive, analgesic, anti-infective, anti-oxidant, and spasmolytic abilities. However, recent investigations highlighted that this species could be advantageous for the cure of other pathological situations, such as trigeminal neuralgia, as well as in the treatment of cancer. This review focuses on the in vitro and in vivo antitumor effects of St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum), its derivat…