|
Psoralea Corylifolia
''Psoralea corylifolia'' (Babchi) is a plant used in Indian and Chinese traditional medicine. The seeds of this plant contain a variety of coumarins, including psoralen. Etymology ''Psoralea'' is from the Greek ''psoraleos'' meaning 'scabby', and refers to small glands covering the plant. ''Corylifolia'' comes from similarity of the leaves to those of Corylus, a genus of tree in northern world regions, such as Sweden. Description ''Psoralea corylifolia'' grows 50–90 cm tall and is an annual plant. It has pale-purple flowers in short, condensed, axillary spikes. Its corolla is pale purple. Flowers one-seeded fruits. The most distinctive feature is the occurrence of minute brown glands which are immersed in surface tissue on all parts of the plant, giving it a distinctive and pleasant fragrance. Habitat and distribution ''P. corylifolia'' is native to India and Sri Lanka, and was occasionally cultivated in Arabia for its supposed medicinal properties. Chemical constituen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Plant
Plants are predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all current definitions of Plantae exclude the fungi and some algae, as well as the prokaryotes (the archaea and bacteria). By one definition, plants form the clade Viridiplantae (Latin name for "green plants") which is sister of the Glaucophyta, and consists of the green algae and Embryophyta (land plants). The latter includes the flowering plants, conifers and other gymnosperms, ferns and their allies, hornworts, liverworts, and mosses. Most plants are multicellular organisms. Green plants obtain most of their energy from sunlight via photosynthesis by primary chloroplasts that are derived from endosymbiosis with cyanobacteria. Their chloroplasts contain chlorophylls a and b, which gives them their green color. Some plants are parasitic or mycotrophic and have lost the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Phytochemical
Phytochemicals are chemical compounds produced by plants, generally to help them resist fungi, bacteria and plant virus infections, and also consumption by insects and other animals. The name comes . Some phytochemicals have been used as poisons and others as traditional medicine. As a term, ''phytochemicals'' is generally used to describe plant compounds that are under research with unestablished effects on health, and are not scientifically defined as essential nutrients. Regulatory agencies governing food labeling in Europe and the United States have provided guidance for industry to limit or prevent health claims about phytochemicals on food product or nutrition labels. Definition Phytochemicals are chemicals of plant origin. Phytochemicals (from Greek ''phyto'', meaning "plant") are chemicals produced by plants through primary or secondary metabolism. They generally have biological activity in the plant host and play a role in plant growth or defense against competitors, p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Angelicin
Angelicin is the parent compound in a family of naturally occurring organic compounds known as the angular furanocoumarins. Structurally, it can be considered as benzapyra-2-one fused with a furan moiety in the 7,8-position. Angelicin is commonly found in certain Apiaceae and Fabaceae plant species such as ''Bituminaria bituminosa''. It has a skin permeability coefficient (Log''Kp'') of -2.46. The maximum absorption is observed at 300 nm. The 1HNMR spectrum is available; the infrared and mass spectra of angelicin can be found in thidatabase The sublimation of angelicin occurs at 120 °C and the pressure of 0.13 Pa. Angelicin is a coumarine. History and etymology Humans have used plants rich in angelicin for centuries. The earliest known record dates back to 3000 BC when ancient Egyptians applied the oil and sap of local ''Apiaceae'' species exposing their skin to sunlight to cure vitiligo. In meantime, tribes in India used ''Psoralea corylifolia'' which contained psora ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Psoralidin
Psoralidin is a natural phenolic compound found in the seeds of ''Psoralea corylifolia''. Chemical synthesis Psoralidin production starts with a based catalyzed condensation between phenyl acetate and acid chloride. To form the ring of psoralidin, an intramolecular cyclization occurs, finished off by a microwave assisted cross metathesis reaction. Pharmacology Psoralidin inhibits forskolin-induced corticotrophin releasing factor gene transcription. Recently, it has shown activity ''in vitro'' against gastric, colon, prostate, and breast cancer lines. It has the capability to inhibit protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B, a key metabolite involved in insulin signaling. Psoralidin has shown positive results in the forced swim test, a mouse model of antidepressant activity. Psoralidin raised 5-hydroxytryptamine and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid levels in the brain. Dopamine levels changed as well as a result of psoralidin consumption. Stress hormones in mice such as serum cortico ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
