Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
Latin American Endemic (Wild) Medicinal Plants with High Value
Published in Mahendra Rai, Shandesh Bhattarai, Chistiane M. Feitosa, Wild Plants, 2020
Amner Muñoz-Acevedo, María C. González, Ricardo D.D.G. de Alburquerque, Ninoska Flores, Alberto Giménez-Turba, Feliza Ramón-Farias, Leticia M. Cano-Asseleih, Elsa Rengifo
Smilax aristolochiifolia Mill.—synonyms—S. kerberi F.W. Apt., S. medica Schltdl. and Cham., S. milleri Steud., S. ornata Lem. Common names—bigote de cozol/camalla/cosole, cuaumecapatli, mecapatli, cuculmeca, t’oknal ts’aah, es‘co’ka, coco(l)meca, z(s)arz(s)aparrilla, gray/Mexican/Veracruz sarsaparilla. Perennial climbing plant (up to 5 m) with prickly stems and tendrils, thin branches; leathery, extended, and alternate/ovate leaves; small and green dioecious flowers and red small globose fruits. The species is native to Mesoamerica region (Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, etc.) at altitudes of 100–800 m. The most used part of the plant is the root which is exploited as medicine and food by indigenous/peasant communities. The known therapeutic uses are against renal, digestive, reproductive, skin, respiratory and joint disorders, and cancer (Argueta-Villamar et al. 1994, Martínez et al. 2007, Duke et al. 2009, Ferrufino-Acosta and Greuter 2010, Tropicos 2019).
Smilax (Sarsaparilla)
Published in Linda M. Castell, Samantha J. Stear (Nottingham), Louise M. Burke, Nutritional Supplements in Sport, Exercise and Health, 2015
The plant genus Smilax includes several hundred species from the lily order that are distributed globally and commonly known as greenbriar or sarsaparilla (also spelled ‘zarzaparilla’ and often pronounced ‘sasparilla’). The bark and parts that grow below ground (rhizomes and roots) from these plants are used by many traditional cultures to produce root beer, food or various herbal medicines. Smilax supplements are often produced from Smilax aristolochiifolia (syn. S. medica), Smilax officinalis and Smilax regelii and are rich in a category of plant sterols called saponins including sarsasapogenin (sarsapogenin), smilagenin (a derivative of sapogenin), sitosterol and stigmasterol. Plant sterols as a group are covered elsewhere in this book (see section on plant sterols).
Sarsasapogenin and fluticasone combination improves DNFB induced atopic dermatitis lesions in BALB/c mice
Published in Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology, 2021
Deepa S. Mandlik, Satish K. Mandlik, Snehal S. Patel
Sarsasapogenin (Figure 1) is a steroidal sapogenin found in numerous Smilax species, including Smilax china, Smilax officinalis, Smilax aspera, Smilax ornata, Smilax febrifuga and Smilax aristolochiifolia [23]. It is also present in the Anemarrhena asphodeloides rhizome that is utilized in Chinese traditional medicine. Also used as a starting product for the development of steroidal hormones. It has a wide range of pharmacological properties, including anti-depressant and anti-tumor properties. SG improves memory by raising the number of acetylcholine receptors in the brains of the memory-deficient model in the rat [24]. The anti-inflammatory function of SG obtained from S. officinalis is equivalent to that of traditional anti-inflammatory drugs such as dexamethasone [25]. Psoriasis, arthritis, and rheumatism are also treated with SG [26–28]. The effect of SG has also been evaluated in rats in the early stages of diabetic nephropathy [29]. Ingawale et al. [30] have studied the effect of combining SG and FC in ovalbumin convinced bronchial asthma in a mice model [30].
Protective effect of sarsasapogenin in TNBS induced ulcerative colitis in rats associated with downregulation of pro-inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress
Published in Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology, 2021
Deepa S. Mandlik, Satish K. Mandlik, Snehal Patel
Sarsasapogenin (Figure 1) is a steroidal sapogenin found in many Smilax species, including Smilax officinalis, Smilax aspera, Smilax ornata, Smilax china, Smilax febrifuga and Smilax aristolochiifolia [20]. It is also present in the Anemarrhena asphodeloides rhizome, which is used in Chinese traditional medicine. It is used as a starting material for the development of steroid hormones. It has a wide range of pharmacological properties, including anti-depressant and anti-tumor. Hu et al. investigated the memory-enhancing role of SG by raising the concentration of the muscarinic receptor in the brains of memory-deficient rat models [21]. The anti-inflammatory function of SG obtained from S. officinalis is equivalent to that of traditional anti-inflammatory drugs such as dexamethasone [22]. Psoriasis, arthritis, and rheumatism are also treated with it [23–25]. Liu et al. recently investigated the effects of SG in rats in the early stages of diabetic nephropathy [26]. Ingawale et al. have studied the anti-asthmatic effect of SG in combination with FC in ovalbumin-induced airway inflammation in mice [27].