Flaveria bidentis and Flaveria haumanii, effects and bioactivity of sulfatyed flavonoids

GUGLIELMONE G, AGNESE M, CABRERA J

Recent Progress in Medicinal Plants

Studium Press

Lugar: Houston (Texas); Año: 2009;

Flaveria bidentis and F. haumanii are two species from the Asteraceae family, widely distributed from Southern United States to the central area of Argentina. In this country, these species are used in traditional medicine as digestive stimulants, emmenagogues, antiseptic, antifebrile, vermifugue, for skin diseases and against snake poisoning. Even though the genus Flaveria is characterized by synthesizing sulphated flavonoids, these two species in particular are distinguished by the highest grade of sulphation presented by their derivatives of quercetin (tetra and trysulphated). Although, the different biological actions of the flavonoids with aglyconed structures or glycosides in general are well known, there is scarce information about these substances, especially those from the family of sulphate derivatives. In this chapter, we present our investigations related to their inhibitory activity against aldose reductase (enzyme involved in the formation of cataracts in diabetic patients) and their activity and mechanism of action as anticoagulant and antiplatelet agents.