Valeriana de los Andes australes, biodiversidad y compuestos químicos. Tradiciones y transformaciones en etnobotánica

KUTSCHKER, A., ; EZCURRA, C. ; BALZARETTI, V.

Tradiciones y Transformaciones en Etnobotánica

CYTED

Lugar: La Plata; Año: 2010; p. 219 - 224

Valeriana (Valerianaceae) from the southern Andes: biodiversity and chemicals compounds. Several species of valerians are used in traditional medicine and have been studied in detail to test their effects against insomnia, as sedatives, and in relation to other symptoms associated with nervousness. Among the active principles that characterize these plants are valepotriates. The objectives of this study were to estimate species richness of Valeriana in the southern Andes from 33º S to 55º S and to evaluate the presence of valepotriates on native species. We reviewed over a thousand herbarium specimens and material collected in the field, we applied multivariate analysis techniques for the purpose of finding clusters of different regions of the study area according to species composition, and assessed qualitatively the existence of valepotriates using Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC). There are 40 species of Valeriana in the study area, being the central provinces of Chile and Neuquén in Argentina the areas with highest species richness. We determined the presence of valepotriates in 8 of the 10 native species tested. The most promising species for their chemical contents have already been recognized as plants with medicinal value in folk medicine.(Valerianaceae) from the southern Andes: biodiversity and chemicals compounds. Several species of valerians are used in traditional medicine and have been studied in detail to test their effects against insomnia, as sedatives, and in relation to other symptoms associated with nervousness. Among the active principles that characterize these plants are valepotriates. The objectives of this study were to estimate species richness of Valeriana in the southern Andes from 33º S to 55º S and to evaluate the presence of valepotriates on native species. We reviewed over a thousand herbarium specimens and material collected in the field, we applied multivariate analysis techniques for the purpose of finding clusters of different regions of the study area according to species composition, and assessed qualitatively the existence of valepotriates using Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC). There are 40 species of Valeriana in the study area, being the central provinces of Chile and Neuquén in Argentina the areas with highest species richness. We determined the presence of valepotriates in 8 of the 10 native species tested. The most promising species for their chemical contents have already been recognized as plants with medicinal value in folk medicine.