Ajania belonging to the subtribe Artemisiinae of Anthemideae(Asteraceae) is a genus of semi-shrubs closely related to Chrysanthemum. There are 24 species of Ajania in northwestern China, most of which are folk herbal medicines with strong stress tolerance. Modern medical studies have demonstrated that the chemical constituents of Ajania mainly include terpenoids, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, alkynes, and essential oils. These compounds endow the plants with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antimalarial, antioxidant, and insecticide effects. In this study, we reviewed the research progress in the chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of Ajania, aiming to provide reference for the further research and development of Ajania.
Asteraceae ; Chrysanthemum ; Alkynes ; Antimalarials ; Antioxidants/pharmacology*

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents of Laggera pterodonta.

METHODThe ethanol extract of L. pterodonta was isolated by column chromatogramphy on silica gel, ODS, and Sephadex LH-20 to afford compounds. The structures of the obtained compounds were identified by chemical reactions and spectroscopic analysis.

RESULTNineteen compounds were separated and identified to be pterodondiol (1), ilicic acid (2), artemitin (3), chrysosplenetin B (4), 3,5-dihydroxy-3',4',6,7-tetramethoxyflavone (5), chrysosplenol D (6), 5,6,4'-trihydroxy-3,7-dimethoxyflavone (7), quercetin (8), tamarixetin (9), patuletin (10), quercetin-3-O-beta-D-galactopyranoside (11), patuletin-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (12), helichrysoside (13), 4,5,7-trihydroxy-6-methoxyflavone-3-O-beta-D-rutinoside (14), kaempferol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (15), stigmasterol (16), stigmasterol 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (17), 2-hydroxy-benzoic acid (18), beta-sitosterol (19).

CONCLUSIONCompounds 5, 7, 9-15, and 17-18 were isolated from this plant for the first time. The 13C-NMR data of compound 7 is reported for the first time.

Chrysanthemum coronarium is an economically important plant in Asia, and used medicinally, ornamentally and as a vegetable. In April 2017, leaf spot disease on C. coronarium was observed in Shiyan, Hubei, China. A single-spore isolate was obtained and identified based on morphology and sequence analysis using four regions (rDNA ITS, GAPDH, EF-1α, and RPB2). The results indicated that the fungus is Alternaria argyranthemi. The pathogenicity tests revealed that the species could cause severe leaf spot and blight disease on the host. This is the first report of leaf spot disease on C. coronarium caused by A. argyranthemi in the world, which is also a new record of Alternaria species in China.
Alternaria* ; Asia ; Asteraceae ; China* ; Chrysanthemum* ; Fungi ; Plants ; Sequence Analysis ; Vegetables ; Virulence

Wedelia calen-dulacea Less. (Asteraceae) is well known for its antibacterial, demulcent and antifebrile properties, it is a traditional medicine which wild growing in many areas in Viet Nam. The researchers firstly study its chemical composition. Results of the chemical analysis show that: The plant contains flavonoid, alcaloids, coumarin, triterpenoid saponins, tanin, sugars, fat, sterols and carotenoid. The content of total flavonoids is about 1% (on dry basis), at least 11 spots on chromatogram. The content of total saponins is about 12% (on dry basis). The analysis with 3 different solvent systems revealed at least 15 spots on chromatogram. Some of the spots can be shown with both flavonoid and coumarin reagents, these are tentatively called coumestan components.
Asteraceae ; Medicine, Traditional ; Biochemistry

In this study, the embryological characters of Pterocypsela formosana (Asteraceae) were investigated with the traditional paraffin section methods. The anther has 4 sporangiates, the anther wall development follows the dicotyledonous type and comprises of an epidermis, endothelium, a middle layer and a single-layered tapetum, the tapetum belongs to glandular type. Meiosis of the microspore mother cells is of the simultaneous type, for the formation of mostly tetrahedral tetrad, the mature pollen grains are 2 celled. The ovary is bicarpellate, unilocular, one ovule and basal placenta, the ovule is unitegmic, tenuinucellate, inverted campylotropous and with developed endothelium, archesporial cell of megaspore differentiates immediately below the nucellar epidermis and functions as megasporocyte after development and belongs to tenuinucellate ovule type. The megasporocyte undergoes meitotic to form a liner tetrad, only one chalazal megaspore becomes the functional megaspore which forms female gametophyte including 7-celled and 8-nucleated after three successive mitosis, the female gametophyte is of the Polygonum type. Two polar nuclei melt into a secondary nuclei before fertilization, the chalazal antipodal cells are ephemeral and degenerate shortly after forming. Fertilization is porogamous and belongs to premitotic type of syngamy. The division of the primary endosperm nucleus is earlier than the zygote, the endosperm is of the nuclear type with the presence of haustoria, and the embryogeny belongs to asterad type chicory variant. The developed suspensor on early stage has important significance to the embryo development.
Asteraceae ; embryology ; Meiosis ; Reproduction

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents contained in ethanol extracts from aerial parts of Emilia sonchifolia.

METHODThe compounds were separated and purified with various chromatographic techniques, and their structures were identified on the basis of physicochemical properties and spectral data.

RESULTFifteen compounds were separated from ethyl acetate fraction of 90% ethanolic extract and identified as rhamnetin (1), isorhamnetin (2), quercetin (3), luteolin (4), tricin-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5), 8-(2"-pyrrolidinone-5"-yl) -quercetin (6), 5, -2', 6'-trihydroxy-7, 8-dimethoxyflavone-2'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (7), succinic acid (8), fumaric acid (9), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (10), 4-hydroxy isophthalic acid (11), 3, 4-dihydroxycinnamic acid (12), esculetin (13), isowedelolactone (14) and uracil (15), respectively.

CONCLUSIONAll compounds except compound 3 were separated from this genus for the first time.

Ligularia duciformis is a plant of the Ligularia genus (Compositae) which has been reported to have therapeutic effects of treating diseases such as bronchitis and coughing. In order to find out the bioactive components, the 85% ethanol extract of the root and rhizome of L. duciformis was treated by solvents extraction and column chromatography on silica gel and Sephadex LH-20. Six compounds were obtained from the ethyl acetate fraction and identified as 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylpropyl caffeate (I), 6beta, 8beta-dihydroxyeremophil-7 (11)-en-12, 8alpha-olide (II), 6beta, 8alpha-dihydroxyeremophil-7 (11)-en-12, 8beta-olide (III), 6beta-hydroxyeremophil-7 (11)-en-12, 8alpha-olide (IV), stigmasterol (V) and beta-daucosterol (VI) by analysis of their physic-chemical constants and spectral data. Compound I is a new compound and compounds II - V were isolated from L. duciformis for the first time. The antitussive effect of the compounds is under evaluation.
Asteraceae ; chemistry ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

The contents of chlorogenic acid, 3,5-O-caffeoylquinic acid, galuteolin and quercitrin in Sanvitalia procumbens and Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. 'Hangju' and 'Gongju' were determined by RP-HPLC. The main active ingredient of S. procumbens was similar to C. morifolium cv. 'Hangju' and 'Gongju'. The content varied significantly. The contents of chlorogenic acid, quercitrin and galuteolin in S. procumbens were 7.46, 46.58, 26.01 mg x g(-1), respectively, and they were the highest among the samples. The content of 3,5-O-caffeoylquinic acid in C. morifolium cv. 'Hangju' was 14.70 mg x g(-1), it was the highest among the samples. The data of the study provide a basis for further research and development of S. procumbens.
Asteraceae ; chemistry ; Chlorogenic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Chrysanthemum ; chemistry ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; analysis ; Quinic Acid ; analogs & derivatives ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo investigate the seasonal variation of total flavonoid content of Farfugium japonicum and its response to stress.

METHODSThe total flavonoids of Farfugium japonicum were determined by spectrophotometry in different seasons and under various stressful factors.

RESULTSThe total flavonoid content in Farfugium japonicum leaves was the highest, followed by the petiole, and rhizomes (P<0.05). The total flavonoid content in the leaves in December was higher than that in other months; that in the petiole and rhizome fluctuated in different seasons (P<0.05). As the light intensity enhanced, the total flavonoids in Farfugium japonicum leaves, petioles, rhizomes showed a downward trend. With the increase of water stress, the total flavonoid content in Farfugium japonicum leaves gradually increased, that in petiole first increased and then decreased,while that in rhizomes decreased (P<0.05). With the salt stress, the total flavonoid content in leaves, petioles and rhizomes of Farfugium japonicum showed a decreasing trend (P<0.05). With the increasing of temperature, the total flavonoid content in the leaves showed a gradually increasing trend; that in petiole first decreased and then increased,while that in the rhizomes first increased and then decreased (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe total flavonoids of Farfugium japonicum fluctuate with the change of seasons and that in different parts of the plant has different responses to ecological stressful factors.

The triterpenoids of Dichrocephala benthamii were investigated by means of silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and semi-preparative HPLC. Nine triterpenoids were isolated from D. benthamii. By analysis of the EI-MS, NMR spectra and comparison to the data reported in literatures, the structures of these compounds were determined as β-amyrin formiate (1), β-amyrin acetate (2), β-amyrenol (3), β-amyrone (4), 3β-hydroxy-olean-11, 13 (18)-diene (5) , Δ12-oleanene (6) , friedelin (7), dammaradienyl acetate (8), epi-friedeband (9), respectively. Compounds 1-8 were isolated for the first time form this genus, compound 9 was isolated for the first time from this plant, whereas β-amyrin formiate (1) was a new natural product.
Asteraceae ; chemistry ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification