Tanacetum species: Bridging empirical knowledge, phytochemistry, nutritional value, health benefits and clinical evidence

Introduction: The Tanacetum genus consists of 160 accepted flowering species thriving throughout temperate regions, mainly in the Mediterranean Basin, Northern America, and southwestern and eastern Asia. Tanacetum species bear a long-standing record of use in the folk medicine of indigenous tribes and communities worldwide, along with multitudinous applications in traditional cuisines, cosmeceuticals, and agricultural fields. Methods: Up-to-date data related to traditional uses, phytochemistry, biological activities, toxicity and clinical trials of the genus Tanacetum were systematically reviewed from several online scientific engines, including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, SciFinder, Wiley Online, Science Direct, and Cochrane library. Results and discussion: Over the past three decades, 241 metabolites have been isolated from nearly twenty species, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, coumarins, fatty acids and alkanes, aldehydes, volatile compounds, and naphthoquinones. Some unique metabolites have also been identified, such as the ceramides tanacetamide (A-D) from T. artemisioides, pyrethrins from T. cinerariifolium, and sesquiterpene lactones from several species. However, these secondary metabolites are still poorly studied despite in vitro clues highlighting their colossal pharmacological properties, especially as hypotensive, neuroprotective, anticancer, and antimicrobial agents. Scientific studies have validated some traditional claims of the plant, such as antidiabetic, anticancer, anthelmintic, insecticide, antioxidant, and hepatoprotective activities, as well as against festering wounds, skin ulcers, urinary tract infections, and sexually transmitted diseases. Other ethnomedicinal uses for arthritis, gout, rheumatism, anemia, and as a litholytic, antivenom and diaphoretic have not yet been supported and would constitute the subject of further research.

(Tansy) as an effective bioresource with promising pharmacological effects from natural arsenal

The Tanacetum genus is a big treasure with the presence of biologically-active compounds and members of this genus are widely used for the treatment of several diseases in traditional medicine system. Considering this fact, we aimed to analyze the extracts from Tanacetum vulgare L. in case of chemical profiles and biological effects. Chemical characterization was performed by using UHPLC-HRMS technique and showed the presence of several phytochemical groups (107 compounds were identified, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, terpenoids and fatty acids. Biological abilities were examined by using antioxidant (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, CUPRAC, metal chelating and phosphomolybdenum assays) and enzyme inhibition (tyrosinase, amylase, glucosidase and cholinesterase) properties. Pharmaco-toxicological investigations were also performed with the aim to identify limits of biocompatibility, anti-oxidant and neuromodulatory effects, in hypothalamic HypoE22 cells. A bioinformatic analysis was also carried to unravel the putative protein-targets for the observed biological effects. Generally, the tested hexane and hydroalcoholic extracts displayed stronger activities in antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory assays, when compared with water. In addition, multivariate analysis was performed to understand the differences in both solvents and plant parts and we clearly observed the separation of these parameters. The extracts (10 μg/mL) also stimulated DAT and inhibited TNFα and BDNF gene expression, in HypoE22 cells. In parallel, the extracts were also able to stimulate norepinephrine release from this cell line. By contrast, in the concentration range 50-100 μg/mL, the extracts reduced the HypoE22 viability, thus demonstrating cytotoxicity at concentrations 5-10 fold higher compared to those effective as neuromodulatory. Our observations manifested that T. vulgare has several beneficial effects and it can be used as a potential natural raw material for designing further health-promoting applications in nutraceutical, cosmeceutical, and pharmaceutical areas.

Cytotoxic Activity of Thirteen Endemic and Rare Plants from Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province in Iran

Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province is one of the most important endemism states of the flora of Iran with a considerable plant species diversity. In the present study, the cytotoxic activity of 13 plant species grown in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari have been evaluated on prostate (PC-3), breast (MCF-7), liver (HepG2), ovary (CHO), and melanoma (B16-F10) cancer cell lines. The cytotoxicity and apoptotic activity of methanol extracts was evaluated using resazurin reagent and flow cytometry of PI stained cells, respectively. Methanol extracts of Dionysia sawyeri, Stachys obtusicrena and Cicer oxyodon on CHO cell line (p <0.05) and D. sawyer and Linum album on B16/F10 cell line (p <0.05) showed significant cytotoxic effects and increased apoptosis. It is generally suggested that the plant extracts with low IC50 values are likely to be used as anti-cancer compounds in reducing cancer progression in scientific studies.

In vivo activity assessment of some Tanacetum species used as traditional wound healer along with identification of the phytochemical profile by a new validated HPLC method

OBJECTIVES

Tanacetum species are traditionally used as insecticide, and externally wound healer as well as for anti-inflammatory and antihistaminic properties. The in vivo wound-healing and anti-inflammatory potential of four Tanacetum species, Tanacetum argenteum (Lam.) Willd. subsp. argenteum (TA), Tanacetum heterotomum (Bornm.) Grierson (TH), Tanacetum densum (Lab.) Schultz Bip. subsp. sivasicum (TD), and Tanacetum vulgare L. (TV) was investigated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The chloroform (CHCl₃) and methanol:water (80:20) extracts were prepared from the aerial parts of each plant. For assessment of the wound-healing activity, linear incision on rats and circular excision on mice wound models were used and histopathological analyses were conducted on the tissues treated with the test materials. For the evaluation of the anti-inflammatory activity, Whittle Method based on the inhibition of the acetic acid-induced increase in capillary permeability was used. In order to elucidate the phytochemical contents of the extracts, HPLC profiles of active fractions were screened and quantitative analysis was conducted within the scope of HPLC analysis.

RESULTS

The CHCl₃ extracts of TD, TA and TV were found to have significant wound healing activity (37.1%, 30.8% and 26.1% tensile strength; 88.05%, 72.93% and 44.88% contraction values, respectively) and anti-inflammatory activities (31.5% and 26.6% inhibition values for TD and TA). Parthenolide content of the CHCl₃ extracts of TA, TH and TV were found 242.66±1.53, 190.16±5.62 and 177.51±3.73 µg/100 mg plant material, respectively.

CONCLUSION

According to the results, the other secondary metabolites present in the aerial parts of the Tanacetum species possibly exerted synergistic effects on the observed healing of the wounds.

A spiroketal-enol ether derivative from Tanacetum vulgare selectively inhibits HSV-1 and HSV-2 glycoprotein accumulation in Vero cells

The inhibitory effects of Tanacetum vulgare rhizome extracts on HSV-1 and HSV-2 in vitro replication were assessed. Unlike extracts obtained from the aerial parts, adsorption inhibition and virucidal activities seemed not to be relevant for the observed antiviral action of tansy rhizome extracts. Instead, the most significant effects were the inhibition of virus penetration and a novel mechanism consisting of the specific arrest of viral gene expression and consequently the decrease of viral protein accumulation within infected cells. Through a bioactivity-guided fractionation protocol we isolated and identified the spiroketal-enol ether derivative (E)-2-(2,4-hexadiynyliden)-1,6-dioxaspiro[4.5]dec-3-ene as the active compound responsible for this inhibitory effect.