NIS - libdoc.who.int - World Health Organization

Herba Leonuri
Other purity tests
Content of mineral matter not more than 1% (2). Chemical and sulfated
ash tests to be established in accordance with national requirements.
Chemical assays
Contains not less than 0.2% of total flavonoids, expressed as hyperoside (1).
Major chemical constituents
The major constituents of the aerial parts are flavonoids: O-glycosides of
quercetin (including rutin, quercitrin, isoquercitrin, hyperoside), of
kaempferol and of apigenin. Also present are the apigenin derivatives genkwanin
and quinqueloside, the alkaloids ((–)-stachydrine and leonurine),
iridoid glucosides (leonuride, ajugol, galiridoside and reptoside), diterpenoids
(leocardin, mixture of 2 clerodane derivatives), cycloleonuripeptides
(A, B, C and D), triterpenes (ursolic acid), bitter glycosides, caffeic
acid 4-rutinoside and tannins (4, 6, 16–19, 32–39). The structures of the
characteristic constituents are presented below.
Medicinal uses
Uses supported by clinical data
Positive cardiovascular effects have been reported in open clinical trials
(41, 42).
H 3
C CH 3
N + H
CO 2
-
stachydrine
H 3
CO
HO
OCH 3
O
O
leonurine
H
N NH 2
NH
OH
H 3
C H
HO
H
O
Glc
O
leonuride
HO
O
OH
HO
H 3
C
H 3
C
O
O
H
O
CH 3 O
O
O CH 3
H
leocardin
H 3
CO
O
OH O
genkwanin
O
Glc = OH
HO
OH
β-D-glucopyranosyl
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