Adonis vernalis

Adonis vernalis, Photo: Michael Lahanas

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Ordo: Ranunculales

Familia: Ranunculaceae
Subfamilia: Ranunculoideae
Tribus: Adonideae
Genus: Adonis
Sectio: A. sect. Consiligo
Subsectio: A. subsect. Vernales
Species: Adonis vernalis
Name

Adonis vernalis L., Sp. Pl. 1: 547. 1753
Synonyms

Homotypic
Adonanthe vernalis (L.) Spach, Hist. Nat. Veg., 7: 228. 1838.
Adoniastrum vernale (L.) Schur, Verh. Naturf. Vereins Brünn, 15 (2) : 27. 1877.
Chrysocyathus vernalis (L.) J.Holub, Preslia 70(2): 103. 1998.
Heterotypic
Adonanthe apennina (L.) Sennikov, Novosti Sist. Vyss. Rast. (New Delhi) 31: 83. 1998.
Adonis apennina L., Sp. Pl. 1: 548. 1753.
Adonis helleborus Crantz, Stirp. Austr. Fasc. 2: 82. 1763.
Adonis jovinienii Sennen & Elias, Monde Pl., 29 (n° 172) : 7. 1928.
Adonis parviflora Janka ex Nyman, Consp. Fl. Eur. 4. 1878.
Adonis pratensis Ledeb., Fl. Ross. 1: 24. 1841.
Adonis vernalis var. granatensis R. Uechtr. ex Willk.
Chrysocyathus apenninus (L.) Sennikov, in Fl. Vostoch. Evropy 10: 179. 2001.

References

Linnaeus, C. 1753. Species Plantarum. Tomus I: 547. Reference page.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Adonis vernalis in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 08-Apr-12.
GBIF.
uBio
BioLib

Vernacular names
العربية: أدونيس ربيعي
azərbaycanca: Bahar xoruzgülü
башҡортса: Һары умырзая
български: пролетен гороцвет
català: Adonis de primavera
čeština: hlaváček jarní
Чӑвашла: Ăншăрт курăкĕ
dansk: Vår-Adonis
Deutsch: Frühlings-Adonisröschen, Frühlingsteufelsauge, Teufelsauge, Frühlingsadonisröschen, Frühlings-Adonis
dolnoserbski: Nalětna adonisowa rožycka
English: pheasant's eye, spring pheasant's eye, yellow pheasant's eye, false hellebore
español: ojo de perdiz, adonis de primavera, adonis, adonis vernal, eléboro falso con flor de buftalmo, flor de Adonis
euskara: Udaberriko adonis
فارسی: چشم قرقاول
suomi: Kevätruusuleinikki
français: Adonis de printemps, Adonis printanier
hornjoserbsce: Nalětnja horiwka
magyar: tavaszi hérics
italiano: Adonide primaverile
қазақша: Көктем жанаргүлі
lietuvių: Pavasarinis adonis
македонски: Пролетен гороцвет
Nederlands: Voorjaarsadonis
Ирон: Æндæдзаг кæрдæг
polski: miłek wiosenny
română: Rușcuță de primăvară
русский: адонис весенний, горицвет весенний, черная трава, черногорка, стародубка
srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски: Gorocvet, Gorocvat, Gospina vlas, Zečji mak
slovenčina: hlaváčik jarný
српски / srpski: гороцвет
svenska: Våradonis, Arontorpsros
українська: горицвіт весняний
中文（简体）: 春侧金盏花
中文（繁體）: 春側金盞花
中文（台灣）: 春側金盞花
中文: 春側金盞花, 春福寿草, 春福壽草

Adonis vernalis, known variously as pheasant's eye, spring pheasant's eye, yellow pheasant's eye and false hellebore, is a perennial flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. It is found in dry meadows and steppes in Eurasia. More specifically, this plant grows in a wide range of locations which include open forests, forest clearings, dry meadows, mesic steppe, and mostly calcareous soil.[1] Isolated populations are found from Spain in the west across Central Europe with fine examples in Valais, Switzerland, and southern Europe, reaching southern Sweden in the north and Abruzzo in the south,[2] with its main area of distribution being the Pannonian Basin and the West Siberian Plain.[3] In contrast to most other European Adonis species, the flowers appear in springtime, and are up to 80 mm in diameter, with up to 20 bright yellow petals. Not only do the flowers being to grow, but so do the plants aerial organs, from around April to May.[4]

The plant is poisonous, containing cardiostimulant compounds, such as adonidin and aconitic acid.[5] In addition, it is often used as an ornamental plant.[6] Infusions of the plant are used in the medicine Bekhterev's mixture.[7]

While the information of therapeutic usages of Adonis vernalis is low, there has been evidence that Adonis vernalis does have potential therapeutic uses, but research is needed to quantify its therapeutic properties.[8]

(Green false hellebore, sometimes also called simply "false hellebore," is Veratrum viride, a member of the lily family.)
Diagram of Adonis vernalis

Traditional uses

Due to the cardiac-enhancing effects of Adonis species (including Adonis vernalis), this plant has a history of use in European and Chinese folk medicine.[9] This plant has been utilized for many different issues and health problems. The local people of the Soviet Union at one point used it to treat edema or swelling in the body, and an ethanolic extract of the aerial parts of the plant were prepared as an alternative cardiac agent.[10] In 1879, a Russian medical doctor, N. O. Buhnow, first introduced into medicine alcoholic extracts of the plant as a cardiac stimulant.[11] In 1898, a mixture of the plant extracts with sodium bromide or codeine was suggested (by Vladimir Bekherev) to treat heart diseases, panic disorder, dystonia and mild forms of epilepsy.[12] Aqueous infusions of the aerial parts of the plant have been traditionally used in Siberia against edema, cardiac edema and several other issues that are heart related, kidney diseases, and even malaria.[13] The biological activity of this extract was defined as 50–66 frog units (amount or liquid of substance that causes the arrest of the heart of a frog) and 6.3–8.0 cat units (amount or liquid of substance that causes the arrest of the heart of a cat) and large enough doses can be toxic.[14]
Phytochemicals

There are many phytochemicals that come from the plant Adonis vernalis and these include cardiac glycosides, other glycosides, and flavones. The compounds that are cardiac glycosides include Cymarin, Adonitoxin, 16-Hydroxy-strophanthidin, Acetyladonitoxin, Vernadigin, 3-Acetylstrophagogenin, Substance N, Strophanthidine fucoside, 3-Epi-periplogenin, 17β-(2’,5’-dihydro-5’-oxo-3’-furyl)-5β-14β-androstane-3α,5β,14β-triol, Adonitoxigenin 2-O-acetylrhamnosidoxyloside, Adonitoxigenin 3-O-acetylrhamnosidoxyloside, Adonitoxigenin rhamnosidoxyloside, Adonitoxigenin 3-O-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-α-L-rhamnopyranoside, Adonitoxigenin 3-O-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-α-L-(3’-O-acetyl)-rhamnopyranoside, Adonitoxigenin-3-[O-α-L-(2’-O-acetyl) rhamnosido-β-D-glucoside, Digitoxigenin. Other glycosides include Adonilide, Fukujusonorone, Fukujusone, 12-O-Nicotinoylisolineolon (Lineolon), 12-O-Benzoylisolineolon, Nicotinoylisoramanone, and Isoramanone (digipurprogenin-II). Flavones include Adonivernith (luteolin-8-hexityl monoxyloside), Homoadonivernith, Orientin, Homoorientin, Isoorientin, Luteolin, and Vitexin.[15]
Floral diagram of Adonis vernalis.
Medicinal uses

There are many medicinal uses from the plant Adonis vernalis, but it is well known for being used as a cardiotonic (having a tonic effect on the heart). The plant contains cardiac glycosides, and these improve the heart's efficiency by increasing its output at the same time as slowing down its rate.[16] These glycosides also have a sedative effect and is often prescribed to patients whose hearts are beating irregularly or at an increased rate.[17] Tinctures of Adonis vernalis are also used by homeopathic physicians in patients that are suffering from congestive cardiac failure and its action is very similar to digitalis (another drug that stimulates the heart muscle).[18] Aqueous extracts of Adonis vernalis were found to have cardiac stimulant effects on isolated heart preparations and it also showed that production of excessive and high potassium concentrations protects against heart failure.[19] Not only are cardiac glycosides derived from this plant but there are also some well-known flavones that were identified with pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, neuro and cardioprotective, and anti-allergic properties.[20]
See also

List of poisonous plants

References

Hirsch, Heidi; Wagner, Viktoria; Danihelka, Jiří; Ruprecht, Eszter; Sánchez Gómez, Pedro; Seifert, Marco; Hensen, Isabell (30 June 2015). "High genetic diversity declines towards the geographic range periphery of Adonis vernalis, a Eurasian dry grassland plant". Plant Biology. 17 (6): 1233–1241. doi:10.1111/plb.12362. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
"Scoperta una nuova specie vegetale rara nel Parco Sirente Velino". NewsTown. Retrieved 2016-05-16.
"Den virtuella floran: Adonis vernalis". Retrieved 17 April 2006.
Gostin, Irina (April 2011). "Anatomical and micromorphological peculiarities of Adonis vernalis L. (Ranunculaceae)". Pakistan Journal of Botany. 43 (2): 811–820. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
"King's American Dispensatory: Adonis". Retrieved 17 April 2006.
Bailey, L. H. (2005). Manual of Gardening (Second Edition). Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.
"Микстура Бехтерева". LEKARSTVENNIK.RU. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
Dragoeva, Asya Pencheva; Ivanova, Tsveteslava; Koleva, Vanya Petrova; Behchet, Leman; Stoyanova, Zheni Dimitrova; Kaschieva, Mariya; Arhangelova, Nina (July 2015). "Comparison of the effect of water infusions of Origanum vulgare ssp. vulgare and Adonis vernalis on the growth of human melanoma cell line and Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria". International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences. 4 (3): 571–577. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
Shang, Xiaofei; Maio, Xiaolou; Yang, Feng; Wang, Chunmei; Li, Bing; Wang, Weiwei; Pan, Hu; Guo, Xiao; Zhang, Yu; Zhang, Jiyu (4 February 2019). "The Genus Adonis as an Important Cardiac Folk Medicine: A Review of the Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology". Frontiers in Pharmacology. 10: 25. doi:10.3389/fphar.2019.00025. PMID 30778296. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
Shang, Xiaofei; Maio, Xiaolou; Yang, Feng; Wang, Chunmei; Li, Bing; Wang, Weiwei; Pan, Hu; Guo, Xiao; Zhang, Yu; Zhang, Jiyu (4 February 2019). "The Genus Adonis as an Important Cardiac Folk Medicine: A Review of the Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology". Frontiers in Pharmacology. 10: 25. doi:10.3389/fphar.2019.00025. PMID 30778296. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
Shikov, Alexander N.; Pozharitskaya, Olga N.; Makarov, Valery G.; Wagner, Hildebert; Verpoorte, Rob; Heinrich, Michael (3 July 2014). "Medicinal Plants of the Russian Pharmacopoeia; their history and applications". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 153 (3): 481–536. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2014.04.007. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
Shikov, Alexander N.; Pozharitskaya, Olga N.; Makarov, Valery G.; Wagner, Hildebert; Verpoorte, Rob; Heinrich, Michael (3 July 2014). "Medicinal Plants of the Russian Pharmacopoeia; their history and applications". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 153 (3): 481–536. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2014.04.007. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
Shikov, Alexander N.; Pozharitskaya, Olga N.; Makarov, Valery G.; Wagner, Hildebert; Verpoorte, Rob; Heinrich, Michael (3 July 2014). "Medicinal Plants of the Russian Pharmacopoeia; their history and applications". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 153 (3): 481–536. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2014.04.007. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
Shikov, Alexander N.; Pozharitskaya, Olga N.; Makarov, Valery G.; Wagner, Hildebert; Verpoorte, Rob; Heinrich, Michael (3 July 2014). "Medicinal Plants of the Russian Pharmacopoeia; their history and applications". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 153 (3): 481–536. doi:10.1016/j.jep.2014.04.007. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
Shang, Xiaofei; Maio, Xiaolou; Yang, Feng; Wang, Chunmei; Li, Bing; Wang, Weiwei; Pan, Hu; Guo, Xiao; Zhang, Yu; Zhang, Jiyu (4 February 2019). "The Genus Adonis as an Important Cardiac Folk Medicine: A Review of the Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology". Frontiers in Pharmacology. 10: 25. doi:10.3389/fphar.2019.00025. PMID 30778296. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
Rouhi, Hossein Reza; Aboutalebian, Mohammad Ali; Saman, Maryam; Karimi, Fatemeh; Champiri, Roya Mahmoudieh (2013). "SEED GERMINATION AND DORMANCY BREAKING METHODS FOR PHEASANT'S EYE (Adonis vernalis L.)"(PDF). International Journal of Agriculture: Research and Review. 3 (1): 172–175. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
Rouhi, Hossein Reza; Aboutalebian, Mohammad Ali; Saman, Maryam; Karimi, Fatemeh; Champiri, Roya Mahmoudieh (2013). "SEED GERMINATION AND DORMANCY BREAKING METHODS FOR PHEASANT'S EYE (Adonis vernalis L.)"(PDF). International Journal of Agriculture: Research and Review. 3 (1): 172–175. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
Esmail, Al-Snafi Ali (2015). "THERAPEUTIC PROPERTIES OF MEDICINAL PLANTS: A REVIEW OF PLANTS WITH CARDIOVASCULAR EFFECTS (PART 1)". International Journal of Pharmacology & Toxicology. 5 (3): 163–176. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
Esmail, Al-Snafi Ali (2015). "THERAPEUTIC PROPERTIES OF MEDICINAL PLANTS: A REVIEW OF PLANTS WITH CARDIOVASCULAR EFFECTS (PART 1)". International Journal of Pharmacology & Toxicology. 5 (3): 163–176. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
Shang, Xiaofei; Maio, Xiaolou; Yang, Feng; Wang, Chunmei; Li, Bing; Wang, Weiwei; Pan, Hu; Guo, Xiao; Zhang, Yu; Zhang, Jiyu (4 February 2019). "The Genus Adonis as an Important Cardiac Folk Medicine: A Review of the Ethnobotany, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology". Frontiers in Pharmacology. 10: 25. doi:10.3389/fphar.2019.00025. PMID 30778296. Retrieved 22 April 2