Sigesbeckia

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Cladus: Campanulids
Ordo: Asterales

Familia: Asteraceae
Subfamilia: Asteroideae
Tribus: Millerieae
Subtribus: Milleriinae
Genus: Sigesbeckia
Species: S. agrestis – S. australiensis – S. bogotensis – S. flosculosa – S. glabrescens – S. jorullensis – S. nudicaulis – S. orientalis – S. pringlei – S. pubescens – S. repens – S. serrata
Name

Sigesbeckia L., Sp. Pl. 2: 900. (1753)

Type species: Sigesbeckia orientalis L., Sp. Pl. 2: 900. (1753)

References

Linnaeus, C. 1753. Species Plantarum 2: 900.
Hassler, M. 2018. Sigesbeckia. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2018. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2018 Jan. 29. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2018. Sigesbeckia. Published online. Accessed: Jan. 29 2018.
Tropicos.org 2018. Sigesbeckia. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2018 Jan. 29.

Vernacular names
suomi: Nystytähdet

Sigesbeckia (also Siegesbeckia) is a genus of annual plants in the aster family.[2][3] St. Paul's wort is a common name for some of the species.[4] Sigesbeckia is widely distributed and has been traditionally used for the management of chronic diseases, including arthritis. Based on phytochemical studies, the main chemicals in Sigesbeckia include flavonoids, sesquiterpenoids, diterpenoids, triterpenoids, and sterols. Kaurane-type and pimarane-type diterpenoids, including siegeskaurolic acid, kirenol, and sesquiterpene lactone are the main bio-active molecules in Sigesbeckia.

Origin

Sigesbeckia is named for a botanist Johann Georg Siegesbeck, who was a strong critic of Carl Linnaeus's botanic classification system. He was known to refer to it as "Loathsome Harlotry" because of the focus of the system upon the presence of (or lack of) sex organs in plants and their locations and groupings.[5] Siegesbeck tried to refute Linnaeus' sexual classification system, but was unable to provide sound scholastic arguments to support his arguments. In Linnaeus' work, Critica Botanica, he proposed that there should be a link between the plant and the botanist after whom it was named. Considering the feud between Sigesbeck and Linnaeus, it is not unsurprising that in the classification book Hortus Cliffortianus, Linnaeus named a pungent weed Siegesbeckia.
Classification

Sigesbeckia is related to a group of South American plants variously known as subtribe Espeletiinae or the Espeletia complex, which include genera such as Axiniphyllum, Espeletia, Polymnia, Smallanthus, Rumfordia, Trigonospermum, and Unxia.[6][7]

Some African Sigesbeckia species were transferred, at least by some authors, to Guizotia.[8]

Species[1]

Sigesbeckia agrestis Poepp. – Central + South America
Sigesbeckia andersoniae B.L.Turner – Michoacán
Sigesbeckia australiensis D.L.Schulz – Australia
Sigesbeckia blakei (McVaugh & Lask.) B.L.Turner – Guerrero
Sigesbeckia bojeri (DC.) Humbert – Madagascar
Sigesbeckia fugax Pedley – Queensland
Sigesbeckia glabrescens (Makino) Makino – China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam
Sigesbeckia hartmanii B.L.Turner – Mexico
Sigesbeckia integrifolia Gagnep. – Vietnam
Sigesbeckia jorullensis Kunth – Latin America, West Indies
Sigesbeckia microcephala DC. – Western Australia
Sigesbeckia nudicaulis Standl. & Steyerm. – Guatemala
Sigesbeckia orientalis L. – temperate Asia, Australia, Ukraine
Sigesbeckia pringlei D.L.Schulz – Mexico
Sigesbeckia pubescens (Makino) Makino – China
Sigesbeckia repens B.L.Rob. & Greenm. – Oaxaca
Sigesbeckia serrata DC. – Argentina, Chile

Traditional medicine

Three species of Sigesbeckia are used in traditional medicine: Sigesbeckia orientalis, Sigesbeckia pubescens, and Sigesbeckia glabracens, although the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, only recognizes two species, with Sigesbeckia pubescens considered a subspecies of Sigesbeckia orientalis. In traditional medicine, the aerial parts of the plant are used to treat rheumatic conditions such as arthritis, joint pain, muscle pain, sciatica. It is also used to treat hypertension. Use of Sigesbeckia as a traditional medicine dates back to 659 AD, when it was first reference in Chinese materia medica. The traditional Chinese medicine is called xi xian cao, and is used to "dispel wind-dampness, to strengthen sinews, and for wind-heat-damp pain obstructions".
Research
Analgesic

Oral administration of Sigesbeckia has been shown to have mild effect at reducing pain when taken orally.[9] Topical application of Sigesbeckia extract has also been shown to have an analgesic effect.[10]
Anti-inflammatory

Sigesbeckia extracts have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties, and reduces phase 2 oedema, by inhibiting nitric oxide, prostaglandin E2, and tumor necrosis factor alpha.[9][10] Sigesbeckia has been shown to act on the NF-κB pathway of inflammation. The transcription factor NF-κB regulates multiple aspects of immune function and is a pivotal mediator of the inflammatory response. Activation of the NF-κB pathway induces the expression of pro-inflammatory genes, including those that encode cytokines and chemokines that propagate the inflammatory response.[11] Sigesbeckia extracts have been shown to inhibit NF-κB in macrophages, white blood cells that are involved in inflammation. In lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages, Sigesbeckia significantly inhibits nitric oxide (NO), MCP-1, IL-6, iNOS, TNF-α and COX-2 expression.[12][13]
Antioxidant

Sigesbeckia extracts have been shown to have a range of antioxidant activities. Butanolic and aqueous extracts have been shown to inhibit the superoxide radical, hydroxyl radical, and inhibit lipid peroxidation.[14]
Cartilage protection

Oral administration of Sigesbeckia extract has been shown to significantly protect joint cartilage in osteoarthritis. Daily use for four weeks showed a dose-dependant improvement in joint stiffness and histological parameters. Sigesbeckia increased the expression of proteoglycan, aggrecan and type-2 collagen, important structural proteins used in the synthesis of articular cartilage. Sigesbeckia also decreased the expression of protease enzymes (ADAMTS and MMPs) that are responsible for the degradation of aggrecan and cartilage.[15] Four weeks of use of Sigesbeckia extract was shown to significantly decrease levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-1B and TNF-α in joint fluid, and was able to protect cartilage cells from damage and degradation.[16]
References

Flann, C (ed) 2009+ Global Compositae Checklist Archived 12 November 2014 at archive.today
"Sigesbeckia L." Digital Flora of Taiwan.
Linnaeus, Carl von. 1753. Species Plantarum 2: 900–901
USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Sigesbeckia". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
"Carl Linnaeus". Biography of Linnaeus.
Rauscher, J. T. (2002). "Molecular phylogenetics of the Espeletia complex (Asteraceae): evidence from nrDNA ITS sequences on the closest relatives of an Andean adaptive radiation" (free full text). American Journal of Botany. 89 (7): 1074–84. doi:10.3732/ajb.89.7.1074. PMID 21665707.
Panero, Jose L.; Jansen, RK; Clevinger, JA (1999). "Phylogenetic Relationships of Subtribe Ecliptinae (Asteraceae: Heliantheae) Based on Chloroplast DNA Restriction Site Data" (free full text). American Journal of Botany. 86 (3): 413–427. doi:10.2307/2656762. JSTOR 2656762. PMID 10077503.
Bekele, Endashaw; Geleta, Mulatu; Dagne, Kifle; Jones, Abigail L.; Barnes, Ian; Bradman, Neil; Thomas, Mark G. (2007). "Molecular phylogeny of genus Guizotia (Asteraceae) using DNA sequences derived from ITS". Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 54 (7): 1419. doi:10.1007/s10722-006-9126-0.
Park, H-J (2006). "Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effect of a diterpene isolated from the aerial part of Siegesbeckia pubescens". Korean Journal of Plant Research. 19: 660–664.
Wang; et al. (2008). "Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity of topical administrations of Siegesbeckia pubescens". Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Science. 21 (2): 89–91.
Liu, Ting; Zhang, Lingyun; Joo, Donghyun; Sun, Shao-Cong (14 July 2017). "NF-κB signaling in inflammation". Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy. 2: 17023. doi:10.1038/sigtrans.2017.23. ISSN 2095-9907. PMC 5661633. PMID 29158945.
Kim, Jae Yeon; Lim, Hyo Jin; Ryu, Jae-Ha (15 February 2008). "In vitro anti-inflammatory activity of 3-O-methyl-flavones isolated from Siegesbeckia glabrescens". Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters. 18 (4): 1511–1514. doi:10.1016/j.bmcl.2007.12.052. ISSN 1464-3405. PMID 18178435.
Zhong, Zhangfeng; Zhang, Qianru; Tao, Hongxun; Sang, Wei; Cui, Liao; Qiang, Wenan; Cheang, Wai San; Hu, Yuanjia; Yu, Hua; Wang, Yitao (2019). "Anti-inflammatory activities of Sigesbeckia glabrescens Makino: combined in vitro and in silico investigations". Chinese Medicine. 14: 35. doi:10.1186/s13020-019-0260-y. ISSN 1749-8546. PMC 6757439. PMID 31572487.
Su, JD (1986). "Screening for antioxidative activity of crude drugs". Agricultural and Biological Chemistry. 50 (1): 199–203.
Huh, Jeong-Eun; Baek, Yong-Hyeon; Lee, Jae-Dong; Choi, Do-Young; Park, Dong-Suk (July 2008). "Therapeutic effect of Siegesbeckia pubescens on cartilage protection in a rabbit collagenase-induced model of osteoarthritis". Journal of Pharmacological Sciences. 107 (3): 317–328. doi:10.1254/jphs.08010fp. ISSN 1347-8613. PMID 18635922.
Gou, LY (2006). "Effect of classic formula, Xi Xian Pill, on IL-1β and TNF-α content in joint fluid and cell morphology of articular cartilage of model rabbits with knee osteoarthritis". China Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology. 19 (6).