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<big>''[[Sphaeranthus]]'' L.</big>
__NOTOC__
:Protologue: Sp. pl. 2: 927 (1753); Gen. pl. ed. 5: 399 (1754).
:Family: Compositae
:Chromosome number: ''x''= 10;''S. africanus'',''S. indicus'': 2''n''= 20
== Major species ==
*''Sphaeranthus africanus'' L., *''S. indicus'' L.
== Vernacular names ==
''Sphaeranthus'' species occurring in South-East Asia and India are widely used in decoction or as a powder for their tonic, diuretic and stimulant effects in stomach, liver and intestinal problems. The young parts, roots, flower heads or seeds are also used, often in combination with sugar to counteract the bitterness, against worms or as a gargle to cure a sore throat and against cough. The odour is transmitted to urine and sweat.
In India and Indo-China, ''S. africanus'' is further used as an emollient and resolvent, applied as a poultice, and in India a decoction of the leaves and tops is employed against venereal diseases.
In India, the paste of ''S. indicus'' , prepared with cooking oil, is applied against itch and skin diseases. The red oil, obtained through steam-distillation, may possess antibacterial properties, and is administered against ''Vibrio cholerae'' , ''Micrococcus pyogenes'' var. ''aureus'' , and against tuberculosis. In Pakistan, the plant is used in the treatment of glandular swellings, bronchitis, jaundice and nervous depressions.
In Indonesia, the leaves of ''S. indicus'' are eaten as a pot herb. In India the seeds fried in sesame oil or the cooked roots are considered a strong aphrodisiac. The young plant is also mashed with butter and flour and applied against decolouration and loss of hair. In Indonesia, the herb is also used as fodder for cattle.
== Properties ==
Upon steam distillation, ''S. indicus'' yields a red, viscous essential oil (0.01-0.02%) with a bitter taste. Its major constituents are the terpenes cadinene,α-ionone andβand β-carophyllene and the phenylpropanoid p-methoxycinnanaldehyde. Further compounds include ocimene,α-terpinene, citral, geraniol, geranyl acetate,β-ionone. The essential oil of ''S. indicus'' shows in vitro antibacterial activity against ''Salmonella'' spp., ''Shigella'' spp. and ''Vibrio cholerae'' .
Other compounds isolated from the areal parts or flower heads are sesquiterpene lactones, mainly 7-hydroxylated eudesmanolides (e.g. 7α-hydroxyfrullanolide) and the sesquiterpenoids cryptomeridiol and 4-epicryptomeridiol. 7α-Hydroxyfrullanolide shows cytotoxicity and anti-tumour activity against a number of human cancer cell lines. The compound can also be transformed by ''Aspergillus'' into 7α-hydroxy-11,13-dihydrofrullanolide and 13-acetyl-7α-hydroxyfrullanolide.
The sesquiterpene glycoside sphaeranthanolide, isolated from ''S. indicus'' flower heads, exhibits immune-stimulating activity in the Jerne plaque assay (examination of antibody production ability of mice plasma cells).
A bicyclic sesquiterpene lactone, isolated from a petroleum ether extract of ''S. indicus'' , caused longer larval and pupal developmental periods and larval mortality of ''Culex quinquefasciatus'' (causing filariasis) at increasing concentration. A ''S. indicus'' extract of moderate concentration is mentioned as causing an increase of seedling growth of wheat, although it has no effect on the germination rate.
Very little is known about the phytochemistry of ''S. africanus'' . Its leaves and flowers demonstrate a moderate toxic effect on the oriental fruit fly.
== Adulterations and substitutes ==
Lavender oil ( ''Lavandula angustifolia'' Miller) resembles the essential oil of ''S. indicus'' and could be used as a substitute. ''Spilanthes acmella'' Murray ( ''Compositae'' )s eems seems to possess the same properties as ''Sphaeranthus africanus'' .
== Description ==
*Erect annual, fragrant herbs with spreading branches, more or less hairy, often glandular; taproot well developed. *Leaves alternate, simple, obovate to oblong, margins dentate to almost entire, mostly forming broad wings along the stem; petiole with decurrent wings; stipules absent. *Inflorescence composed of tiny heads, forming globose, terminal clusters, surrounded by a few involucral bracts, heads subsessile on a common receptacle, bracts of heads, when present, more or less membranous, narrow, acute, dry, hairy or not. *Flowers all tubular; marginal flowers female, few to many, fertile, slender, minutely 2-3-toothed; disk flowers bisexual, solitary or few, fertile or sterile, lower half of tube thickened, upper part soft, 4-5-toothed; stamens 5, anther-bases sagittate, auricles acute or tailed, style shortly bifid in female flowers, subentire in the others. *Fruit an oblong achene, angular, tipped by the persistent, hardened part of the corolla; pappus absent. *Seedling with epigeal germination; hypocotyl glabrous; cotyledons subsessile, glabrous; first pair of leaves opposite, subsequent leaves alternate.
== Growth and development ==
== Diseases and pests ==
In India, the caterpillars of ''Diacrisia obliqua'' survive on ''S. indicus'' , after the harvest of soya bean, and before they enter pupal diapause. ''S. indicus'' is also a host for the cicadellid ''Orosius albicinctus'' , the vector of sesame phyllody disease.
== Harvesting ==
== Literature ==
* Burkill, I.H., 1966. A dictionary of the economic products of the Malay Peninsula. Revised reprint. Vol. 2. Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. pp. 2098-2099.
* Sharma, M.C., 1996. Ovicidal and growth disrupting activity of Sphaeranthus indicus extract against filaria vector. International Pest Control 38(5): 160-161.
* Shekhani, M.S., Shah, P.M., Yasmin, A., Siddiqui, R., Perveen, S., Khan, K.M., Kazmi, S.U. & Atta-ur-Rahman, 1990. An immunostimulant sesquiterpene glycoside from Sphaeranthus indicus. Phytochemistry 29(8): 2573-2576.
== Selection of species ==
<div style="column-count:3;-moz-column-count:3;-webkit-column-count:3">
*[[Sphaeranthus africanus (PROSEA)|''Sphaeranthus africanus'']]
*[[Sphaeranthus indicus (PROSEA)|''Sphaeranthus indicus'']]
</div>
== Authors ==
*Wongsatit Chuakul, Noppamas Soonthornchareonnon, Orawan Ruangsomboon
[[Category:Medicinal plants (PROSEA)]]
[[Category:PROSEA]]
