General

Scientific Names: Helenium microcephalum

Common Names: Dui Xin Ju

BOTANICAL:

植物特征：菊科堆心菊属多年生草本植物。株高60厘米以上，叶阔披针形，头状花序生于茎顶，舌状花柠檬黄色，管状花黄绿色。花期7至10月，果熟期9月。

中药材基原: 为双子叶植物药菊科植物堆心菊的带花全草。

资源分布: 原產北美，喜溫暖向陽環境，抗寒耐旱，適生溫度15℃～28℃，不擇土壤。

Pharmacology

化学成分: 带花全草含堆心菊内酯(he-lenalin)、秋心菊内酯(autumnolide)、墨西哥宁(mexi-canin)。

Efficacy

Microlenin, a novel dimeric sesquiterpene lactone isolated from Texas Helenium microcephalum, was shown to inhibit Ehrlich ascites carcinoma growth. Metabolic studies demonstrated that DNA synthesis and protein synthesis were significantly inhibited by two doses of microlenin at 5 mg/kg/day. DNA synthesis appeared to be blocked at several sites including DNA polymerase, purine synthesis, and dihydrofolate reductase. Thymidine nucleotide pools were significantly reduced by microlenin. Protein synthesis inhibition by microlenin appeared to occur during the initiation step of polypeptide synthesis. The metabolic effects of microlenin were similar to other sesquiterpene lactones in the Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells. However, a lower dose of microlenin was required to bring about these metabolic effects when compared with other sesquiterpene lactones. Thus, microlenin may be a more likely therapeutic agent than helenalin which has demonstrated cellular toxicity. (source)

Two new nor-pseudoguaianolides, microhelenin-E (1) and -F (2), were isolated from Texas Helenium microcephalum and their structures elucidated on the basis of physicochemical data and spectral evidence. Microhelenin-E demonstrated significant in vitro and in vivo cytotoxic and antileukemic activities against KB tissue cell culture (ED50 = 1.38 microgram/ml) P-388 lymphocytic leukemia growth in BDF1 male mice (T/C-166% at 8 mg/kg/day), respectively. (source)

IN VITRO:

1. Hall IH, et al., Antitumor agents LXIII: the effects of microlenin on nucleic acid and protein syntheses of Ehrlich ascites cells.J Pharm Sci. 1983 Sep; 72(9):1008-11.
2. Kasai R, et al., Antitumor agents 57. The isolation and structural elucidation of microhelenin-E, a new antileukemic nor-pseudoguaianolide, and microhelenin-F from Helenium microcephalum. J Nat Prod. 1982 May-Jun; 45(3):317-20.
3. Sims D, et al., Antitumor agents 37. The isolation and structural elucidation of isohelenol, a new antileukemic sesquiterpene lactone, and isohelenalin from Helenium microcephalum. J Nat Prod. 1979 May-Jun; 42(3):282-6.
   
   
   
   

IN VIVO:

1. Kasai R, et al., Antitumor agents 57. The isolation and structural elucidation of microhelenin-E, a new antileukemic nor-pseudoguaianolide, and microhelenin-F from Helenium microcephalum. J Nat Prod. 1982 May-Jun; 45(3):317-20.
   

Safety