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Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco Schltdl.

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Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of South America Vol. 2

Part of the book series: Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of the World ((MAPW,volume 7))

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Abstract

Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco Schltdl. is a tree that - at maturity - can reach up to 25 m in height. It has a straight trunk that can reach 0.8–1 m in diameter. It is commonly known as “quebracho blanco” and widely used in the Chaco region as medicine to treat fever, malaria, swellings, stomach upsets, cough, headaches, syphilis, impotence, benign prostatic hypertrophy and asthma related dyspnea. The stem bark of A. quebracho-blanco is the most frequently used plant part in medicinal preparations. Terpenoid indole alkaloids, the main biologically active principles of the plant are associated with the medicinal properties of the tree. The bark is rich in aspidospermine, yohimbine, deacetyl-aspidospermine and quebrachamine. Other alkaloids also were isolated. Several of these terpenoid indole alkaloids showed in vitro and sometimes in vivo pharmacological activities that support the medicinal effects traditionally attributed to A. quebracho-blanco. Aspidospermine showed in vitro antiplasmodial activity. Aspidospermine, yohimbine and quebrachime had adrenergic blocking activities on a variety of urogenital tissues. Rhazinilam showed mild analgesic activity in mice. The high tannin levels found in the bark, leaves and woods are believed to contribute to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Recent research suggests that bark preparations have a potential for the development of antiviral and larvicidal agents. However, further investigations are needed with especial emphasis on the in vivo effects, in order to understand the real therapeutic significance of the alkaloids and other compounds of A. quebracho-blanco.

figure a

Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco Schltdl. (Photos: DA Sampietro). Argentina, Tucumán Province, Trancas Department. General view of the tree, January 27, 2010 (above), The same tree showing leaves and fruits (below)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Estudios Farmacológicos, Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina

    Diego A. Sampietro

  2. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, Laboratorio de Biología de Agentes Bioactivos y Fitopatógenos (LABIFITO), Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina

    M. del Huerto Sánchez Matías & Marta A. Vattuone

  3. Instituto de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina

    César A. N. Catalán

Authors
  1. Diego A. Sampietro
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  2. M. del Huerto Sánchez Matías
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  3. Marta A. Vattuone
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  4. César A. N. Catalán
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Diego A. Sampietro .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Agr. & Food Sc., Széchenyi István University, Mosonmagyaróvár, Hungary

    Ákos Máthé

  2. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Farmacognosia, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Arnaldo Bandoni

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Sampietro, D.A., del Huerto Sánchez Matías, M., Vattuone, M.A., Catalán, C.A.N. (2021). Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco Schltdl.. In: Máthé, Á., Bandoni, A. (eds) Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of South America Vol. 2. Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of the World, vol 7. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-62818-5_4

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