Argemone mexicana

Scientific name: Argemone mexicana L.

Synonym: Argemone spinosa Moench

Botanical family: PAPAVERACEAE

Vernacular names

(In territories with significant traditional TRAMIL use)

Dominican Republic:

cardosanto

Other vernacular names

Dominican Republic:

Cardo santo

Haiti:

Chadron
Chadwon

Botanical description

Annual herb, up to 60 cm high, covered with numerous thorns; yellow latex. Leaves sessile, alternate, sinuate-pinnatifid, 8-20 cm long, with short and broad lobules and spiny margins; hermaphroditic flowers, solitary terminals; calyx with three thorny sepals; corolla with six yellow or white petals, 2-3 cm long; thorny capsule with 4-6 valves, 4-5 cm long.

Voucher(s)

García,1192A,JBSD Jiménez,1516,JBSD

stomach pain

root, decoction, taken orally¹

The whole plant has been extensively studied and contains, among other components, isoquinoline alkaloids: protopine (0.03%), berberine (0.01%) and allocryptopine (0.04%)², cryptopine and sanguinarine³. At least 20 additional alkaloids have been found in the plant, including cheilanthifoline, chelerythrine, N-norchelerythrine, dihydrochelerythrine, coptisine, dihydrosanguinarine, norsanguinarine, scoulerine, stylopine, muramine, thalifoline, reframidine and oxyhydrastinine^4-5.

and Toxicity

TRAMIL Database⁶

The plant’s biological and physiological properties have been the subject matter of assessment of extensive research projects. The main results are summarized in Table 1 below.

The hydroalcoholic extract from the dry plant in concentrations of 50 mg/mL did not report any antibacterial or antifungal activity in vitro⁷.

The aqueous extract from the leaf offered no protection against pylorus ligation-induced ulcers in rat; on the contrary, it increased ulceration rate⁸.

The intravenous administration of the aqueous extract of Argemone mexicana to anesthetized Wistar rats increased blood pressure. However, a small dosage caused hypotension⁹.

The seed and leaf are claimed to have insecticidal properties¹⁰.

Table 1. Argemone mexicana biological and toxic activity
Effect	Plant Part	Dose	AssayType (animal used)	Observation	Ref
anticoagulant	Latex	not stated	in vitro	inactive	11
antifungal	acetone-H₂O	50:50	in vitro	Active	12
fetal anti-implantation	Leaf (H₂O)	not stated	in vivo (rats)	inactive	13
fetal anti-implantation	leaf (EtOH)	not stated	in vivo (rats)	inactive	13
embryotoxic	leaf (H₂O)	not stated	in vivo(rats)	active	13
uterine stimulant	leaf and stem (H₂O-EtOH)	not stated	in vitro (hamsters)	very active	14
spasmogenic	leaf and stem (H₂O)	3.3 mL/L	in vitro (guinea pigs)	active	15
spasmogenic	(EtOH)	3.3 mL/L	in vitro (guinea pigs)	active	15
hypoglycemic	seeed	not stated	in vivo	active	16
hypotensive	leaf and stem (H₂O) (EtOH)	0.1 mL/kg 0.3 mL/kg	in vivo (dogs)	active	15
hypotensive	entire plant (H₂O -EtOH)	50 mg/kg	in vivo (dogs)	active	17
vasodilator	leaf (H₂O)	0.3 mL/L	in vivo(rats)	active	17
antimalarial	entire plant (CHCl₃)	218 mg/kg	in vivo(chickens)	inactive	18
cytotoxicity	entire plant (H₂O-EtOH)	not stated	in vitro (cell culture)	inactive	17
antitumoral	dried plant (H₂O)	400 mg/kg	in vivo(mice)	inactive	19
antibacterial	seed (oil)	0.4 and 0.8%	Salmonella and Staphylococcus	active	20
uterine stimulant	root (alkaloids)	not stated	in vivo (rats)	active	21
anti-inflammatory	root (alkaloids)	not stated	in vivo(rats)	active	22
toxicity	entire plant (alkaloids)	20 mg/kg	in vivo(rats)	toxic	23
toxicity	root (H₂O)	not stated	in vivo(humans)	toxic	24
toxicity	seed (oil)	not stated	in vivo(rats)	toxic	25
toxicity	seed (oil)	2 mL/animal	in vivo (chickens)	toxic	26
toxicity	seed (oil)	0.3 mL/kg	in vivo (monkeys)	toxic	27

(H₂O): aqueous extract; (EtOH): ethanolic extract; (H₂O-EtOH): hydroalcoholic extract; (CHCl₃): chloroformic extract (n.e.)

Poisoning in humans due to ingestion of the seed or seed oil is signaled by diarrhea and perianal itching, bilateral leg edema, fever, erythema and darkening of the skin. These are the major symptoms reported in a majority of patients²⁸. The condition can eventually evolve into heart failure and even death²⁹.

The extracts from the various plant parts are toxic, mainly for the liver. The active principles inhibit aminopyrine-N-demethylase, aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase, cytochromes B₅ and P_450, and other major enzymatic groups. Additionally, they induce enzymatic activity leading to generation hepatotoxic compounds, such as lipid peroxides^30-31. Although these reports involve mainly the seed, the use of preparations with any plant part should be carefully avoided in humans.

The sanguinarine present in all plant parts is thought to have toxic effects on the liver, leading to the degeneration and necrosis of the liver cells of rats at doses of 10 mg/kg^32-33.

The plant’s toxicity is attributed to its alkaloids³⁴.

References

1 GERMOSEN-ROBINEAU L, GERONIMO M, AMPARO C, 1984 Encuesta TRAMIL. enda-caribe, Santo Domingo, Rep. Dominicana.

2 DE SOUSA M, Matos ME, Matos FJ, MACHADO MI, CRAVEIRO AA,1991 Constituintes químicos ativos de plantas medicinais Brasileiras.Laboratorio de produtos naturais, Fortaleza, Brasil: Ceará Edições UFC.

3WILLAMAN J, LI H, 1970 Alkaloid-bearing plants and their contained alkaloids, 1957-1968. Lloydia33(3A)Supp:1-286.

4SANTRA D, SADJI A, 1971 Phytochemical study of Argemone mexicana. Curr Sci40:548.

5HUSSAIN SF, NAKKADY S, KHAN L, SHAMMA M, 1983 Oxyhydrastinine, an isoquinolone alkaloid from the Papaveraceae. Phytochemistry22(1):319-320.

6BOURGEOIS P, 1986 Rapport concernant Argemone mexicana (Papaveraceae). TRAMIL report. Laboratoire de phytochimie, Faculté des Sciences, UAG, Pointe à Pitre, Guadeloupe. TRAMIL II, Santo Domingo, República Dominicana, UASD/enda-caribe.

7PENNA CA, RADICE M, GUTKIND GO, VAN BAREN C, BROUSSALIS A, MUSCHIETTI L, MARTINO V, FERRARO G, 1994 Antibacterial and antifungal activities of some Argentinean plants. Fitoterapia65(2):172-174.

8CAMBAR P, SANTOS A, RIVERA O, SALVARADO C, ALAVARENGA L, MENDOZA M, 1987 Prevención de la producción de úlceras gástricas experimentales por algunos extractos de plantas. Unidad de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

9RUIZ I, DE ORDOÑEZ F, QUAN DE PINEDA L, CAMBAR P, 1987 Caracterización química y efectos cardiovasculares producidos por algunas plantas medicinales en ratas Wistar (conferencia). Tegucigalpa, Honduras: IV Semana Científica.

10FARIDI YU, 1981 Insecticidal properties of some plant material. Indian J Entomol43(4):404-407.

11SRIVASTAVA GN, CHAKRAVARTI RN, ZAIDI SH, 1962 Studies on anticoagulant therapy. 3. In vitro screening of some Indian plant latices for fibrinolytic and anticoagulant activity. Indian J Med Sc16:873-877.

12ASTHANA A, MALL HV, DIXIT K, GUPTA S, 1989 Fungitoxic properties of latex of plants with special reference to that of Croton bonplandianus Baill. Int J Crude Drug Res27(1):25-58.

13BODHANKAR S, GARG SK, MATHUR VS, 1974 Antifertility screening of plants. Part IX. Effect of five indigenous plants on early pregnancy in female albino rats. Indian J Med Res62:831-837.

14GOTO M, NOGUCHI T, WATANABE T, ISHIKAWA I, KOMATSU M, ARAMAKI Y, 1957 Uterus-contracting ingredients in plants. Takeda Kenkyusho Nempo16:21.

15FENG PC, HAYNES LJ, MAGNUS KE, PLIMMER JR, SHERRAT HSA, 1962 Pharmacological screening of some West Indian medicinal plants. J Pharm Pharmacol14:556-561.

16PAHWA R, CHATTERJEE V, 1989 The toxicity of Mexican poppy (Argemone mexicana L.) seeds to rats. Vet Hum Toxicol31(6):555-558.

17DHAR ML, DHAR MM, DHAWAN B, MEHROTRA BN, RAY C, 1968 Screening of Indian plants for biological activity: part I. Indian J Exp Biol6:232-247.

18SPENCER C, KONIUSZY FR, ROGERS EF, SHAVEL JR J, EASTON NR, KACZKA EA, KUEHL JR, PHILLIPS RF, WALTI A, FOLKERS K, MALANGA C, SEELER AO, 1947 Survey of plants for antimalarial activity. Lloydia10:145-174.

19ABBOT B, LEITER J, HARTWELL JL, CALDWELL ME, BEAL JL, 1966 Screening data from the cancer chemotherapy national service center screening laboratories. XXXIV. Plant extracts. Cancer Res26:761-935.

20PATEL RP, TRIVEDI BM, 1962 The in vitro antibacterial activity of some medicinal oils. Indian J Med Res50:218.

21BOSE B, VIJAYVARGIYA R, SAIFI AQ, SHARMA SK, 1963 Chemical and pharmacological studies on Argemone mexicana. J PharmSc52:1172.

22BUI-TI-YU, SOKOLOV SD, 1973 The effect of alkaloids of Mexican Argemone on aseptic inflammation. Patol Fiziol Ekspter 17:57-59.

23CHAKRAVARTY N, CHAKRAVARTI RN, WERNER G, CHAUDHURI RN, 1954 Toxicity of Argemone alkaloids.Bull Calcutta Sch Trop Med 1:12.

24TRIPATHI K, VAISH SK, GUPTA S, UDUPA S, KAPIL R, 1979 Epidemic dropsy syndrome due to root of Argemone mexicana.Med Surg19(1/2):18-20.

25CHAUDHURI R, SAHA RN, 1955 Ascites produced in rats by Argemone alkaloids. Bull Calcutta Sch Trop Med3:22.

26DOBBIE G, LANGHAM ME, 1961 Reaction of animal eyes to sanguinarine and Argemone oil. Brit J Ophtalmol45:81-95.

27RUKMINI C, 1971 Sanguinarine potentiating factor in Argemone oil. Indian J Med Res59:1676.

28SINGH R, FARIDI MM, SINGH K, SIDDIQUI R, BHATT N, KARNA S, 1999 Epidemic dropsy in the eastern region of Nepal. J Trop Pediatr45(1):8-13.

29SHARMA K, PANWOGRA J, BANERJEE S, JAIN AK, MISRA SN, 1986 Epidemic dropsy in Rajasthan, clinical study. Indian J Nutr Diet23(2):41-44.

30UPRETI K, DAS M, KHANNA S, 1988 Biochemical toxicology ofArgemone alkaloids. III. Effect of lipid peroxidation in different subcellular fractions of the liver. Tetrahedron Lett42(3):301-308.

31UPRETI K, DAS M, KHANNA S, 1991 Biochemical toxicology ofArgemone oil. I. Effect on hepatic cytochrome P-450 and xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes. J Appl Toxicol11(3):203-209.

32UPRETI K, DAS M, KHANNA S, 1988 Biochemical toxicology ofArgemone alkaloids. III. Effect of lipid peroxidation in different subcellular fractions of the liver. Tetrahedron Lett42(3):301-308.

33DALVI R, 1985 Sanguinarine: its potential as a liver toxic alkaloid present in the seeds of Argemone mexicana.Experientia41(1):77-78.

34OLIVER-BEVER B, 1982 Medicinal plants in tropical West Africa. J Ethnopharmacol 5:1-71.

Pharmacopoeia

Ed.2

References

1 GERMOSEN-ROBINEAU L, GERONIMO M, AMPARO C, 1984 Encuesta TRAMIL. enda-caribe, Santo Domingo, Rep. Dominicana.

2 DE SOUSA M, Matos ME, Matos FJ, MACHADO MI, CRAVEIRO AA,1991 Constituintes químicos ativos de plantas medicinais Brasileiras.Laboratorio de produtos naturais, Fortaleza, Brasil: Ceará Edições UFC.

3WILLAMAN J, LI H, 1970 Alkaloid-bearing plants and their contained alkaloids, 1957-1968. Lloydia33(3A)Supp:1-286.

4SANTRA D, SADJI A, 1971 Phytochemical study of Argemone mexicana. Curr Sci40:548.

5HUSSAIN SF, NAKKADY S, KHAN L, SHAMMA M, 1983 Oxyhydrastinine, an isoquinolone alkaloid from the Papaveraceae. Phytochemestry22(1):319-320.

6BOURGEOIS P, 1986 Rapport concernant Argemone mexicana (Papaveraceae). Rapport tramil. Laboratoire de phytochimie, Faculté des Sciences, UAG, Pointe à Pitre, Guadeloupe.