Family Molluginaceae

Herbs annual or perennial , subshrubs , or shrubs , rarely dioecious, glabrous or rarely hairy . Stems erect or prostrate . Leaves simple , alternate, rarely opposite, often in a basal rosette or in pseudowhorls on stems, margin entire; stipules absent or membranous. Inflorescences terminal or in seemingly axillary cymes, rarely as a solitary flower. Flowers bisexual , rarely unisexual , actinomorphic , hypogynous, rarely perigynous. Tepals 5, rarely 4, free or connate below into a tube , lobes white or pink to purple, sometimes yellow inside (in Glinus) . Petals absent or few to many, white, pink, or purple. Stamens 3-5 or many, arranged in several rings , free or connate at base in bundles; anthers dehiscing by longitudinal slits. Ovary superior, syncarpous (in Gisekia developmentally syncarpous; fruit a deeply lobed schizocarp) ; carpels 25 or many, placentation axile , rarely seemingly basal. Stigmas as many as locules. Ovules 1 to many per locule. Fruit usually a loculicidal capsule or deeply (3-) 5-15-lobed mericarps (in Gisekia), rarely breaking into 2 nutlets [in Limeum Linnaeus, not in Flora area]. Seeds with embryo curved around a hard, starchy perisperm . About 14 genera and 120 species: arid , tropical and subtropical regions of both hemispheres; three genera and eight species in China. The relationships of the anomalous genus Gisekia are uncertain. In the past, Gisekia has been included in Aizoaceae, often together with Molluginaceae. Recent treatments offer either a placement in Phytolaccaceae (e.g. , Rohwer in Kubitzki, Fam. Gen. Fl. Pl. 2: 511, 514. 1993) or in a family of its own, Gisekiaceae (e.g., Gilbert, Kew Bull . 48: 343356. 1993) ; one of us (Hartmann) favors either option. The mericarpic fruit separates the genus from Aizoaceae and Molluginaceae, from which it differs also by the presence of betalain and the absence of anthocyanin as pigments. No currently accepted plant family contains both anthocyanin and betalain producers.[1]
Genus Mollugo

Herbs, annual [perennial ], glabrous . Stems prostrate to erect , branching from base . Leaves whorled , opposite, or alternate; basal leaves usually largest, cauline leaves gradually reduced distally; stipules absent or rudimentary . Inflorescences axillary or terminal , reduced umbellate or cymose . Flowers pedicellate ; sepals persistent , 5, distinct , not stellate-pubescent; petals absent; stamens 3-5, alternate with the sepals or carpels, basally connate by a small hypogynous ring ; pistils 3-5-locular; ovules 5-15 per locule; styles 3-5, distinct. Fruits capsular , 3-valved. Seeds: flattened laterally, reniform , smooth or reticulate to ribbed , strophioles absent. x = 9. Species 35: North America, West Indies, Central America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia. Although Mollugo has little economic value, some species have been used medicinally or as vegetables. Mollugo spergula, which has been used in India as a green vegetable, contains bitter triterpenoid saponins and sometimes is used as a source of antiseptics (A. K . Barua et al. 1989) and has been used also as a potherb (A. K. Tripathi 1988). Antifungal compounds have been isolated from Mollugo pentaphylla (M. Hamburger et al. 1989).

The taxonomy of species of Mollugo is in great disarray, and the genus is in need of a thorough worldwide revision .[2]

Taxonomy
[ Back to top ] Domain: Eukaryota ( ) - Whittaker & Margulis,1978 - eukaryotes Kingdom: Plantae ( ) - Haeckel, 1866 - Plants Subkingdom: Viridaeplantae ( ) - Cavalier-Smith, 1981 Phylum: Tracheophyta ( ) - Sinnott, 1935 ex Cavalier-Smith, 1998 - Vascular Plants Subphylum: Euphyllophytina ( ) Infraphylum: Radiatopses ( ) - Kenrick & Crane, 1997 Class: Magnoliopsida ( ) - Brongniart, 1843 - Dicotyledons Subclass: Caryophyllidae ( ) - Takhtajan, 1967 Superorder: Caryophyllanae ( ) - Takhtajan, 1967 Order: Caryophyllales ( ) - Perleb, 1826 Suborder: Caryophyllineae ( ) Family: Molluginaceae ( ) - Bartling, in Bartling & Wendland, 1825, nom. cons. - carpetweeds Genus: Mollugo ( ) - C. Linnaeus, 1753 - Carpet-weed [from Galium mollugo, probably because of similarity of whorled leaves; Latin mollis, soft or pliant] Specific epithet: oppositifolia - L. Botanical name: - Mollugo oppositifolia L.
Synonyms

Glinus Oppositifolius Glinus oppositifolius< /i> (L.) Aug. Dc.

Notes

Publishing author : L. Publication : Species Plantarum 1753 (1 May 1753)

Similar Species
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Members of the genus Mollugo

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 5 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus: M. cerviana (Thread-Stem Carpet-Weed) M. gracillima (Slender Carpetweed) M. nudicaulis (Naked-Stem Carpet-Weed) M. pentaphylla (Mollugo) M. verticillata (Carpet Weed)

More Info
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Further Reading
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Lu Dequan. 1996. Aizoaceae (GisekiaMollugo). In: Tang Changlin, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 26: 2030. Lu Dequan. 1996. Aizoaceae (GisekiaMollugo). In: Tang Changlin, ed., Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 26: 2030.

Notes
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Contributors

Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-present. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Zwaag, The Netherlands. Accessed January 12, 2012.
Identifiers

Biodiversity Heritage Library NamebankID: 8682446 Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 15626741 Globally Unique Identifier: urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:363725-1 International Plant Names Index (IPNI) ID: 131883-3 Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 2027988
Footnotes

Dequan Lu & Heidrun E. K. Hartmann "Molluginaceae". in Flora of China Vol. 5 Page 437. Published by Science Press (Beijing) and Missouri Botanical Garden Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back] "Mollugo". in Flora of North America Vol. 4 Page 76, 509, 510. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]

Sp. pl. 1: 89 (1753). AIZOACEAE 2n = (18), 36 Synonyms Mollugo stricta L. (1762), Mollugo sumatrana Gand. (1918). Vernacular names Carpet weed, African chickweed (En). Mollugine, olsine (Fr). Indonesia: jampang kulut, jukut taridi (Sundanese), galingsa (Javanese). Malaysia: tapak burong, rumput belangkas, bunga karang. Philippines: malagoso (Tagalog), sulangkang (Subanun), lepouo (Bontok). Thailand: soi nok khao (southeastern), yaa nok khao (central), yaa khai hao (northern). Vietnam: c[or] b[uj]ng cu, b[if]nk cu. Origin and geographic distribution Mollugo pentaphylla is distributed throughout the tropics and subtropics of the Old World, from India to New Caledonia and Micronesia, but is rare in Australia. Uses In Peninsular Malaysia, the leaves of Mollugo pentaphylla are applied for poulticing sore legs. In Java, they are used for sprue and mouth infections. In India, the whole plant is used as a mild laxative medicine, also as a stomachic, antiseptic and emmenagogue. In China, it is made into a soup to promote appetite, while a decoction of the roots is used to treat eye diseases. In Thailand, the entire plant is used as an antipyretic.|In the Solomon Islands, the whole plant is burnt to make a mosquito repellent. The leaves are eaten as a bitter pot herb in India, Thailand and Java, but they are less popular than those of Glinus oppositifolius (L.) DC. (synonym Mollugo oppositifolia L.), which are larger.|Other Mollugo species are used in a similar way as Mollugo pentaphylla. Production and international trade Mollugo pentaphylla is only occasionally traded on local

markets by herbalists. Properties Very little is known about the phytochemistry and biological activities of extracts and isolated compounds from Mollugo pentaphylla. Two triterpenes were isolated from the aerial parts. Mollugogenol A exhibited antifungal activity against Cladosporium cucumerinum, while mollugogenol B is inactive. Furthermore, mollugogenol A also exhibits spermicidal action by damaging the sperm membrane through increased lipid peroxidation.|Other components isolated include the flavonoids apigenin-8-C-glucoside and 6,8-di-C-pentosylapigenin, and the anthocyanin pelargonidin.|Mollugo pentaphylla is a component in an important folk medicine in Taiwan, which is used as an anticancer, antitoxic and diuretic agent. Description An erect or prostrate, glabrous annual, often much and widely branched from the base, 235 cm tall, with a thin taproot, stems thin, angular, when old often tinged brownish-red. Leaves in false whorls of 35(9) or partly opposite, the basal ones in a rosette, oblong-obovate-spatulate, upper leaves smaller, linear-lanceolate, 1050 mm x 1.510 mm, both ends narrowed, margins entire, midrib prominent beneath; petiole short or absent; stipules minute. Inflorescence a lax axillary or terminal cyme, often with long racemiform branches; bracts small, persistent; pedicel 1.56 mm long, persistent and recurved till long after the fall of the fruiting perianth. Flowers bisexual, with 5 free, oval-oblong tepals, 12 mm long, apex obtuse, inside white, outside green with white margins, during anthesis widely patent, afterwards connivent to a globe; stamens 3, alternate with the carpels, filaments short; styles 3, free, very short, white; ovary superior, 3-locular. Fruit a capsule with 3 carpels, broadly ellipsoid, 2 mm long, thin-walled. Seeds numerous, reniform, 0.8 mm in diameter, finely granulate, dark brown. Seedling with epigeal germination; hypocotyl 3.55 mm long, cotyledons 3 mm x 1.5 mm, apex acute, petiole short; first leaf elliptical to ovate, petiolate, glabrous, midvein distinct. Other botanical information Mollugo contains 1520 species, distributed over the warmer regions of the world. In Malesia only 1 species is known. Mollugo is closely related to Glinus, and they are differentiated by the presence of a filiform appendage and conspicuous caruncle on the seed, and in the dense stellate pubescence of Glinus. The Aizoaceae have been split into 2 families by some authors: Molluginaceae, with a free perianth, and Ficoidaceae, with a gamophyllous perianth. Other authors merge Aizoaceae with Portulacaceae. Ecology Mollugo pentaphylla occurs in semi-arid to humid regions, mostly locally abundant as a minor weed in cultivated areas, including rice fields and open grasslands, but also in sandy or stony localities, at low and medium altitudes. Propagation and planting Mollugo pentaphylla is propagated by seeds, which are dispersed by water. Harvesting Mollugo pentaphylla is collected from the wild whenever the need arises. Prospects Mollugo pentaphylla remains of local importance, because little is known of the biologically active compounds. Literature:

Backer, C.A., 1951. Aizoaceae. In: van Steenis, C.G.G.J. (Editor): Flora Malesiana. Series 1, Vol. 4. Noordhoff-Kolff, Djakarta, Indonesia. pp. 267275. Bogle, A.L., 1970. The genera of Molluginaceae and Aizoaceae in the Southeastern United States. Journal of the Arnold Arboretum 51(4): 431462. Hamburger, M., Dudan, G., Nair, A.G.R., Jayaprakasam, R. & Hostettmann, K., 1989. An antifungal triterpenoid from Mollugo pentaphylla. Phytochemistry 28(6): 17671768. Quisumbing, E., 1978. Medicinal plants of the Philippines. Katha Publishing Co., Quezon City, the Philippines. pp. 279280. Rajasekaran, M., Nair, A.G.R., Hellstrom, W.J.G. & Sikka, S.C., 1993. Spermicidal activity of an antifungal saponin obtained from the tropical herb Mollugo pentaphylla. Contraception 47(4): 401412.

Yang, J.-J., Lin, C.-C. & Hsu, H.Y., 1997. The possible use of Peh-hue-juwa-chi-cao as an antitumour agent and radioprotector after therapeutic irradiation. Phytotherapy Research 11(1): 610.

Author: N.O. Aguilar Source of This Article: Aquilar, N.O., 2001. Mollugo pentaphylla L.In: van Valkenburg, J.L.C.H. and Bunyapraphatsara, N. (Editors). Plant Resources of South-East Asia No. 12(2): Medicinal and poisonous plants 2. Backhuys Publisher, Leiden, The Netherlands, pp. 382-384 Recommended Citation: Aquilar, N.O., 2001. Mollugo pentaphylla L.[Internet] Record from Proseabase. van Valkenburg, J.L.C.H. and Bunyapraphatsara, N. (Editors). PROSEA (Plant Resources of South-East Asia) Foundation, Bogor, Indonesia. http://www.proseanet.org. Accessed from Internet: 12-Mar-2012

GLINUS OPPOSITIFOLIUS (L.) A. DC.

Mollugo oppositifolia L., M. spergula L. Family: Molluginaceae Bengali/vernacular name: Gima, Gima-sak, Jima. Description of the plant: A diffuse prostrate, annual herb; stems slender, numerous, dichotomously branched. Leaves 1322 mm long, in whorls of 4-5, unequal, oblanceolate or linear-lanceolate or sometimes spathulate. Flowers small, white, in axillary fascicles of 2 or more, with long filiform pedicels. Capsules ellipsoid, a little shorter than the sepals.

GLINUS OPPOSITIFOLIUS (L.) A. DC.

Using information: The plant is stomachic, aperient and antiseptic; used in skin diseases and for suppression of the lochia. Warmed herb moistened with castor oil is a good cure for earache. The juice is applied to itch and other skin diseases (Yusuf et al. 2009). EtOH(50%) extract of plant is CNS depressant and diuretic (Asolkar et al., 1992). Chemical constituents: Leaves contain spergulagenic acid, a saturated triterpenoid sapogenin, spergulagenin A and a trihydroxy ketone. Roots contain a glycoside, mollugo glycoside A. -Spinasterol and -sitosterol glucoside, bis-nortriterpene sapogenol, spergulatriol, spergulagenol, oleanolic acid, methyl spergulagenate and spergulagenin A have also been isolated from roots (Ghani, 2003; Rastogi & Mehrotra, 1993). Distribution: Throughout the country in moist fallow and cultivated fields and walls.

Go to This Plants Category page. Return to Medicinal Plants Details.

An immunomodulating pectic polymer from Glinus oppositifolius

Kari T. Inngjerdingena, Hiroaki Kiyoharab, Tsukasa Matsumotob, Dirk Petersenc, Terje E. Michaelsena, d, Drissa Dialloe, Marit Inngjerdingenf, Haruki Yamadab, Berit S. Paulsena
a

Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1068 Blindern, N-0316 Kitasato Institute for Life Sciences, Kitasato University, 5-9-1 Shirokane Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8641, Japan Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1033 Blindern, N-0315 Oslo, Norway The Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, N-0403 Oslo, Norway Department of Traditional Medicine, B.P. 1746, Bamako, Mali Department of Anatomy, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1105, Blindern, N-0317

Oslo, Norway
b c d e f

Oslo, Norway Received 24 November 2006. Revised 16 January 2007. Available online 6 March 2007.

Abstract
An immunomodulating pectic polymer, GOA1, obtained from the aerial parts of the Malian medicinal plantGlinus oppositifolius (L.) Aug. DC. (Aizoaceae) has previously been reported to consist of arabinogalactans type I and II, probably linked to a rhamnogalacturonan backbone. To further elucidate the structure of the polymer GOA1, enzymatic degradation studies and weak acid hydrolysis were performed. Five different glycosidases were used, endo--D-(1 4)polygalacturonase, exo--L-arabinofuranosidase, endo--L-(1 5)-arabinanase, endo--D-(1 4)galactanase and exo--D-galactosidase. It appears that GOA1 may contain a structural moiety consisting of a 1,3-linked galactopyranosyl (Galp) main chain with 1,6-linked Galp side chains attached to position 6 of the main chain. The 1,6-linked Galp side chain may be branched in position 3 with arabinofuranosyl (Araf) side chains. A 1,4-linked Galp backbone which might carry side chains or glycosyl units attached to position 3 is also a structural element in the polymer. We further show that GOA1 induce proliferation of B cells and the secretion of IL-1 by macrophages, in addition to a

marked increase of mRNA for IFN- in NK-cells. To elucidate structureactivity relations the native polymer and the digested fractions were tested for complement fixing activity and intestinal immune stimulating activity. The partial removal of Araf residues after enzymatic degradations did not affect the bioactivities, while the acid hydrolysed fraction showed reduced complement fixing activity. A decrease in Araf units, 1,3,6-linked Galpunits and a partial hydrolysed rhamnogalacturonan backbone, in addition to a reduction in molecular weight are factors that might have contributed to reduced bioactivity.

Free radical scavenging and antioxidant activities of Glinus oppositifolius (carpet weed) using different in vitro assay systems
June 2009, Vol. 47, No. 6 , Pages 474-482

HTML PDF (1251 KB) PDF Plus (1274 KB) Reprints Permissions K. AsokKumar, M. UmaMaheswari, A.T. Sivashanmugam, V. SubhadraDevi, N. Subhashini, T.K. Ravi Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Paramedical Sciences, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India Address for CorrespondenceDr. K. AsokKumar, M.Pharm., Ph.D., Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Paramedical Sciences, 395, Sarojini Naidu Road, Coimbatore 641 044, India. E-mail: :kasokkumar@gmail.com

Read More: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13880200902817901

Glinus oppositifolius (L.) Aug. DC. (Aizoceae), commonly called slender carpet weed, is a prostrate or diffuse herb which acts as stomachic, uterine stimulant, aperient and lochia. It is used traditionally in the treatment of earache, itch and skin diseases. Glinus oppositifolius was extracted with ethanol (70%) and used for the evaluation of various in vitro antioxidant assays which includes H-donor activity, nitric oxide scavenging, superoxide anion scavenging, reducing ability, hydroxyl radical, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, total antioxidant activity by thiocyanate and phosphomolybdenum method, metal chelating, -carotene bleaching, total peroxy radical assays. The pro-oxidant activity was measured using bleomycin-dependent DNA damage. Ex vivo models such as lipid peroxidation were used to study the

antioxidant property of the extract. The various antioxidant activities were compared with suitable standard antioxidants such as ascorbic acid, butylated hydroxyl toluene (BHT), -tocopherol, curcumin, quercetin and Trolox. The generation of free radicals, viz., O2, OH, H2O2, NO and peroxyl radicals, were effectively scavenged by the ethanol extract of Glinus oppositifolius. The antioxidant activity depends on concentration and increases with increasing amounts of the extract. The total phenolic content, flavonoid content and total antioxidant activity in Glinus oppositifolius were determined as microgram (g) pyrocatechol, quercetin and tocopherol equivalent/mg, respectively. The extract did not exhibit any pro-oxidant activity when compared with ascorbic acid. The results obtained in this study indicate that Glinus oppositifolius scavenges free radicals and reduces lipid peroxidation, ameliorating the damage imposed by oxidative stress in different disease conditions and serve as a potential source of natural antioxidant.

Read More: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13880200902817901