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Galphimia glauca is a plant that is endemic to Mexico and has been commonly used since pre-Hispanic times to treat various illnesses, including central nervous system disorders and inflammation. The first studies investigating a natural population of G. glauca in Mexico showed that the plant has anxiolytic and sedative activities in mice and humans. The plant's bioactive compounds were isolated and identified, and they belong to a family of nor-secofriedelanes called galphimines. The integration of DNA barcoding and thin-layer chromatography analysis was performed to clarify whether the botanical classification of the populations in the study, which were collected in different regions of Mexico, as G. glauca was correct or if the populations consist of more than one species of the genus Galphimia. We employed six DNA barcodes (matK, rbcL, rpoC1, psbA-trnH, ITS1 and ITS2) that were analyzed individually and in combination and then compared each other, to indicate differences among the studied populations. In the phylogenetic analysis, ITS1 and ITS2 markers as well as the combination of all DNA regions were the most efficient for discriminating the population studied. The thin-layer chromatography analysis exhibited four principal chemical profiles, one of which corresponded to the populations that produced galphimines. DNA barcoding was consistent and enabled us to differentiate the populations that produce galphimines from those that do not. The results of this investigation suggest that the studied populations belong to at least four different species of the genus Galphimia. The phylogenetic analysis and the thin-layer chromatography chemical profiles were convenient tools for establishing a strong relationship between the genotype and phenotype of the studied populations and could be used for quality control purposes to prepare herbal medicines from plants of the genus Galphimia., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Agastache mexicana subspecies mexicana (Amm) and xolocotziana (Amx) are used in Mexican traditional medicine to relief cultural affiliation syndromes known as "susto" or "espanto", for "nervous" condition, and as a sleep aid. Despite its intensive use, neuropharmacological studies are scarce, and the chemical composition of the aqueous extracts has not been described. Aims of the study are: (1) To analyze the chemical composition of aqueous extracts from aerial parts of Amm and Amx. (2) To evaluate the anxiolytic-like, sedative, antidepressant-like effects. (3) Analyze the general toxic effects of different doses., Materials and Methods: Anxiolytic-like and sedative effects were measured in the avoidance exploratory behavior, burying behavior and the hole-board tests. The antidepressant-like actions were studied in the forced swimming and tail suspension tests. Finally, general activity and motor coordination disturbances were evaluated in the open field, inverted screen and rota-rod tests. The acute toxicity of Amm and Amx was determined by calculating their LD50 (mean lethal dose). The chemical analyses were performed employing chromatographic, photometric and HPLC-ESI-MS techniques., Results: Low doses of Amm and Amx (0.1σ1.0mg/kg) induced anxiolytic-like actions; while higher doses (over 10mg/kg) induced sedation and reduced the locomotor activity, exerting a general inhibition in the central nervous system (CNS)., Conclusions: Results support the use of Amm and Amx in traditional medicine as tranquilizers and sleep inducers. Additionally, this paper contributes to the knowledge of the chemical composition of the aqueous extracts of these plants., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Ternstroemia pringlei represents one of the most widely employed and commercially exploited medicinal plant in Mexico, used popularly as a tranquilizer and for the treatment of insomnia., Aim of the Study: To investigate the sedative constituents of the plant through a bio-guided fractionation of extracts derived from calyx and fruits., Materials and Methods: Crude extracts with different polarities (CHCl(3), AcOEt, MeOH, aqueous) were prepared and subjected to chromatographic fractionation, leading to the isolation of the sedative compound (1) from the MeOH crude extract. The identity of 1 was unequivocally established by means of 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analysis. The sleeping time induced by sodium pentobarbital and the elevated plus-maze models were performed on mice to determine the sedative and anxiolytic activities, respectively. Bioactivity was also investigated though in vitro GABA release experiments using mice brain slices., Results: The sedative compound was established as jacaranone (1), and its effect was clearly demonstrated through a dose-dependent response analysis (ED(50) = 25 mg/kg mouse weight). When tested in the elevated plus-maze model, none of the extracts from Ternstroemia pringlei displayed anxiolytic activity. GABA release experiments showed that the MeOH and aqueous crude extracts released this neurotransmitter at a ratio of 217 and 179 pmol/g protein, respectively, evidencing the presence of other bioactive constituents in the extracts apart of 1, whose activity was absent in this model., Conclusions: Although 1 has been isolated and identified in a number of plant species, this is the first time that its sedative effect has been demonstrated. No previous record exists of other sedative compounds having been isolated from Ternstroemia pringlei., (Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Preparative-scale recycling HPLC was used for the complete resolution of a complex mixture of nor-secofriedelanes into five major peaks (I-V) from the sedative methanolic extracts prepared from the aerial parts of Galphimia glauca. Argentation chromatography was used to show peaks I, II, IV, and V to be mixtures of isomers around the E-ring double bond, represented by the endocyclic C-20, C-21 double-bond isomers, galphimines A (3), B (1), D (4), and E (2), and the C-20, C-29 exocyclic forms, galphimines F-I (5-8). Galphimine C (9), isolated from peak III, corresponded to the C-19, C-20 double-bond isomer of the previously known major sedative constituent galphimine B. The characterization of all the new triterpenes (3-9) was performed primarily by high-field NMR spectroscopy. Comparison between experimental and calculated (1)H-(1)H vicinal coupling constants and the analysis of molecular mechanics structures revealed that the ring B of these compounds exists in a boatlike conformation. The absolute configuration for the stereogenic carbinol center at C-4 was established by the application of the Mosher ester derivatization technique carried out in NMR tubes.

An ethnobotanical study of plants used in Mexican traditional medicine was made. The source was the national inquiry done by the IMSS-COPLAMAR health program (1983-1985) in which the plants used to treat mental disorders were selected and analyzed, in order to select the most frequent botanical species used in traditional medicine as sedatives, anticonvulsants and hypnotics.