Clematis

Trees and Shrubs of Kern County (Jan 2013)

Clematis liguticifolia Nuttall 1838. Virgin's flower. Woody vine; leaves opposite, pinnately divided into 2–3 pairs of lateral leaflets and one terminal odd leaflet, the leaflets maple-like, digitately 3-lobed, sometimes with additional teeth; flowering Mar–Aug, flowers (sepals) large, white, each flower producing many fruitlets (achenetum) with long feathery bristles, collectively appearing as a round mass at maturity. Widely distributed in western U.S. Type from the plains of the Rocky Mts. Kern Co.: “Scarce, usually in moist places, in the Temblor Range and in the Douglas oak woodland through the lower elevations of the yellow pine forest...east to the pinyon woodland along the South Fork of Kern River” (Twisselmann), 366–2,287 m. Indians used the plant as a remedy for sore throat and colds; leaves placed in nostrils of tired horses to revive them (Krochmal et al. 1954).

USDA ARS Record of Procurement for Antitumor Active Species of Clematis

Clematis sanguiniana

Clematis sp.

Du Z., N. Zhu, N. Ze-Ren-Wang-Mu and Y. Shen. 2003. Two new antifungal saponins from the Tibetan herbal medicine Clematis tangutica. Planta Med. 69(6): 547–551. “Bioassay-guided fractionation of the ethanol extract of the aerial parts of Clematis tangutica led to the isolation of two new antifungal triterpene saponins. Their structures were determined to be 3- O-alpha- L-arabinopyranosyl hederagenin 28- O-alpha- L-rhamnopyranosyl ester ( 1) and 3- O-beta- D-glucopyranosyl-(1--> 4)-alpha- L-arabinopyranosyl hederagenin 28- O-alpha- L-rhamnopyranosyl ester ( 2) on the basis of spectral data and chemical evidence. Inhibitory activities of the two saponins against seven fungal strains were evaluated. Compounds 1 and 2 showed evident antifungal activity (MIA approximately 2.5 micrograms/disc) against Saccharomyces cerevisiae, similar to the positive control amphotericin B and ordinary activities (MIA approximately 10 micrograms/disc) against Penicillium avellaneum UC-4376, Candida glabrata, Trichosporon beigelii and Pyricularia oryzae. Compound 2 is a better antifungal agent than compound 1 against most of the fungal strains that were tested.”

Yesilada E. and E. Kupeli. 2006. Clematis vitalba L. aerial part exhibits potent anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and antipyretic effects. J. Ethnopharmacol. “Extracts obtained from the dried aerial parts of Clematis species are used as folk remedy worldwide for the treatment of various inflammatory ailments such as rheumatism and to reduce fever. In order to test the effectiveness of extracts, fractions and subfractions from dried Clematis vitalba L. (Ranunculaceae) aerial parts were studied on mice. Extracts are shown to have a potent effect on carrageenan-induced hind paw edema and acetic acid-induced increased vascular permeability models. Through bioassay-guided fractionation procedures a new C-glycosylflavon, 4'-O-coumaroyl-isovitexine (vitalboside) was isolated as the main active ingredient of the aerial parts. Vitalboside showed a potent and dose-dependent (in 75 and 150mg/kg does, per os) in vivo anti-inflammatory activity against acute (carrageenan-, serotonin- and PGE(2)-induced hind paw edema model, castor oil-induced diarrhea), subacute (subcutaneous air-pouch) and chronic (Freund's complete adjuvant-induced arthritis) models of inflammation. The same compound was also isolated as the main antinociceptive principle which was assessed by using the models based on the inhibition of p-benzoquinone-induced writhings, as well as antipyretic activity against Freund's complete adjuvant-induced increased body temperature. Acute and subchronic toxicity studies were also performed.”