PHYTOCHEMICAL STANDARDIZATION AND PHARMACOLOGICAL STUDIES OF CHRYSANTHEMUM PARTHENIUM DRIED EXTRACT

There is evidence that the common aromatic plant known as feverfew (Chrysanthemum parthenium), taken orally offers benefits for migraine prevention (1,2). Various preparations are on sale in pharmacies and paralelly several pharmacological studies were carried out on the antisecretory activity of fewerfew extracts (3).

For detailed studies on Chrysanthemum parthenium grown in Hungary we have screened the plant for the most characteristic constituents: sesquiterpene--lactones, essential oil and bio-flavonoids, using combined cromatographic and spectroscopic methods. Parthenolide was far the major sesquiterpene lactone present, the plant also contains the related germacranolides and further quaianolides. Camphor and chrysanthenyl esters were the most characteristic compounds in the essential oil, and apigenin glycosides are the characteristic flavonoids.

To prepare standardized feverfew extracts for pharmacological and toxicological studies we used simple extraction with water-ethylalcohol (10%^v/v) by taking advantage of the surprising solubility of parthenolide in water and the possible role of flavonoids in bioactivity. After simple purification steps freeze-drying or spray-drying resulted stable extracts for further studies. The total sesquiterpene lactone content was determined by infrared spectroscopy the individual components by direct HPLC aind HPTLC-densitometry the flavonoid content by spectrophotometry (4). The procedure for dried extract preparation from feverfew and the assay methods for quantification.