 Botany
Lamon-babae is a prostrate plant, with stout and creeping stems,
30 to 100 centimeters long, and with small bristly leaves throughout. Primary branches are rigidly erect, 20 to 60 centimeters long,
much branched in the upper portion; the lower branches are divided and short,
spreading or ascending, pendulous towards the tips. Leaves are inserted all around the stems and branches, crowded, narrowly linear-subulate, 2 to 3 millimeters long. Spikes (cone-like fruiting bodies) are numerous, solitary,
and sessile on the tips of the branchlets, 5 to 15 millimeters long.
 Distribution
- Widely distributed; abundant
at medium and high altitudes, rare at low altitudes.
- Found throughout the warmer countries of the Old World.
Constituents
- Study yielded a new triterpenoid (16-oxo-21-episerratriol) and a flavonoid (cernoside) together with known alkaloids lycocernuine and cernuine, triterpenoids, aonocerin diacetate, serratenediol diacetate, serratriol triacetate and 21-episerratriol triacetate.
- Study isolated three new serratene-type triterpenoids (1-3) and a new hydroxy unsaturated fatty acid (13) together with nine known compounds (4-12). (see study below) (12)
Properties
- Sweet tasting, cooling natured.
- Antirheumatic, antitussive, diuretic.
Parts
utilized:
· Whole plant.
· Collect the plants throughout the year.
· Rinse, cut into pieces and sun-dry.
· Compress before storing.
Uses
Folkloric
• Decoction of 15-30 gms of
dried material used for acute hepatitis, reddening and swelling in the
eyes, costochondritis, chronic cough.
• Decoction used as a lotion in beriberi.
• Decoction used for coughs and uneasiness of the chest.
• Embrocation of its ashes in vinegar used for skin eruptions.
• Decoction of plant used as diuretic; also for rheumatism, diarrhea, dysentery and tenesmus.
• Used medicinally throughout Malaysia for external application.
• In Fiji, traditional
use as an antifungal.
• In the Antilles, powder is dusted on irritated parts of children from contact of urine.
• Powder used against diarrhea and dysentery.
• In French Guiana,
used for leg pains, spider bites, fever, and in herbal baths
.• In French Polynesia,
used in treatment for hay fever.
.• In India,
spores are applied as antiseptic in wounds and injuries. Also, fresh plant infusion used for intestinal infection. Also, for rickets in children.
.• In Kerala,
for chicken pox drink a lukewarm water concoction of 5 gm of Oryza meyeriana seeds ground to a paste with 5 gm of L. cernuum, a black ant's head (Monorium dichroum) and 100 mg Jumboldtia unijuga (root gall).
Others
• Ornamental: In the Philippines, in much demand among florists, especially around All Saints' Day, were it is used for making wreaths, baskets and other floral decorations. In India, used as an ornament.
• Gunpowder: Spores mixed with gunpowder to increase efficiency of gunpowder and reduce the decibel of explosion.
• Rituals/Superstition: Leaves used for sacred rituals. Women do not use the plant during their menstrual periods. In some places, plants are harvested with utmost respect for cultural traditions. Some believe improper use can put the user in great danger. (11)
Studies
• Antimicrobial / Anti-Helicobacter
pylori: In vitro anti-Helicobacter pylori activity of
Lycopodium cernuum (Linn) Pic. Serm: All fractions of LC extracts demonstrated
antimicrobial activity suggesting the plant contains compounds with
therapeutic activity. Pharmacologically active compounds such as alkaloids
and serratene triterpenes have been found in L cernuum which may be
responsible for its antimicrobial effect. 5 fractions from the hexane
fraction (100% hexane) yielded the highest activity. Study suggests
the plant is a potential source of an antibacterial agent for the treatment
of H. pylori. (1)
• Antifiungal: Fractionation
of ethanol extract of L cernuum for Candida albicans secreted aspartic
proteases (SAP) inhibition resulted in six new and four known serratene
triterpenes and an apigenin-glucopyranoside. Two compounds, lycernuic
acid C and and apigenin-4'-O(2',6' '-di-O-p-coumaroyl)-beta-D-glycopyranoside,
showed inhibitory effects against C albicans secreted aspartic proteases. (2)
• Cholinesterase Inhibitors: Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors increase the availability of acetylcholine in the central cholinergic synapses and are promising drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Study showed the water fraction of a methanolic extract of Lycopodiella cernua significantly inhibited AChE in vitro. Fractionation isolated a new lignan glycoside, lycocernuaside A, together with 15 known compounds. Compound 7 exhibited potent AChE inhibitory activity. Compound 15 showed potent inhibitory activity against BChE and BACE1 while compounds 4 and 7 showed mixed- and competitive-type AChE inhibition. (9)
• Anti-Amnesic / Nootropic: Study evaluated the alkaloid fraction of a methanol extract for in vitro acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity in cognition-relevant brain areas of mice. In the in vivo study, the cognitive enhancing effect on amnesic mice induced by scopolamine was investigated by assessment of passive avoidance and a water maze test. Results showed anticholinesterase activity with significant reversal of cognitive impairment in mice. (10)
• Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitory Activity: Study isolated three new serratene-type triterpenoids (1-3) and a new hydroxy unsaturated fatty acid (13) together with nine known compounds (4-12). Compound 13 showed the most potent inhibitory activity against AChE with IC50 value of 0.22µm. (12)
Availability
- Wild-crafted.
- Plants and powdered formulations in the cybermarket.
|
