Scientists from the University of Granada were able to isolate and purify potential an anti-cancer drug candidate and a neurogenic vasodilatation inhibitor (for the treatment of migraine), from the plants Baccharis latifolia, and elecampe (Dittrichia viscosa), respectively. The bioactive compound is called ilicic acid.

Julieta Verónica used the elecampe plant, abundant in the Mediterranean area, to obtain a method for taking out and purifying a natural product known as ilicic acid. This acid has been used to develop an effective method of chemical synthesis and of industrial interest towards the pharmacologically active &-eudesmol (against migraine) and ß-eudesmol which inhibits "in vivo" selectively, the proliferation of endothelial cells, being a promising antiangiogenic.

Likewise, these researchers have made another important discovery: they have used the germacrona compound, obtained from the 'Baccharis latifolia', a plant growing in the Bolivian Andes, in a new chemical synthesis of the antitumoral ß-element. This natural product serves to inhibit selectively the vascular endothelial brain cells and it has been used as an agent to prevent cancer in brain tumours and metastases from brain and lung cancer, preventing its growth. Besides, it has been proved that it leads to apoptosis and stops the cellular differentiation process and inhibits neoplasm metastases, so it can be used in lung neoplasm chemotherapy as well as in colon, stomach or brain chemotherapy, etc.

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Photo: Dittrichia viscosa, from Wikimedia