6/14/2021 Petiveria - Wikipedia

Petiveria
Petiveria is a genus of flowering plants in the pigeonberry family,
Petiveriaceae. The sole species it contains, Petiveria alliacea,[2] Petiveria
is native to Florida and the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas in the
United States,[3] Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and
tropical South America.[1] Introduced populations occur in Benin
and Nigeria.[4] It is a deeply rooted herbaceous perennial shrub
growing up to 1 m (3.3 ft) in height and has small greenish piccate
flowers. The roots and leaves have a strong acrid, garlic-like odor
which taints the milk and meat of animals that graze on it.[5]

Contents
Common names
Description
Range and habitat
Uses Scientific classification
Phytochemistry Kingdom: Plantae
References Clade: Tracheophytes
External links Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Common names Order: Caryophyllales

It is known by a wide number of common names including: guinea Family: Petiveriaceae

henweed, guiné (pronounced  [giˈnɛ]) in Brazil, anamu in the Genus: Petiveria

Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Brazil, apacin in L.

Guatemala, mucura in Peru, and guine in many other parts of
Latin America, feuilles ave, herbe aux poules, petevere a odeur ail, Species: P. alliacea
and, in Trinidad, as mapurite (pronounced Ma-po-reete) and
Binomial name
gully root,[6] and in Jamaica as guinea hen weed [7] and many
others. Petiveria alliacea

L.[1]
Description Synonyms

Petiveria alliacea is a herbaceous shrub. Leaves are simple, Mapa graveolens

alternate, pinnate in the first order and netted the second order. It Petiveria corrientina

has determinate inflorescences. Although the plant is capable of Petiveria foetida

reproducing throughout the year, reproductive activity peaks Petiveria graveolens

Petiveria hexandria

Petiveria paraguayensis
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during a portion of the year that is dependent on geography. For

example, in Mexico this period is from September to October,
while in Central America it is from July to January.

Range and habitat

This plant is native to the United States (southernmost Florida and Texas), the West Indies, Mexico,
Central America and South America. In southern Florida it has been reported in disturbed areas,
maritime, mesic, prairie and tropical hardwood hammocks and shell mound.[8] In Mexico, P. alliacea is
widely present in corn, coffee and apple plantations.[9]

Uses
Petiveria alliacea is used as a bat and insect repellent.[10]

Guinea hen weed is used in teas, extracts, capsules. The leaves and also the roots are used with medicinal
purposes. This plant has been used to reduce inflammation and pain. It has been reported to be used to
eliminate bacteria, fungi, candida, and viruses. It is also used to enhance the immune system and
increase urination.[11] Recent studies report beneficial results in the use of this plant to lower the blood
sugar levels and in the elimination of cancer cells.[9][12] The plant is also used for arthritis, allergies, as
therapy for fever, malaria. In addition, the plant is reportedly an abortifacient.[9]

Phytochemistry
Petiveria alliacea has been found to contain a large number of biologically active chemicals including
benzaldehyde, benzoic acid, benzyl 2-hydroxyethyl trisulphide, coumarin, isoarborinol, isoarborinol
acetate, isoarborinol cinnamate, isothiocyanates, polyphenols, senfol, tannins, and trithiolaniacine.[13]

The plant's roots have also been shown to contain cysteine sulfoxide derivatives that are analogous to,
but different from, those found in such plants as garlic and onion. For example, P. alliacea contains S-
phenylmethyl-L-cysteine sulfoxides (petiveriins A and B)[14] and S-(2-hydroxyethyl)-L-cysteines (6-
hydroxyethiins A and B). These compounds serve as the precursors of several thiosulfinates such as S-(2-
hydroxyethyl) 2-hydroxyethane)thiosulfinate, S-(2-hydroxylethyl) phenylmethanethiosulfinate, S-benzyl
2-hydroxyethane)thiosulfinate and S-benzyl phenylmethanethiosulfinate (petivericin).[15] All four of
these thiosulfinates have been found to exhibit antimicrobial activity.[16] Petiveriin also serves as
percursor to phenylmethanethial S-oxide, a lachrymatory agent structurally similar to syn-propanethial-
S-oxide from onion,
[17][18] but whose formation requires novel cysteine sulfoxide lyase and
lachrymatory factor synthase enzymes differing from those found in onion.[19][20][21]

Domestic animals that consume P. alliacea can pass the garlic-like odor characteristic of the plant to
their meat, eggs and milk. In addition, nitrates in the plant can cause toxicosis in cattle.[9]

References
1. "Petiveria" (https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxonomygenus.aspx?id=9164). Germplasm
Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 2010-04-05.

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2. Carlquist, Sherwin (1998). "Wood and Stem Anatomy of Petiveria and Rivina (Caryophyllales);
Systematic Implications". IAWA Journal. 19 (4): 383–391. doi:10.1163/22941932-90000659 (https://d
oi.org/10.1163%2F22941932-90000659).
3. Mild, C (2004-06-26). "Smelly Weed Is Strong Medicine" (http://www.riodeltawild.com/JanJune2004/
Petiveria%20alliacea.pdf) (PDF). Rio Delta Wild. Retrieved 2010-04-05.
4. Schmelzer, GH; Gurib-Fakim, A (2008). Medicinal Plants (https://books.google.com/books?id=7FJqg
Q3_tnUC). Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. pp. 412–415. ISBN 978-90-5782-204-9.
5. Johnson, L. 1999. Anamu: Petiveria Alliacea. 14 pages (paperback). Woodland Publishing. ISBN 1-
58054-038-4 (In Spanish).
6. Mendes J. 1986. Cote ce Cote la: Trinidad & Tobago Dictionary, Arima, Trinidad, p. 95.
7. "New anti-cancer discovery from Guinea Hen Weed" (http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/New-an
ti-cancer-discovery-from-Guinea-Hen-Weed_16214248). Jamaica Observer. 2014-03-09.
8. "Petiveria alliacea L. Guinea hen weed" (http://regionalconservation.org/ircs/database/plants/PlantPa
ge.asp?TXCODE=Petialli). Floristic Inventory of South Florida Database Online. The Institute for
Regional Conservation. Retrieved 2017-01-06.
9. "Petiveria alliacea (guinea hen weed)" (http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/70236). Invasive Species
Compendium. CABI. Retrieved 2017-01-06.
10. Pérez-Leal, R.; García-Mateos, M. R.; Martínez-Vásquez, M.; Soto-Hernández, M. (2006). "Cytotoxic
and antioxidant activity of Petiveria alliacea L.". Revista Chapingo. Serie Horticultura. 12 (1): 51–56.
11. "ANAMU (Petiveria alliacea)" (http://www.rain-tree.com/anamu.htm#.WG_ppbYrK9Y). Tropical Plant
Database. Raintree. 2013-02-11. Retrieved 2017-01-06.
12. Hernández, John Fredy; Urueña, Claudia Patricia; Cifuentes, Maria Claudia; Sandoval, Tito
Alejandro; Pombo, Luis Miguel; Castañeda, Diana; Asea, Alexzander; Fiorentino, Susana (2014-05-
14). "A Petiveria alliacea standardized fraction induces breast adenocarcinoma cell death by
modulating glycolytic metabolism". Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 153 (3): 641–649.
doi:10.1016/j.jep.2014.03.013 (https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.jep.2014.03.013).
13. "Petiveria alliacea" (http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/medicinal/anamu.html). Medicinal Plants for
Livestock. Cornell University Department of Animal Science. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
14. Kubec, R; Musah, RA (2001). "Cysteine sulfoxide derivatives in Petiveria alliacea" (http://www.rabim
usah.com/pdfs/Cysteine%20Sulfoxide%20Derivatives%20in%20Petiveria%20Alliacea.pdf) (PDF).
Phytochemistry. 58: 981985. doi:10.1016/s0031-9422(01)00304-1 (https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fs0031
-9422%2801%2900304-1).
15. Kubec, R; Kim, S; Musah, RA (2002). "S-Substituted cysteine derivatives and thiosulfinate formation
in Petiveria alliacea--Part II" (http://www.rabimusah.com/pdfs/Cysteine%20S-Substituted%20Cystein
e%20Derivatives_part%202.pdf) (PDF). Phytochemistry. 61: 675–680. doi:10.1016/S0031-
9422(02)00328-X (https://doi.org/10.1016%2FS0031-9422%2802%2900328-X).
16. Kim, S; Kubec, R; Musah, RA (2006). "Antibacterial and antifungal activity of sulfur-containing
compounds from Petiveria alliacea" (http://www.rabimusah.com/pdfs/Antibacterial%20and%20Antifu
ngal%20Activity.pdf) (PDF). Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 104: 188–192.
doi:10.1016/j.jep.2005.08.072 (https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.jep.2005.08.072). PMID 16229980 (http
s://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16229980).
17. Kubec R, Kim S, Musah RA (2003). "The lachrymatory principle of Petiveria alliacea".
Phytochemistry. 63 (1): 37–40. doi:10.1016/S0031-9422(02)00759-8 (https://doi.org/10.1016%2FS0
031-9422%2802%2900759-8). PMID 12657295 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12657295).
18. Kubec R, Cody RB, Dane AJ, Musah RA, Schraml J, Vattekkatte A, Block E (2010). "Applications of
DART Mass Spectrometry in Allium Chemistry. (Z)-Butanethial S-Oxide and 1-Butenyl Thiosulfinates
and their S-(E)-1-Butenylcysteine S-Oxide Precursor from Allium siculum". Journal of Agricultural
and Food Chemistry. 58 (2): 1121–1128. doi:10.1021/jf903733e (https://doi.org/10.1021%2Fjf903733
e). PMID 20047275 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20047275).

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19. Musah RA, He Q, Kubec R (2009). "Discovery and characterization of a novel lachrymatory factor
synthase in Petiveria alliacea and its influence on alliinase-mediated formation of biologically active
organosulfur compounds" (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2773066). Plant
Physiology. 151 (3): 1294–1303. doi:10.1104/pp.109.142539 (https://doi.org/10.1104%2Fpp.109.142
539). PMC 2773066 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2773066). PMID 19692535 (http
s://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19692535).
20. Musah RA, He Q, Kubec R, Jadhav A (2009). "Studies of a novel cysteine sulfoxide lyase from
Petiveria alliacea: the first heteromeric alliinase" (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC277
3092). Plant Physiology. 151 (3): 1304–1316. doi:10.1104/pp.109.142430 (https://doi.org/10.1104%2
Fpp.109.142430). PMC 2773092 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2773092).
PMID 19789290 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19789290).
21. He Q, Kubec R, Jadhav AP, Musah RA (2011). "First insights into the mode of action of a
"lachrymatory factor synthase"--implications for the mechanism of lachrymator formation in Petiveria
alliacea, Allium cepa and Nectaroscordum species". Phytochemistry. 72 (16): 1939–1946.
doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2011.07.013 (https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.phytochem.2011.07.013).
PMID 21840558 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21840558).

External links
Media related to Petiveria at Wikimedia Commons
Data related to Petiveria at Wikispecies

Detailed description of plant and medicinal uses (http://rain-tree.com/anamu.htm)

Article from the Jamaica Gleaner written by a Dr. Tony Vendryes. (https://web.archive.org/web/20070
929062112/http://jamaicagleaner.com/gleaner/20070813/news/news7.html)

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