Chemical constituents and biological activities of Iranian Artemisia species

[Display omitted] ► A number of Iranian Artemisia species ( A. aucheri, A. diffusa, A. siberi, A. deserti, A. gypsacea, A. oliveriana, A. tournefortiana, A. turcomanica, A. dracunculus) afforded acyclic monoterpenes, monoterpene hydroperoxide, bicyclic monoterpene glycosides, sesquiterpenes and sesquiterpene lactones. ► From A. diffusa afforded in addition to several eudesmanolides, a new type of sesquiterpene lactone with the endoperoxide group that probably has the same effect of Artemisinin as the antimalarial agent. Acyclic monoterpenes, monoterpene hydroperoxide, bicyclic monoterpene glycosides and unusual monoterpenes have been found in some Iranian Artemisia species. The volatile oils of Artemisia are chemically complex mixtures, often containing in excess of 100 individual components for instance in the oil of Artemisia siberi more than 160 constituents were identified. Cyclic sesquiterpenes, namely bisabolene derivatives and a salsolene keton have also been in the A. siberi described. Reports dealing with isolation and structure elucidation of sesquiterpene lactones in Artemisia species have increased dramatically. The extract of the aerial parts of Artemisia diffusa collected in the province of Khorassan (Iran) afforded, in addition to several eudesmanolides, a new type of sesquiterpene lactone with the endoperoxide group that probably has the same effect of Artemisinin as the antimalarial agent. Penta methoxylated flavone from Artemisia kulbadica has been also reported. Iranian Artemisia species are reviewed in this paper.