Solidago Virgaurea L.: a Review of Its Ethnomedicinal Uses, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacological Activities
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biomolecules Review Solidago virgaurea L.: A Review of Its Ethnomedicinal Uses, Phytochemistry, and Pharmacological Activities 1,2, 1, 2,3 4, Cornelia Fursenco y , Tatiana Calalb y, Livia Uncu , Mihaela Dinu * and Robert Ancuceanu 4 1 Departament of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nicolae Testemitanu SUMPh, 66 Mălina Mică Street, MD-2025 Chisinau, Moldova; [email protected] (C.F.); [email protected] (T.C.) 2 Scientific Center of Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nicolae Testemitanu SUMPh, 66 Mălina Mică Street, MD-2025 Chisinau, Moldova; [email protected] 3 Departament of Pharmaceutical and Toxicological Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nicolae Testemitanu SUMPh, 66 Mălina Mică Street, MD-2025 Chisinau, Moldova 4 Department of Pharmaceutical Botany and Cell Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 6 Traian Vuia Street, Sector 2, 020956 Bucharest, Romania; [email protected] * Correspondence: [email protected] Denotes equal contribution. y Received: 13 October 2020; Accepted: 26 November 2020; Published: 30 November 2020 Abstract: Solidago virgaurea L. (European goldenrod, Woundwort), Asteraceae, is a familiar medicinal plant in Europe and other parts of the world, widely used and among the most researched species from its genus. The aerial parts of European goldenrod have long been used for urinary tract conditions and as an anti-inflammatory agent in the traditional medicine of different peoples. Its main chemical constituents are flavonoids (mainly derived from quercetin and kaempferol), C6-C1 and C6-C3 compounds, terpenes (mostly from the essential oil), and a large number of saponin molecules (mainly virgaureasaponins and solidagosaponins). Published research on its potential activities is critically reviewed here: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, spasmolitic, antihypertensive, diuretic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasite, cytotoxic and antitumor, antimutagenic, antiadipogenic, antidiabetic, cardioprotective, and antisenescence. The evidence concerning its potential benefits is mainly derived from non-clinical studies, some effects are rather modest, whereas others are more promising, but need more confirmation in both non-clinical models and clinical trials. Keywords: Solidago vigaurea L.; European goldenrod; asteraceae; ethnomedicinal; phytochemistry; distribution; pharmacological activity 1. Introduction The genus Solidago includes about 190 species and infraspecific taxons (subspecies and varieties) with an accepted status and about 330 species and intraspecific taxons with an ambiguous status [1]. They are widespread throughout the world, most of them originating from North America or confined to this part of the world [2]. Most of Solidago species are herbaceous flowering plants, which occur in the spontaneous flora or are cultivated as decorative plants [3]. Raw materials of goldenrods have a long and wide use history in the traditional medicine of different parts of the world: S. virgaurea L. (European goldenrod) is the most used in Europe and Asia; S. canadensis L. (Canadian goldenrod), S. gigantea Aiton (Giant goldenrod), and S. odora Aiton—in North America; S. chilensis Meyen in South − America [4,5]. According to the Flora Europaea, on the continent, there are 5 representatives of the genus Solidago: S. virgaurea L., S. canadensis L., S. gigantea Aiton., S. altissima L., and S. graminifolia Biomolecules 2020, 10, 1619; doi:10.3390/biom10121619 www.mdpi.com/journal/biomolecules Biomolecules 2020, 10, x 2 of 31 BiomoleculesMeyen−in2020 South, 10, 1619 America [4,5]. According to the Flora Europaea, on the continent, there2 are of 31 5 representatives of the genus Solidago: S. virgaurea L., S. canadensis L., S. gigantea Aiton., S. altissima L., and S. graminifolia L. Salisb.) [6]. Today, S. graminifolia is considered a synonym for Euthamia L.graminifolia Salisb.) [6]. (L.) Today, Nutt.S. [7]. graminifolia S. canadensisis considered and S. gigantea a synonym, although for Euthamia of North graminifolia American(L.) origin, Nutt. have [7]. S.become canadensis widespreadand S. gigantea across ,Europe although and of are North considered American “serious origin, invaders”, have become whereas widespread S. rugosa across, of the Europesame origins, and are has considered been reported “serious only invaders”, in a few whereas WesternS. European rugosa, of thecountries same origins, [8]. has been reported only inThe a few aerial Western parts European of European countries goldenrod [8]. have been known and used for centuries as anti- inflammatory,The aerial spasmolytic, parts of European and diuretic goldenrod remedies have in the been traditional known medicine and used for for the centuries treatment as of anti-inflammatory,numerous diseases, spasmolytic, especially as and a urological diuretic remedies agent in in kidney the traditional and bladder medicine inflammation, for the treatment urolithiasis, of numerousand cystitis diseases, [3,4,8–12]. especially According as a urologicalto the European agent inMedicines kidney and Agency, bladder S. inflammation,virgaurea is one urolithiasis, of the most andused cystitis and studied [3,4,8–12 species]. According of the Solidago to the European genus in Europe Medicines [9]. Agency, S. virgaurea is one of the most used andThe studiedgrowing species interest of thefor Solidagothe speciesgenus S. virgaurea in Europe as [9 ].a medicinal plant led us to carry out this reviewThe using growing the interestmost relevant for the and species recentS. international virgaurea as aresearch medicinal studies. plant The led scientific us to carry community out this reviewinterest using in S. thevirgaurea most relevant is booming. and recentFigure international1 depicts the researchcumulati studies.ve number The of scientific articles community(total of 580) interestpublished in S. on virgaurea S. virgaureais booming. in the period Figure 1944–2020.1 depicts For the this cumulative purpose, number two well-known of articles and (total worldwide of 580) publishedapplied scientific on S. virgaurea databasesin the (MEDLINE period 1944–2020. (PubMed) For and this HINARI), purpose, twoas well well-known as Google and Scholar, worldwide were appliedused. The scientific number databases of published (MEDLINE paper (PubMed) on this spec andies HINARI), has escalated as well in as the Google last two Scholar, decades were (2000– used. The2020). number of published paper on this species has escalated in the last two decades (2000–2020). Figure 1. Cumulative number of citations on S. virgaurea. Source: PubMed. Figure 1. Cumulative number of citations on S. virgaurea. Source: PubMed. 2. General Description, Taxonomy, and Distribution 2. General Description, Taxonomy, and Distribution S. virgaurea is a perennial herb provided with an oblique, woody rhizome, of a cylindrical shape and devoidS. virgaurea of knots, is a onperennial which stemherb scarsprovided are visible with an (Figure oblique,2A). woody The round, rhizome, erect of stem a cylindrical may achieve shape aand height devoid of up of toknots, 1 m, on and which is ramified stem scars and are pubescent visible (Figure at the topside.2A). The Theround, leaves, erect with stem anmay alternate achieve arrangement,a height of up are to simple, 1 m, and slightly is ramified pubescent and onpubescent the adaxial at the face, topside. and pubescent The leaves, on with the abaxialan alternate one. Basalarrangement, leaves have are ovate simple, or ovate-ellipticslightly pubescent blades on with th ane adaxial acute tip face, and and a winged pubescent petiole, on the whereas abaxial upper one. leavesBasal haveleaves short have stalks ovate and or ovate-elliptic linear-lanceolate blades or with elliptic an blades,acute tip with and margins a winged either petiole, serrated whereas or entire upper (Figureleaves2 haveB,C). short The radiate stalks and flower linear-lanceolate heads have morphologically or elliptic blades, distinguished with margins ray either (female, serrated tongue-like) or entire and(Figure disc yellow2B,C). The florets radiate (hermaphrodite, flower heads tubular). have morpho The flowerslogically capitula distinguished are grouped ray (female, in a simple tongue-like) raceme orand in paniclesdisc yellow (Figure florets2D). (hermaphro The receptacledite, istubular). glossy andThe flat.flowers The capitula fruit isa are cylindrically-shaped grouped in a simple achene, raceme withor in 8–10 panicles ribs and(Figure a pappus 2D). The derived receptacle from theis glossy modified and flat. calyx The [13 fruit]. is a cylindrically-shaped achene, withA 8–10 recent ribs morpho-anatomicaland a pappus derived local from study the modified focused calyx on [13]. the morphological and anatomical investigation of S. virgaurea from flora of the Republic of Moldova, and its herbal product Solidaginis Biomolecules 2020, 10, x 3 of 31 A recent morpho-anatomical local study focused on the morphological and anatomical Biomoleculesinvestigation2020 ,of10 S., 1619 virgaurea from flora of the Republic of Moldova, and its herbal product Solidaginis3 of 31 virgaureae herba, was done by Calalb T. et al. [13]. The anatomical features of the highest interest for the exact identification of S. virgaurea, established in this study, include: repartition of stomata on virgaureae herba, was done by Calalb T. et al. [13]. The anatomical features of the highest interest for both sides of the leaf, anomocytic arrangement of stomata, cone-shaped or fan-shaped multicellular