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The objective of the present study includes estimation of total phenolic and total flavonoid contents and evaluation of antioxidant and antibacterial activities of various extracts of Inula cuspidata stem. I. cuspidata belongs to family Compositae; it is an erect shrub, distributed in western Himalaya, usually found growing on steep rocky or precipitous ground. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were estimated by Folin–Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride method. Antioxidant activity was performed by four methods: DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl radical), ferrous chelating activity, reducing power and nitric oxide scavenging activity. These extracts were screened for antibacterial studies using macro-dilution method. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were found to be highest in methanol extract (69.44 ± 1.12 mg GAE/g, 12.45 ± 0.67 mg QE/g) followed by chloroform (33.53 ± 0.88 mg GAE/g, 1.27 ± 0.51 mg QE/g) and n -hexane (12.25 ± 1.03 mg GAE/g, 0.08 ± 0.43 mg QE/g) extracts. Methanol extract of I. cuspidata exhibited potent antioxidant activity in all the antioxidant assays followed by chloroform and n -hexane extracts. IC 50 values of methanol, chloroform and n -hexane extract were found to be 43.35 ± 0.58 µg/mL, 298.08 ± 0.62 µg/mL, 1989.24 ± 0.71 µg/mL for DPPH, 396.63 ± 0.73 µg/mL, 915.29 ± 0.81 µg/mL, 1180.56 ± 0.88 µg/mL for ferrous chelating and 594.68 ± 0.99 µg/mL, 930.55 ± 1.03 µg/mL, 1959.26 ± 1.25 µg/mL for nitric oxide scavenging assays. A strong correlation was found between total phenolic, flavonoid and 1/IC 50 values obtained by different antioxidant assays. The correlation coefficient (R) value obtained was more than 0.9 which exhibits a strong correlation. All the extracts showed significant antibacterial activities against Gram positive bacterial strains with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 187.5 to 750 µg/mL and moderate to weak inhibition against Gram negative bacteria with MIC values ranging from 750 to 3000 µg/mL. The present study proves the in vitro anti-oxidant and antibacterial activities of different extracts of I. cuspidata stem.

A root culture of Inula helenium L. was established from leaf explants of aseptic seedlings. An ethanol extract from the lyophilised roots was fractionated using different chromatographic techniques (CC, TLC). The main secondary metabolites found in the root culture were two thymol derivatives: 10-isobutyryloxy-8,9- epoxy-thymol isobutyrate (1) and 10-isobutyryloxy-6- methoxy-8,9-epoxy-thymol isobutyrate (2). The compounds were identified by spectral methods. Quantification of compound 1 in plant material was done by analytical RP-HPLC.

Cytotoxic activity of gaillardin, a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from Inula oculus-christi L. (Asteraceae), was assessed in the human breast adenocarcinoma cell line MCF-7, human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG-2, human non-small cell lung carcinoma cell line A-549, and human colon adenocarcinoma cell line HT-29, resulting in IC50 values of 6.37, 6.20, 4.76, and 1.81 μg/mL, respectively, in the microculture tetrazolium-formazan MTT assay. In vitro apoptosis-inducing properties of gaillardin were also evaluated in MCF-7 cells with the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nickend labeling (TUNEL) assay. The results suggest gaillardin as a candidate for further studies in cancer therapy

Inula viscosa, Inula graveolens and Inula crithmoides (Asteraceae) leaf and flower organic extracts (hexane, chloroform and methanol) were assessed for their antifungal activity against two Trichoderma species (Trichoderma harzianum and Trichoderma viride) and three formae speciales of Fusarium oxysporum. I. viscosa organic extracts showed an important inhibitory activity against all target fungal isolates. Growth inhibition percentage ranged between 17-61, 77-100, and 55-100% in presence of hexane, chloroform and methanol I. viscosa leaf extracts, respectively. Flower organic extracts reduced mycelial growth of all fungi by 32-66, 30-75, and 8-70%, respectively. For I. graveolens, Stem + leaf organic extracts showed more or less important inhibition depending on solvent nature, though, flower organic extracts were found to be the most effective against tested fungi: a total inhibition of growth was recorded with methanol fraction against all target fungi and with hexane fraction against F. oxysporum f. sp. melonis (FOM) and T. viride. In presence of I. crithmoides leaf organic extracts, a total growth inhibition was noted with the three extracts against T. harzianum, with hexane and methanol fraction against T. viride and with chloroform fraction against FOM. I. crithmoides flower extracts caused a highly significant growth inhibition of about 57-100, 66-100, and 100-100% with hexane, chloroform and methanol extracts, respectively. Therefore, I. viscosa, I. graveolens and I. crithmoides could be an important source of biologically active compounds useful for developing environmentally safe antifungal products. Key words: Antifungal activity, organic extracts, Inula, radial growth.

Three members of the tribe Gnaphalieae and six members of the tribe Inuleae (Asteraceae) were analyzed for their exudate flavonoids. Whereas some species exhibit rather trivial flavonoids, others produce rare compounds. Spectral data of rare flavonoids are reported and their structural identification is discussed. 6-Oxygenation of flavonols is a common feature of two Inula species and Pulicaria sicula. By contrast, flavonoids with 8-oxygenation, but lacking 6-oxygenation, are common in two out of three Gnaphalieae species examined. In addition, B-ring deoxyflavonoids are abundantly present in the leaf exudates of Helichrysum italicum (Gnaphalieae). These distinctive features of the two Asteraceae tribes are in agreement with previous flavonoid surveys of these and related taxa.

Dermatitis venenata from plants and trees is rather common in Australia. Among the plants that are known to cause cutaneous irritation are the dogweed (Cassinia aculeata), the stinkwort (Inula graveolens), parsnips (Pastinacea sativa), the chilli bean (Capsicum frutescens), yams, chrysanthemums, azaleas, the red bean (Castanosperma australe), various species of Rhus and others. The ragweed is not found in Australia. Showburghk, 1 of the botanical gardens in Adelaide, in 1875 mentioned capeweed as being a nasal and pulmonary irritant. This is well known among the laity and the members of the medical profession. Derrick 2 in 1929 stated that about 12 per cent of hay fever and asthma in Australia was due to the capeweed, particularly in the country and in suburban areas. That capeweed also causes dermatitis is less well known. Farmer 3 reported 2 cases of dermatitis from this weed in 1941. In 1 of these the der

Trixis chiapensis, T. grandibracteata, T. mexicana var.auriculata, T. mexicana var.macradenia, andT. parviflora are described as new, and the combinationsT. californica var.peninsularis, T. michuacana var.longifolia, andT. pringlei var.oligantha are proposed. The application of the namesT. inula andT. michuacana is discussed.

In 1804 Sesse introduced seeds from Mexico to the Royal Gardens at Madrid where they were grown in 1805 under the name of Aster spathulatus Hort. Seeds from these plants were sent to the Montpellier Garden (Hortus Monspeliensis), and from plants grown there were distributed to various botanical gardens. Willdenow, of the Berlin Botanical Garden, received some from Professor Broussonet of Montpellier in the spring of 1806 under the name of Aster spathularis. When the plants flowered and matured fruit during the summer of 1807, Willdenow observed that they differed from Inula, under which Persoon2 had identified them, and from Aster (the only genera known to him at the time with which his plants might have shown relation). Accordingly he described3 from them a new genus, Grindelia, in honor of Professor Grindel of Dorpat, and named the particular plant Grindelia inuloides. Previously, in 1793, Cavanilles4 had described and illustrated an Aster glutinosus based upon plants he had seen in flower in the Royal Gardens at Madrid, and stated that they had come originally from Mexico. Although the ligules were yellow, a character at variance with Aster but in common with Inula, he decided that color alone should not serve as a criterion in distinguishing genera of Compositae. He regarded the nature of the base of the anther as of more fundamental impor