Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Achillea millefolium L. ssp. millefolium (Yarrow): In Vitro Culture and Production of Essential Oils

  • Chapter
Medicinal and Aromatic Plants VIII

Part of the book series: Biotechnology in Agriculture and Forestry ((AGRICULTURE,volume 33))

Abstract

Yarrow, commonly called soldier’s woundwort or herb of the good Lord, owes some of its common names to its known pharmacological, antihemorrhagic, and sedative properties (Font Quer 1981). Dioscorides went even further in the applications of this plant; it can be used not only as a vulnerary, but also has tonic, antispasmodic, antipyretic, and antimycotic properties. Also, the scientific name of the plant is related to its antihemorrhagic action. According to the Greek legend, during the Trojan War (ca. 1250 B.c.), Achilles healed the wounds of King Telephos with yarrow; thus, the name Achillea, millefolium indicates that the leaves are finely divided.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 259.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 329.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 329.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Aboutabl EA, Soliman FM, El-Zalabani SM, Brunke EJ, El-Kersh TA (1986) Essential oil of Achillea fragrantissima (Forssk.) Sch Bip Sci Pharm 54: 37–41

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ahmed AA, Shalaby AM, Melek FR, Mabry TJ (1988) Swertisin 2″-arabinoside, a new C-glycosylflavone from Achillea fragrantissima. J Nat Prod 51: 971–972

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Anonymous (1975) European pharmacopoeia, vol 3. Maisonneuve SA, Sainte-Ruffine, pp 68–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Banthorpe DV, Brown GD (1990) Growth and secondary metabolism in cell cultures of Tanacetum, Mentha and Anethum species in buffered media. Plant Sci 67: 107–113

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barel S, Yashphe (1989) Effect of the essential oil from Achilleafragrantissima on Escherichia coli cells. Cur Micr 19: 337–341

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bicchi C, Frattini C, Cantamessa L, Poggio L (1988) On the composition of Achillea abrotanoides (Vis.) Vis. essential oil. Flavour Fragr J 3: 101–104

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brunke E.-J, Hammerschmidt F-J, Aboutabl EA (1986) Volatile constituents of Achillea wilhelmsii C. Koch (syn. A. santolina auct. mult.) from Egypt and Turkey. In Brunke E-J (ed) Progress in essential oil research. De Gruyter, Berlin, pp 85–92

    Google Scholar 

  • Bruno M, Herz W (1988) Guaianolides and other constituents of Achillea ligustica. Phytochemistry 27: 1871–1872

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Černaj P, Liptáková H, Mohr G, Repčák M, Hončariv R (1983a) Variability of the content and composition of essential oil during ontogenesis of Achillea collina Becker. Herba Hung 22: 21–26

    Google Scholar 

  • Černaj P, Repčák M, Hončariv R, Tesařik K (1993b) The variability of essential oil of East Slovakian Achillea collina Becker populations. Biológia (Bratislava) 38: 865–872

    Google Scholar 

  • Cernaj P, Repčák M, Tesařík K, Hončařiv R (1983c) Terpenoid compounds from different parts of Achillea collina Becker inflorescences. Biol Plant 25: 221–224

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chandler RF, Hooper SN, Harvey MJ (1982a) Ethnobotany and phytochemistry of yarrow, Achillea millefolium, Compositae. Econ Bot 36: 203–223

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chandler RF, Hooper SN, Hooper DL, Jamieson WD, Flinn CG, Safe LM (1982b) Herbal remedies of the maritime Indians: sterols and triterpenes of Achillea millefolium L. (yarrow). J Pharm Sci 71: 690–693

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cresswell RC, Fowler MW, Stafford A, Stepan-Sarkissian G (1989) Inputs and outputs: primary substrates and secondary metabolism. In: Kurz WGW (ed) Primary and secondary metabolism of plant cell cultures. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg New York, pp 14–26

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Daie J, Chin C-K, Pitcher L (1987) Differential rates of sucrose and hexose transport by asparagus cell cultures. Plant Sci 53: 101–107

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Durzan DJ (1987) Ammonia: its analogues, metabolic products and site of action in somatic embryogenesis. In: Bonga J, Durzan DJ (eds) Cell and tissue culture in forestry, vol 1. Nijhoff, Dordrecht, pp 92–136

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Eglseer K, Jurenitsch J, Saukel J, Franz Ch, Kubelka W (1988) Vergleichende Untersuchungen des ätherischen Öles verschiedener Sippen des Achillea millefolium aggregates. Sci Pharm 56: 15

    Google Scholar 

  • Eglseer K, Jurenitsch J, Korhammer S, Haslinger E, Sosa S, Della Loggia R, Kubelka, Franz Ch (1991) Entzündungshemmende Sesquiterpenlactone von Achillea setacea. Planta Med 57: 444–446

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Falk AJ, Bauer L, Bell CL, Smolenski SJ (1974) The constituents of the essential oil from Achillea millefolium L. Loydia 37: 598–602

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Feijão RO (1954) Medicina pelas plantas. Gráfica Sepol, Lisboa, pp 133–134

    Google Scholar 

  • Figueiredo AC, Pais MS (1991) Achillea millefolium cell suspension cultures: establishment and growth conditions. Biotechnol Lett 13: 63–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Figueiredo AC, Pais MS (1994) Ultrastructural aspects of the apical cells from the trichomes and from the cell suspension cultures of Achillea millefolium L. ssp. millefolium. Ann Bot 74: 179–190

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Figueiredo AC, Barroso JG, Pais MSS, Scheffer JJC (1992a) Composition of the essential oils from leaves and flowers of Achillea millefolium L. ssp. millefolium. Flavour Fragr J 7: 219–222

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Figueiredo AC, Barroso JG, Pais MSS, Scheffer JJC (1992b) Composition of the essential oils from two populations of Achillea millefolium L. ssp. millefolium J. Chromatogr Sci 30: 392–395

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Figueiredo AC, Barroso JG, Pais MSS (1994) Time course accumulation of free extra- and intracellular amino acids in Achillea millefolium L. ssp. millefolium cell suspension cultures. Phytochemistry 35: 629–634

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Figueiredo AC, Pais MSS, Scheffer JJC (1995) Composition of the essential oil from cell suspension cultures of Achillea millefolium L. ssp. millefolium. Plant Cell Tissue Organ Cult 40: 113–118

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Font Quer P (1981) Plantas Medicinales El Dioscôrides Renovado. Editorial Labor SA, Barcelona, pp 803–805

    Google Scholar 

  • Fowler MW, Watson R, Lyons I (1982) Substrate utilization, carbon and nitrogen, by suspension cultured plant cells. In: Fujiwara A (ed) Plant tissue culture, 1982. Maruzen, Tokyo, pp 225–228

    Google Scholar 

  • Furlenmeier M (1984) Plantas curativas y sus propriedades medicinales. Editorial Schwitter SA, Zug, Switzerland, p 32

    Google Scholar 

  • Gamborg OL, Miller RA, Ojima K (1968) Nutrient requirements of suspension cultures of soybean root cells. Exp Cell Res 50: 151–158

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goldner W, Thom M, Maretzki A (1991) Sucrose metabolism in sugarcane cell suspension cultures. Plant Sci 73: 143–147

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gören N, Öksüz S, Ulubelen A (1988) A sesquiterpene lactone, sintenin, from Achillea sintensii. Phytochemistry 27: 2346–2347

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greger H, Hofer O (1987) Highly unsaturated isopentyl amides from Achillea wilhelmsii. J Nat Prod 50: 1100–1107

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Greger H, Werner A (1990) Comparative HPLC analyses of alkamides within the Achillea millefolium group. Planta Med 56: 482–486

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Greger H, Zdero C, Bohlmann F (1984) Pyrrolidine and piperidine amides from Achillea. Phytochemistry 23: 1503–1505

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Greger H, Hofer O, Werner A (1987) Biosynthetically simple C18-alkamides from Achillea species. Phytochemistry 26: 2235–2242

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grey D, Stepan-Sarkissian G, Fowler M (1987) Nutrient uptake. In: Bonga J, Durzan DJ (eds) Cell and tissue culture in forestry, vol 1. Nijhoff, Dordrecht, pp 31–60

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Guern J, Felle H, Mathieu Y, Kurkdjian A (1991) Regulation of intracellular pH in plant cells. Int Rev Cytol 127: 111–173

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hachey J-M, Collin G-J, Gagnon M-J, Simard S, Dufour S, Jean F-I, Vernin G, Fraisse D (1990) Extraction and GC/MS analysis of the essential oil of Achillea millefolium L. complex (Compositae). J Essent Oil Res 2: 317–326

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haggag MY, Shalaby AS, Verzar-Petri G (1975) Thin layer and gas-chromatographic studies on the essential oil from Achillea millefolium. Planta Med 27: 361–366

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hanlidou E, Kokkalou E, Kokkini S (1992) Volatile constituents of Achillea grandifolia. Planta Med 58: 105–107

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hausen BM, Breuer J, Weglewski J, Rucker G (1991) a-Peroxyachifolid and other new sensitizing sesquiterpene lactones from yarrow (Achillea millefolium L., Compositae). Contact Dermatitis 24: 274–280

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Héthelyi E, Dános B, Tétényi P (1989) Phytochemical studies on the essential oils of species belonging to the Achillea genus by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Biomed Environ Mass Spectrom 18: 629–636

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jacobson M (1989) Botanical pesticides: past, present and future. In: Arnason JT, Philogène BJR, Morand P (eds) Insecticides of plant origin. ACS Symposium Series, Am Chem Soc, Washington, pp 1–10

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Kastner U, Jurenitsch J, Glasl S, Lehner S, Baumann A, Robien W, Kubelka W (1991) New proazulenes of different taxa belonging to the Achillea millefolium group. Planta Med 57 (Suppl) 2: A82

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kirby EG, Leustek T, Lee M (1987) Nitrogen nutrition. In: Bonga J, Durzan DJ (eds) Cell and tissue culture in forestry, vol 1. Nijhoff, Dordrecht, pp 67–88

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuropka G, Neugebauer M, Glombitza K-W (1991) Essential oils of Achillea ptarmica. Planta Med 57: 492–494

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence BM (1984) Yarrow oil. Perfum Flavor 9 (4): 43–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence BM (1987) Essential oils, 1981–1987. Allured, Wheaton, III, pp 115–117

    Google Scholar 

  • Lemberkovics E, Petri G, Tamas J (1988) Gas chromatographic determination of mono- and sesquiterpenes in some commercial Hungarian essential oils. In: Lawrence BM, Mookherjee BD, Willis BJ (eds) Flavors and fragrances: a world perspective. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 243–247

    Google Scholar 

  • Likens ST, Nickerson GB (1964) Detection of certain hop oil constituents in brewing products. Am Soc Brew Chem Proc, pp 5–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Lips SH, Soares MIM, Kaiser JJ, Lewis OAM (1987) K+ modulation of nitrogen uptake and assimilation in plants. In: Ullrich WR, Aparicio PJ, Syrett PJ, Castillo F (eds) Inorganic nitrogen metabolism. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg New York, pp 223–239

    Google Scholar 

  • Loyola-Vargas V, Sanchez de Jiménez E (1986) Effect of nitrate, ammonium and glutamine on nitrogen assimilation enzymes during callus growth of maize. J Plant Physiol 125: 235–242

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maffei M, Chialva F, Codignola A (1989) Essential oils and chromosome numbers from Italian Achillea species. J Essent Oil Res 1: 57–64

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martindale (1989) The extra pharmacopoeia, 29th edn. In: Reynolds JEF (ed) Pharmaceutical Press, London, p 1060

    Google Scholar 

  • McDonald KA, Jackman AP (1989) Bioreactor studies of growth and nutrient utilization in alfalfa suspension cultures. Plant Cell Rep 8: 455–458

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Milosavljevič S, Aljančič I, Macura S, Milinkovič D, Stefanoviê M (1991) Sesquiterpene lactones from Achillea crithmifolia. Phytochemistry 30: 3464–3466

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mollenhauer HH (1964) Plastic embedding mixtures for use in electron microscopy. Stain Technol. 39: 111–115

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Motl O, Ochir G, Kubeczka K-H (1990) Composition of Achillea asiatica Serg. essential oil. Flavour fragr J 5: 153–155

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pharmacopoea Helvetica (1979–1991) 7th edn (ed Francaise). Office Central Fédéral des Imprimês et du Matériel, Berne

    Google Scholar 

  • Pharmacopoea Hungarica (1970) 6th edn. Lang B (ed) Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest. pp 89–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Phillipson JD, Anderson LA (1984) Herbal remedies used in sedative and antirheumatic preparation: part 2 Pharm J 233: 111–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Preitschopf A, Michler B, Arnold C-G (1989) Achillea millefolium: occurrence, ploidal level, and proazulene variation. Planta Med 55: 596

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds ES (1963) The use of lead citrate at high pH as an electron-opaque stain in electron microscopy. J Cell Biol 17: 208–212

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schripsema J, Meijer AH, van Iren F, ten Hoopen HJC, Verpoorte R (1990) Dissimilation curves as a simple method for the characterization of growth of plant cell suspension cultures. Plant Cell Tissue Organ Cult 22: 55–64

    Google Scholar 

  • Schripsema J (1991) Factors involved in the alkaloid production of Tabernaemontana divaricata plant cell suspension cultures. PhD Thesis, Leiden Univ, Leiden

    Google Scholar 

  • Simon JE, Chadwick AF, Craker LE (1984) Herbs: an indexed bibliography, 1971–1980. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 101 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Smolenski SJ, Bell CL, Bauer L (1967) The isolation of achillin from Achillea millefolium. Lloydia 30: 144–149

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava RP, Proksch P (1991) Contact toxicity and feeding inhibitory activity of chromenes from Asteraceae against Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Entomol Gen 15: 265–274

    Google Scholar 

  • Ullrich WR (1987) Nitrate and ammonium uptake in green algae and higher plants: mechanism and relationship with nitrate metabolism. In Ullrich WR, Aparicio PJ, Syrett PJ, Castillo F (eds) Inorganic nitrogen metabolism. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 32–38

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Ulubelen A, Öksüz S, Schuster A (1990) A sesquiterpene lactone from Achillea millefolium subsp. millefolium. Phytochemistry 29: 3948–3949

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Valant-Vetschera KM (1984) Laubblattflavonoide der Achillea millefolium — Gruppe I: infraspezifische Variabilität bei A. setacea W. & K. und verwandte Arten. Sci Pharm 52: 307–311

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Valant-Vetschera KM (1985) C-glycosylflavones in roots and aerial parts of some Achillea species. Biochem Syst Ecol 13: 119–121

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Valant-Vetschera KM (1987) Flavonoid- glycoside accumulationtrends of Achillea nobilis L. and related species. Biochem Syst Ecol 15: 45–52

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valant-Vetschera KM, Wollenweber E (1985) External accumulation of flavonoid aglycones in Achillea. In: Farkas L, Gabor M, Kállay F (eds) Studies in organic chemistry, vol 23. Flavonoids and bioflavonoids. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 213–221

    Google Scholar 

  • Valant-Vetschera KM, Wollenweber E (1988) Distribution of externally accumulated flavonoid aglycones within the Achillea nobilis group. Biochem Syst Ecol 16: 403–409

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Van der Heijden R (1989) Indole alkaloids in cell and tissue cultures of Tabernaemontana species. PhD Thesis, Leiden Univ, Leiden

    Google Scholar 

  • Warmke HE, Lee S-LJ (1976) Improved staining procedures for semithin epoxy sections of plant tissues. Stain Technol 51: 179–185

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weatherburn MW (1967) Phenol-hypochlorite reaction for determination of ammonia. Anal Chem 39: 971–974

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wollenweber E, Valant-Vetschera KM, Ivancheva S, Kuzmanov B (1987) Flavonoid aglycones from the leaf surfaces of some Achillea species. Phytochemistry 26: 181–182

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zurhake F, Wander M (1985) High pressure liquid chromatography for exact measurement of nitrate content in plant material. Gartenbauwissenschaft 50: 91–93

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biologia Vegetal, Faculdade de Ciências de Lisboa, Bloco C2, Campo Grande, 1700, Lisbon, Portugal

    A. C. Figueiredo & M. S. S. Pais

  2. Division of Pharmacognosy, Leiden/Amsterdam Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, Gorlaeus Laboratories, PO Box 9502, 2300, RA Leiden, The Netherlands

    J. J. C. Scheffer

Authors
  1. A. C. Figueiredo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. S. S. Pais
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. J. C. Scheffer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. A-137, New Friends Colony, New Delhi, 110 065, India

    Y. P. S. Bajaj

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1995 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Figueiredo, A.C., Pais, M.S.S., Scheffer, J.J.C. (1995). Achillea millefolium L. ssp. millefolium (Yarrow): In Vitro Culture and Production of Essential Oils. In: Bajaj, Y.P.S. (eds) Medicinal and Aromatic Plants VIII. Biotechnology in Agriculture and Forestry, vol 33. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-08612-4_1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-08612-4_1

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-08201-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-08612-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation