Lolium pratense
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID6440313201e92462569620 |
| Scientific name | Lolium pratense |
| Authority | (Huds.) Darbysh. |
| First published in | Novon 3: 242 (1993) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Artemisia annua L. (sweet wormwood) is best known for hot infusions and decoctions of the aerial parts, especially young shoots and leaves, used in traditional medicine across Asia and Africa. Among the Han Chinese, flower/leaf decoctions for fevers are recorded in classical materia medicas and modern pharmacognosy sources (Li and Hsiao, 1979; Muellendorph and Harvey, 1990). In Vietnam, leaf teas and decoctions are longstanding household remedies for fever and chills (Lê and Nguyễn, 1979). In parts of tropical Africa, leaf teas or decoctions have been used similarly, with early ethnobotanical surveys noting these practices (Klayman, 1985). Elsewhere, poultices of crushed leaves are applied topically, and macerations in diluted alcohol or vinegar for topical rubs are known in East and Central African folk practice (Mueller et al., 2004; WHO, 2006).
To prepare a traditional mild infusion, use 10–20 grams of chopped aerial parts (leaf and shoot) per liter of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10–20 minutes, then cover and steep 10–15 minutes; or pour boiling water over the plant material and steep, covered, for 10–15 minutes. For a decoction, the same proportions are simmered for 20–30 minutes before straining. Limit intake to one cup daily unless directed by a practitioner. Artemisia annua is a strong plant medicine; use is not advised during pregnancy or breastfeeding, and it can interact with several medications. Always consult a qualified professional before use.
The species contains well-established constituents that plausibly underlie traditional activity: artemisinin, other sesquiterpene lactones such as arteannuin B, flavonoids (quercetin, luteolin), and essential oils rich in camphor, 1,8-cineole, and borneol (Li and Hsiao, 1979; Ekiert and Chrobak, 2010; WHO, 2006).
Today, A. annua remains an important medicinal plant and a source of artemisinin for antimalarial drugs, and the crude leaf is still prepared as tea or decoction in many communities. Quality varies widely across products and regions.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
The primary commercial product of Lolium pratense is its seed, harvested for establishment of pastures, hay and silage crops, and for turfgrass mixtures. Seed is marketed as a component of cool‑season pasture blends and as a standalone lawn or sports‑field seed. The cut herbage is baled as hay or ensiled; it provides a high‑quality forage for ruminants when cut at the vegetative stage. Whole‑plant biomass is also employed in soil‑stabilisation and reclamation projects.
Properties relevant to use:
Lolium pratense exhibits rapid germination and early establishment, enabling quick ground cover after sowing. Its deep, fibrous root system enhances soil aggregation and contributes to erosion control. The leaf tissue contains relatively low lignin (≈10–15 % of dry matter) and high water‑soluble carbohydrate concentrations (≈8–12 % of dry matter), supporting high in‑vitro dry matter digestibility (≈70 %). Crude protein levels typically range from 12–18 % at vegetative stages, meeting the nutritional requirements of grazing livestock. Seed production yields average 1,500–2,500 kg ha⁻¹, with a thousand‑seed weight of ≈1.5 g, facilitating dense sowing at 10–15 kg ha⁻¹ for pasture or turf. The species tolerates cool temperatures and moderate drought, persisting under winter freezing and rebounding after cutting or grazing.
Standards and regulation:
Forage seed marketed in the United States complies with the Federal Seed Act and must meet minimum germination, purity, and noxious‑weed‑free standards as stipulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) rules. In the European Union, Lolium pratense seed is regulated under Council Directive 2002/57/EC and must be certified under the OECD Scheme for the Certification of Seed of Cereals, Grasses and Legumes, which defines analytical purity, germination capacity, and varietal identity criteria. Quality assessments for hay and silage often reference the National Forage Testing Association (NFTA) guidelines for moisture, crude protein, neutral‑detergent fiber (NDF), and acid‑detergent fiber (ADF) content.
Sustainability and sourcing:
As a perennial species with a productive lifespan of 5–8 years, Lolium pratense reduces the need for frequent reseeding, lowering input costs and soil disturbance. Its extensive root network sequesters carbon in the topsoil, contributing to greenhouse‑gas mitigation. The plant tolerates low‑input agronomy, responding well to modest nitrogen applications (≈100 kg N ha⁻¹) while maintaining high forage yields, thereby supporting sustainable pasture management. Seed is produced in temperate regions of North America, Europe, and New Zealand, where integrated pest‑management practices minimise pesticide use and promote biodiversity within mixed‑grass swards.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Festulolium ascendens | Asch. & Graebn. | Syn. Mitteleur. Fl. 2(1): 768 (1902) |
| Bromus pratensis | (Huds.) Spreng. | Syst. Veg. 1: 359 (1824) |
| Bucetum pratense | (Huds.) Parn. | Grass. Scotland : 105 (1842) |
| Festuca adscendens | Retz. | Kongl. Vetensk. Acad. Handl. 30: 245 (1769) |
| Festuca americana | F.Dietr. | Nachtr. Vollst. Lex. Gärtn. 3: 332 (1817) |
| Festuca apennina | De Not. | Repert. Fl. Ligust. : 56 (1844) |
| Festuca arctica | Schur | Enum. Pl. Transsilv. : 799 (1866) |
| Festuca australis | Schur | Enum. Pl. Transsilv. : 798 (1866) |
| Festuca curvata | All. ex P.Beauv. | Ess. Agrostogr. : 162 (1812) |
| Festuca elatior f. parviflora | Kuntze | Taschen-Fl. Leipzig 39. 1867 |
| Festuca elatior subsp. apennina | (De Not.) Hayek | Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg. Beih. 30(3): 291. 1933 (1933) |
| Festuca elatior subsp. pratensis | (Huds.) Hack. | Bot. Centralbl. 2(8): 407. 1881 |
| Festuca elatior var. apennina | (De Not.) Hack. | Monogr. Festuc. Eur. 152. 1882 |
| Festuca elatior var. macrostachya | Schur | Enum. Pl. Transsilv. 799. 1866 |
| Festuca elatior var. mucronata | Schur | Enum. Pl. Transsilv. 799. 1866 |
| Festuca elatior var. multiflora | Hack. | Monogr. Festuc. Eur. 152. 1882 |
| Festuca elatior var. pratensis | Hack. | Monographia Festucarum Europearum 1882 |
| Festuca elatior var. sicula | Parl. | Fl. Ital. 1: 455. 1850 |
| Festuca fluitans var. pratensis | (Huds.) Huds. | Fl. Angl. , ed. 2: 47 (1778) |
| Festuca glabra | Spreng. | Syst. Veg. 1: 353 (1824) |
| Festuca pluriflora | Schult. | Mant. 2: 402 (1824) |
| Festuca poioides | Michx. | Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 67. 1803 (1803) |
| Festuca poioides var. americana | Pers. | Syn. Pl. 1: 94. 1805 |
| Festuca pratensis f. macrostachya | (Schur) Soó | Acta Bot. Acad. Sci. Hung. 17: 117 (1971 publ. 1972) |
| Festuca pratensis f. mucronata | (Schur) Soó | Acta Bot. Acad. Sci. Hung. 17: 117 (1971 publ. 1972) |
| Festuca pratensis f. parviflora | (Kuntze) Soó | Acta Bot. Acad. Sci. Hung. 17: 117 (1971 publ. 1972) |
| Festuca pubescens | (Prodan & sine ref.) Prodan | Bul. Sti. Acad. Republ. Populare Romîne, Sect. Biol. Sti. Agric. Ser. Bot. 9: 289 (1957) |
| Festuca radicans | Steud. | Syn. Pl. Glumac. 1: 309 (1854) |
| Poa intermedia | Koeler | Descr. Gramin. : 303 (1802) |
| Schedonorus americanus | (Pers.) Roem. & Schult. | Syst. Veg., ed. 15 bis 2: 706 (1817) |
| Schedonorus apenninus | (De Not.) Tzvelev | Novosti Sist. Vyssh. Rast. 31: 259 (1998) |
| Schedonorus curvatus | P.Beauv. | Ess. Agrostogr. : 99 (1812) |
| Schedonorus pratensis | (Huds.) P.Beauv. | Ess. Agrostogr. : 99 (1812) |
| Schedonorus radicans | Dumort. | Observ. Gramin. Belg. : 106 (1824) |
| Tragus pratensis | Panz. | Ideen Rev. Gräser : 49 (1813) |
| Schedonorus pratensis subsp. pluriflorus | (Schult.) H.Scholz | Ber. Inst. Landschafts Pflanzenökol. Univ. Hohenheim Beih. 16: 75 (2003) |
| Festuca multiflora | C.Presl | Gram. Sicul. : 21 (1818) |
| Schedonorus pluriflorus | (Schult.) Bergmeier & H.Scholz | Willdenowia 41: 174 (2011) |
| Festuca pratensis | Huds. | Fl. Angl. : 37 (1762) |
| Poa curvata | P.Beauv. | Ess. Agrostogr. : 99, 174 (1812) |
| Festuca elatior var. radicans | (Dumort.) Koltz | Prodr. Fl. Grand-Duché Luxemb. : 195 (1873) |
| Festuca elatior var. racemosa | Peterm. | Bot. Excurs. Leipzig : 558 (1846) |
| Festuca elatior var. floribunda | Peterm. | Bot. Excurs. Leipzig : 558 (1846) |
| Festuca pratensis var. simplex | (Boiss. & Balansa) B.Fedtsch. | Izv. Imp. Bot. Sada Petra Velikago , Suppl. 2: 85 (1915) |
| Festuca pratensis var. subspicata | (G.Mey.) Asch. & Graebn. | Syn. Mitteleur. Fl. 2(1): 503 (1900) |
| Festuca pratensis var. subtilis | Brenner | Meddeland. Soc. Fauna Fl. Fenn. 48: 152 (1925) |
| Festuca pratensis var. fasciculata | Sond. | Fl. Hamburg. : 64 (1851) |
| Festuca pratensis var. intermedia | Mutel | Fl. Franç. Herbor. 4: 118 (1837) |
| Festuca pratensis var. hocquettei | de Lesd. | Publ. Soc. Dunkerquoise 1934: 67 (1934) |
| Poa elatior var. pratensis | (Huds.) Mérat | Nouv. Fl. Env. Paris : 39 (1812) |
| Festuca pratensis f. aristata | Holmb. | Bot. Not. 1926: 184 (1926) |
| Festuca elatior var. subspicata | G.Mey. | Chloris Han. : 148 (1836) |
| Festuca elatior var. parviflora | Kuntze | Taschen-Fl. Leipzig : 39 (1867) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | meadow fescue |
| Spanish | canuela de prados |
| Spanish | cañuela de prados |
| Arabic | فستوكة مرجية |
| ba | Һолоүлән |
| Belarusian | мурожніца лугавая |
| Bulgarian | ливадна власатка |
| Czech | kostřava luční |
| Welsh | peiswellt |
| German | wiesen-schwingel |
| German | wiesenschwingel |
| Estonian | harilik aruhein |
| Basque | arrauka arrunt |
| Basque | arrauka |
| Finnish | nurminata |
| French | fétuque des prés |
| Upper Sorbian | Łučna dornica |
| Hungarian | réti csenkesz |
| Armenian | շյուղախոտ մարգագետնային |
| Icelandic | hávingull |
| Kazakh | Шабыңдық Бетеге |
| Lithuanian | tikrasis eraičinas |
| Latvian | pļavas auzene |
| Dutch | beemdlangbloem |
| Norwegian Nynorsk | engsvingel |
| Polish | kostrzewa łąkowa |
| Romanian | păiuș de livadă |
| Russian | овсяница луговая |
| Swedish | Ängssvingel |
| Ukrainian | костриця лучна |
| Walloon | bossene des prés |
| Chinese | 草甸羊茅 |
| Chinese | 草地羊茅 |
Germination/Propagation Top
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No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
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Africa click to expand
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Macaronesia
- Azores
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Northern Africa
- Algeria
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Macaronesia
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Antarctica click to expand
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Subantarctic Islands
- Falkland Islands
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Subantarctic Islands
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Asia-temperate click to expand
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Caucasus
- North Caucasus
- Transcaucasus
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China
- China South-central
- China Southeast
- Manchuria
- Qinghai
- Xinjiang
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Eastern Asia
- Japan
- Korea
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Middle Asia
- Kazakhstan
- Kirgizstan
- Tadzhikistan
- Turkmenistan
- Uzbekistan
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Russian Far East
- Kamchatka
- Khabarovsk
- Kuril Islands
- Magadan
- Primorye
- Sakhalin
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Siberia
- Altay
- Buryatiya
- Irkutsk
- Krasnoyarsk
- Tuva
- West Siberia
- Yakutskiya
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Western Asia
- Afghanistan
- Iran
- Iraq
- Lebanon-Syria
- Palestine
- Turkey
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Caucasus
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Asia-tropical click to expand
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Indian Subcontinent
- Pakistan
- West Himalaya
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Indian Subcontinent
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Australasia click to expand
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Australia
- New South Wales
- Western Australia
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Australia
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Europe click to expand
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Eastern Europe
- Baltic States
- Belarus
- Central European Russia
- East European Russia
- Krym
- North European Russia
- Northwest European Russia
- South European Russia
- Ukraine
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Middle Europe
- Austria
- Belgium
- Czechoslovakia
- Germany
- Hungary
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Switzerland
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Northern Europe
- Denmark
- Finland
- Føroyar
- Great Britain
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Norway
- Svalbard
- Sweden
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Southeastern Europe
- Albania
- Bulgaria
- Greece
- Italy
- Kriti
- Romania
- Sicilia
- Yugoslavia
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Southwestern Europe
- Corse
- France
- Sardegna
- Spain
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Eastern Europe
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Northern America click to expand
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Eastern Canada
- Labrador
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland
- Nova Scotia
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Québec
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Mexico
- Mexico Northwest
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North-central U.S.A.
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- South Dakota
- Wisconsin
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Northeastern U.S.A.
- Connecticut
- Indiana
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- West Virginia
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Northwestern U.S.A.
- Colorado
- Idaho
- Montana
- Oregon
- Washington
- Wyoming
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South-central U.S.A.
- New Mexico
- Texas
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Southeastern U.S.A.
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Delaware
- District Of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Mississippi
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Virginia
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Southwestern U.S.A.
- Arizona
- California
- Nevada
- Utah
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Subarctic America
- Alaska
- Greenland
- Yukon
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Western Canada
- Alberta
- British Columbia
- Manitoba
- Saskatchewan
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Eastern Canada
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Pacific click to expand
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North-central Pacific
- Hawaii
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North-central Pacific
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Southern America click to expand
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Southern South America
- Argentina Northeast
- Argentina Northwest
- Argentina South
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Southern South America
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000878460 |
| UNII | IOL9HH67Y9 |
| Canadensys | 18818 |
| Tropicos | 25509642 |
| The Plant List | kew-416331 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 105567 |
| Observations.org | 6789 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 4608 |
| NBN Atlas | NHMSYS0000458788 |
| IPNI | 403321-1 |
| iNaturalist | 77143 |
| GBIF | 2706239 |
| Freebase | /m/0gd3t0 |
| EOL | 1115749 |
| Elurikkus | 4752 |
| Calflora (Californian flora) | 3585 |
| USDA GRIN | 16709 |
| Wikipedia | Lolium_pratense |
| Flora of Alabama | 5375 |
| Canadensys | 18824 |
| Tropicos | 25558282 |
| Flora of Italy | 7227 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:1138205-2 |
| The Plant List | kew-422867 |
| Nature Serve | 2.160302 |
| IPNI | 1138205-2 |
| iNaturalist | 866252 |
| GBIF | 2706237 |
| WisFlora | 13124 |
| USDA GRIN | 400709 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Alkaloids and derivatives | |||||
| Pilocarpine | 5910 | Click to see CCC1C(COC1=O)CC2=CN=CN2C | 208.26 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)83714-6 |
| > Alkaloids and derivatives / Cinchona alkaloids | |||||
| Quinine | 3034034 | Click to see | 324.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)83714-6 |
| > Alkaloids and derivatives / Ergoline and derivatives / Lysergic acids and derivatives / Ergopeptines / Ergotamines, dihydroergotamines, and derivatives | |||||
| Ergotamine | 8223 | Click to see CC1(C(=O)N2C(C(=O)N3CCCC3C2(O1)O)CC4=CC=CC=C4)NC(=O)C5CN(C6CC7=CNC8=CC=CC(=C78)C6=C5)C | 581.70 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)83714-6 |
| > Alkaloids and derivatives / Harmala alkaloids | |||||
| Harmol | 68094 | Click to see CC1=C2C(=C3C=CC(=O)C=C3N2)C=CN1 | 198.22 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)83714-6 |
| > Alkaloids and derivatives / Loline alkaloids and derivatives | |||||
| Loline | 716098 | Click to see | 154.21 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(96)00535-3 |
| N-Acetyl-N-demethylloline | 3833472 | Click to see | 182.22 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(96)00535-3 |
| N-Acetylloline | 24905419 | Click to see | 196.25 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(96)00535-3 |
| N-Acetylnorloline | 12018901 | Click to see | 182.22 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(96)00535-3 |
| N-Methyl-2-oxa-6-azatricyclo[4.2.1.03,7]nonan-8-amine | 3716322 | Click to see CNC1C2CN3C1C(O2)CC3 | 154.21 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(96)00535-3 |
| > Alkaloids and derivatives / Protoberberine alkaloids and derivatives | |||||
| Berberine | 2353 | Click to see | 336.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)83714-6 |
| > Alkaloids and derivatives / Strychnos alkaloids | |||||
| Brucine | 442021 | Click to see | 394.50 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)83714-6 |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives | |||||
| 4-Hydroxybenzoic acid | 135 | Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1C(=O)O)O | 138.12 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/1099-1565(200011/12)11:6<375::AID-PCA539>3.0.CO;2-0 |
| Protocatechuic Acid | 72 | Click to see | 154.12 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/1099-1565(200011/12)11:6<375::AID-PCA539>3.0.CO;2-0 |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Methoxybenzoic acids and derivatives / M-methoxybenzoic acids and derivatives | |||||
| Vanillic Acid | 8468 | Click to see COC1=C(C=CC(=C1)C(=O)O)O | 168.15 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/1099-1565(200011/12)11:6<375::AID-PCA539>3.0.CO;2-0 |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Phenylpropanes | |||||
| Ephedrine | 9294 | Click to see | 165.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)83714-6 |
| > Organic acids and derivatives / Carboxylic acids and derivatives / Amino acids, peptides, and analogues / Alpha amino acids and derivatives / Proline and derivatives | |||||
| Cis-4-Hydroxy-L-Proline | 440015 | Click to see | 131.13 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)83714-6 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Imidazopyrimidines / Purines and purine derivatives / Xanthines | |||||
| Theophylline | 2153 | Click to see | 180.16 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)83714-6 |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Quinolines and derivatives / Phenylquinolines | |||||
| 6-(3,4-Dimethoxyphenyl)benzo[f][2,7]naphthyridin-4-one | 420115 | Click to see COC1=C(C=C(C=C1)N2C=C3C(=CC=NC3=O)C4=CC=CC=C42)OC | 332.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9673(01)83714-6 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Cinnamic acids and derivatives / Hydroxycinnamic acids and derivatives / Hydroxycinnamic acids | |||||
| P-Coumaric Acid | 637542 | Click to see | 164.16 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1002/1099-1565(200011/12)11:6<375::AID-PCA539>3.0.CO;2-0 |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |